The Rise of iWar: Identity, Information, and the Individualization of Modern Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

INDMDUALIZATION OF MODERN WARFARE Glenn J. Voelz U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE ~~ ..... ~O.L STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE Report Documentation Page Form...ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) U.S. Army War College,Strategic Studies Institute,47 Ashburn Drive,Carlisle,PA,17013-5010 8. PERFORMING...concerning the role of ground forces in achieving national security objectives. The Strategic Studies Institute publishes national security and

The Strategic Importance of the Global Oil Market

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

of 1997 as a Visiting Scholar on Economic Faculty at Harvard University, funded by a U.S. Secretary of the Army Research & Study Fellowship. He was...ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) U.S. Army War College,Strategic Studies Institute,47 Ashburn Drive,Carlisle,PA,17013-5010 8. PERFORMING...concerning the role of ground forces in achieving national security objectives. The Strategic Studies Institute publishes national security and

Examples and Case Studies for the 2012 Chemical Data Reporting

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document presents examples and case studies to help you in reporting for 2012 Chemical Data Reporting (CDR), formerly known as Inventory Update Reporting (IUR).EPA designed these examples to illustrate the new reporting requirements, which were published as part of the CDR Rule (published August 16, 2011), and to address general reporting issues from the 2006 IUR.

Addressing the General Education Curriculum in General Education Settings with Students with Severe Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballard, Sarah L.; Dymond, Stacy K.

2017-01-01

This systematic literature review examined research on stakeholders' beliefs about addressing the general education curriculum in general education classrooms with students with severe disabilities (SD). The investigation was limited to studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 1997 and 2015. Ten articles were identified and then…

Deformation Driven Alloying and Transformation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-03

OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. University of Wisconsin - Madison RESERACH & SPONSORED PROGRAMS 21 N. PARK...STREET SUITE 6401 MADISON, WI 53715 -1218 4-Dec-2014 ABSTRACT Number of Papers published in peer-reviewed journals: Number of Papers published in non peer...diffusion. Further study of the underlying mechanisms is warranted. (a) Papers published in peer-reviewed journals (N/A for none) Enter List of papers

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army in 2025

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

China,” Communist and Post -Communist Studies , Vol. 31, No. 3, September 1998, p. 287-302. 80 18. Joseph Fewsmith, China Since Tiananmen, 2nd Ed...NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) U.S. Army War College,Strategic Studies Institute...Strategic Studies Institute publishes national security and strategic research and analysis to influence policy debate and bridge the gap between

A Review of Meta-Analyses in Education: Methodological Strengths and Weaknesses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahn, Soyeon; Ames, Allison J.; Myers, Nicholas D.

2012-01-01

The current review addresses the validity of published meta-analyses in education that determines the credibility and generalizability of study findings using a total of 56 meta-analyses published in education in the 2000s. Our objectives were to evaluate the current meta-analytic practices in education, identify methodological strengths and…

A Story Well Told: Rich Narrative Engages California Fifth Grade Students in American History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huson, Julie Alice

2007-01-01

The educational publisher Pearson/Scott-Foresman in 2006 introduced curriculum to address California History/Social Studies standards. Fifth grade students have difficulty comprehending non-fiction text that is informative enough to have historical accuracy. The publisher promotes a program that features a standard in every lesson, and promises no…

Health information exchanges--Unfulfilled promise as a data source for clinical research.

PubMed

Parker, Carol; Weiner, Michael; Reeves, Mathew

2016-03-01

To determine the use of health information exchange organizations (HIEs) to support and conduct clinical research. This scoping review included US-based studies published between January 2003 and March 2014 that used data from an HIE to address at least one of three categories of research: clinical or epidemiological research, financial evaluation, or utilization of health services. Eligibility was not restricted to research on HIEs. Studies with research questions outside of the evaluation of HIEs themselves were sought. Eighteen articles met final study inclusion criteria from an initial list of 847 hits. Fifteen studies addressed a clinical or epidemiological research question, 6 addressed a financial consideration, and 8 addressed a utilization issue. Considerable overlap was found among the research categories: 13 articles addressed more than one category. Of the eighteen included studies, only two used HIE data to answer a research objective that was NOT specific to HIE use. Research designs were varied and ranged from observational studies, such as cohort and cross-sectional studies, to randomized trials. The 18 articles represent the involvement of a small number of HIEs; 7 of the studies were from a single HIE. This review demonstrates that HIE-provided information is available and used to answer clinical or epidemiological, financial, or utilization-based research questions; however, the majority of the studies using HIE data are done with the primary goal of evaluating the use and impact of HIEs on health care delivery and outcomes. As HIEs mature and become integrated parts of the health care industry, the authors anticipate that fewer studies will be published that describe or validate the role of HIEs, and more will use HIEs as multi-institutional data sources for conducting clinical research and improving health services and clinical outcomes. Articles identified in this review indicate the limited extent that HIE data are being used for clinical research outside of the evaluation of HIEs themselves, as well as the limited number of specific HIEs that are involved in generating published research. Significant barriers exist that prevent HIEs from developing into an invaluable resource for clinical research including technological infrastructure limitations, business processes limiting secondary use of data, and lack of participating provider support. Research to better understand challenges to developing the necessary infrastructure and policies to foster HIE engagement in research would be valuable as HIEs represent an opportunity to engage non-traditional health care provider research partners. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Addressing the unit of analysis in medical care studies: a systematic review.

PubMed

Calhoun, Aaron W; Guyatt, Gordon H; Cabana, Michael D; Lu, Downing; Turner, David A; Valentine, Stacey; Randolph, Adrienne G

2008-06-01

We assessed the frequency that patients are incorrectly used as the unit of analysis among studies of physicians' patient care behavior in articles published in high impact journals. We surveyed 30 high-impact journals across 6 medical fields for articles susceptible to unit of analysis errors published from 1994 to 2005. Three reviewers independently abstracted articles using previously published criteria to determine the presence of analytic errors. One hundred fourteen susceptible articles were found published in 15 journals, 4 journals published the majority (71 of 114 or 62.3%) of studies, 40 were intervention studies, and 74 were noninterventional studies. The unit of analysis error was present in 19 (48%) of the intervention studies and 31 (42%) of the noninterventional studies (overall error rate 44%). The frequency of the error decreased between 1994-1999 (N = 38; 65% error) and 2000-2005 (N = 76; 33% error) (P = 0.001). Although the frequency of the error in published studies is decreasing, further improvement remains desirable.

Screen Shots: When Patients and Families Publish Negative Health Care Narratives Online.

PubMed

Eijkholt, Marleen; Jankowski, Jane; Fisher, Marilyn

2017-01-01

Social media sites and their relationship to health care is a subject of intense debate. Common discussions regarding social media address patient privacy, or e-professionalism. This case study explores the tensions that arise for health care providers when negative patient statements surface in social media and blog forums. Recognizing that patients and families often find relief in sharing personal illness narratives, we contemplate if, and how, individual health care professionals and institutions should address complaints aired in public, unmoderated media. Our discussion begins by presenting a case of a family blogging on the Internet to share grievances (to deidentify the case, we have changed some details). Next, we offer an exploration of the impact on health care delivery when professionals become aware of specific criticisms published online. Strategies for managing electronic criticisms are then proposed. We conclude by proposing a novel E-THICS approach to address negative patient expressions via electronic word of mouth (eWOM). Our examination of this evolving issue focuses on maintaining satisfactory relationships between health care providers and patients/families when dealing with health care narratives published in open online media.

Measuring, Rating, Supporting, and Strengthening Open Access Scholarly Publishing in Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neto, Silvio Carvalho; Willinsky, John; Alperin, Juan Pablo

2016-01-01

This study assesses the extent and nature of open access scholarly publishing in Brazil, one of the world's leaders in providing universal access to its research and scholarship. It utilizes Brazil's Qualis journal evaluation system, along with other relevant data bases to address the association between scholarly quality and open access in the…

Power of Statistical Tests Used to Address Nonresponse Error in the "Journal of Agricultural Education"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Donald M.; Shoulders, Catherine W.

2017-01-01

As members of a profession committed to the dissemination of rigorous research pertaining to agricultural education, authors publishing in the Journal of Agricultural Education (JAE) must seek methods to evaluate and, when necessary, improve their research methods. The purpose of this study was to describe how authors of manuscripts published in…

Statistical Considerations of Food Allergy Prevention Studies.

PubMed

Bahnson, Henry T; du Toit, George; Lack, Gideon

Clinical studies to prevent the development of food allergy have recently helped reshape public policy recommendations on the early introduction of allergenic foods. These trials are also prompting new research, and it is therefore important to address the unique design and analysis challenges of prevention trials. We highlight statistical concepts and give recommendations that clinical researchers may wish to adopt when designing future study protocols and analysis plans for prevention studies. Topics include selecting a study sample, addressing internal and external validity, improving statistical power, choosing alpha and beta, analysis innovations to address dilution effects, and analysis methods to deal with poor compliance, dropout, and missing data. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic reviews addressing identified health policy priorities in Eastern Mediterranean countries: a situational analysis.

PubMed

El-Jardali, Fadi; Akl, Elie A; Karroum, Lama Bou; Kdouh, Ola; Akik, Chaza; Fadlallah, Racha; Hammoud, Rawan

2014-08-20

Systematic reviews can offer policymakers and stakeholders concise, transparent, and relevant evidence pertaining to pressing policy priorities to help inform the decision-making process. The production and the use of systematic reviews are specifically limited in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The extent to which published systematic reviews address policy priorities in the region is still unknown. This situational analysis exercise aims at assessing the extent to which published systematic reviews address policy priorities identified by policymakers and stakeholders in Eastern Mediterranean region countries. It also provides an overview about the state of systematic review production in the region and identifies knowledge gaps. We conducted a systematic search of the Health System Evidence database to identify published systematic reviews on policy-relevant priorities pertaining to the following themes: human resources for health, health financing, the role of the non-state sector, and access to medicine. Priorities were identified from two priority-setting exercises conducted in the region. We described the distribution of these systematic reviews across themes, sub-themes, authors' affiliations, and countries where included primary studies were conducted. Out of the 1,045 systematic reviews identified in Health System Evidence on selected themes, a total of 200 systematic reviews (19.1%) addressed the priorities from the Eastern Mediterranean region. The theme with the largest number of systematic reviews included was human resources for health (115) followed by health financing (33), access to medicine (27), and role of the non-state sector (25). Authors based in the region produced only three systematic reviews addressing regional priorities (1.5%). Furthermore, no systematic review focused on the Eastern Mediterranean region. Primary studies from the region had limited contribution to systematic reviews; 17 systematic reviews (8.5%) included primary studies conducted in the region. There are still gaps in the production of systematic reviews addressing policymakers' and stakeholders' priorities in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Efforts should be directed towards better aligning systematic review production with policy needs and priorities. Study findings can inform the agendas of researchers, research institutions, and international funding agencies of priority areas where systematic reviews are required.

Systematic reviews addressing identified health policy priorities in Eastern Mediterranean countries: a situational analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Systematic reviews can offer policymakers and stakeholders concise, transparent, and relevant evidence pertaining to pressing policy priorities to help inform the decision-making process. The production and the use of systematic reviews are specifically limited in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The extent to which published systematic reviews address policy priorities in the region is still unknown. This situational analysis exercise aims at assessing the extent to which published systematic reviews address policy priorities identified by policymakers and stakeholders in Eastern Mediterranean region countries. It also provides an overview about the state of systematic review production in the region and identifies knowledge gaps. Methods We conducted a systematic search of the Health System Evidence database to identify published systematic reviews on policy-relevant priorities pertaining to the following themes: human resources for health, health financing, the role of the non-state sector, and access to medicine. Priorities were identified from two priority-setting exercises conducted in the region. We described the distribution of these systematic reviews across themes, sub-themes, authors’ affiliations, and countries where included primary studies were conducted. Results Out of the 1,045 systematic reviews identified in Health System Evidence on selected themes, a total of 200 systematic reviews (19.1%) addressed the priorities from the Eastern Mediterranean region. The theme with the largest number of systematic reviews included was human resources for health (115) followed by health financing (33), access to medicine (27), and role of the non-state sector (25). Authors based in the region produced only three systematic reviews addressing regional priorities (1.5%). Furthermore, no systematic review focused on the Eastern Mediterranean region. Primary studies from the region had limited contribution to systematic reviews; 17 systematic reviews (8.5%) included primary studies conducted in the region. Conclusions There are still gaps in the production of systematic reviews addressing policymakers’ and stakeholders’ priorities in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Efforts should be directed towards better aligning systematic review production with policy needs and priorities. Study findings can inform the agendas of researchers, research institutions, and international funding agencies of priority areas where systematic reviews are required. PMID:25139256

TEACHING PHYSICS: The quantum understanding of pre-university physics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireson, Gren

2000-01-01

Students in England and Wales wishing to read for a physics-based degree will, in all but the more exceptional situations, be required to follow the two-year GCE Advanced-level physics course. This course includes, in its mandatory core, material that addresses the topic of `quantum phenomena'. Over the years journals such as this have published teaching strategies, for example Lawrence (1996), but few studies addressing what students understand of quantum phenomena can be found. This paper aims to address just this problem.

A Program Evaluation of the Language Lab™: Response to Intervention Program for Teaching Grammar, Vocabulary, and Storytelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiechmann, JoAnn; Richardson, Martha; Jones, Don

2014-01-01

This program evaluation study addressed the struggle of local elementary school speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in a school district to provide evidence-based intervention in language for students below grade level as required by the U.S. Department of Education. Recently, Language Lab™ was published to address the needs of oral language…

Mixed Methods in CAM Research: A Systematic Review of Studies Published in 2012

PubMed Central

Bishop, Felicity L.; Holmes, Michelle M.

2013-01-01

Background. Mixed methods research uses qualitative and quantitative methods together in a single study or a series of related studies. Objectives. To review the prevalence and quality of mixed methods studies in complementary medicine. Methods. All studies published in the top 10 integrative and complementary medicine journals in 2012 were screened. The quality of mixed methods studies was appraised using a published tool designed for mixed methods studies. Results. 4% of papers (95 out of 2349) reported mixed methods studies, 80 of which met criteria for applying the quality appraisal tool. The most popular formal mixed methods design was triangulation (used by 74% of studies), followed by embedded (14%), sequential explanatory (8%), and finally sequential exploratory (5%). Quantitative components were generally of higher quality than qualitative components; when quantitative components involved RCTs they were of particularly high quality. Common methodological limitations were identified. Most strikingly, none of the 80 mixed methods studies addressed the philosophical tensions inherent in mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Conclusions and Implications. The quality of mixed methods research in CAM can be enhanced by addressing philosophical tensions and improving reporting of (a) analytic methods and reflexivity (in qualitative components) and (b) sampling and recruitment-related procedures (in all components). PMID:24454489

Analysis of Coaching Science Research Published from 1970-2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Wade D.; Trudel, Pierre

2004-01-01

The study followed a four-phase design. In Phase I an exhaustive search was conducted for all English language coaching research published in journals from 1970 to 2001. In Phase II, copies of the research were obtained. An expert panel conducted a manual search and a review in Phase III to address validity. Analysis of the research was completed…

Getting science out -- a boston mountains forest underplanting tool online

Treesearch

Martin A. Spetich; Daniel C. Dey; Jim Lootens

2009-01-01

Scientists typically publish research results in scientific journals in formats, language, and styles that are not always useful to many professional and general public users. To address this gap in technology transfer, we developed a method to get research published in journal articles out to a broader spectrum of users. This paper uses a study of oak regeneration to...

A systematic review of recent smartphone, Internet and Web 2.0 interventions to address the HIV continuum of care.

PubMed

Muessig, Kathryn E; Nekkanti, Manali; Bauermeister, Jose; Bull, Sheana; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B

2015-03-01

eHealth, mHealth and "Web 2.0" social media strategies can effectively reach and engage key populations in HIV prevention across the testing, treatment, and care continuum. To assess how these tools are currently being used within the field of HIV prevention and care, we systematically reviewed recent (2013-2014) published literature, conference abstracts, and funded research. Our searches identified 23 published intervention studies and 32 funded projects underway. In this synthesis we describe the technology modes applied and the stages of the HIV care cascade addressed, including both primary and secondary prevention activities. Overall trends include use of new tools including social networking sites, provision of real-time assessment and feedback, gamification and virtual reality. While there has been increasing attention to use of technology to address the care continuum, gaps remain around linkage to care, retention in care, and initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

An unsupervised classification method for inferring original case locations from low-resolution disease maps.

PubMed

Brownstein, John S; Cassa, Christopher A; Kohane, Isaac S; Mandl, Kenneth D

2006-12-08

Widespread availability of geographic information systems software has facilitated the use of disease mapping in academia, government and private sector. Maps that display the address of affected patients are often exchanged in public forums, and published in peer-reviewed journal articles. As previously reported, a search of figure legends in five major medical journals found 19 articles from 1994-2004 that identify over 19,000 patient addresses. In this report, a method is presented to evaluate whether patient privacy is being breached in the publication of low-resolution disease maps. To demonstrate the effect, a hypothetical low-resolution map of geocoded patient addresses was created and the accuracy with which patient addresses can be resolved is described. Through georeferencing and unsupervised classification of the original image, the method precisely re-identified 26% (144/550) of the patient addresses from a presentation quality map and 79% (432/550) from a publication quality map. For the presentation quality map, 99.8% of the addresses were within 70 meters (approximately one city block length) of the predicted patient location, 51.6% of addresses were identified within five buildings, 70.7% within ten buildings and 93% within twenty buildings. For the publication quality map, all addresses were within 14 meters and 11 buildings of the predicted patient location. This study demonstrates that lowering the resolution of a map displaying geocoded patient addresses does not sufficiently protect patient addresses from re-identification. Guidelines to protect patient privacy, including those of medical journals, should reflect policies that ensure privacy protection when spatial data are displayed or published.

Using mixed methods research designs in health psychology: an illustrated discussion from a pragmatist perspective.

PubMed

Bishop, Felicity L

2015-02-01

To outline some of the challenges of mixed methods research and illustrate how they can be addressed in health psychology research. This study critically reflects on the author's previously published mixed methods research and discusses the philosophical and technical challenges of mixed methods, grounding the discussion in a brief review of methodological literature. Mixed methods research is characterized as having philosophical and technical challenges; the former can be addressed by drawing on pragmatism, the latter by considering formal mixed methods research designs proposed in a number of design typologies. There are important differences among the design typologies which provide diverse examples of designs that health psychologists can adapt for their own mixed methods research. There are also similarities; in particular, many typologies explicitly orient to the technical challenges of deciding on the respective timing of qualitative and quantitative methods and the relative emphasis placed on each method. Characteristics, strengths, and limitations of different sequential and concurrent designs are identified by reviewing five mixed methods projects each conducted for a different purpose. Adapting formal mixed methods designs can help health psychologists address the technical challenges of mixed methods research and identify the approach that best fits the research questions and purpose. This does not obfuscate the need to address philosophical challenges of mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Mixed methods research poses philosophical and technical challenges. Pragmatism in a popular approach to the philosophical challenges while diverse typologies of mixed methods designs can help address the technical challenges. Examples of mixed methods research can be hard to locate when component studies from mixed methods projects are published separately. What does this study add? Critical reflections on the author's previously published mixed methods research illustrate how a range of different mixed methods designs can be adapted and applied to address health psychology research questions. The philosophical and technical challenges of mixed methods research should be considered together and in relation to the broader purpose of the research. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Smoking: what has been addressed in Brazilian journals.

PubMed

Prado, Gustavo Faibischew; Lombardi, Elisa Maria Siqueira; Morais, Anna Miethke; Martins, Stella Regina; Santos, Ubiratan de Paula

2012-12-01

The topic of tobacco smoking, in its several aspects, has been receiving increasing attention among researchers over the past few years, which has been reflected in more data and more solid scientific literature on the subject in national journals. This article aims to review the studies that focused on smoking published between January 2010 and June 2012, in Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia (Brazilian Archives of Cardiology), Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, Clinics (Sao Paulo), Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia (Brazilian Journal of Pulmonology), Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira (Journal of the Brazilian Medical Association) and Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular (Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery). During the aforementioned period 58 articles were published, 52 of which were original ones, addressing several aspects of smoking, such as effects on health, epidemiology, cessation and experimental studies.

Theory-Driven Evaluation in School Psychology Intervention Research: 2007-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer, Sterett H.; Idler, Alyssa M.; Bartfai, Jamie M.

2014-01-01

This study is an investigation of the extent to which school psychology intervention research is guided by theory and addresses theoretical implications of findings. Intervention studies published during 2007-2012 in four journals, "Journal of School Psychology," "Psychology in the Schools," "School Psychology…

Secondary data analysis of large data sets in urology: successes and errors to avoid.

PubMed

Schlomer, Bruce J; Copp, Hillary L

2014-03-01

Secondary data analysis is the use of data collected for research by someone other than the investigator. In the last several years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of these studies being published in urological journals and presented at urological meetings, especially involving secondary data analysis of large administrative data sets. Along with this expansion, skepticism for secondary data analysis studies has increased for many urologists. In this narrative review we discuss the types of large data sets that are commonly used for secondary data analysis in urology, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of secondary data analysis. A literature search was performed to identify urological secondary data analysis studies published since 2008 using commonly used large data sets, and examples of high quality studies published in high impact journals are given. We outline an approach for performing a successful hypothesis or goal driven secondary data analysis study and highlight common errors to avoid. More than 350 secondary data analysis studies using large data sets have been published on urological topics since 2008 with likely many more studies presented at meetings but never published. Nonhypothesis or goal driven studies have likely constituted some of these studies and have probably contributed to the increased skepticism of this type of research. However, many high quality, hypothesis driven studies addressing research questions that would have been difficult to conduct with other methods have been performed in the last few years. Secondary data analysis is a powerful tool that can address questions which could not be adequately studied by another method. Knowledge of the limitations of secondary data analysis and of the data sets used is critical for a successful study. There are also important errors to avoid when planning and performing a secondary data analysis study. Investigators and the urological community need to strive to use secondary data analysis of large data sets appropriately to produce high quality studies that hopefully lead to improved patient outcomes. Copyright © 2014 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Systematic Review of Recent Smartphone, Internet and Web 2.0 Interventions to Address the HIV Continuum of Care

PubMed Central

Muessig, Kathryn E.; Nekkanti, Manali; Bauermeister, Jose; Bull, Sheana

2015-01-01

eHealth, mHealth and “Web 2.0” social media strategies can effectively reach and engage key populations in HIV prevention across the testing, treatment, and care continuum. To assess how these tools are currently being used within the field of HIV prevention and care, we systematically reviewed recent (2013–2014) published literature, conference abstracts, and funded research. Our searches identified 23 published intervention studies and 32 funded projects underway. In this synthesis we describe the technology modes applied and the stages of the HIV care cascade addressed, including both primary and secondary prevention activities. Overall trends include use of new tools including social networking sites, provision of real-time assessment and feedback, gamification and virtual reality. While there has been increasing attention to use of technology to address the care continuum, gaps remain around linkage to care, retention in care, and initiation of antiretroviral therapy. PMID:25626718

A CBO Study: The Economics of Climate Change: A Primer

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-01

issues related to climate change , focusing primarily on its economic aspects. The study draws from numerous published sources to summarize the current...state of climate science and provide a conceptual framework for addressing climate change as an economic problem. It also examines public policy

Khuzestan dust phenomenon: a content analysis of most widely circulated newspapers.

PubMed

Mojadam, Mehdi; Matlabi, Mohammad; Haji, Alireza; Cheraghi, Maria; Bitaraf, Saeid; Khafaie, Morteza Abdullatif

2018-06-01

Dust is an atmospheric phenomenon that causes adverse environmental effects. It is deemed to have harmful effects on health, economics, and climate. This study aimed to analyze the content published on the phenomenon of dust in the widely circulated newspapers in Iran. We investigated the content of all national and provincial newspapers that were published between July and August 2014. Data on the materials related to the dust phenomenon in the newspapers were categorized and coded. From a total of 510 newspaper issues, 143 articles were devoted to the dust phenomenon which 74.1% of them were published in provincial newspapers. Among the national newspapers, Hamshahri newspaper with 16 headlines and from the provincial newspapers; Karoon with 23 headlines published the highest number of articles on dust phenomenon. 45.5% of content on dust were printed on the first page of the newspapers. The most common approach to the type of content published in these newspapers was an interview. Moreover, we noticed that 28.7% of the content published in the newspapers was related to the health issue. The media plays an important role in the transmission of health information. Weaknesses in addressing the causes of dust occurrence and also in providing solutions for the dust control and prevention were noticeable in the content published in the newspaper. It seems necessary to take practical measures to disseminate relevant information to dust and also address the needs of the target audience community influenced by the dust phenomenon properly.

Tracing a Path to the Past: Exploring the Use of Commercial Credit Reporting Data to Construct Residential Histories for Epidemiologic Studies of Environmental Exposures.

PubMed

Hurley, Susan; Hertz, Andrew; Nelson, David O; Layefsky, Michael; Von Behren, Julie; Bernstein, Leslie; Deapen, Dennis; Reynolds, Peggy

2017-02-01

Large-scale environmental epidemiologic studies often rely on exposure estimates based on linkage to residential addresses. This approach, however, is limited by the lack of residential histories typically available for study participants. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of using address data from LexisNexis (a division of RELX, Inc., Dayton, Ohio), a commercially available credit reporting company, to construct residential histories for participants in the California Teachers Study (CTS), a prospective cohort study initiated in 1995-1996 to study breast cancer (n = 133,479). We evaluated the degree to which LexisNexis could provide retrospective addresses prior to study enrollment, as well as the concordance with existing prospective CTS addresses ascertained at the time of the completion of 4 self-administered questionnaires. For approximately 80% of CTS participants, LexisNexis provided at least 1 retrospective address, including nearly 25,000 addresses completely encompassed by time periods prior to enrollment. This approach more than doubled the proportion of the study population for whom we had an address of residence during the childbearing years-an important window of susceptibility for breast cancer risk. While overall concordance between the prospective addresses contained in these 2 data sources was good (85%), it was diminished among black women and women under the age of 40 years. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Reporting and publishing guidelines: article 12 in Integrating and coordinating efforts in COPD guideline development. An official ATS/ERS workshop report.

PubMed

Wilson, Kevin C; Irwin, Richard S; File, Thomas M; Schünemann, Holger J; Guyatt, Gordon H; Rabe, Klaus F

2012-12-01

Professional societies, like many other organizations around the world, have recognized the need to use rigorous processes to ensure that health care recommendations are informed by the best available research evidence. This is the twelfth of a series of 14 articles that were prepared to advise guideline developers in respiratory and other diseases. This article discusses the reporting and publishing of guidelines. The authors formulated and discussed the following questions on the reporting and publishing of guidelines. (1) What should be reported in guidelines? (2) How should guidelines be written? (3) How should the bottom-line message be conveyed? (4) How should guidelines be packaged? (5) Where should guidelines be published? (6) Who benefits from the publication of guidelines? (7) What information should be vetted by the editor(s)? (8) How should guidelines be peer reviewed? We conducted a review of the literature, looking for systematic reviews and methodological research that addressed these questions, but we did not conduct a full systematic review. Our conclusions are based on the available evidence from the published literature and logical arguments from experienced guideline developers. There is little empirical evidence that addresses the reporting and publishing of guidelines. A standard format for reporting guidelines is desirable to ensure that guidelines are comprehensive and that all of the information necessary to judge their quality is presented. In addition, guidelines should contain concise evidence-based recommendations. To facilitate the use of guidelines by consumers, it is preferable to publish them in journals that serve the target audience and to package them in multiple ways. Editors and peer reviewers should ensure that reporting standards have been met, potential conflicts of interest have been adequately addressed and made public, and that the recommendations address important clinical questions.

Establishing a Book Publishing Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciofalo, Andrew

Addressing the need to prepare college graduates for careers in book publishing, this report examines the necessity and structure of a book publishing curriculum at the undergraduate level at Loyola College in Maryland. A 1977 bulletin by the American Association of Publishers (AAP) cited a lack of awareness of publishing as a possible career, and…

75 FR 32195 - Procedures and Costs for Use of the Research Data Center

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... related variables are published so that outside analysts may conduct original research and special studies... and the proposals should address why the requested data are needed for the proposed study. Overly... their application does not constitute endorsement by NCHS of the substantive, methodological...

75 FR 4043 - Endangered Species; File No. 14396

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-26

... scientific research. ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review upon written..., notice was published in the Federal Register (74 FR 42861) that a request for a scientific research... scientific study of shortnose sturgeon in the Delaware River where primary study objectives are to locate and...

75 FR 3966 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-25

... Comprehensive Quantitative Impact Study.'' DATES: You should submit comments by March 26, 2010. ADDRESSES... requesting approval of the following new information collection: Title: Basel Comprehensive Quantitative... quantitative impact study (QIS) to assess the impact of the proposed revisions that were published by the Basel...

Violence against Teachers: Case Studies from the APA Task Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Linda A.; Espelage, Dorothy; McMahon, Susan D.; Anderman, Eric M.; Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Brown, Veda Evanell; Reynolds, Cecil R.; Jones, Abraham; Kanrich, Jaclyn

2013-01-01

Violence directed toward teachers has been understudied despite significant media and empirical investigation on school violence, such as student-to-student victimization and bullying. To date, there are relatively few published studies scattered across many countries. To address this void, the American Psychological Association, in collaboration…

What do letters to the editor publish about randomized controlled trials? A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To identify published letters to the editor (LTE) written in response to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), determine the topics addressed in the letters, and to examine if these topics were affected by the characteristics and results of the RCTs. Methods Comparative cross-sectional study of a representative sample of RCTs from a set of high-impact medical journals (BMJ, Lancet, NEJM, JAMA, and Annals of Internal Medicine). RCTs and their published LTE were searched from these 5 journals in 2007. Data were collected on RCTs and their characteristics (author affiliation, funding source, intervention, and effect on the primary outcome) and the topics addressed in published LTE related to these RCTs. Analysis included chi-square and regression analysis (RCT characteristics) and thematic analysis (LTE topics). Results Of 334 identified RCTs, 175 trials had at least one LTE. Of these, 381 published LTE were identified. Most RCTs, tested drug interventions (68%), were funded by government (54%) or industry (33%), and described an intervention that had a positive impact on the primary outcome (62%). RCT authors were primarily affiliated with an academic centre (78%). Ninety percent of the 623 LTE topics concerned methodological issues regarding the analysis, intervention, and population in the RCT. There was a significant association between funding source and impact on outcomes (p = 0.002) or type of intervention tested (p = 0.001) in these trials. Clinical and “Other” LTE topics were more likely to be published in response to a government funded RCT (p = 0.005 and p = 0.033, respectively); no other comparisons were significant. Conclusions This study showed that most LTE are about methodological topics, but found little evidence to support that these topics are affected by the characteristics or results of the RCTs. The lack of association may be explained by editorial censorship as a small proportion of LTE that are submitted are actually published. PMID:24124753

What do letters to the editor publish about randomized controlled trials? A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kastner, Monika; Menon, Anita; Straus, Sharon E; Laupacis, Andreas

2013-10-14

To identify published letters to the editor (LTE) written in response to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), determine the topics addressed in the letters, and to examine if these topics were affected by the characteristics and results of the RCTs. Comparative cross-sectional study of a representative sample of RCTs from a set of high-impact medical journals (BMJ, Lancet, NEJM, JAMA, and Annals of Internal Medicine). RCTs and their published LTE were searched from these 5 journals in 2007. Data were collected on RCTs and their characteristics (author affiliation, funding source, intervention, and effect on the primary outcome) and the topics addressed in published LTE related to these RCTs. Analysis included chi-square and regression analysis (RCT characteristics) and thematic analysis (LTE topics). Of 334 identified RCTs, 175 trials had at least one LTE. Of these, 381 published LTE were identified. Most RCTs, tested drug interventions (68%), were funded by government (54%) or industry (33%), and described an intervention that had a positive impact on the primary outcome (62%). RCT authors were primarily affiliated with an academic centre (78%). Ninety percent of the 623 LTE topics concerned methodological issues regarding the analysis, intervention, and population in the RCT. There was a significant association between funding source and impact on outcomes (p = 0.002) or type of intervention tested (p = 0.001) in these trials. Clinical and "Other" LTE topics were more likely to be published in response to a government funded RCT (p = 0.005 and p = 0.033, respectively); no other comparisons were significant. This study showed that most LTE are about methodological topics, but found little evidence to support that these topics are affected by the characteristics or results of the RCTs. The lack of association may be explained by editorial censorship as a small proportion of LTE that are submitted are actually published.

Masterminding a Masterpiece: A Guide to Publishing Your Institution's History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Melinda Burdette

1984-01-01

Suggestions for undertaking and succeeding at publishing an institutional history address these issues: expectations, funding, choosing an author, stirring interest among alumni, involving alumni and older faculty, determining a writing approach, layout, and publishing. (MSE)

Complications of wrist arthroscopy.

PubMed

Ahsan, Zahab S; Yao, Jeffrey

2012-06-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to address the incidence of complications associated with wrist arthroscopy. Given the paucity of information published on this topic, an all-inclusive review of published wrist arthroscopy complications was sought. Two independent reviewers performed a literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO, and Academic Megasearch using the terms "wrist arthroscopy complications," "complications of wrist arthroscopy," "wrist arthroscopy injury," and "wrist arthroscopy." Inclusion criteria were (1) Levels I to V evidence, (2) "complication" defined as an adverse outcome directly related to the operative procedure, and (3) explicit description of operative complications in the study. Eleven multiple-patient studies addressing complications of wrist arthroscopy from 1994 to 2010 were identified, with 42 complications reported from 895 wrist arthroscopy procedures, a 4.7% complication rate. Four case reports were also found, identifying injury to the dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve, injury to the posterior interosseous nerve, and extensor tendon sheath fistula formation. This systematic review suggests that the previously documented rate of wrist arthroscopy complications may be underestimating the true incidence. The report of various complications provides insight to surgeons for improving future surgical techniques. Level IV, systematic review of Levels I-V studies. Copyright © 2012 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Response to discrepancies in publications related to HMB-FA and ATP supplementation.

PubMed

Wilson, Jacob M

2017-01-01

Gentles and Phillips have submitted questions regarding three recent papers investigating ATP, HMB and the combination. The questions pertaining to the homogeneity of subjects' characteristics between the three different published papers, and why there appears to be differences in the number of subjects in placebo groups across studies. This response addresses each of these issues and demonstrates that there are no discrepancies between papers but rather a misunderstanding of the papers previously published.

Book reviews in medical journals.

PubMed Central

Kroenke, K

1986-01-01

In a study of book reviews published in four general medical journals over a six-month period, 480 reviews were analyzed. Twenty-five features that reviewers address when evaluating a text were identified, and the frequency of commentary for each feature was determined. The mean number of features addressed per review was 9.0. Reviews averaged 389 words, but review length did not correlate with the length or scope of the book, with the number of features addressed, nor with the reviewer's assessment of the text. Extraneous commentary by the reviewer occurred in 16% of the reviews. This editorializing appeared in lengthier reviews that addressed fewer features. Favorable reviews were far more common than unfavorable ones (88.5% vs. 11.5%). Consequently, for the fifty-five books reviewed in more than one journal, agreement regarding rating of the text was high (86%). Results of this study may provide useful guidelines for reviewers of medical texts. PMID:3947772

Tendinopathies and platelet-rich plasma (PRP): from pre-clinical experiments to therapeutic use

PubMed Central

Kaux, Jean-François; Drion, Pierre; Croisier, Jean-Louis; Crielaard, Jean-Michel

2015-01-01

Objectives: The restorative properties of platelets, through the local release of growth factors, are used in various medical areas. This article reviews fundamental and clinical research relating to platelet-rich plasma applied to tendinous lesions. Materials and method: Articles in French and English, published between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2014. dealing with PRP and tendons were searched for using the Medline and Scopus data bases. Results: Forty-seven articles were identified which addressed pre-clinical and clinical studies: 27 relating to in vitro and in vivo animal studies and 20 relating to human studies. Of these, five addressed lateral epicondylitis, two addressed rotator cuff tendinopathies, ten dealt with patellar tendinopathies and three looked at Achilles tendinopathies. Conclusions: The majority of pre-clinical studies show that PRP stimulates the tendon’s healing process. However, clinical series remain more controversial and level 1, controlled, randomised studies are still needed. PMID:26195890

Reviewing and Critiquing Computer Learning and Usage among Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Young Sek

2008-01-01

By searching the keywords of "older adult" and "computer" in ERIC, Academic Search Premier, and PsycINFO, this study reviewed 70 studies published after 1990 that address older adults' computer learning and usage. This study revealed 5 prominent themes among reviewed literature: (a) motivations and barriers of older adults' usage of computers, (b)…

Detection and Imaging of Improvised Explosive Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-10

a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. University of Texas at El Paso 500 West University Avenue...El Paso , TX 79968 -0587 ABSTRACT Number of Papers published in peer-reviewed journals: Number of Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals: Final...Imaging of Improvised Explosive Devices Institution: University of Texas at El Paso Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering Address: 500 W

The Impact of Creative Learning Environments on Learners: A Systematic Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jindal-Snape, Divya; Davies, Dan; Collier, Chris; Howe, Alan; Digby, Rebecca; Hay, Penny

2013-01-01

This article is based on a systematic review of educational research, policy and professional literature relating to creative environments for learning in schools. Despite the search yielding 210 documents, comparatively few empirical studies were published between 2005 and 2011 that addressed the review objectives. Only 18 studies included in the…

Integrating Yoga with Psychotherapy: A Complementary Treatment for Anxiety and Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forfylow, Andrea L.

2011-01-01

This article addresses the empirical research on yoga as an effective, complementary, clinical intervention for anxiety and depression based on an examination of studies published from 2003 to 2010. There is a discussion of study findings and research limitations and suggestions for researchers and future research. Yoga appears to be an effective…

Chemical and biological warfare: General studies. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). Published Search

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

NONE

1997-11-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning federally sponsored and conducted studies into chemical and biological warfare operations and planning. These studies cover areas not addressed in other parts of this series. The topics include production and storage of agents, delivery techniques, training, military and civil defense, general planning studies, psychological reactions to chemical warfare, evaluations of materials exposed to chemical agents, and studies on banning or limiting chemical warfare. Other published searches in this series on chemical warfare cover detection and warning, defoliants, protection, and biological studies, including chemistry and toxicology.(Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and titlemore » list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)« less

Chemical and biological warfare: General studies. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). Published Search

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

NONE

1996-10-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning federally sponsored and conducted studies into chemical and biological warfare operations and planning. These studies cover areas not addressed in other parts of this series. The topics include production and storage of agents, delivery techniques, training, military and civil defense, general planning studies, psychological reactions to chemical warfare, evaluations of materials exposed to chemical agents, and studies on banning or limiting chemical warfare. Other published searches in this series on chemical warfare cover detection and warning, defoliants, protection, and biological studies, including chemistry and toxicology. (Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index andmore » title list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)« less

Chemical and biological warfare: General studies. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). Published Search

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

NONE

1995-09-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning federally sponsored and conducted studies into chemical and biological warfare operations and planning. These studies cover areas not addressed in other parts of this series. The topics include production and storage of agents, delivery techniques, training, military and civil defense, general planning studies, psychological reactions to chemical warfare, evaluations of materials exposed to chemical agents, and studies on banning or limiting chemical warfare. Other published searches in this series on chemical warfare cover detection and warning, defoliants, protection, and biological studies, including chemistry and toxicology.(Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and titlemore » list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)« less

Clinical Relevance Versus Statistical Significance: Aman and Colleagues Respond to Editorial.

PubMed

Aman, Michael G; Arnold, L Eugene; Barterian, Justin A

2018-05-01

We would like to respond to the thought-provoking editorial by Dr. Jon McClellan 1 regarding our article "Clinical Implications from the Treatment of Severe Childhood Aggression (TOSCA) Study: A Re-Analysis and Integration of Findings," published in the December 2017 issue of JAACAP. 2 We address some issues on which we partially disagree, and comment on convergence of opinion. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thematic Mapper research in the earth sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salomonson, Vincent V.; Stuart, Locke

1989-01-01

This paper's studies were initiated under the NASA program for the purpose of conducting the earth sciences research using the Landsat Thematic Mapper. The goals of the program include studies of the factors influencing the growth, health, condition, and distribution of vegetation on the earth; the processes controlling the evolution of the earth's crust; the earth's water budget and the hydrologic processes that operate at local, regional, and global scales; the physical and chemical interaction between different types of surficial materials; and the interaction between the earth's surface and its atmosphere. Twenty-seven domestic and five foreign investigations were initiated in 1985, with the results from most of them already published (one study was terminated due to the delay in the TDRSS). Twelve of the studies addressed hydrology, snow and ice, coastal processes, and near-shore oceanographic phenomena; seven addressed vegetation, soils, or animal habitat; and twelve addressed geologic subjects.

Educational Technology Research Trends in Turkey: A Content Analysis of the 2000-2009 Decade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goktas, Yuksel; Kucuk, Sevda; Aydemir, Melike; Telli, Esra; Arpacik, Omer; Yildirim, Gurkan; Reisoglu, Ilknur

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine Turkish educational technology studies in the academic literature within the scope of SSCI, and to reveal methodological trends within these studies. For this purpose, 460 Turkey-addressed articles, published between the years of 2000-2009 in 32 international journals, within the scope of 2010 SSCI were…

Guide for health professionals addressing oral care for individuals in oncological treatment based on scientific evidence.

PubMed

Carvalho, Caroline Gomes; Medeiros-Filho, João Batista; Ferreira, Meire Coelho

2018-02-22

Oncological treatment can cause changes in the oral cavity compromising oral functions. The aim of the study was, based on a systematic review, to draft a guide directed at the team of health professionals involved in the oral care of oncological patients. A systematic search of the literature was performed for articles published between 2000 and April 2017. Searches were made of electronic databases and hand search. The inclusion criteria were systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and RCTs published in English, involving pediatric and adult oncological patients and focused on the prevention and treatment of oral complications as well as studies addressing the maintenance of oral health. Among the 1237 studies identified, 129 were pre-selected and 54 were selected to form the basis for the clinical guide. The studies analyzed stress the need for oral assessments as well as preventive and curative actions prior to oncological treatment. To minimize the severity of oral problems, the studies emphasize daily oral care, the treatment of xerostomia with saliva substitute and hydration, and low-level laser therapy, nystatin, acyclovir, respectively, for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis, oral candidiasis, and infection by herpes simplex virus. Thus, the guide produced addresses oral assessments and professional and home care before, during, and after oncological treatment. The guide drafted has the function of assisting health professionals involved in the oral care of patients with cancer, enabling the prevention or treatment of oral complications stemming from oncological treatment.

A systematic review and appraisal of the quality of practice guidelines for the management of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections.

PubMed

Dickson, Catherine; Arnason, Trevor; Friedman, Dara Spatz; Metz, Gila; Grimshaw, Jeremy M

2017-11-01

Clinical guidelines help ensure consistent care informed by current evidence. As shifts in antimicrobial resistance continue to influence first-line treatment, up-to-date guidelines are important for preventing treatment failure. A guideline's development process will influence its recommendations and users' trust. To assess the quality of current gonorrhoea guidelines' development processes. Multiple databases. Original and current English-language guidelines targeting health professionals and containing treatment recommendations for uncomplicated gonorrhoea in the general adult population. Two appraisers assessed the guidelines independently using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool. Scores were combined as per the AGREE II users' manual. We identified 10 guidelines meeting the inclusion criteria. The quality of the gonorrhoea treatment guidelines varied. Most scored poorly on Rigour of Development ; information on the evidence review process and methods for formulating recommendations was often missing. The WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and UK National Guideline for the Management of Gonorrhoea in Adults scored the highest on Rigour of Development . Methods to address conflicts of interest were often not described in the materials reviewed. Implementation of recommendations was often not addressed. By limiting our study to English-language guidelines, a small number of guidelines we identified were excluded. Our analysis was limited to either published or online materials that were readily available to users. We could not differentiate between items addressed in the development process but not documented from items that were not addressed. Gonorrhoea treatment guidelines may slow antimicrobial resistance. Many current guidelines are not in line with the current guideline development best practices; this might undermine the perceived trustworthiness of guidelines. By identifying current limitations, this study can help improve the quality of future guidelines. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Usage of insecure E-mail services among researchers with different scientific background.

PubMed

Solić, Kresimir; Grgić, Krešimir; Ilakovac, Vesna; Zagar, Drago

2011-08-01

Free web‑based e-mail services are considered to have more security flaws than institutional ones, but they are frequently used among scientific researchers for professional communication. The aim of this study was to analyze frequency of usage of the insecure free e-mail services for professional communication among biomedical, economical and technical researchers, who published papers in one of three different journals: Croatian Medical Journal, Automatika and Economic Research. Contact details of the authors who provided their e‑mail address from the papers published in those three journals during one year period were collected. These e‑mail addresses were collected from the electronic archive of the journals in question. The domains of all e‑mail addresses were assessed and contacts were categorized into three groups according to the following types: world-wide known free web‑based e‑mail services, national Internet Service Provider (ISP) e-mail services, and institutional or corporate e-mail addresses. The proportion of authors using free web-based e-mail services, the least secure group type, was highest among biomedical researchers (17.8%) while every e‑mail address collected from the technical journal belonged to the secured institutional e‑mail group type. It seems that all researchers from the technical scientific field and most of the researchers from the economical field value good security practice and use more secure systems for professional communication. High percentage of the biomedical researchers who use insecure e‑mail services may mean that they need to be warned of the possible security disadvantages of those kinds of e‑mail addresses.

How to Lose Money Electronically: Word Processing and the Social Structure of Scholarly Publishing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Jack

1984-01-01

Addresses the issue of possible savings of time and money for authors and publishers resulting from author word processing and automation of scholarly book publishing industry. Automation and taxes, newspaper publishing, editing, routine expenses in the copy editing of word-processed works, and the effect on costs for libraries are covered. (EJS)

Scholarly Publishing: Books, Journals, Publishers, and Libraries in the Twentieth Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abel, Richard E., Ed.; Newlin, Lyman W., Ed.

2002-01-01

In this volume, publishers, booksellers, journal dealers, and librarians share their views on libraries and publishing. While the information/knowledge transfer process in the entire span of the twentieth century was to be addressed by the contributors, the principal focus of every author was to be the last five decades in which the most profound,…

Addressing obesity in the management of knee and hip osteoarthritis - weighing in from an economic perspective.

PubMed

Flego, Anna; Dowsey, Michelle M; Choong, Peter F M; Moodie, Marj

2016-05-26

Obesity is one of the only modifiable risk factors for both incidence and progression of Osteoarthritis (OA). So there is increasing interest from a public health perspective in addressing obesity in the management of OA. While evidence of the efficacy of intereventions designed to address obesity in OA populations continues to grow, little is known about their economic credentials. The aim of this study is to conduct a scoping review of: (i) the published economic evidence assessing the economic impact of obesity in OA populations; (ii) economic evaluations of interventions designed to explicitly address obesity in the prevention and management of OA in order to determine which represent value for money. Besides describing the current state of the literature, the study highlights research gaps and identifies future research priorities. In July 2014, a search of the peer reviewed literature, published in English, was undertaken for the period January 1975 - July 2014 using Medline Complete (Ebscohost), Embase, Econlit, Global Health, Health Economics Evaluation Database (HEED), all Cochrane Library databases as well as the grey literature using Google and reference lists of relevant studies. A combination of key search terms was used to identify papers assessing the economic impact of obesity in OA or economic evaluations conducted to assess the efficiency of obesity interventions for the prevention or management of OA. 14 studes were identified; 13 were cost burden studies assessing the impact of obesity as a predictor for higher costs in Total Joint Arthroplasty (TJA) patients and one a cost-effectiveness study of an intervention designed to address obesity in the managment of mild to moderate OA patients. The majority of the economic studies conducted are cost burden studies. While there is some evidence of the association between severe obesity and excess hospital costs for TJA patients, heterogeneity in studies precludes definitive statements about the strength of the association. With only one economic evaluation to inform policy and practice, there is a need for future research into the cost-effectiveness of obesity interventions designed both for prevention or management of OA along the disease spectrum and over the life course.

Deployment Stressors of the Iraq War: Insights from the Mainstream Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

La Bash, Heidi A. J.; Vogt, Dawne S.; King, Lynda A.; King, Daniel W.

2009-01-01

A comprehensive understanding of the stressors of the Iraq War is needed to ensure appropriate postdeployment assessments and to inform empirical inquiries. Yet we are unaware of any published studies that address the range of stressors experienced by this cohort. Thus, in the present study, we report the results of an interpretive literature…

Methods Used and Topics Addressed in Quantitative Health Research on Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Brennan, David J; Bauer, Greta R; Bradley, Kaitlin; Tran, Oth Vilaythong

2017-01-01

Research on sexual minority men (gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men) was examined with regard to the measures of sexual orientation used, the methods of research, and the main health outcomes under study. A systematic review of English-language quantitative studies was conducted focused on the health of sexual minority men published in 2010 (n = 250). The results provide a snapshot of the literature and revealed that research on sexual minority men overwhelmingly focused on HIV, STIs, and sexual health for which sexual orientation was most commonly defined behaviorally. For topics of mental health or body/fitness outcomes, sexual orientation was most commonly defined by identity. Most study samples were venue-based, and only 8.8% of published papers drew data from population-based samples. The findings suggest that there exists a need for research on sexual minority men's health beyond STIs and HIV that will examine mental and physical health outcomes beyond sexual risk, uses probability-based samples, and addresses intersectional concerns related to race/ethnicity and age.

Stress Management Training for Hospice Personnel: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Susan; And Others

There is very little published research specifically addressing the stress management skills of hospice caregivers. In order to ascertain if breathing exercises, biofeedback training, relaxation exercises, and cognitive therapy would be beneficial, pre- and post-treatment questionnaires and six 30-minute treatment sessions were administered to…

Doctoral Education and Transformative Consumer Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mari, Carlo

2008-01-01

This article examines why and how transformative consumer research (TCR) can become a relevant perspective in doctoral programs. The article draws selectively from studies published in consumer behavior, marketing, and marketing education that theoretically or empirically address this topic. It discusses the meaning and background of TCR together…

The publication gender gap in US academic surgery.

PubMed

Mueller, Claudia; Wright, Robert; Girod, Sabine

2017-02-14

Terms such as "glass ceiling" and "sticky floor" are still commonly used to describe women's role in academic surgery. Despite continued efforts to address disparities between men and women in the field, gender inequalities persist. In this investigation we highlight gender differences in published surgical literature by both quantity and impact. Websites for departments of surgery of three academic centers were reviewed to assess the bibliometrics of publications by gender over a two-week period. A one-way ANOVA showed a significantly higher H-index for men than women (p > .05). Further, one-way ANOVA showed significantly more articles published by men than women (p = .019). These differences are most dramatic at the rank of associate professor where the H-index for men is three times that of the women. The rank of full professor showed men had double the number of articles published. These findings align with the previous research that shows a disparity between males and females as they climb the academic ladder. Conducting and publishing research is a vital part of advancement in academic medicine. This study suggests that publication productivity may be a factor that hinders women from advancing within surgery compared to men. Continuing to explore and identify reasons for this gender difference in academic surgery may highlight ways to address the imbalance.

Trends in freshwater microcrustaceans studies in Brazil between 1990 and 2014.

PubMed

Silva, W M; Perbiche-Neves, G

2017-01-01

This study presents a review of scientiometric data about freshwater microcrustaceans (Copepoda, Ostracoda, Branchiopoda: Cladocera, Anostraca, Notostraca and Conchostraca) in Brazil from 1990-2014. This review is based on 179 papers published across four databases, using the following keywords in the search: microcrustaceans, Copepoda, Cyclopoida, Calanoida, Harpacticoida, Ergasilidae, Daphniidae, Moinidae, Cladocera, Ostracoda, Conchostraca, zooplankton, reservoir, river, ponds, reservoirs, wetlands, caves, lakes, limnology, ecology, aquatic, taxonomy, systematics, morphology and biogeography. No studies were identified that addressed freshwater microcrustaceans in four (Amapá, Roraima, Alagoas and Espírito Santo) of the 27 Brazilian Federative States. Forty-five percent of the included studies were concentrated within three of the most populous states (São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Paraná), which also have a long tradition of limnological study. The included studies mostly addressed reservoirs for hydropower generation (22%), multiple environments (22%), rivers (14%) and small artificial reservoirs (11%). Pools, ponds, small lakes, wetlands and phytothelma were not widely studied. Cladocera (48%) and Copepoda (48%) were the most studied groups. No studies were identified that addressed Notostraca, Anostraca or Conchostraca. The sharp increase in the number of published freshwater studies after 2000 is likely a result of increased internet facilities and the implementation of the Scielo platform. Ecology was most frequently the study focus (~50%), followed by taxonomy. Three journals (two Brazilian and one international) accounted for the publication of 44% of the Brazilian studies on microcrustaceans. We expect the frequency of studies employing newer technologies to increase in the coming years. Based on our findings, we propose that future studies should focus on the least well-studied states and should integrate biogeography and systematic approaches. Further data on the fauna within environmental sub-types in Brazil is required.

Using technology to support HIV self-testing among MSM.

PubMed

LeGrand, Sara; Muessig, Kathryn E; Horvath, Keith J; Rosengren, Anna L; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B

2017-09-01

Technology-based HIV self-testing (HST) interventions have the potential to improve access to HIV testing among gay, bisexual, and other MSM, as well as address concerns about HST use, including challenges with linkage to appropriate follow-up services. This review examines studies that use technology-based platforms to increase or improve the experience of HST among MSM. Seven published studies and eight funded studies were included in this review. Comprehensive prevention interventions with free HST kit distribution and interventions that provide free HST kits and support the HST process address a greater number of barriers (e.g., access, correct use of testing kits, and correct interpretation of results) than studies that only distribute free HST kits through technology-based platforms. By addressing HIV-testing barriers and specific HST concerns, these interventions address a critical need to improve first time and repeat testing rates among MSM. Additional research is needed to determine the efficacy of recent formative HST interventions. If proven efficacious, scale-up of these strategies have the potential to increase HIV testing among MSM via expanded HST uptake.

Malaysian Serials: Issues and Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahri, Che Norma

This paper analyzes the issues and problems while looking at the trends and developments of serials publishing in Malaysia. The first section provides background; topics addressed include the country and people of Malaysia, the history of serials publishing in Malaysia, categories and formats of serials publishing, academic publications,…

Desktop Publishing for the Gifted/Talented.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Wayne

1987-01-01

Examines the nature of desktop publishing and how it can be used in the classroom for gifted/talented students. Characteristics and special needs of such students are identified, and it is argued that desktop publishing addresses those needs, particularly with regard to creativity. Twenty-six references are provided. (MES)

Just Say Know: An Examination of Substance Use Disorders among Older Adults in Gerontological and Substance Abuse Journals

PubMed Central

Rosen, Daniel; Engel, Rafael J.; Hunsaker, Amanda E.; Engel, Yael; Detlefsen, Ellen Gay; Reynolds, Charles F.

2014-01-01

This article examines the extent to which studies of alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, and prescription drug abuse among older adults appear in the leading gerontological and substance abuse journals. The authors reviewed articles published in the 10 social science gerontological journals and the 10 social science substance abuse journals with the highest 5-year impact factors in PubMed from 2000 to 2010. Articles were selected that presented original research on alcohol, substance, or prescription abuse with older adults aged 50 and older; and were identified through aging and substance abuse-related Medical Subject Headings and word searches of titles and abstracts (N = 634). Full text of each article was reviewed by the authors, and consensus determined inclusion in the final sample. Of the 19,953 articles published respectively in the top 10 gerontological and substance abuse journals, 181 articles met the inclusion criteria of reporting findings related to substance use disorders among older adults. Specifically, 0.9% (102 of 11,700) of articles from the top 10 gerontology journals and 1.0% (79 of 8,253) of articles from the top 10 substance abuse journals met the criteria. Most published articles addressed alcohol misuse/abuse or polysubstance abuse with few articles addressing illicit drug use or the misuse of prescription medications. Less than 1% of articles published in the 10 gerontology journals and the 10 substance abuse journals with the highest 5-year impact scores addressed substance abuse in older adults. Practitioners treating health and/or mental health problems are at a disadvantage in accurately identifying and treating these conditions in older adult populations without a proper understanding of the role of comorbid substance use disorders. PMID:23731426

Software, Copyright, and Site-License Agreements: Publishers' Perspective of Library Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Happer, Stephanie K.

Thirty-one academic publishers of stand-alone software and book/disk packages were surveyed to determine whether publishers have addressed the copyright issues inherent in circulating these packages within the library environment. Twenty-two questionnaires were returned, providing a 71% return rate. There were 18 usable questionnaires. Publishers…

JournalMap: Discovering location-relevant knowledge from published studies for sustainable land use, preventing degradation, and restoring landscapes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Finding relevant knowledge and information to prevent land degradation and support restoration has historically involved researchers working from their own knowledge, querying people they know, and tediously searching topical literature reviews.To address this need we created JournalMap (http://www....

Teacher Aides; An Annotated Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marin County Public Schools, Corte Madera, CA.

This annotated bibliography lists 40 items, published between 1966 and 1971, that have to do with teacher aides. The listing is arranged alphabetically by author. In addition to the abstract and standard bibliographic information, addresses where the material can be purchased are often included. The items cited include handbooks, research studies,…

Using Replication Projects in Teaching Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Standing, Lionel G.; Grenier, Manuel; Lane, Erica A.; Roberts, Meigan S.; Sykes, Sarah J.

2014-01-01

It is suggested that replication projects may be valuable in teaching research methods, and also address the current need in psychology for more independent verification of published studies. Their use in an undergraduate methods course is described, involving student teams who performed direct replications of four well-known experiments, yielding…

Teaching in Middle School Technology Education: A Review of Recent Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Thomas M.; Sanders, Mark; Kwon, Hyuksoo

2010-01-01

We review articles published between 1995 and 2008 in four journals that are the primary scholarly resources for Technology Education middle school teaching. This descriptive study identified four main issues that scholars addressed: what should be taught in middle school, the structure and content of curriculum transformation, integrating…

Recent Findings on Peer Group Influences on Adolescent Smoking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons-Morton, Bruce G.; Farhat, Tilda

2010-01-01

This review addresses peer group influences on adolescent smoking with a particular focus on recently published longitudinal studies that have investigated the topic. Specifically, we examine the theoretical explanations for how social influence works with respect to adolescent smoking; discuss the association between peer and adolescent smoking;…

Nietzsche among the Scholars. A Bibliometric Analysis and Study of Nietzsche Scholarship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynn, Matthew T.

This paper addresses the literary canon surrounding the nineteenth century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, in order to inform philosophy librarians as to the nature of the particular body of literature. Using the "Philosopher's Index" database to locate all the Nietzschean literature published between 1986 and 1995, defining…

The Value of Action Research in Middle Grades Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caskey, Micki M.

2006-01-01

Action research is one of the relevant methodologies for addressing research questions and issues in middle grades education. Accounting for nearly 20% of published middle grades research studies (Hough, 2003), action research has emerged as an important and appropriate research method. In addition to reviewing the historical context, this article…

Perceptions of Life on the Tenure Track.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verrier, David A.

1994-01-01

The report of a study of 18 junior faculty in varying stages of tenure eligibility at a research university presents the experiences of two, a man and a woman, felt to be representative of faculty experiences and perceptions. Issues addressed include peer relationships, competition, publishing, performance feedback, social expectations, personal…

Grey literature in meta-analyses.

PubMed

Conn, Vicki S; Valentine, Jeffrey C; Cooper, Harris M; Rantz, Marilyn J

2003-01-01

In meta-analysis, researchers combine the results of individual studies to arrive at cumulative conclusions. Meta-analysts sometimes include "grey literature" in their evidential base, which includes unpublished studies and studies published outside widely available journals. Because grey literature is a source of data that might not employ peer review, critics have questioned the validity of its data and the results of meta-analyses that include it. To examine evidence regarding whether grey literature should be included in meta-analyses and strategies to manage grey literature in quantitative synthesis. This article reviews evidence on whether the results of studies published in peer-reviewed journals are representative of results from broader samplings of research on a topic as a rationale for inclusion of grey literature. Strategies to enhance access to grey literature are addressed. The most consistent and robust difference between published and grey literature is that published research is more likely to contain results that are statistically significant. Effect size estimates of published research are about one-third larger than those of unpublished studies. Unfunded and small sample studies are less likely to be published. Yet, importantly, methodological rigor does not differ between published and grey literature. Meta-analyses that exclude grey literature likely (a) over-represent studies with statistically significant findings, (b) inflate effect size estimates, and (c) provide less precise effect size estimates than meta-analyses including grey literature. Meta-analyses should include grey literature to fully reflect the existing evidential base and should assess the impact of methodological variations through moderator analysis.

Primary care interventions and current service innovations in modifying long-term outcomes after stroke: a protocol for a scoping review.

PubMed

Pindus, Dominika M; Lim, Lisa; Rundell, A Viona; Hobbs, Victoria; Aziz, Noorazah Abd; Mullis, Ricky; Mant, Jonathan

2016-10-24

Interventions delivered by primary and/or community care have the potential to reach the majority of stroke survivors and carers and offer ongoing support. However, an integrative account emerging from the reviews of interventions addressing specific long-term outcomes after stroke is lacking. The aims of the proposed scoping review are to provide an overview of: (1) primary care and community healthcare interventions by generalist healthcare professionals to stroke survivors and/or their informal carers to address long-term outcomes after stroke, (2) the scope and characteristics of interventions which were successful in addressing long-term outcomes, and (3) developments in current clinical practice. Studies that focused on adult community dwelling stroke survivors and informal carers were included. Academic electronic databases will be searched to identify reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled trials, trials from the past 5 years; reviews of observational studies. Practice exemplars from grey literature will be identified through advanced Google search. Reports, guidelines and other documents of major health organisations, clinical professional bodies, and stroke charities in the UK and internationally will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full texts for inclusion of published literature. One reviewer will screen search results from the grey literature and identify relevant documents for inclusion. Data synthesis will include analysis of the number, type of studies, year and country of publication, a summary of intervention components/service or practice, outcomes addressed, main results (an indicator of effectiveness) and a description of included interventions. The review will help identify components of care and care pathways for primary care services for stroke. By comparing the results with stroke survivors' and carers' needs identified in the literature, the review will highlight potential gaps in research and practice relevant to long-term care after stroke. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

1985 Update of Materials in the Sarah K. Davidson Family-Patient Health Education Library with Addresses of Publishers of All Listings, and Addresses of Resources from Which Pamphlets and Fact Sheets Are Available.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Betty Satterwhite, Ed.

This update of a bibliography published in 1981 lists selected holdings of the Sarah K. Davidson Family-Patient Library, which is located in the Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester (New York); it is intended for use with the original bibliography. To aid in ordering books and seeking further information on various topics, this…

Ensuring Confidentiality of Geocoded Health Data: Assessing Geographic Masking Strategies for Individual-Level Data.

PubMed

Zandbergen, Paul A

2014-01-01

Public health datasets increasingly use geographic identifiers such as an individual's address. Geocoding these addresses often provides new insights since it becomes possible to examine spatial patterns and associations. Address information is typically considered confidential and is therefore not released or shared with others. Publishing maps with the locations of individuals, however, may also breach confidentiality since addresses and associated identities can be discovered through reverse geocoding. One commonly used technique to protect confidentiality when releasing individual-level geocoded data is geographic masking. This typically consists of applying a certain amount of random perturbation in a systematic manner to reduce the risk of reidentification. A number of geographic masking techniques have been developed as well as methods to quantity the risk of reidentification associated with a particular masking method. This paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art in geographic masking, summarizing the various methods and their strengths and weaknesses. Despite recent progress, no universally accepted or endorsed geographic masking technique has emerged. Researchers on the other hand are publishing maps using geographic masking of confidential locations. Any researcher publishing such maps is advised to become familiar with the different masking techniques available and their associated reidentification risks.

A Systematic Review of the State of Economic Evaluation for Health Care in India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Chauhan, Akashdeep Singh; Angell, Blake; Gupta, Indrani; Jan, Stephen

2015-12-01

Economic evaluations are one of the important tools in policy making for rational allocation of resources. Given the very low public investment in the health sector in India, it is critical that resources are used wisely on interventions proven to yield best results. Hence, we undertook this study to assess the extent and quality of evidence for economic evaluation of health-care interventions and programmes in India. A comprehensive search was conducted to search for published full economic evaluations pertaining to India and addressing a health-related intervention or programme. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ScienceDirect, and York CRD database and websites of important research agencies were identified to search for economic evaluations published from January 1980 to the middle of November 2014. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the studies based on Drummond and modelling checklist. Out of a total of 5013 articles enlisted after literature search, a total of 104 met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The majority of these papers were cost-effectiveness studies (64%), led by a clinician or public-health professional (77%), using decision analysis-based methods (59%), published in an international journal (80%) and addressing communicable diseases (58%). In addition, 42% were funded by an international funding agency or UN/bilateral aid agency, and 30% focussed on pharmaceuticals. The average quality score of these full economic evaluations was 65.1%. The major limitation was the inability to address uncertainties involved in modelling as only about one-third of the studies assessed modelling structural uncertainties (33%), or ran sub-group analyses to account for heterogeneity (36.5%) or analysed methodological uncertainty (32%). The existing literature on economic evaluations in India is inadequate to feed into sound policy making. There is an urgent need to generate awareness within the government of how economic evaluation can inform and benefit policy making, and at the same time build capacity of health-care professionals in understanding the economic principles of health-care delivery system.

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

The reporting of observational studies in veterinary research presents many challenges that often are not adequately 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. A consensus meeting of experts was organized to develop an extension of the STROBE statement to address observational studies in veterinary medicine with respect to animal health, animal production, animal welfare, and food safety outcomes. Consensus meeting May 11-13, 2014 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Seventeen experts from North America, Europe, and Australia attended the meeting. The experts were epidemiologists and biostatisticians, many of whom hold or have held editorial positions with relevant journals. Prior to the meeting, 19 experts completed a survey about whether they felt any of the 22 items of the STROBE statement should be modified and if items should be added to address unique issues related to observational studies in animal species with health, production, welfare, or food safety outcomes. At the meeting, the participants were provided with the survey responses and relevant literature concerning the reporting of veterinary observational studies. During the meeting, each STROBE item was discussed to determine whether or not re-wording was recommended, and whether additions were warranted. Anonymous voting was used to determine whether there was consensus for each item change or addition. The consensus was that six items needed no modifications or additions. Modifications or additions were made to the STROBE items numbered: 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). 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.

Characteristics and Trends of Published Adult Hip Research over the Last Decade

PubMed Central

Kwak, Hong Suk; Yoon, Pil Whan; Park, Moon Seok; Kim, Hee Joong

2015-01-01

Purpose We designed this study to demonstrate recent trends in the proportion of adult hip research in orthopedics, to identify countries leading the adult hip research, and to evaluate the relationship between the economic power of the countries and their contributions. Materials and Methods Studies published in seven select orthopedic journals were retrieved from PubMed. Among them, we determined the number of adult hip studies. The countries-of-origin of adult hip studies, and the economic power of the countries were investigated. Results A total of 7218 orthopedic publications and 1993 (27.6%) addressed adult hip research were identified. Adult hip studies increased from 313 (23.7%) in 2000 to 555 (27.9%) in 2011. Twenty-five countries accounted for 97.6% of the total number of adult hip studies, and gross domestic product correlated with publication volume (Spearman's rho, 0.723; p=0.000). Conclusion Researchers from a limited number of developed countries have published their studies in the adult hip discipline. PMID:25510756

What Do They Use? Where Do They Get It? An Interdisciplinary Citation Analysis of Latin American Studies Faculty Monographs, 2004-2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostos, Manuel

2017-01-01

This citation analysis examines the ability of the local collection at the Pennsylvania State University to meet the needs of global and area studies researchers focusing on monographs published by faculty members on Latin American studies in a ten-year period. The study focuses on book use to address the tempting notion that packages and online…

The case for addressing gender and power in sexuality and HIV education: a comprehensive review of evaluation studies.

PubMed

Haberland, Nicole A

2015-03-01

Curriculum-based sexuality and HIV education is a mainstay of interventions to prevent STIs, HIV and unintended pregnancy among young people. Evidence links traditional gender norms, unequal power in sexual relationships and intimate partner violence with negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes. However, little attention has been paid to analyzing whether addressing gender and power in sexuality education curricula is associated with better outcomes. To explore whether the inclusion of content on gender and power matters for program efficacy, electronic and hand searches were conducted to identify rigorous sexuality and HIV education evaluations from developed and developing countries published between 1990 and 2012. Intervention and study design characteristics of the included interventions were disaggregated by whether they addressed issues of gender and power. Of the 22 interventions that met the inclusion criteria, 10 addressed gender or power, and 12 did not. The programs that addressed gender or power were five times as likely to be effective as those that did not; fully 80% of them were associated with a significantly lower rate of STIs or unintended pregnancy. In contrast, among the programs that did not address gender or power, only 17% had such an association. Addressing gender and power should be considered a key characteristic of effective sexuality and HIV education programs.

Review of quantitative surveys of the length and stability of MTBE, TBA, and benzene plumes in groundwater at UST sites.

PubMed

Connor, John A; Kamath, Roopa; Walker, Kenneth L; McHugh, Thomas E

2015-01-01

Quantitative information regarding the length and stability condition of groundwater plumes of benzene, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) has been compiled from thousands of underground storage tank (UST) sites in the United States where gasoline fuel releases have occurred. This paper presents a review and summary of 13 published scientific surveys, of which 10 address benzene and/or MTBE plumes only, and 3 address benzene, MTBE, and TBA plumes. These data show the observed lengths of benzene and MTBE plumes to be relatively consistent among various regions and hydrogeologic settings, with median lengths at a delineation limit of 10 µg/L falling into relatively narrow ranges from 101 to 185 feet for benzene and 110 to 178 feet for MTBE. The observed statistical distributions of MTBE and benzene plumes show the two plume types to be of comparable lengths, with 90th percentile MTBE plume lengths moderately exceeding benzene plume lengths by 16% at a 10-µg/L delineation limit (400 feet vs. 345 feet) and 25% at a 5-µg/L delineation limit (530 feet vs. 425 feet). Stability analyses for benzene and MTBE plumes found 94 and 93% of these plumes, respectively, to be in a nonexpanding condition, and over 91% of individual monitoring wells to exhibit nonincreasing concentration trends. Three published studies addressing TBA found TBA plumes to be of comparable length to MTBE and benzene plumes, with 86% of wells in one study showing nonincreasing concentration trends. © 2014 GSI Environmental Inc. Groundwater published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of National Ground Water Association.

Current Perspectives on Interventions for Self-Injurious Behavior of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chezan, Laura C.; Gable, Robert A.; McWhorter, Gabriela Z.; White, Sherita D.

2017-01-01

Our purpose in this systematic review was to identify, evaluate, and summarize the single-case research design studies examining behavioral interventions to address self-injurious behavior for young children with autism spectrum disorder. We identified 24 studies published between 2000 and 2016 that met the inclusion criteria. We reviewed and…

Analysing the Subject of Peace in Award-Winning Children's and Adolescent Novels in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Canan; Kepenekci, Yasemin Karaman; Güldenoglu, Bilge Nur Dogan; Karagül, Sedat

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to reveal how the concept of peace is addressed in the national award-winning novels written for secondary school students within the Republic of Turkey. Data for this study was obtained from child and youth literature award organizations, associations and publishers within Turkey. Each group which was researched has…

BET 2: Acupuncture and fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Goldie, Laura; Hogg, Kerstin

2016-10-01

A shortcut review was carried out to see if acupuncture is an effective pain treatment in fibromyalgia. One Cochrane review and five subsequent papers and conference abstracts were identified. There are no large studies addressing this question and acupuncture has been compared with many different treatment modalities. Acupuncture may be a valid treatment for pain in fibromyalgia, but more research is required to validate this. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Translational research: bridging the gap between long-term weight loss maintenance research and practice.

PubMed

Akers, Jeremy D; Estabrooks, Paul A; Davy, Brenda M

2010-10-01

The number of US adults classified as overweight or obese has dramatically increased in the past 25 years, resulting in a significant body of research addressing weight loss and weight loss maintenance. However, little is known about the potential of weight loss maintenance interventions to be translated into actual practice settings. Thus, the purpose of this article is to determine the translation potential of published weight loss maintenance intervention studies by determining the extent to which they report information across the reach, efficacy/effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. A secondary purpose is to provide recommendations for research based on these findings. To identify relevant research articles, a literature search was conducted using four databases; 19 weight loss maintenance intervention studies were identified for inclusion. Each article was evaluated using the RE-AIM Coding Sheet for Publications to determine the extent to which dimensions related to internal and external validity were reported. Approximately half of the articles provided information addressing three RE-AIM dimensions, yet only a quarter provided information addressing adoption and maintenance. Significant gaps were identified in understanding external validity, and metrics that could facilitate the translation of these interventions from research to practice are presented. Based upon this review, it is unknown how effective weight loss maintenance interventions could be in real-world situations, such as clinical or community practice settings. Future studies should be planned to address how weight loss maintenance intervention programs will be adopted and maintained, with special attention to costs for participants and for program implementation. Copyright © 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed Central

Formanowicz, Dorota; Gmerek, Łukasz; Krokowicz, Piotr

2016-01-01

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

Bulletin Boards and Displays. A Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Michael M., Comp.

A bibliography is presented of over one hundred resources on the construction and utilization of bulletin boards and displays. Each citation includes publisher, price, and recommended grade level. A list of publishers' addresses is included. (CMV)

47 CFR 0.552 - Notice identifying Commission systems of records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... publishes in the Federal Register upon establishment or revision a notice of the existence and character of... and business address of the system manager; (g) The address of the agency office to which inquiries...

Literary Market Place 1974-1975; With Names and Numbers. The Directory of American Book Publishing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1974

The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons and organizations involved in or associated with the American publishing industry are supplied in this directory. There are the following divisions: book publishing, associations, book trade events, courses-conferences-and-events, agencies and agents, services and supplies, direct mail…

Practical Downloading to Desktop Publishing: Enhancing the Delivery of Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danziger, Pamela N.

This paper is addressed to librarians and information managers who, as one of the many activities they routinely perform, frequently publish information in such formats as newsletters, manuals, brochures, forms, presentations, or reports. It is argued that desktop publishing--a personal computer-based software package used to generate documents of…

Texts, Structure, and Collaboration: Reflections of a Professional Development Addressing Homophobia in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Joseph R.

2015-01-01

Homophobia is an incredible problem within educational settings. Therefore, we must begin examining how we can address the challenge in an effective manner. Researchers postulate professional development (PD) discussing homophobia is an appropriate method to address the problem. To date, there is little published literature that discusses how a PD…

Ameliorating the biological impacts of childhood adversity: A review of intervention programs.

PubMed

Purewal Boparai, Sukhdip K; Au, Vanessa; Koita, Kadiatou; Oh, Debora Lee; Briner, Susan; Burke Harris, Nadine; Bucci, Monica

2018-05-01

Childhood adversity negatively impacts the biological development of children and has been linked to poor health outcomes across the life course. The purpose of this literature review is to explore and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions that have addressed an array of biological markers and physical health outcomes in children and adolescents affected by adversity. PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Sociological Abstracts databases and additional sources (Cochrane, WHO, NIH trial registries) were searched for English language studies published between January 2007 and September 2017. Articles with a childhood adversity exposure, biological health outcome, and evaluation of intervention using a randomized controlled trial study design were selected. The resulting 40 intervention studies addressed cortisol outcomes (n = 20) and a range of neurological, epigenetic, immune, and other outcomes (n = 22). Across institutional, foster care, and community settings, intervention programs demonstrated success overall for improving or normalizing morning and diurnal cortisol levels, and ameliorating the impacts of adversity on brain development, epigenetic regulation, and additional outcomes in children. Factors such as earlier timing of intervention, high quality and nurturant parenting traits, and greater intervention engagement played a role in intervention success. This study underlines progress and promise in addressing the health impacts of adversity in children. Ongoing research efforts should collect baseline data, improve retention, replicate studies in additional samples and settings, and evaluate additional variables, resilience factors, mediators, and long-term implications of results. Clinicians should integrate lessons from the intervention sciences for preventing and treating the health effects of adversity in children and adolescents. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

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.

Topical trends in tobacco and alcohol articles published in three dental journals, 1980-2010.

PubMed

Neff, James Alan; Gunsolley, John C; Alshatrat, Sabha Mahmoud

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to conduct a review of articles about tobacco or alcohol published from 1980 to 2010 in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), Journal of Dental Education (JDE), and Journal of Public Health Dentistry (JPHD) in an attempt to identify trends by decade in topics relevant to oral health consequences, oral cancer linkages, and cessation counseling. NVivo qualitative analysis software was used to code abstracts using the keywords "tobacco" or "alcohol." The search identified 269 articles: tobacco=211 (78%), alcohol=58 (22%). This number represented 2.4% of the total articles published in these journals for the specified years. While the percentage of tobacco-related articles increased over this period (with highs in the 1990s of 4.1% in the JDE and 9% in the JPHD), the percentage of alcohol articles reached only 1% for JADA and 3.3% for the JPHD in the 2000s. The number of tobacco-related articles addressing oral health effects, oral cancer linkages, and cessation counseling increased in the 1990s. Although there were modest increases in the number of articles about alcohol-related oral health effects and oral cancer linkages (particularly in the JPHD in the 2000s), only two articles (in JADA in the 2000s) addressed alcohol cessation counseling. This study concluded that tobacco and alcohol have received limited, though increasing, attention in these three major journals between 1980 and 2010, with alcohol receiving less attention than tobacco. These results suggest a need for more published studies on tobacco and alcohol interventions in dental and allied dental education to prepare students to contribute to this aspect of their patients' health.

Scientometric analyses of studies on the role of innate variation in athletic performance.

PubMed

Lombardo, Michael P; Emiah, Shadie

2014-01-01

Historical events have produced an ideologically charged atmosphere in the USA surrounding the potential influences of innate variation on athletic performance. We tested the hypothesis that scientific studies of the role of innate variation in athletic performance were less likely to have authors with USA addresses than addresses elsewhere because of this cultural milieu. Using scientometric data collected from 290 scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals from 2000-2012, we compared the proportions of authors with USA addresses with those that listed addresses elsewhere that studied the relationships between athletic performance and (a) prenatal exposure to androgens, as indicated by the ratio between digits 2 and 4, and (b) the genotypes for angiotensin converting enzyme, α-actinin-3, and myostatin; traits often associated with athletic performance. Authors with USA addresses were disproportionately underrepresented on papers about the role of innate variation in athletic performance. We searched NIH and NSF databases for grant proposals solicited or funded from 2000-2012 to determine if the proportion of authors that listed USA addresses was associated with funding patterns. NIH did not solicit grant proposals designed to examine these factors in the context of athletic performance and neither NIH nor NSF funded grants designed to study these topics. We think the combined effects of a lack of government funding and the avoidance of studying controversial or non-fundable topics by USA based scientists are responsible for the observation that authors with USA addresses were underrepresented on scientific papers examining the relationships between athletic performance and innate variation.

Research and cumulative watershed effects

Treesearch

L. M. Reid

1993-01-01

The mandate for land managers to address cumulative watershed effects (CWEs) requires that planners evaluate the potential impacts of their activities on multiple beneficial uses within the context of other coexisting activities in a watershed. Types of CWEs vary with the types of land-use activities and their modes of interaction, but published studies illustrate...

Schools and Society: A Sociological Approach to Education, Third Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballantine, Jeanne H., Ed.; Spade, Joan Z., Ed.

2007-01-01

This third edition, now published by Pine Forge Press, features original readings and article excerpts by leaders in the area of Sociology of Education. With a wide array of theoretical perspectives, a broad range of respected sources, and inclusion of both classic and contemporary studies, this comprehensive, integrated text addresses key issues…

Educational Leaders and Emotions: An International Review of Empirical Evidence 1992-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkovich, Izhak; Eyal, Ori

2015-01-01

The aim of the present article is to review the international evidence about emotional aspects related to educational leaders. The review focuses on empirical studies published in peer-refereed educational journals between 1992 and 2012. First, we address the importance of researching emotions for understanding educational leaders. Next, we…

Young People, Physical Activity and the Everyday. Routledge Studies in Physical Education and Youth Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Jan, Ed.; Macdonald, Doune, Ed.

2012-01-01

Despite society's current preoccupation with interrelated issues such as obesity, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and children's health, there has until now been little published research that directly addresses the place and meaning of physical activity in young people's lives. In this important new collection, leading international scholars…

Pennsylvania's Energy Curriculum for the Secondary Grades: Industrial Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wighaman, Paul F.; Zimmerman, Earl R.

Compiled in this guide are 23 previously published documents for use by secondary school industrial arts teachers who want to incorporate energy studies into their curricula. Over half of the entries describe energy-related projects such as fireplaces, solar water heaters, and solar ovens. Other materials presented address the place of energy in…

Teachers' Engagement with Published Research: Addressing the Knowledge Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Tim

2015-01-01

Despite the increased interest in research impact, there is very little empirical evidence that educational research can inform practice directly, and furthermore, a body of literature which suggests that this is, in principle, impossible. This paper reports on a study in which secondary school teachers were given research findings about teaching…

Uniform Resource Locators (URLs): Powerful Reference Tools for Librarians and Information Professionals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Teresa S.

The Internet is a network of networks which continually accumulates and amasses information, much of which is without organization and evaluation. This study addresses the need for establishing a database of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), and for collecting, organizing, indexing, and publishing catalogs of URLs. Librarians and information…

Mood and Anxiety Symptoms in Psychiatric Inpatients with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charlot, Lauren; Deutsch, Curtis K.; Albert, Aranya; Hunt, Anne; Connor, Daniel F.; McIlvane, William J., Jr.

2008-01-01

Recent reports suggest that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may experience depression at a high frequency, yet few published studies address this issue, especially among adults. In the current investigation, we reviewed features of depression and comorbid traits among depressed inpatients with intellectual disabilities (ID) as a…

What is the Purpose of Biology in Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, J. Steve; Nichols, B. Kim

1998-01-01

Summarizes a debate over biology education that took place during a symposium sponsored by the School Science and Mathematics editors in 1908. The six published symposium contributions were meant to address such questions as whether zoology, botany, and human physiology should be studied in one biology course, and what the general purposes for…

Structures and Systems and Bodies and Things: Historical Research on Primary Schooling and Its Professional Relevance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Peter

2012-01-01

Recalling its origins as a research journal addressing educationists this article seeks to understand historical research published in "History of Education" as aimed at a professional audience. Primary schooling provides a significant focus as the study of education history was fostered especially in the training of elementary…

A Critical Analysis of Eight Informal Reading Inventories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilsson, Nina L.

2008-01-01

For this content analysis study, the author examined and cross-compared the various ways in which eight informal reading inventories (IRIs) published from 2004 to 2008 address key issues relevant to new U.S. federal guidelines and the National Reading Panel's five critical components of reading instruction. Results suggest the IRIs range in…

Human Rights and Peace Education in the Lebanese Civics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuayb, Maha

2015-01-01

In 1997 the Lebanese government published its newly developed curriculum and textbooks following a long and fierce civil war, which started in 1975. The new curriculum emphasized nation building, reconciliation and citizenship. This study aims to examine how the civics textbooks in Lebanon addressed human rights and peace education, both of which…

Enabling Team Learning in Healthcare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boak, George

2016-01-01

This paper is based on a study of learning processes within 35 healthcare therapy teams that took action to improve their services. The published research on team learning is introduced, and the paper suggests it is an activity that has similarities with action research and with those forms of action learning where teams address collective…

Towards agreement on best practice for publishing raw clinical trial data.

PubMed

Hrynaszkiewicz, Iain; Altman, Douglas G

2009-03-18

Many research-funding agencies now require open access to the results of research they have funded, and some also require that researchers make available the raw data generated from that research. Similarly, the journal Trials aims to address inadequate reporting in randomised controlled trials, and in order to fulfil this objective, the journal is working with the scientific and publishing communities to try to establish best practice for publishing raw data from clinical trials in peer-reviewed biomedical journals. Common issues encountered when considering raw data for publication include patient privacy - unless explicit consent for publication is obtained - and ownership, but agreed-upon policies for tackling these concerns do not appear to be addressed in the guidance or mandates currently established. Potential next steps for journal editors and publishers, ethics committees, research-funding agencies, and researchers are proposed, and alternatives to journal publication, such as restricted access repositories, are outlined.

Designing, testing, and implementing a sustainable nurse home visiting program: right@home.

PubMed

Goldfeld, Sharon; Price, Anna; Kemp, Lynn

2018-05-01

Nurse home visiting (NHV) offers a potential platform to both address the factors that limit access to services for families experiencing adversity and provide effective interventions. Currently, the ability to examine program implementation is hampered by a lack of detailed description of actual, rather than expected, program development and delivery in published studies. Home visiting implementation remains a black box in relation to quality and sustainability. However, previous literature would suggest that efforts to both report and improve program implementation are vital for NHV to have population impact and policy sustainability. In this paper, we provide a case study of the design, testing, and implementation of the right@home program, an Australian NHV program and randomized controlled trial. We address existing gaps related to implementation of NHV programs by describing the processes used to develop the program to be trialed, summarizing its effectiveness, and detailing the quality processes and implementation evaluation. The weight of our evidence suggests that NHV can be a powerful and sustainable platform for addressing inequitable outcomes, particularly when the program focuses on parent engagement and partnership, delivers evidence-based strategies shown to improve outcomes, includes fidelity monitoring, and is adapted to and embedded within existing service delivery systems. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

Missing data in trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis: An incomplete journey.

PubMed

Leurent, Baptiste; Gomes, Manuel; Carpenter, James R

2018-06-01

Cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) conducted alongside randomised trials provide key evidence for informing healthcare decision making, but missing data pose substantive challenges. Recently, there have been a number of developments in methods and guidelines addressing missing data in trials. However, it is unclear whether these developments have permeated CEA practice. This paper critically reviews the extent of and methods used to address missing data in recently published trial-based CEA. Issues of the Health Technology Assessment journal from 2013 to 2015 were searched. Fifty-two eligible studies were identified. Missing data were very common; the median proportion of trial participants with complete cost-effectiveness data was 63% (interquartile range: 47%-81%). The most common approach for the primary analysis was to restrict analysis to those with complete data (43%), followed by multiple imputation (30%). Half of the studies conducted some sort of sensitivity analyses, but only 2 (4%) considered possible departures from the missing-at-random assumption. Further improvements are needed to address missing data in cost-effectiveness analyses conducted alongside randomised trials. These should focus on limiting the extent of missing data, choosing an appropriate method for the primary analysis that is valid under contextually plausible assumptions, and conducting sensitivity analyses to departures from the missing-at-random assumption. © 2018 The Authors Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thirteen Week Oral Toxicity Study of WR238605 with a Thirteen Week Recovery Period in Rats. Volume 2 of 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-18

Standards, Part 2. IFCC Method for Aspartate Aminotransferase, Amsterdam, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company (1975) Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT...Activity 7b. ADDRESS (Orty, State, and ZIP Code) ATTN: SGRD-RMA-RCD Fort Detrick Frederick, M0 21702 9. PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION ...Study No. 097 and Study No. 098 ANALYSTS: THOMAS TOLHURST A. KARL LARSEN, JR. STUDY SITE: FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY LABORATORY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

The impact of childhood residential mobility on mental health outcomes in adolescence and early adulthood: a record linkage study.

PubMed

Tseliou, Foteini; Maguire, Aideen; Donnelly, Michael; O'Reilly, Dermot

2016-03-01

Understanding the causes of poor mental health in early childhood and adolescence is important as this can be a significant determinant of mental well-being in later years. One potential and relatively unexplored factor is residential mobility in formative years. Previous studies have been relatively small and potentially limited due to methodological issues. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between early residential instability and poor mental health among adolescents and young adults in Northern Ireland. A Census-based record linkage study of 28% of children aged 0-8 years in 2001 in Northern Ireland (n=49,762) was conducted, with six monthly address change assessments from health registration data and self-reported mental health status from the 2011 Census. Logistic regression models were built adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES), household composition and marital dissolution. There was a graded relationship between the number of address changes and mental ill-health (adjusted OR 3.67, 95% CIs 2.11 to 6.39 for 5 or more moves). This relationship was not modified by SES or household composition. Marital dissolution was associated with poor mental health but did not modify the relationship between address change and mental health (p=0.206). There was some indication that movement after the age of five was associated with an increased likelihood of poor mental health. This large study clearly confirms the close relationship between address change in early years and later poor mental health. Residential mobility may be a useful marker for children at risk of poorer mental health in adolescence and early adulthood. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Health-risk behaviors among high school athletes and preventive services provided during sports physicals.

PubMed

Johnson, Karen E; McRee, Annie-Laurie

2015-01-01

Preparticipation examinations (PPEs), or sports physicals, present opportunities for health care providers to identify and discuss common adolescent health-risk behaviors. We sought to examine the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among high school athletes and the proportion of providers who address these behaviors during PPEs. For this descriptive study we used data from two statewide surveys: a survey of adolescents (n = 46,492) and a survey of nurse practitioners and physicians (n = 561). The most prevalent risk behaviors reported by student athletes were low levels of physical activity (70%), bullying perpetration (41%), and alcohol use (41%). Most providers (≥75%) addressed many common risk behaviors during PPEs but fewer addressed bullying, violence, and prescription drug use. Topics discussed differed by provider type and patient population. Many providers addressed critical threats to adolescent health during PPEs, but findings suggest potential disconnects between topics addressed during PPEs and behaviors of athletes. Copyright © 2015 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does injury compensation lead to worse health after whiplash? A systematic review.

PubMed

Spearing, Natalie M; Connelly, Luke B; Gargett, Susan; Sterling, Michele

2012-06-01

One might expect that injury compensation would leave injured parties better off than they would otherwise have been, yet many believe that compensation does more harm than good. This study systematically reviews the evidence on this "compensation hypothesis" in relation to compensable whiplash injuries. PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, PsycInfo, CCTR, Lexis, and EconLit were searched from the date of their inception to April 2010 to locate longitudinal studies, published in English, comparing the health outcomes of adults exposed/not exposed to compensation-related factors. Studies concerning serious neck injuries, using claimants only, or using proxy measures of health outcomes were excluded. Eleven studies were included. These examined the effect of lawyer involvement, litigation, claim submission, or previous claims on pain and other health outcomes. Among the 16 results reported were 9 statistically significant negative associations between compensation-related factors and health outcomes. Irrespective of the compensation-related factor involved and the health outcome measured, the quality of these studies was similar to studies that did not find a significant negative association: most took some measures to address selection bias, confounding, and measurement bias, and none resolved the potential for reverse causality bias that arises in the relationship between compensation-related factors and health. Unless ambiguous causal pathways are addressed, one cannot draw conclusions from statistical associations, regardless of their statistical significance and the extent of measures to address other sources of bias. Consequently, there is no clear evidence to support the idea that compensation and its related processes lead to worse health. Copyright © 2012 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Individual-Ion Addressing with Microwave Field Gradients

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-22

Block 13: Supplementary Note © 2013 . Published in Physical Review Letters, Vol. Ed. 0 110, (17) ( 2013 ), ( (17). DoD Components reserve a royalty...2012; published 22 April 2013 ) Individual-qubit addressing is a prerequisite for many instances of quantum information processing. We demonstrate this...to B0. We configure jBMWð0; y; 0Þj ’ 0 PRL 110, 173002 ( 2013 ) P HY S I CA L R EV I EW LE T T E R S week ending 26 APRIL 2013 0031-9007=13=110(17

A review of research on religious and spiritual variables in two primary gerontological nursing journals: 1991 to 1997.

PubMed

Weaver, A J; Flannelly, L T; Flannelly, K J

2001-09-01

All articles published between 1991 and 1997 in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing and Geriatric Nursing were classified as qualitative research, quantitative research, or non-research. Of the 784 articles reviewed, 5.1% mentioned religion or spirituality. Research articles (7.7%) were more likely than non-research articles (2.8%) to address religion and spirituality. No statistical difference was found between the percentage of qualitative (10.7%) and quantitative (6.8%) studies addressing religious and spiritual factors. The percentage of quantitative studies including religious and spiritual variables was found to be higher than that found by systematic reviews of the research literature in various health professions.

Sleep During the Perimenopause: A SWAN Story

PubMed Central

Kravitz, Howard M.; Joffe, Hadine

2011-01-01

Synopsis Is there evidence for a perimenopausal sleep disorder? We address this question in our presentation of the SWAN “sleep story,” in which we summarize and discuss data addressing sleep quality, objective measures of sleep patterns, and sleep disorders that have been published to date by the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) and the ancillary SWAN Sleep Study. In this review article, we describe what has been learned about sleep during the perimenopause. Analyses exploring racial/ethnic diversity, a hallmark of the SWAN cohort, and the role of hot flashes and mood disturbance in sleep – perimenopause associations are described. Implications for clinical practice are considered. PMID:21961720

Animal models in translational studies of PTSD.

PubMed

Daskalakis, Nikolaos P; Yehuda, Rachel; Diamond, David M

2013-09-01

Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is of vital importance for developing biomarkers and more effective pharmacotherapy for this disorder. The design of bidirectional translational studies addressing all facets of PTSD is needed. Animal models of PTSD are needed not only to capture the complexity of PTSD behavioral characteristics, but also to address experimentally the influence of variety of factors which might determine an individual's vulnerability or resilience to trauma, e.g., genetic predisposition, early-life experience and social support. The current review covers recent translational approaches to bridge the gap between human and animal PTSD research and to create a framework for discovery of biomarkers and novel therapeutics. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Country in Focus: Empirical Studies on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching in China (2008-2011)--A Review of Selected Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Xuesong; Liao, Yanyi; Li, Yuxia

2014-01-01

In this review, we highlight 60 articles from 1,120 empirical studies in leading language learning and teaching journals published on the Chinese mainland during the years 2008-2011. In preparing the review, we have found Chinese researchers addressing a wide range of topics including language learners' cognitive processes, their language…

Psychosocial Approaches for Sexual Health and Intimate Relationships Among Patients With Serious Mental Illness.

PubMed

Helu-Brown, Paula; Aranda, Maria

2016-01-01

The sexual health and behavior and the intimate relationships of patients diagnosed with a serious mental illness (SMI) have been described as ongoing and often ignored concerns in mental health treatment. Evidence-based psychosocial interventions have emerged as effective complimentary approaches to address symptoms of SMI in conjunction with psychopharmacology, yet rarely do they address sexual concerns in a targeted manner. This systematic review explores the scope and efficacy of psychosocial interventions designed to address sexual health and behavior and intimate relationship concerns in patients with SMI. The search was conducted in four targeted databases and identified 967 articles with four of those meeting inclusion criteria for this review. The data extracted included setting, study sample, study design, outcome measures, data analysis, and results. The measures utilized in the studies assess mental and sexual health-related outcomes. All four studies reported an improvement in sexual and mental health outcomes. Given the lack of psychosocial approaches and culturally sensitive adaptations, this review highlights a gap in literature that should be addressed, particularly emphasizing their combined treatment with psychotropic medication and efficacy testing with diverse populations. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An International Journal's Attempts to Address Inequalities in Academic Publishing: Developing a Writing for Publication Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lillis, Theresa; Magyar, Anna; Robinson-Pant, Anna

2010-01-01

Scholars around the world are under increasing pressure to publish in English, in Anglophone centre journals. At the same time, research on professional academic writing indicates that scholars from outside Anglophone centre contexts face considerable obstacles in getting their academic work published in such journals, relating to material and…

Publisher Correction: Studying light-harvesting models with superconducting circuits.

PubMed

Potočnik, Anton; Bargerbos, Arno; Schröder, Florian A Y N; Khan, Saeed A; Collodo, Michele C; Gasparinetti, Simone; Salathé, Yves; Creatore, Celestino; Eichler, Christopher; Türeci, Hakan E; Chin, Alex W; Wallraff, Andreas

2018-06-08

The original HTML version of this Article contained an error in the second mathematical expression in the fourth sentence of the fourth paragraph of the 'Excitation transfer with uniform white noise' section of the Results. This has been corrected in the HTML version of the Article.The original PDF version of this Article incorrectly stated that 'Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to A. Pčn.', instead of the correct 'Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to A. Potočnik'. This has been corrected in the PDF version of the Article.

2016 Senior Researcher Award Acceptance Address: Developing Productive Researchers Through Mentoring, Rethinking Doctoral Dissertations, and Facilitating Positive Publishing Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Wendy L.

2016-01-01

In her acceptance address, Wendy Sims provides a unique perspective based on thoughts and reflections resulting from her 8 years of service as the ninth Editor of the "Journal of Research in Music Education" ("JRME"). Specifically, she addresses how college-level music education researchers can promote positive attitudes toward…

Globalization, Open Access Publishing, and the Disappearance of Print: Threat or Opportunity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blom, J. J.

Academic publishing is changing rapidly as a result of mutually dependent developments. Electronic publishing was born through the emergence of the Internet. The Internet has accelerated globalization, which in turn has enhanced the consolidation of commercial publishing houses and the collaboration between libraries. Old business models are being replaced by new business models, such as open access publishing. The familiar print format is disappearing for journals and perhaps for books. This chapter presents an overview of these developments and addresses potential threats and opportunities to the parties involved in publishing.

13 CFR 101.103 - Where are SBA's field offices located?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... addresses, phone numbers and jurisdictions served is periodically published in the Federal Register. You can also obtain the address and phone number of an SBA office to serve you by calling 1-800-8-ASK-SBA or 1...

13 CFR 101.103 - Where are SBA's field offices located?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... addresses, phone numbers and jurisdictions served is periodically published in the Federal Register. You can also obtain the address and phone number of an SBA office to serve you by calling 1-800-8-ASK-SBA or 1...

13 CFR 101.103 - Where are SBA's field offices located?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... addresses, phone numbers and jurisdictions served is periodically published in the Federal Register. You can also obtain the address and phone number of an SBA office to serve you by calling 1-800-8-ASK-SBA or 1...

13 CFR 101.103 - Where are SBA's field offices located?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... addresses, phone numbers and jurisdictions served is periodically published in the Federal Register. You can also obtain the address and phone number of an SBA office to serve you by calling 1-800-8-ASK-SBA or 1...

13 CFR 101.103 - Where are SBA's field offices located?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... addresses, phone numbers and jurisdictions served is periodically published in the Federal Register. You can also obtain the address and phone number of an SBA office to serve you by calling 1-800-8-ASK-SBA or 1...

Dear Publisher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chelton, Mary K.

1992-01-01

Addresses issues that concern the relationship between publishers and librarians, including differences between libraries and bookstores; necessary information for advertisements; out-of-stock designations and their effect on budgets; the role of distributors and vendors; direct mail for book promotions; unsolicited review copies; communications…

The effect of neuroscience education on pain, disability, anxiety, and stress in chronic musculoskeletal pain.

PubMed

Louw, Adriaan; Diener, Ina; Butler, David S; Puentedura, Emilio J

2011-12-01

To evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of neuroscience education (NE) for pain, disability, anxiety, and stress in chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Systematic searches were conducted on Biomed Central, BMJ.com, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, NLM Central Gateway, OVID, ProQuest (Digital Dissertations), PsycInfo, PubMed/Medline, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. Secondary searching (PEARLing) was undertaken, whereby reference lists of the selected articles were reviewed for additional references not identified in the primary search. All experimental studies including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), nonrandomized clinical trials, and case series evaluating the effect of NE on pain, disability, anxiety, and stress for chronic MSK pain were considered for inclusion. Additional limitations: studies published in English, published within the last 10 years, and patients older than 18 years. No limitations were set on specific outcome measures of pain, disability, anxiety, and stress. Data were extracted using the participants, interventions, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) approach. Methodological quality was assessed by 2 reviewers using the Critical Review Form-Quantitative Studies. This review includes 8 studies comprising 6 high-quality RCTs, 1 pseudo-RCT, and 1 comparative study involving 401 subjects. Most articles were of good quality, with no studies rated as poor or fair. Heterogeneity across the studies with respect to participants, interventions evaluated, and outcome measures used prevented meta-analyses. Narrative synthesis of results, based on effect size, established compelling evidence that NE may be effective in reducing pain ratings, increasing function, addressing catastrophization, and improving movement in chronic MSK pain. For chronic MSK pain disorders, there is compelling evidence that an educational strategy addressing neurophysiology and neurobiology of pain can have a positive effect on pain, disability, catastrophization, and physical performance. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design elements in implementation research: a structured review of child welfare and child mental health studies.

PubMed

Landsverk, John; Brown, C Hendricks; Rolls Reutz, Jennifer; Palinkas, Lawrence; Horwitz, Sarah McCue

2011-01-01

Implementation science is an emerging field of research with considerable penetration in physical medicine and less in the fields of mental health and social services. There remains a lack of consensus on methodological approaches to the study of implementation processes and tests of implementation strategies. This paper addresses the need for methods development through a structured review that describes design elements in nine studies testing implementation strategies for evidence-based interventions addressing mental health problems of children in child welfare and child mental health settings. Randomized trial designs were dominant with considerable use of mixed method designs in the nine studies published since 2005. The findings are discussed in reference to the limitations of randomized designs in implementation science and the potential for use of alternative designs.

Ensuring Confidentiality of Geocoded Health Data: Assessing Geographic Masking Strategies for Individual-Level Data

PubMed Central

Zandbergen, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Public health datasets increasingly use geographic identifiers such as an individual's address. Geocoding these addresses often provides new insights since it becomes possible to examine spatial patterns and associations. Address information is typically considered confidential and is therefore not released or shared with others. Publishing maps with the locations of individuals, however, may also breach confidentiality since addresses and associated identities can be discovered through reverse geocoding. One commonly used technique to protect confidentiality when releasing individual-level geocoded data is geographic masking. This typically consists of applying a certain amount of random perturbation in a systematic manner to reduce the risk of reidentification. A number of geographic masking techniques have been developed as well as methods to quantity the risk of reidentification associated with a particular masking method. This paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art in geographic masking, summarizing the various methods and their strengths and weaknesses. Despite recent progress, no universally accepted or endorsed geographic masking technique has emerged. Researchers on the other hand are publishing maps using geographic masking of confidential locations. Any researcher publishing such maps is advised to become familiar with the different masking techniques available and their associated reidentification risks. PMID:26556417

Towards mainstreaming of biodiversity data publishing: recommendations of the GBIF Data Publishing Framework Task Group

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Data are the evidentiary basis for scientific hypotheses, analyses and publication, for policy formation and for decision-making. They are essential to the evaluation and testing of results by peer scientists both present and future. There is broad consensus in the scientific and conservation communities that data should be freely, openly available in a sustained, persistent and secure way, and thus standards for 'free' and 'open' access to data have become well developed in recent years. The question of effective access to data remains highly problematic. Discussion Specifically with respect to scientific publishing, the ability to critically evaluate a published scientific hypothesis or scientific report is contingent on the examination, analysis, evaluation - and if feasible - on the re-generation of data on which conclusions are based. It is not coincidental that in the recent 'climategate' controversies, the quality and integrity of data and their analytical treatment were central to the debate. There is recent evidence that even when scientific data are requested for evaluation they may not be available. The history of dissemination of scientific results has been marked by paradigm shifts driven by the emergence of new technologies. In recent decades, the advance of computer-based technology linked to global communications networks has created the potential for broader and more consistent dissemination of scientific information and data. Yet, in this digital era, scientists and conservationists, organizations and institutions have often been slow to make data available. Community studies suggest that the withholding of data can be attributed to a lack of awareness, to a lack of technical capacity, to concerns that data should be withheld for reasons of perceived personal or organizational self interest, or to lack of adequate mechanisms for attribution. Conclusions There is a clear need for institutionalization of a 'data publishing framework' that can address sociocultural, technical-infrastructural, policy, political and legal constraints, as well as addressing issues of sustainability and financial support. To address these aspects of a data publishing framework - a systematic, standard approach to the formal definition and public disclosure of data - in the context of biodiversity data, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, the single inter-governmental body most clearly mandated to undertake such an effort) convened a Data Publishing Framework Task Group. We conceive this data publishing framework as an environment conducive to ensure free and open access to world's biodiversity data. Here, we present the recommendations of that Task Group, which are intended to encourage free and open access to the worlds' biodiversity data. PMID:22373150

Obtaining subjects' consent to publish identifying personal information: current practices and identifying potential issues.

PubMed

Yoshida, Akiko; Dowa, Yuri; Murakami, Hiromi; Kosugi, Shinji

2013-11-25

In studies publishing identifying personal information, obtaining consent is regarded as necessary, as it is impossible to ensure complete anonymity. However, current journal practices around specific points to consider when obtaining consent, the contents of consent forms and how consent forms are managed have not yet been fully examined. This study was conducted to identify potential issues surrounding consent to publish identifying personal information. Content analysis was carried out on instructions for authors and consent forms developed by academic journals in four fields (as classified by Journal Citation Reports): medicine general and internal, genetics and heredity, pediatrics, and psychiatry. An online questionnaire survey of editors working for journals that require the submission of consent forms was also conducted. Instructions for authors were reviewed for 491 academic journals (132 for medicine general and internal, 147 for genetics and heredity, 100 for pediatrics, and 112 for psychiatry). Approximately 40% (203: 74 for medicine general and internal, 31 for genetics and heredity, 58 for pediatrics, and 40 for psychiatry) stated that subject consent was necessary. The submission of consent forms was required by 30% (154) of the journals studied, and 10% (50) provided their own consent forms for authors to use. Two journals mentioned that the possible effects of publication on subjects should be considered. Many journal consent forms mentioned the difficulties in ensuring complete anonymity of subjects, but few addressed the study objective, the subjects' right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. The main reason for requiring the submission of consent forms was to confirm that consent had been obtained. Approximately 40% of journals required subject consent to be obtained. However, differences were observed depending on the fields. Specific considerations were not always documented. There is a need to address issues around the study objective, subjects' right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. Whether responsibility for ensuring that the consent form has been signed lies with publishers also needs to be discussed.

Systematic Reviews Published in Emergency Medicine Journals Do Not Routinely Search Clinical Trials Registries: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

PubMed

Keil, Lukas G; Platts-Mills, Timothy F; Jones, Christopher W

2015-10-01

Publication bias compromises the validity of systematic reviews. This problem can be addressed in part through searching clinical trials registries to identify unpublished studies. This study aims to determine how often systematic reviews published in emergency medicine journals include clinical trials registry searches. We identified all systematic reviews published in the 6 highest-impact emergency medicine journals between January 1 and December 31, 2013. Systematic reviews that assessed the effects of an intervention were further examined to determine whether the authors described searching a clinical trials registry and whether this search identified relevant unpublished studies. Of 191 articles identified through PubMed search, 80 were confirmed to be systematic reviews. Our sample consisted of 41 systematic reviews that assessed a specific intervention. Eight of these 41 (20%) searched a clinical trials registry. For 4 of these 8 reviews, the registry search identified at least 1 relevant unpublished study. Systematic reviews published in emergency medicine journals do not routinely include searches of clinical trials registries. By helping authors identify unpublished trial data, the addition of registry searches may improve the validity of systematic reviews. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addressing Pediatric Obesity in Ambulatory Care: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

PubMed

Lenders, Carine M; Manders, Aaron J; Perdomo, Joanna E; Ireland, Kathy A; Barlow, Sarah E

2016-06-01

Since the "2007 summary report of child and adolescent overweight and obesity treatment" published by Barlow, many obesity intervention studies have been conducted in pediatric ambulatory care. Although several meta-analyses have been published in the interim, many studies were excluded because of the focus and criteria of these meta-analyses. Therefore, the primary goal of this article was to identify randomized case-control trials conducted in the primary care setting and to report on treatment approaches, challenges, and successes. We have developed four themes for our discussion and provide a brief summary of our findings. Finally, we identified major gaps and potential solutions and describe several urgent key action items.

Quality of search strategies reported in systematic reviews published in stereotactic radiosurgery.

PubMed

Faggion, Clovis M; Wu, Yun-Chun; Tu, Yu-Kang; Wasiak, Jason

2016-06-01

Systematic reviews require comprehensive literature search strategies to avoid publication bias. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the reporting quality of search strategies within systematic reviews published in the field of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Three electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE(®), Ovid EMBASE(®) and the Cochrane Library) were searched to identify systematic reviews addressing SRS interventions, with the last search performed in October 2014. Manual searches of the reference lists of included systematic reviews were conducted. The search strategies of the included systematic reviews were assessed using a standardized nine-question form based on the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews checklist. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify the important predictors of search quality. A total of 85 systematic reviews were included. The median quality score of search strategies was 2 (interquartile range = 2). Whilst 89% of systematic reviews reported the use of search terms, only 14% of systematic reviews reported searching the grey literature. Multiple linear regression analyses identified publication year (continuous variable), meta-analysis performance and journal impact factor (continuous variable) as predictors of higher mean quality scores. This study identified the urgent need to improve the quality of search strategies within systematic reviews published in the field of SRS. This study is the first to address how authors performed searches to select clinical studies for inclusion in their systematic reviews. Comprehensive and well-implemented search strategies are pivotal to reduce the chance of publication bias and consequently generate more reliable systematic review findings.

Principles of management of thoracolumbar fractures.

PubMed

Dai, Li-yang

2012-05-01

There is little consensus on treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, which are one of the most controversial areas in spine surgery. The great variations in clinical decision making may come from differences in evaluation of spine stability with these fractures. Few high-quality studies concerning optimal treatment of thoracolumbar fractures have been conducted. This article reviews the conflicting results and recommendations for management of thoracolumbar fractures of currently published reports. Specifically, it addresses issues regarding evaluation of stability, indications for operative treatment, timing of surgery, surgical approach, and fusion length. © 2012 Tianjin Hospital and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Memo Addressing Lead and Copper Rule Requirements for Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has recently published a memo to address the requirements pertaining to maintenance of optimal corrosion control treatment, in situations in which a large water system ceases to purchase treated water and switches to a new drinking water source.

Publishing Community Directories: A Practical Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Charles Duncan

Addressed to volunteers, amateurs, and information professionals, this practical handbook illustrates procedures for producing various forms of printed directories that will fill community information needs, help to foster community participation and socialization, effectively promote and advertise the publishing organization, and that will be…

Does research into contraceptive method discontinuation address women's own reasons? A critical review.

PubMed

Inoue, Kumiyo; Barratt, Alexandra; Richters, Juliet

2015-10-01

To examine the clinical and epidemiological literature addressing contraceptive method change or discontinuation and to assess whether the documented reasons reflected women's experiences. Major databases including Medline and PsycINFO were searched using keywords related to contraception and discontinuation, adherence and satisfaction, for articles published between January 2003 and February 2013. Studies in developed countries that focused on women of reproductive age and reasons for method change or discontinuation were included. Reasons reported were categorised and examined. A total of 123 papers were reviewed in detail. Medical terminology was generally used to describe reasons for method discontinuation. The top two reported reasons were bleeding and pregnancy, but there was a lack of consensus about the categorisation of reasons. Broad categories that were not self-explanatory were included in more than half of the papers, often without further explanation. Only 12 studies expanded on categories containing 'other', 'non-medical' or 'personal' reasons. Eight papers included categories that attributed discontinuation to the participant, such as 'dissatisfied with method'. Studies of reasons for discontinuation of contraceptives do not well describe women's specific reasons. Studies rely heavily on medical terms and often fail to document women's subjective experiences. Future studies should create an opportunity for women to articulate their non-medical reasons in their own words, including those related to their sexual lives. Furthermore, researchers should distinguish, if possible, between reasons for discontinuation of a method and reasons for ceasing participation in a research study. 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.

Does pretend play matter? Searching for evidence: comment on Lillard et al. (2013).

PubMed

Bergen, Doris

2013-01-01

Lillard et al. (2013) have done a thorough review of published pretend play research from the past 50 plus years. However, they did not thoroughly address the reasons why this body of research has such flaws as well as the contradictory or minimal findings that call into question strongly held views and published assertions regarding the importance of the role of pretend play in fostering children's developmental progress. This comment addresses 3 aspects of the problematic nature of play research: First, I suggest that the research methods in most of these studies were unable to capture genuine pretend play, instead measuring "playful work." Second, I encourage rigorous research designs to better capture genuine examples of the pretend play phenomenon in order to gain deeper insights into these relationships. Third, I speculate on why pretend play development, as a valued behavior independent of its influence on other areas of development, is rarely undertaken and provide suggestions regarding this research direction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Topical Review: Unique Contributions of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Pediatric Psychology Research.

PubMed

Jensen, Chad D; Duraccio, Kara M; Carbine, Kaylie M; Kirwan, C Brock

2016-03-01

This review aims to provide a brief introduction of the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods in pediatric psychology research, describe several exemplar studies that highlight the unique benefits of MRI techniques for pediatric psychology research, and detail methods for addressing several challenges inherent to pediatric MRI research. Literature review. Numerous useful applications of MRI research in pediatric psychology have been illustrated in published research. MRI methods yield information that cannot be obtained using neuropsychological or behavioral measures. Using MRI in pediatric psychology research may facilitate examination of neural structures and processes that underlie health behaviors. Challenges inherent to conducting MRI research with pediatric research participants (e.g., head movement) may be addressed using evidence-based strategies. We encourage pediatric psychology researchers to consider adopting MRI techniques to answer research questions relevant to pediatric health and illness. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Frequency of Scholarship on Counselling Males in the "Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, Stuart M.; Bedi, Robinder P.; Beall, Lauren K.

2012-01-01

This article examines the frequency with which studies on boys/men are represented in Canadian counselling scholarship, as embodied in the "Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy" (CJCP). To address this question, a quantitative content analysis was conducted of articles published in CJCP from 2000 (Volume 34, Number 1) to…

Doing Relationships and Sexuality Education with Young People in State Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyde, Abbey; Fullerton, Deirdre; McKeown, Caroline; Lohan, Maria; Dunne, Laura; Macdonald, Geraldine

2017-01-01

Background: Existing literature indicates that young people in state care have particular sexual health needs that include addressing their social and emotional well-being, yet little has been published as to how these components of sex education are actually delivered by service-providers. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the…

Brief Report: Attitudes about Responding to Survey Questions Concerning Childhood Sexual Abuse by Hispanic Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernst, Frederick A.; Salinas, Nancy I.; Perez, Natalie

2009-01-01

In no studies have research participants been asked how they feel about answering questions concerning childhood sexual abuse. We have performed searches from two different search engines again and have found nothing published which specifically addresses this question in the way we have. A questionnaire about childhood sexual abuse was…

Curricular Changes in Higher Education in Mexico (2002-2012)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Díaz-Barriga, Frida; Barrón, María Concepción

2014-01-01

Based on the analysis of 1241 documents published in Mexico (2002-2012) concerning curriculum studies, we find that the issue of innovation was addressed in 6 out of 10 research papers that focused on the higher education level (60.4%). It shows an increase in empirical research, quantitative and qualitative, that accounts for the process of…

GlobePort Faces Global Business Challenges--Assessing the Organizational Side of Information Systems Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh, Biswadip

2011-01-01

Published studies have reported that Information System (IS) projects succeed or fail based on how effectively the organizational issues were understood and addressed in the specification, development and implementation stages of the project. This is particularly true in the design and delivery of Inter-Organizational Systems (IOS) that can affect…

Has First-Grade Core Reading Program Text Complexity Changed across Six Decades?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Jill; Elmore, Jeff; Relyea, Jackie Eunjung; Hiebert, Elfrieda H.; Stenner, A. Jackson

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to address possible text complexity shifts across the past six decades for a continually best-selling first-grade core reading program. The anthologies of one publisher's seven first-grade core reading programs were examined using computer-based analytics, dating from 1962 to 2013. Variables were Overall Text…

Class Discussions: Locating Social Class in Novels for Children and Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Cynthia Anne

2008-01-01

Few studies on representations of social class in children's literature have been published in the United States. As a language arts teacher and media specialist in a high poverty school, the author describes children's novels that directly address social class and the subtopic of the labor movement and consider the continued relevance of social…

Transcending the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide with Mixed Methods Research: A Multidimensional Framework for Understanding Congruence and Completeness in the Study of Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLafferty, Charles L., Jr.; Slate, John R.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

2010-01-01

Quantitative research dominates published literature in the helping professions. Mixed methods research, which integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies, has received a lukewarm reception. The authors address the iterative separation that infuses theory, praxis, philosophy, methodology, training, and public perception and propose a…

Research Methods and Techniques in Spanish Library and Information Science Journals (2012-2014)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferran-Ferrer, Núria; Guallar, Javier; Abadal, Ernest; Server, Adan

2017-01-01

Introduction. This study examines the research methods and techniques used in Spanish journals of library and information science, the topics addressed by papers in these journals and their authorship affiliation. Method. The researchers selected 580 papers published in the top seven Spanish LIS journals indexed in Web of Science and Scopus and…

Reduction of Family Violence in Aboriginal Communities: A Systematic Review of Interventions and Approaches1

PubMed Central

Shea, Beverley; Nahwegahbow, Amy; Andersson, Neil

2010-01-01

Many efforts to reduce family violence are documented in the published literature. We conducted a systematic review of interventions intended to prevent family violence in Aboriginal communities. We retrieved studies published up to October 2009; 506 papers included one systematic review, two randomized controlled trials, and fourteen nonrandomized studies or reviews. Two reviews discussed interventions relevant to primary prevention (reducing the risk factors for family violence), including parenting, role modelling, and active participation. More studies addressed secondary prevention (where risk factors exist, reducing outbreaks of violence) such as restriction on the trading hours for take away alcohol and home visiting programs for high risk families. Examples of tertiary prevention (preventing recurrence) include traditional healing circles and group counselling. Most studies contributed a low level of evidence. PMID:21052554

17 CFR 240.14a-8 - Shareholder proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Exchange Act of 1934 Regulation 14a: Solicitation of Proxies § 240.14a-8 Shareholder proposals. Link to an amendment published at 75 FR 56782, Sept. 16, 2010. Link to a delay published at 75 FR 64641, Oct. 20, 2010. Link to an amendment published at 76 FR 6045, Feb. 2, 2011. This section addresses when a company must...

78 FR 78472 - Registration and Financial Security Requirements for Brokers of Property and Freight Forwarders...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your document so that FMCSA can contact you if... Agency published a final rule amending 49 CFR part 387 to set a minimum $75,000 surety bond/trust fund.... ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number FMCSA- 2013-0513, by any of the following...

Bibliometric analysis of scientific articles published in Brazilian and international orthodontic journals over a 10-year period.

PubMed

Primo, Neudí Antonio; Gazzola, Vivian Bertoglio; Primo, Bruno Tochetto; Tovo, Maximiano Ferreira; Faraco, Italo Medeiros

2014-01-01

This study aimed at describing the profiles of Brazilian and international studies published in orthodontic journals. The sample comprised 635 articles selected from two scientific journals, i.e., Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics and American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, which were analyzed at three different intervals over a 10-year period (1999 - 2004 - 2009). Articles were described in terms of knowledge domain, study design, and country of origin (or state of origin for Brazilian papers). The most frequent study designs adopted in international studies were cohort (23.9%) and cross-sectional (21.7%) designs. Among Brazilian papers, cross-sectional studies (28.9%) and literature reviews (24.6%) showed greater frequency. The topics most often investigated in international articles were dental materials (17%) and treatment devices (12.4%), with the latter topic being addressed by 16% of the Brazilian publications, followed by malocclusion, with 12.6%. In all cases, the most frequent countries of origin coincided with the countries of origin of each journal. The majority of the studies analyzed featured a low level of scientific evidence. Moreover, the findings showed that journals tend to publish studies produced in their own country of origin, and that there are marked discrepancies in the number of papers published by different Brazilian states.

Enhancing Scientific Foundations to Ensure Reproducibility: A New Paradigm.

PubMed

Hsieh, Terry; Vaickus, Max H; Remick, Daniel G

2018-01-01

Progress in science is dependent on a strong foundation of reliable results. The publish or perish paradigm in research, coupled with an increase in retracted articles from the peer-reviewed literature, is beginning to erode the trust of both the scientific community and the public. The NIH is combating errors by requiring investigators to follow new guidelines addressing scientific premise, experimental design, biological variables, and authentication of reagents. Herein, we discuss how implementation of NIH guidelines will help investigators proactively address pitfalls of experimental design and methods. Careful consideration of the variables contributing to reproducibility helps ensure robust results. The NIH, investigators, and journals must collaborate to ensure that quality science is funded, explored, and published. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wave Breaking Influence in a Coupled Model of the Atmosphere-Ocean Wave Boundary Layers under Very High Wind Conditions

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-30

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) University of New South Wales,School of Mathematics,Sydney 2052, Australia, 8. PERFORMING... ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S...published, refereed] Leslie, LM, MS Speer and L. Qi, (2003): Prediction of Extreme Rainfall for the Coffs Harbour Catchment. Aust. Meteor. Mag., 52, 95

Antihistamines and birth defects: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Gilboa, Suzanne M; Ailes, Elizabeth C; Rai, Ramona P; Anderson, Jaynia A; Honein, Margaret A

2014-12-01

Approximately 10 - 15% of women reportedly take an antihistamine during pregnancy for the relief of nausea and vomiting, allergy and asthma symptoms, or indigestion. Antihistamines include histamine H1-receptor and H2-receptor antagonists. This is a systematic evaluation of the peer-reviewed epidemiologic literature published through February 2014 on the association between prenatal exposure to antihistamines and birth defects. Papers addressing histamine H1- or H2-receptor antagonists are included. Papers addressing pyridoxine plus doxylamine (Bendectin in the United States, Debendox in the United Kingdom, Diclectin in Canada, Lenotan and Merbental in other countries) prior to the year 2001 were excluded post hoc because of several previously published meta-analyses and commentaries on this medication. The literature on the safety of antihistamine use during pregnancy with respect to birth defects is generally reassuring though the positive findings from a few large studies warrant corroboration in other populations. The findings in the literature are considered in light of three critical methodological issues: i) selection of appropriate study population; ii) ascertainment of antihistamine exposures; and iii) ascertainment of birth defect outcomes. Selected antihistamines have been very well studied (e.g., loratadine); others, especially H2-receptor antagonists, require additional study before an assessment of safety with respect to birth defect risk could be made.

When clinical trials compete: prioritising study recruitment.

PubMed

Gelinas, Luke; Lynch, Holly Fernandez; Bierer, Barbara E; Cohen, I Glenn

2017-12-01

It is not uncommon for multiple clinical trials at the same institution to recruit concurrently from the same patient population. When the relevant pool of patients is limited, as it often is, trials essentially compete for participants. There is evidence that such a competition is a predictor of low study accrual, with increased competition tied to increased recruitment shortfalls. But there is no consensus on what steps, if any, institutions should take to approach this issue. In this article, we argue that an institutional policy that prioritises some trials for recruitment ahead of others is ethically permissible and indeed prima facie preferable to alternative means of addressing recruitment competition. We motivate this view by appeal to the ethical importance of minimising the number of studies that begin but do not complete, thereby exposing their participants to unnecessary risks and burdens in the process. We then argue that a policy of prioritisation can be fair to relevant stakeholders, including participants, investigators and funders. Finally, by way of encouraging and helping to frame future debate, we propose some questions that would need to be addressed when identifying substantive ethical criteria for prioritising between studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Pathfinder, v7 n1, Jan/Feb 2009. Making an Intelligence Difference

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency,Office of Corporate Communications,4600 Sangamore Road ,Bethesda,MD, 20816 ...Published by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Office of Corporate Communications 4600 Sangamore Road, Mail Stop D-54 Bethesda, MD 20816

Interventional studies in childhood dystonia do not address the concerns of children and their carers.

PubMed

Lumsden, Daniel E; Gimeno, Hortensia; Tustin, Kylee; Kaminska, Margaret; Lin, Jean-Pierre

2015-05-01

This study aimed to determine the main concerns/priorities of the parents and carers of children with dystonia referred to our service and whether medical interventional studies addressed these concerns. Records of children assessed by our service from June 2005-December 2012 were reviewed and expressed parental/carer concerns at initial assessment categorized using the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) Framework. Medline, CINAHL and Embase databases were searched for outcome measures of medical and surgical interventional studies in childhood dystonia. Data was collected from 273 children and young people with dystonia. The most commonly expressed concerns were: pain (104/273, 38.1%); difficulties in delivering activities of daily-living (66/273, 24.2%), difficulties with hand-use (59/273, 21.6%) and seating (41/273, 15.0%). Literature review identified 70 interventional studies, 46 neurosurgical and 24 pharmacological. The majority of neurosurgical studies (34/46) used impairment scales to measure change, with pharmacological studies typically reporting more subjective changes in motor symptoms. Only a minority of studies used assessments or scales capable of objectively addressing the concerns reported by our cohort. Existing interventional studies in childhood dystonia poorly address the main concerns of children with dystonia and their carers, limiting the conclusions which may be drawn as to true impact of these interventions in childhood. Copyright © 2015 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A strategy for systemic toxicity assessment based on non-animal approaches: The Cosmetics Europe Long Range Science Strategy programme.

PubMed

Desprez, Bertrand; Dent, Matt; Keller, Detlef; Klaric, Martina; Ouédraogo, Gladys; Cubberley, Richard; Duplan, Hélène; Eilstein, Joan; Ellison, Corie; Grégoire, Sébastien; Hewitt, Nicola J; Jacques-Jamin, Carine; Lange, Daniela; Roe, Amy; Rothe, Helga; Blaauboer, Bas J; Schepky, Andreas; Mahony, Catherine

2018-08-01

When performing safety assessment of chemicals, the evaluation of their systemic toxicity based only on non-animal approaches is a challenging objective. The Safety Evaluation Ultimately Replacing Animal Test programme (SEURAT-1) addressed this question from 2011 to 2015 and showed that further research and development of adequate tools in toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic are required for performing non-animal safety assessments. It also showed how to implement tools like thresholds of toxicological concern (TTCs) and read-across in this context. This paper shows a tiered scientific workflow and how each tier addresses the four steps of the risk assessment paradigm. Cosmetics Europe established its Long Range Science Strategy (LRSS) programme, running from 2016 to 2020, based on the outcomes of SEURAT-1 to implement this workflow. Dedicated specific projects address each step of this workflow, which is introduced here. It tackles the question of evaluating the internal dose when systemic exposure happens. The applicability of the workflow will be shown through a series of case studies, which will be published separately. Even if the LRSS puts the emphasis on safety assessment of cosmetic relevant chemicals, it remains applicable to any type of chemical. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Critical Appraisal on Orbital Decompression for Thyroid Eye Disease: A Systematic Review and Literature Search.

PubMed

Boboridis, Konstadinos G; Uddin, Jimmy; Mikropoulos, Dimitrios G; Bunce, Catey; Mangouritsas, George; Voudouragkaki, Irini C; Konstas, Anastasios G P

2015-07-01

Orbital decompression is the indicated procedure for addressing exophthalmos and compressive optic neuropathy in thyroid eye disease. There are an abundance of techniques for removal of orbital bone, fat, or a combination published in the scientific literature. The relative efficacy and complications of these interventions in relation to the specific indications remain as yet undocumented. We performed a systematic review of the current published evidence for the effectiveness of orbital decompression, possible complications, and impact on quality of life. We searched the current databases for medical literature and controlled trials, oculoplastic textbooks, and conference proceedings to identify relevant data up to February 2015. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing two or more interventions for orbital decompression. We identified only two eligible RCTs for inclusion in the review. As a result of the significant variability between studies on decompression, i.e., methodology and outcome measures, we did not perform a meta-analysis. One study suggests that the transantral approach and endonasal technique had similar effects in reducing exophthalmos but the latter is safer. The second study provides evidence that intravenous steroids may be superior to primary surgical decompression in the management of compressive optic neuropathy requiring less secondary surgical procedures. Most of the published literature on orbital decompression consists of retrospective, uncontrolled trials. There is evidence from those studies that removal of the medial and lateral wall (balanced) and the deep lateral wall decompression, with or without fat removal, may be the most effective surgical methods with only few complications. There is a clear unmet need for controlled trials evaluating the different techniques for orbital decompression. Ideally, future studies should address the effectiveness, possible complications, quality of life, and cost of each intervention.

Shared decision-making using personal health record technology: a scoping review at the crossroads.

PubMed

Davis, Selena; Roudsari, Abdul; Raworth, Rebecca; Courtney, Karen L; MacKay, Lee

2017-07-01

This scoping review aims to determine the size and scope of the published literature on shared decision-making (SDM) using personal health record (PHR) technology and to map the literature in terms of system design and outcomes. Literature from Medline, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Engineering Village, and Web of Science (2005-2015) using the search terms "personal health records," "shared decision making," "patient-provider communication," "decision aid," and "decision support" was included. Articles ( n  = 38) addressed the efficacy or effectiveness of PHRs for SDM in engaging patients in self-care and decision-making or ways patients can be supported in SDM via PHR. Analysis resulted in an integrated SDM-PHR conceptual framework. An increased interest in SDM via PHR is apparent, with 55% of articles published within last 3 years. Sixty percent of the literature originates from the United States. Twenty-six articles address a particular clinical condition, with 10 focused on diabetes, and one-third offer empirical evidence of patient outcomes. The tethered and standalone PHR architectural types were most studied, while the interconnected PHR type was the focus of more recently published methodological approaches and discussion articles. The study reveals a scarcity of rigorous research on SDM via PHR. Research has focused on one or a few of the SDM elements and not on the intended complete process. Just as PHR technology designed on an interconnected architecture has the potential to facilitate SDM, integrating the SDM process into PHR technology has the potential to drive PHR value. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

A systematic review of the literature reveals trends and gaps in integrated pest management studies conducted in the United States.

PubMed

Young, Stephen L

2017-08-01

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a broad-based approach for addressing pests that negatively affect human and environmental health and economic profitability. Weeds, insects and disease-causing pathogens (diseases) are the pests most often associated with IPM. A systematic review, widely used in other scientific disciplines, was employed to determine the most commonly studied IPM topics and summarize the reasons for these trends and the gaps. In a field synopsis of the literature, 1679 relevant published papers were identified and categorized into one of the following five broad areas: IPM and organic (organic), climate change and pests (climate), rural and urban IPM (rural and urban), next-generation education (education) and advanced production systems (technology). Papers were examined in greater detail for at least one of the three main pests in a systematic review. A majority (85%) of IPM papers have been in the area of rural and urban IPM, primarily addressing agriculture (78%). Professionals, landowners and the general public were the focus of a majority (95%) of IPM papers on education. Technology is an increasing area of focus in the literature. Over the past 40 years, IPM papers have primarily (75%) addressed insects and been limited mostly to rural and urban settings. Climate change, technology and education specific to pest management studies are increasingly being published and will help broaden the focus that could result in increased adoption and development of IPM. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

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.

FTP: Full-Text Publishing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jul, Erik

1992-01-01

Describes the use of file transfer protocol (FTP) on the INTERNET computer network and considers its use as an electronic publishing system. The differing electronic formats of text files are discussed; the preparation and access of documents are described; and problems are addressed, including a lack of consistency. (LRW)

How to make more published research true.

PubMed

Ioannidis, John P A

2014-10-01

In a 2005 paper that has been accessed more than a million times, John Ioannidis explained why most published research findings were false. Here he revisits the topic, this time to address how to improve matters. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

New Issues for New Methods: Ethical and Editorial Challenges for an Experimental Philosophy.

PubMed

Polonioli, Andrea

2017-08-01

This paper examines a constellation of ethical and editorial issues that have arisen since philosophers started to conduct, submit and publish empirical research. These issues encompass concerns over responsible authorship, fair treatment of human subjects, ethicality of experimental procedures, availability of data, unselective reporting and publishability of research findings. This study aims to assess whether the philosophical community has as yet successfully addressed such issues. To do so, the instructions for authors, submission process and published research papers of 29 main journals in philosophy have been considered and analyzed. In light of the evidence reported here, it is argued that the philosophical community has as yet failed to properly tackle such issues. The paper also delivers some recommendations for authors, reviewers and editors in the field.

Reforms in Academic Publishing: Should "Behavioral Disorders" and Special Education Journals Embrace Them?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Bryan G.

2016-01-01

Bias poses a significant threat to the validity of research findings as well as practices and policies based on research. Reforms to academic publishing have been proposed and implemented in other fields to address bias in research. In this paper I review some sources of bias in research, some proposed areas of reform in academic publishing (e.g.,…

A list of personal perspectives with selected quotations, along with lists of tributes, historical notes, Nobel and Kettering awards related to photosynthesis.

PubMed

Krogmann, David W

2002-01-01

The history of photosynthesis research can be found in original papers and books. However, a special history is available from the prefatory chapters and the personal perspectives of various researchers who published them in several journals over the last 40 years. We have compiled a list of such perspectives published since 1964. Selection is not easy, especially of authors who were not directly engaged in photosynthesis research; some are included for their special insights related to central issues in the study of photosynthesis. Our journal, Photosynthesis Research, contains other valuable historic data in the occasional tributes, obituaries and historical notes, that have been published. Lists of these items are included. This article ends by listing the Nobel prizes related to photosynthesis and the Kettering Awards for Excellence in Photosynthesis Research. Wherever possible, a web page address is provided. The web page addresses have been taken from the article 'Photosynthesis and the Web: 2001' by Larry Orr and Govindjee, available at http://www.life.uiuc.edu/govindjee/photoweb and at http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/ photoweb/default.html.When I find a bit of leisureI trifle with my papers.This is one of the lesserfrailities.'- Horace, Satires I, IV.

Systematic reviews addressing microsurgical head and neck reconstruction.

PubMed

Momeni, Arash; Jacobson, Joshua Y; Lee, Gordon K

2015-01-01

Systematic reviews frequently form the basis for clinical decision making and guideline development. Yet, the quality of systematic reviews has been variable, thus raising concerns about the validity of their conclusions. In the current study, a quality analysis of systematic reviews was performed, addressing microsurgical head and neck reconstruction. A PubMed search was performed to identify all systematic reviews published up to and including December 2012 in 12 surgical journals. Two authors independently reviewed the literature and extracted data from the included reviews. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Quality assessment was performed using AMSTAR. The initial search retrieved 1020 articles. After screening titles and abstracts, 987 articles were excluded. Full-text review of the remaining 33 articles resulted in further exclusion of 18 articles, leaving 15 systematic reviews for final analysis. A marked increase in the number of published systematic reviews over time was noted (P = 0.07). The median AMSTAR score was 5, thus reflecting a "fair" quality. No evidence for improvement in methodological quality over time was noted. The trend to publish more systematic reviews in microsurgical head and neck reconstruction is encouraging. However, efforts are indicated to improve the methodological quality of systematic reviews. Familiarity with criteria of methodological quality is critical to ensure future improvements in the quality of systematic reviews conducted in microsurgery.

Why are medical and health-related studies not being published? A systematic review of reasons given by investigators.

PubMed

Song, Fujian; Loke, Yoon; Hooper, Lee

2014-01-01

About half of medical and health-related studies are not published. We conducted a systematic review of reports on reasons given by investigators for not publishing their studies in peer-reviewed journals. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS (until 13/09/2013), and references of identified articles were searched to identify reports of surveys that provided data on reasons given by investigators for not publishing studies. The proportion of non-submission and reasons for non-publication was calculated using the number of unpublished studies as the denominator. Because of heterogeneity across studies, quantitative pooling was not conducted. Exploratory subgroup analyses were conducted. We included 54 survey reports. Data from 38 included reports were available to estimate proportions of at least one reason given for not publishing studies. The proportion of non-submission among unpublished studies ranged from 55% to 100%, with a median of 85%. The reasons given by investigators for not publishing their studies included: lack of time or low priority (median 33%), studies being incomplete (median 15%), study not for publication (median 14%), manuscript in preparation or under review (median 12%), unimportant or negative result (median 12%), poor study quality or design (median 11%), fear of rejection (median 12%), rejection by journals (median 6%), author or co-author problems (median 10%), and sponsor or funder problems (median 9%). In general, the frequency of reasons given for non-publication was not associated with the source of unpublished studies, study design, or time when a survey was conducted. Non-submission of studies for publication remains the main cause of non-publication of studies. Measures to reduce non-publication of studies and alternative models of research dissemination need to be developed to address the main reasons given by investigators for not publishing their studies, such as lack of time or low priority and fear of being rejected by journals.

Why Are Medical and Health-Related Studies Not Being Published? A Systematic Review of Reasons Given by Investigators

PubMed Central

Song, Fujian; Loke, Yoon; Hooper, Lee

2014-01-01

Objective About half of medical and health-related studies are not published. We conducted a systematic review of reports on reasons given by investigators for not publishing their studies in peer-reviewed journals. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS (until 13/09/2013), and references of identified articles were searched to identify reports of surveys that provided data on reasons given by investigators for not publishing studies. The proportion of non-submission and reasons for non-publication was calculated using the number of unpublished studies as the denominator. Because of heterogeneity across studies, quantitative pooling was not conducted. Exploratory subgroup analyses were conducted. Results We included 54 survey reports. Data from 38 included reports were available to estimate proportions of at least one reason given for not publishing studies. The proportion of non-submission among unpublished studies ranged from 55% to 100%, with a median of 85%. The reasons given by investigators for not publishing their studies included: lack of time or low priority (median 33%), studies being incomplete (median 15%), study not for publication (median 14%), manuscript in preparation or under review (median 12%), unimportant or negative result (median 12%), poor study quality or design (median 11%), fear of rejection (median 12%), rejection by journals (median 6%), author or co-author problems (median 10%), and sponsor or funder problems (median 9%). In general, the frequency of reasons given for non-publication was not associated with the source of unpublished studies, study design, or time when a survey was conducted. Conclusions Non-submission of studies for publication remains the main cause of non-publication of studies. Measures to reduce non-publication of studies and alternative models of research dissemination need to be developed to address the main reasons given by investigators for not publishing their studies, such as lack of time or low priority and fear of being rejected by journals. PMID:25335091

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

The reporting of observational studies in veterinary research presents many challenges that often are not adequately addressed in published reporting guidelines. A consensus meeting of experts was organized to develop an extension of the STROBE statement to address observational studies in veterinary medicine with respect to animal health, animal production, animal welfare and food safety outcomes. The consensus meeting was held 11-13 May 2014 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Seventeen experts from North America, Europe and Australia attended the meeting. The experts were epidemiologists and biostatisticians, many of whom hold or have held editorial positions with relevant journals. Prior to the meeting, 19 experts completed a survey about whether they felt any of the 22 items of the STROBE statement should be modified and whether items should be added to address unique issues related to observational studies in animal species with health, production, welfare or food safety outcomes. At the meeting, the participants were provided with the survey responses and relevant literature concerning the reporting of veterinary observational studies. During the meeting, each STROBE item was discussed to determine whether or not re-wording was recommended, and whether additions were warranted. Anonymous voting was used to determine whether there was consensus for each item change or addition. The consensus was that six items needed no modifications or additions. Modifications or additions were made to the STROBE items numbered as follows: 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). 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. © 2016 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Academic achievement in children with epilepsy: a review.

PubMed

Reilly, Colin; Neville, Brian G R

2011-11-01

To examine published studies which have focussed on academic achievement in children with epilepsy with respect to prevalence rates of academic difficulties and possible correlates of academic achievement. This review examines studies which have focussed on prevalence rates of academic difficulties and correlates of academic achievement in children with epilepsy from 1990 to 2010. Prevalence rates of low academic achievement and academic underachievement are reported and correlates of academic achievement including seizure/epilepsy variables, demographic variables, and child/family variables are examined with respect to published studies. Published studies suggest that low academic achievement is more common than academic underachievement (achievement below that expected on basis of IQ scores) and it is not clear from published studies if rates of academic underachievement are significantly higher than in the general population. Clear patterns with regard to the identification of correlates of academic underachievement have not emerged although low achievement may be influenced in many cases by lower than average levels of cognitive functioning. Most studies have not focussed on the IQ-achievement discrepancy definitions of (specific) learning disability. Children with epilepsy who are experiencing academic difficulties may not qualify for formal educational supports to address these difficulties if eligibility criteria for such supports stress an IQ-achievement discrepancy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural adaptation and translation of a quality of life tool for new mothers: a methodological and experiential account from six countries.

PubMed

Symon, Andrew; Nagpal, Jitender; Maniecka-Bryła, Irena; Nowakowska-Głąb, Agata; Rashidian, Arash; Khabiri, Roghayeh; Mendes, Isabel; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra; de Oliveira, Mirna Fontenele; Wu, Liping

2013-04-01

To examine the challenges and solutions encountered in the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of an English language quality of life tool in India, China, Iran, Portugal, Brazil, and Poland. Those embarking on research involving translation and cross-cultural adaptation must address certain practical and conceptual issues. These include instrument choice, linguistic factors, and cultural or philosophical differences, which may render an instrument inappropriate, even when expertly translated. Publication bias arises when studies encountering difficulties do not admit to these, or are not published at all. As an educative guide to the potential pitfalls involved in the cross-cultural adaptation process, this article reports the conceptual, linguistic, and methodological experiences of researchers in six countries, who translated and adapted the Mother-Generated Index, a quality of life tool originally developed in English. Principal investigator experience from six stand-alone studies (two published) ranging from postgraduate research to citywide surveys. DISCUSSION/IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: This analysis of a series of stand-alone cross-cultural studies provides lessons about how conceptual issues, such as the uniqueness of perceived quality of life and the experience of new motherhood, can be addressed. This original international approach highlights practical lessons relating to instrument choice, and the resources available to researchers with different levels of experience. Although researchers may be confident of effective translation, conceptual and practical difficulties may be more problematic. Instrument choice is crucial. Researchers must negotiate adequate resources for cross-cultural research, including time, translation facilities, and expert advice about conceptual issues. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A questionnaire to assess the relevance and credibility of observational studies to inform health care decision making: an ISPOR-AMCP-NPC Good Practice Task Force report.

PubMed

Berger, Marc L; Martin, Bradley C; Husereau, Don; Worley, Karen; Allen, J Daniel; Yang, Winnie; Quon, Nicole C; Mullins, C Daniel; Kahler, Kristijan H; Crown, William

2014-03-01

Evidence-based health care decisions are best informed by comparisons of all relevant interventions used to treat conditions in specific patient populations. Observational studies are being performed to help fill evidence gaps. Widespread adoption of evidence from observational studies, however, has been limited because of various factors, including the lack of consensus regarding accepted principles for their evaluation and interpretation. Two task forces were formed to develop questionnaires to assist decision makers in evaluating observational studies, with one Task Force addressing retrospective research and the other Task Force addressing prospective research. The intent was to promote a structured approach to reduce the potential for subjective interpretation of evidence and drive consistency in decision making. Separately developed questionnaires were combined into a single questionnaire consisting of 33 items. These were divided into two domains: relevance and credibility. Relevance addresses the extent to which findings, if accurate, apply to the setting of interest to the decision maker. Credibility addresses the extent to which the study findings accurately answer the study question. The questionnaire provides a guide for assessing the degree of confidence that should be placed from observational studies and promotes awareness of the subtleties involved in evaluating those. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Publisher Source Directory: A List of Where to Buy or Rent Instructional Materials and Other Educational Aids, Devices, and Media Including More Than 1,600 Publishers and Producers in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center on Educational Media and Materials for the Handicapped, Columbus, OH.

Listed are more than 1,600 publishers, producers, and distributors of educational materials for use with the handicapped. Entries are presented in alphabetical order according to name. Beneath each source's name and address are code numbers which correspond to the type of materials each publisher's catalog lists. Provided is a list of the codes…

Reporting and Handling Missing Outcome Data in Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Cochrane Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spineli, Loukia M.; Pandis, Nikolaos; Salanti, Georgia

2015-01-01

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to provide empirical evidence about the reporting of methodology to address missing outcome data and the acknowledgement of their impact in Cochrane systematic reviews in the mental health field. Methods: Systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews after January 1, 2009 by…

The "Push-Pull" Approach to Fast-Track Management Development: A Case Study in Scientific Publishing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fojt, Martin; Parkinson, Stephen; Peters, John; Sandelands, Eric

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how a medium sized business has addressed what it has termed a "push-pull" method of management and organization development, based around an action learning approach. Design/methodology/approach: The paper sets out a methodology that other SMEs might look to replicate in their management and…

A Content Analysis of Asian-Pacific Folk Songs in American Elementary Music Textbooks from 1967 to 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culig, Edna Aurora C.

2012-01-01

In this quanto-historical study, the author conducted a content analysis of Asian-Pacific (AP) folk songs in 18 American elementary music textbooks published from 1967 to 2008. The researcher addressed the questions: (1) To what degree are AP folk songs included in the printed and recorded repertoire of elementary music textbook series published…

Research on Rural Ageing: Where Have We Got to and Where Are We Going in Europe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burholt, Vanessa; Dobbs, Christine

2012-01-01

This paper examines the extent to which rural studies conducted in Europe (compared to other countries in the Global North) have addressed the phenomenon of rural ageing. Through a review of the literature published on rural ageing research in the last decade, it compares the research goals identified by the International Rural Ageing Project…

The Achievement Gap, Revisited: An Empirical Assessment of What We Can Learn from East Asian Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czehut, Katherine Jessica Drake

2012-01-01

International mathematics assessments have established students in East Asia as among the best in the world and their U.S. counterparts as mediocre. What is not clear is why this "achievement gap" exists. The last major study to address this question, Stevenson and Stigler's (1992) "The Learning Gap," was published prior to…

Implementing the Use of a Positive Variation of the Good Behavior Game with the Use of a Computer-Based Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynne, Shauna

2016-01-01

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is an interdependent group contingency designed to address behavioral concerns. The vast majority of published findings on the GBG have supported its effectiveness in decreasing disruptive behavior in classroom settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and the social validity of a…

Harvesting cost model for small trees in natural stands in the interior northwest.

Treesearch

Bruce R. Hartsough; Xiaoshan Zhang; Roger D. Fight

2001-01-01

Realistic logging cost models are needed for long-term forest management planning. Data from numerous published studies were combined to estimate the costs of harvesting small trees in natural stands in the Interior Northwest of North America. Six harvesting systems were modeled. Four address gentle terrain: manual log-length, manual whole-tree, mechanized whole-tree,...

Independent Examination of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV): What Does the WAIS-IV Measure?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Nicholas; Hulac, David M.; Kranzler, John H.

2010-01-01

Published empirical evidence for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) does not address some essential questions pertaining to the applied practice of intellectual assessment. In this study, the structure and cross-age invariance of the latest WAIS-IV revision were examined to (a) elucidate the nature of the constructs…

Factors affecting breeding season survival of red-headed woodpeckers in South Carolina

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Mark Vukovich

2012-01-01

Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) populations have declined in the United States and Canada over the past 40 years. However, few demographic studies have been published on the species and none have addressed adult survival. During 2006¨C2007, we estimated survival probabilities of 80 radio-tagged red-headed woodpeckers during the breeding season in...

Primary mental health prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel.

PubMed

Nakash, Ora; Razon, Liat; Levav, Itzhak

2015-01-01

The World Health Organization Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (CMHAP) 2013-2020 proposes the implementation of primary prevention strategies to reduce the mental health burden of disease. The extent to which Israeli academic programs and published research adhere to the principles spelled out by the CMHAP is unknown. To investigate the presence of mental health primary prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel. We searched for mental health primary prevention themes in: (1) three major journals of psychiatry and social sciences during the years 2001-2012; (2) university graduate programs in psychology, social work and medicine in leading universities for the academic year of 2011-2012; and (3) doctoral and master's theses approved in psychology and social work departments in five universities between the years 2007-2012. We used a liberal definition of primary prevention to guide the above identification of themes, including those related to theory, methods or research information of direct or indirect application in practice. Of the 934 articles published in the three journals, 7.2%, n = 67, addressed primary prevention. Of the 899 courses in the 19 graduate programs 5.2%, n = 47, elective courses addressed primary prevention. Of the 1960 approved doctoral and master's theses 6.2%, n = 123, addressed primary prevention. Only 11 (4.7%) articles, 5 (0.6%) courses, and 5 (0.3%) doctoral and master's theses addressed primary prevention directly. The psychiatric reform currently implemented in Israel and WHO CMHAP call for novel policies and course of action in all levels of prevention, including primary prevention. Yet, the latter is rarely a component of mental health education and research activities. The baseline we drew could serve to evaluate future progress in the field.

Knee ultrasound from research to real practice: a systematic literature review of adult knee ultrasound assessment feasibility studies.

PubMed

Peltea, Alexandra; Berghea, Florian; Gudu, Tania; Ionescu, Ruxandra

2016-12-05

To identify and analyse existing data regarding knee ultrasound (US) feasibility in clinical practice. Material and methods: A systematic literature review was performed using the terms: ("knee") AND ("ultrasound" OR "ultrasonography") AND ("feasibility" OR "pilot" OR "proof of concept"). Feasibility studies regarding knee US or US aided maneuver involving knee joint, published during 2005-2015, were selected and evaluated against a complex framework constructed around mandatory key areas for feasibility studies: acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration and expansion. One hundred and fifty-nine publications were identified, of which 9 were included in the final analysis: 6 dealt with the development and implementation of novel US scores, while the rest focused on implementing MSUS in clinical practice, evaluating the usefulness of articular cartilage US assessment and the feasibility of sonography for intra-articular knee injections, respectively. Six studies quantified feasibility as time spent for the evaluation, with only two addressing areassuch as acceptability, implementation and practicality, although none of these systematically assessed all feasibility domains. Knee US feasibility is still poorly addressed; the time required for US assessment is the main area addressed. This information gap should be properly addressed in future works, in order to ensure the right place for this technique.

Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: Refiner and Importer Quality Assurance Requirements for Downstream Oxygenate Blending and Requirements for Disposition of Pipeline Interfaces Additional Resources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has published a Direct Final Rule that addresses requirements for parties that handle pipeline interface as well as addresses downstream quality assurance requirements for refiners (EPA publication # EPA-420-F-06-039).

37 CFR 11.11 - Administrative suspension, inactivation, resignation, and readmission.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... her office, up to three e-mail addresses where he or she receives e-mail, and business telephone... publish from the roster a list containing the name, postal business addresses, business telephone number... Director determines that there are no genuine issues of material fact regarding the Office's compliance...

The Managed Text: Prose and Qualms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadushin, Charles

1979-01-01

Managed texts are written and designed by a team of writers and researchers under the direction and control of a publishing house. How these books got started, what needs they meet, their advantages and disadvantages, and the consequences they are having on college text publishing are addressed. (JMD)

Addressing pediatric obesity in ambulatory care: where are we and where are we going?

PubMed Central

Manders, Aaron J.; Perdomo, Joanna E.; Ireland, Kathy A.; Barlow, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

Since the “2007 summary report of child and adolescent overweight and obesity treatment” published by Barlow, many obesity intervention studies have been conducted in pediatric ambulatory care. Although several meta-analyses have been published in the interim, many studies were excluded because of the focus and criteria of these meta-analyses. Therefore, the primary goal of this article was to identify randomized case-control trials conducted in the primary care setting and to report on treatment approaches, challenges, and successes. We have developed four themes for our discussion and provide a brief summary of our findings. Finally, we identified major gaps and potential solutions, and describe several urgent key action items. PMID:27048522

Maternity Care Services and Culture: A Systematic Global Mapping of Interventions

PubMed Central

Coast, Ernestina; Jones, Eleri; Portela, Anayda; Lattof, Samantha R.

2014-01-01

Background A vast body of global research shows that cultural factors affect the use of skilled maternity care services in diverse contexts. While interventions have sought to address this issue, the literature on these efforts has not been synthesised. This paper presents a systematic mapping of interventions that have been implemented to address cultural factors that affect women's use of skilled maternity care. It identifies and develops a map of the literature; describes the range of interventions, types of literature and study designs; and identifies knowledge gaps. Methods and Findings Searches conducted systematically in ten electronic databases and two websites for literature published between 01/01/1990 and 28/02/2013 were combined with expert-recommended references. Potentially eligible literature included journal articles and grey literature published in English, French or Spanish. Items were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria, yielding 96 items in the final map. Data extracted from the full text documents are presented in tables and a narrative synthesis. The results show that a diverse range of interventions has been implemented in 35 countries to address cultural factors that affect the use of skilled maternity care. Items are classified as follows: (1) service delivery models; (2) service provider interventions; (3) health education interventions; (4) participatory approaches; and (5) mental health interventions. Conclusions The map provides a rich source of information on interventions attempted in diverse settings that might have relevance elsewhere. A range of literature was identified, from narrative descriptions of interventions to studies using randomised controlled trials to evaluate impact. Only 23 items describe studies that aim to measure intervention impact through the use of experimental or observational-analytic designs. Based on the findings, we identify avenues for further research in order to better document and measure the impact of interventions to address cultural factors that affect use of skilled maternity care. PMID:25268940

Do corresponding authors take responsibility for their work? A covert survey.

PubMed

Teunis, Teun; Nota, Sjoerd P F T; Schwab, Joseph H

2015-02-01

Publication of a manuscript does not end an author's responsibilities. Reasons to contact an author after publication include clarification, access to raw data, and collaboration. However, legitimate questions have been raised regarding whether these responsibilities generally are being met by corresponding authors of biomedical publications. This study aims to establish (1) what proportion of corresponding authors accept the responsibility of correspondence; (2) identify characteristics of responders; and (3) assess email address decay with time. We hypothesize that the response rate is unrelated to journal impact factor. We contacted 450 corresponding authors throughout various fields of biomedical research regarding the availability of additional data from their study, under the pretense of needing these data for a related review article. Authors were randomly selected from 45 journals whose impact factors ranged from 52 to 0; the source articles were published between May 2003 and May 2013. The proportion of corresponding authors who replied, along with author characteristics were recorded, as was the proportion of emails that were returned for inactive addresses; 446 authors were available for final analysis. Fifty-three percent (190/357) of the authors with working email addresses responded to our request. Clinical researchers were more likely to reply than basic/translational scientists (51% [114/225] versus 34% [76/221]; p<0.001). Impact factor and other author characteristics did not differ. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of replying decreased by 15% per year (odds ratio [OR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79-0.91; p<0.001), and showed a positive relationship between clinical research and response (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-2.9; p=0.001). In 2013 all email addresses (45/45) were reachable, but within 10 years, 49% (21/43) had become invalid. Our results suggest that contacting corresponding authors is problematic throughout the field of biomedical research. Defining the responsibilities of corresponding authors by journals more explicitly-particularly after publication of their manuscript-may increase the response rate on data requests. Possible other ways to improve communication after research publication are: (1) listing more than one email address per corresponding author, eg, an institutional and personal address; (2) specifying all authors' email addresses; (3) when an author leaves an institution, send an automated reply offering alternative ways to get in touch; and (4) linking published manuscripts to research platforms.

Body fluid analysis: clinical utility and applicability of published studies to guide interpretation of today's laboratory testing in serous fluids.

PubMed

Block, Darci R; Algeciras-Schimnich, Alicia

2013-01-01

Requests for testing various analytes in serous fluids (e.g., pleural, peritoneal, pericardial effusions) are submitted daily to clinical laboratories. Testing of these fluids deviates from assay manufacturers' specifications, as most laboratory assays are optimized for testing blood or urine specimens. These requests add a burden to clinical laboratories, which need to validate assay performance characteristics in these fluids to exclude matrix interferences (given the different composition of body fluids) while maintaining regulatory compliance. Body fluid testing for a number of analytes has been reported in the literature; however, understanding the clinical utility of these analytes is critical because laboratories must address the analytic and clinical validation requirements, while educating clinicians on proper test utilization. In this article, we review the published data to evaluate the clinical utility of testing for numerous analytes in body fluid specimens. We also highlight the pre-analytic and analytic variables that need to be considered when reviewing published studies in body fluid testing. Finally, we provide guidance on how published studies might (or might not) guide interpretation of test results in today's clinical laboratories.

What makes a phenomenological study phenomenological? An analysis of peer-reviewed empirical nursing studies.

PubMed

Norlyk, Annelise; Harder, Ingegerd

2010-03-01

This article contributes to the debate about phenomenology as a research approach in nursing by providing a systematic review of what nurse researchers hold as phenomenology in published empirical studies. Based on the assumption that presentations of phenomenological approaches in peer-reviewed journals have consequences for the quality of future research, the aim was to analyze articles presenting phenomenological studies and, in light of the findings, raise a discussion about addressing scientific criteria. The analysis revealed considerable variations, ranging from brief to detailed descriptions of the stated phenomenological approach, and from inconsistencies to methodological clarity and rigor. Variations, apparent inconsistencies, and omissions made it unclear what makes a phenomenological study phenomenological. There is a need for clarifying how the principles of the phenomenological philosophy are implemented in a particular study before publishing. This should include an articulation of methodological keywords of the investigated phenomenon, and how an open attitude was adopted.

Public health workforce research in review: a 25-year retrospective.

PubMed

Hilliard, Tracy M; Boulton, Matthew L

2012-05-01

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation commissioned a systematic review of public health workforce literature in fall 2010. This paper reviews public health workforce articles published from 1985 to 2010 that support development of a public health workforce research agenda, and address four public health workforce research themes: (1) diversity; (2) recruitment, retention, separation, and retirement; (3) education, training, and credentialing; and (4) pay, promotion, performance, and job satisfaction. PubMed, ERIC, and Web of Science databases were used to search for articles; Google search engine was used to identify gray literature. The study used the following inclusion criteria: (1) articles written in English published in the U.S.; (2) the main theme(s) of the article relate to at least one of the four public health workforce research themes; and (3) the document focuses on the domestic public health workforce. The literature suggests that the U.S. public health workforce is facing several urgent priorities that should be addressed, including: (1) developing an ethnically/racially diverse membership to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse nation; (2) recruiting and retaining highly trained, well-prepared employees, and succession planning to replace retirees; (3) building public health workforce infrastructure while also confronting a major shortage in the public health workforce, through increased education, training, and credentialing; and (4) ensuring competitive salaries, opportunities for career advancement, standards for workplace performance, and fostering organizational cultures which generate high levels of job satisfaction for effective delivery of services. Additional research is needed in all four thematic areas reviewed to develop well-informed, evidence-based strategies for effectively addressing critical issues facing the public health workforce. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reporting recommendations for tumor marker prognostic studies (REMARK): explanation and elaboration

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Reporting Recommendations for Tumor Marker Prognostic Studies (REMARK) checklist consists of 20 items to report for published tumor marker prognostic studies. It was developed to address widespread deficiencies in the reporting of such studies. In this paper we expand on the REMARK checklist to enhance its use and effectiveness through better understanding of the intent of each item and why the information is important to report. Methods REMARK recommends including a transparent and full description of research goals and hypotheses, subject selection, specimen and assay considerations, marker measurement methods, statistical design and analysis, and study results. Each checklist item is explained and accompanied by published examples of good reporting, and relevant empirical evidence of the quality of reporting. We give prominence to discussion of the 'REMARK profile', a suggested tabular format for summarizing key study details. Summary The paper provides a comprehensive overview to educate on good reporting and provide a valuable reference for the many issues to consider when designing, conducting, and analyzing tumor marker studies and prognostic studies in medicine in general. To encourage dissemination of the Reporting Recommendations for Tumor Marker Prognostic Studies (REMARK): Explanation and Elaboration, this article has also been published in PLoS Medicine. PMID:22642691

The economics of electronic journals.

PubMed

Budd, K W

2000-01-01

High print journal subscription costs, access to desktop publishing software, and awareness of Internet capability are among several reasons that interest in the electronic publishing of scholarly journals is increasing rapidly. The economic considerations of electronic publishing are not as familiar, however, although the fingertip accessibility of electronic journals, and in some cases, the lack of subscription charges gives the impression that electronic journal publishing is a much less costly means of publishing. Such an impression receives qualified confirmation in this article as an overview of the costs of scholarly publishing is provided, and the costs of print and electronic journals are compared. Also addressed are ways to recover costs of publishing electronic journals, and predictions for the future of such journals.

The 1988 Directory of Educational Software Publishing Companies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Electronic Learning, 1988

1988-01-01

Based on questionnaires sent to educational software companies in January 1988, this directory lists 78 companies. Information given includes company address, curriculum subject areas for which the company publishes software, types of machines and operating systems on which the software operates, and grade level for which it is targeted. (LRW)

41 CFR 51-9.301 - Notification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Director at the address indicated in the public notice describing the system of records which has been published in the Federal Register. The request should display clearly the legend “Privacy Act Request” both... the complete name and identifying number of the system as published in the Federal Register; the full...

A Methodological Review of Structural Equation Modelling in Higher Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Teegan

2016-01-01

Despite increases in the number of articles published in higher education journals using structural equation modelling (SEM), research addressing their statistical sufficiency, methodological appropriateness and quantitative rigour is sparse. In response, this article provides a census of all covariance-based SEM articles published up until 2013…

Bibliometric analysis of scientific articles published in Brazilian and international orthodontic journals over a 10-year period

PubMed Central

Primo, Neudí Antonio; Gazzola, Vivian Bertoglio; Primo, Bruno Tochetto; Tovo, Maximiano Ferreira; Faraco Junior, Italo Medeiros

2014-01-01

Objective This study aimed at describing the profiles of Brazilian and international studies published in orthodontic journals. Methods The sample comprised 635 articles selected from two scientific journals, i.e., Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics and American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, which were analyzed at three different intervals over a 10-year period (1999 - 2004 - 2009). Articles were described in terms of knowledge domain, study design, and country of origin (or state of origin for Brazilian papers). Results The most frequent study designs adopted in international studies were cohort (23.9%) and cross-sectional (21.7%) designs. Among Brazilian papers, cross-sectional studies (28.9%) and literature reviews (24.6%) showed greater frequency. The topics most often investigated were dental materials (17%) and treatment devices (12.4%) in international articles, with the latter topic being addressed by 16% of the Brazilian publications, followed by malocclusion, with 12.6%. In all cases, the most frequent countries of origin coincided with the countries of origin of each journal. Conclusions The majority of the studies analyzed featured a low level of scientific evidence. Moreover, the findings showed that journals tend to publish studies produced in their own country of origin, and that there are marked discrepancies in the number of papers published by different Brazilian states. PMID:24945515

Sex Reporting in Preclinical Microbiological and Immunological Research.

PubMed

Potluri, Tanvi; Engle, Kyrra; Fink, Ashley L; Vom Steeg, Landon G; Klein, Sabra L

2017-11-14

Both sex (i.e., biological construct of male and female) and gender (i.e., social construct of masculine and feminine) impact the pathogenesis of diseases, including those caused by microbial infections. Following the 2015 NIH policy for consideration of sex as a biological variable in preclinical research, in 2018, authors of papers published in primary-research American Society for Microbiology (ASM) journals will be asked to report the sex of the research subjects and animals and of materials derived directly from them. To address the need for sex reporting in ASM journals, we systematically reviewed 2,928 primary-research articles published in six primary-research ASM journals ( Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy , Clinical and Vaccine Immunology , Infection and Immunity , Journal of Bacteriology , Journal of Virology , and mBio ) in 2016. Approximately 37% of animal studies and 9% of primary cell culture papers published in 2016 would have been affected by the new sex-reporting policy. For animal studies (i.e., studies with any nonhuman vertebrate hosts), most published papers either did not report the sex of the animals or used only female animals, and a minority used only males or both sexes. For published studies using primary cells from diverse animal species (i.e., humans and nonhuman vertebrates), almost all studies failed to report the sex of donors from which the cells were isolated. We believe that reporting the sex of animals and even of the donors of derived cells could improve the rigor and reproducibility of research conducted in microbiology and immunology and published in ASM journals. Copyright © 2017 Potluri et al.

Are scientific research outputs aligned with national policy makers' priorities? A case study of tuberculosis in Cambodia.

PubMed

Boudarene, Lydia; James, Richard; Coker, Richard; Khan, Mishal S

2017-10-01

With funding for tuberculosis (TB) research decreasing, and the high global disease burden persisting, there are calls for increased investment in TB research. However, justification of such investments is questionable, when translation of research outputs into policy and health care improvements remains a challenge for TB and other diseases. Using TB in Cambodia as a case study, we investigate how evidence needs of national policy makers are addressed by topics covered in research publications. We first conducted a systematic review to compile all studies on TB in Cambodia published since 2000. We then identified priority areas in which evidence for policy and programme planning are required from the perspective of key national TB control stakeholders. Finally, results from the literature review were analysed in relation to the priority research areas for national policy makers to assess overlap and highlight gaps in evidence. Priority research areas were: TB-HIV co-infection; childhood TB; multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB); and universal and equitable access to quality diagnosis and treatment. On screening 1687 unique papers retrieved from our literature search, 253 were eligible publications focusing on TB in Cambodia. Of these, only 73 (29%) addressed one of the four priority research areas. Overall, 30 (11%), five (2%), seven (2%) and 37 (14%) studies reported findings relevant to TB-HIV, childhood TB, MDR-TB and access to quality diagnosis and treatment respectively. Our analysis shows that a small proportion of the research outputs in Cambodia address priority areas for informing policy and programme planning. This case study illustrates that there is substantial room for improvement in alignment between research outputs and evidence gaps that national policy makers would like to see addressed; better coordination between researchers, funders and policy makers' on identifying priority research topics may increase the relevance of research findings to health policies and programmes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Animal-Assisted Therapies for Youth with or at risk for Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton; Acri, Mary; Morrissey, Meghan; Peth-Pierce, Robin

2017-01-01

To systematically review experimental evidence about animal-assisted therapies (AAT) for children or adolescents with or at risk for mental health conditions, we reviewed all experimental AAT studies published between 2000-2015, and compared studies by animal type, intervention, and outcomes. Studies were included if used therapeutically for children and adolescents (≤21 years) with or at risk for a mental health problem; used random assignment or a waitlist comparison/control group; and included child-specific outcome data. Of 1,535 studies, 24 met inclusion criteria. Of 24 studies identified, almost half were randomized controlled trials, with 9 of 11 published in the past two years. The largest group addresses equine therapies for autism. Findings are generally promising for positive effects associated with equine therapies for autism and canine therapies for childhood trauma. The AAT research base is slim; a more focused research agenda is outlined.

76 FR 1378 - Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace; Kokomo, IN

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-10

... Health System Heliport, Kokomo, IN. In an NPRM published in the Federal Register August 18, 2010, the FAA... at Regional Health System Heliport, Kokomo, IN. The FAA seeks comments on this SNPRM. Comments... triplicate to the Docket Management System (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number). You may also...

Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buening, Alice P., Ed.

The 1997 edition of this annual directory contains more than 800 listings in the children's book market; more than 150 of these listings are new with this edition, and nearly all the listings have been updated. The directory provides the standard addresses, contacts and query tips, but it also offers the publishers' electronic mail addresses and…

77 FR 5386 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... paragraph (c) of that AD, is incorrect. Also, the email address provided in paragraphs (i)(1) and (j) of... 90712-4137; phone: (562) 627-5234; fax: (562) 627-5210; email: [email protected] . [[Page 5387..., November 29, 2011), is incorrect. As published, the email address provided in paragraphs (i)(1) and (j) of...

76 FR 66889 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Safeguarding Unclassified DoD Information...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-28

... your name, company name (if any), and ``DFARS Case 2011-D039'' on your attached document. [cir] Email... address cyber intrusion reporting for that information. DoD published an Advance Notice of Proposed... providing the following information: (1) Company or organization name; (2) Names and email addresses of...

Rhetorical Transcendence Revisited: The "Thin Red Line" as Perennial Philosophy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroud, Scott R.

Fifteen years ago, J. H. Rushing published a seminal article addressing the fragmentation within contemporary society and the ways in which myths (films) may address this exigence. The exigence of fragmentation is relieved, according to her analysis, by mediated recourse to the perennial philosophy of monistic holism that is found across the…

Coercion: A Credible and Capable United States Military Instrument of Power Key to Future US Foreign Policy Success

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-17

53 Democratic Leadership Council, “A New Covenant for American Security: address at Georgetown University,” http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid...Company Publishers, Inc., 2002. Democratic Leadership Council, “A New Covenant for American Security: address at Georgetown University,” http

Leading Change to Improve Student Achievement: Novice Leaders Take the Reins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brazer, S. David; Bauer, Scott C.

2011-01-01

This article addresses the effects of education leadership candidates' experiences taking a non-traditional research course in which they identify a specific instructional performance gap in their school sites, then engage in action research, consult published literature, and develop an action plan to address the gap. Candidates are required to…

75 FR 43819 - Clarification of Grace Period for Encryption Registration Requirement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... published on June 25, 2010. In addition, this rule corrects the e-mail address for the public contact... CONTACT: Sharron Cook, Regulatory Policy Division, e-mail [email protected] , telephone (202) 482-2440... in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of the preamble of the rule. The correct address for...

Where To Get Resource Materials To Address Barriers to Learning. A Resource Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Los Angeles. Center for Mental Health in Schools.

This resource aid is designed to provide a sampling of organizations and publishers that offer a variety of materials relevant to addressing students' psychosocial and mental concerns. Included is information about resources available upon request and/or purchase. The packet is divided into three sections. Section 1 identifies national…

How well does climate change and human health research match the demands of policymakers? A scoping review.

PubMed

Hosking, Jamie; Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid

2012-08-01

In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States passed a World Health Assembly resolution that identified the following five priority areas for research and pilot projects on climate change and human health: health vulnerability, health protection, health impacts of mitigation and adaptation policies, decision-support and other tools, and costs of health protection from climate change. To assess the extent to which recently published research corresponds to these priorities, we undertook a scoping review of original research on climate change and human health. Scoping reviews address topics that are too broad for a systematic review and commonly aim to identify research gaps in existing literature. We also assessed recent publication trends for climate change and health research. We searched for original quantitative research published from 2008 onward. We included disease burden studies that were specific to climate change and health and included intervention studies that focused on climate change and measured health outcomes. We used MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases and extracted data on research priority areas, geographic regions, health fields, and equity (systematic differences between advantaged and disadvantaged social groups). We identified 40 eligible studies. Compared with other health topics, the number of climate change publications has grown rapidly, with a larger proportion of reviews or editorials. Recent original research addressed four of the five priority areas identified by the WHO Member States, but we found no eligible studies of health adaptation interventions, and most of the studies focused on high-income countries. Climate change and health is a rapidly growing area of research, but quantitative studies remain rare. Among recently published studies, we found gaps in adaptation research and a deficit of studies in most developing regions. Funders and researchers should monitor and respond to research gaps to help ensure that the needs of policymakers are met.

Is obesity an ineluctable consequence of development? A case study of Malaysia.

PubMed

Davey, T M; Allotey, P; Reidpath, D D

2013-12-01

Effective population-level solutions to the obesity pandemic have proved elusive. In low- and middle-income countries the problem may be further challenged by the perceived internal tension between economic development and sustainable solutions which create the optimal conditions for human health and well-being. This paper discusses some of the ecological obstacles to addressing the growing problem of obesity in 'aspiring' economies, using Malaysia as a case study. The authors conclude that current measures to stimulate economic growth in Malaysia may actually be exacerbating the problem of obesity in that country. Public health solutions which address the wider context in which obesity exists are needed to change the course of this burgeoning problem. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Respiratory symptoms and atmospheric pollution and respiratory symptoms in the general population].

PubMed

Simon, I; Charpin, D

2010-06-01

Epidemiological studies on air pollution have mainly been interested in the effects of short- or long-term exposure on patients suffering from respiratory illnesses. Fewer studies have addressed the acute effects of air pollution on respiratory symptoms in the general population. We conducted a review of the literature over the last 16years that has addressed the impact of atmospheric pollution on respiratory symptoms in the general population to estimate the magnitude of effect. The majority of studies demonstrated a significant association between exposure to air pollutants and the occurrence of respiratory symptoms, without any threshold. Although a link between atmospheric pollution and respiratory symptoms has been demonstrated, knowledge of the effects of specific air pollutants and the effect of pollution on particular vulnerable groups (infants, young children, the elderly) is still limited. There is a need for further studies in this area. Copyright 2010 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The State of Research on Communication and Literacy in Deafblindness.

PubMed

Bruce, Susan M; Nelson, Catherine; Perez, Angel; Stutzman, Brent; Barnhill, Brooke A

2016-01-01

In a synthesis of the research, the authors present findings from communication and literacy studies conducted with children and youth with deafblindness, ages 0-22 years, and published in peer-reviewed journals, 1990-2015. Findings are organized within the structure of the four aspects of communication: form, function, content, context. The studies implemented child-guided and systematic instructional approaches. Studies on form addressed tangible representations, gestures, pictures, and technologies to increase expressive communication rates, and included research focusing on specific functions. Most of the research on context addressed the coaching of adult communication partners to improve responsiveness. Research on communication by children who are deafblind has focused almost exclusively on improving expressive communication. Therefore, there is a need for research on receptive communication and comprehension. In the area of literacy, studies are needed on emergent literacy and reading and writing interventions for children who are deafblind.

Human Health Risk Assessment of Pharmaceuticals in Water: Issues and Challenges Ahead

PubMed Central

Kumar, Arun; Chang, Biao; Xagoraraki, Irene

2010-01-01

This study identified existing issues related to quantitative pharmaceutical risk assessment (QPhRA, hereafter) for pharmaceuticals in water and proposed possible solutions by analyzing methodologies and findings of different published QPhRA studies. Retrospective site-specific QPhRA studies from different parts of the world (U.S.A., United Kingdom, Europe, India, etc.) were reviewed in a structured manner to understand different assumptions, outcomes obtained and issues, identified/addressed/raised by the different QPhRA studies. Till date, most of the published studies have concluded that there is no appreciable risk to human health during environmental exposures of pharmaceuticals; however, attention is still required to following identified issues: (1) Use of measured versus predicted pharmaceutical concentration, (2) Identification of pharmaceuticals-of-concern and compounds needing special considerations, (3) Use of source water versus finished drinking water-related exposure scenarios, (4) Selection of representative exposure routes, (5) Valuation of uncertainty factors, and (6) Risk assessment for mixture of chemicals. To close the existing data and methodology gaps, this study proposed possible ways to address and/or incorporation these considerations within the QPhRA framework; however, more research work is still required to address issues, such as incorporation of short-term to long-term extrapolation and mixture effects in the QPhRA framework. Specifically, this study proposed a development of a new “mixture effects-related uncertainty factor” for mixture of chemicals (i.e., mixUFcomposite), similar to an uncertainty factor of a single chemical, within the QPhRA framework. In addition to all five traditionally used uncertainty factors, this uncertainty factor is also proposed to include concentration effects due to presence of different range of concentration levels of pharmaceuticals in a mixture. However, further work is required to determine values of all six uncertainty factors and incorporate them to use during estimation of point-of-departure values within the QPhRA framework. PMID:21139869

Systematic review of chronic pain in persons with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Velvin, G; Bathen, T; Rand-Hendriksen, S; Geirdal, A Ø

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the literature on chronic pain in adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS), critically appraising and synthesizing relevant literature. A systematic review was conducted by searching the published literature databases using available medical, physical, psychological, social databases and other sources. All studies that addressed pain in MFS, published in peer-reviewed journals were assessed. Of 351 search results, 18 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria. All studies were cross-sectional and quantitative; no randomized controlled trials or intervention studies were found. Most studies had small sample sizes, low response rates and mainly dealt with other aspects of the diagnosis than pain. Only one article dealt mainly with pain. The research on chronic pain in MFS is limited in size and quality. Despite these limitations, studies describe that the prevalence of pain in patients with MFS is high, varying from 47 to 92% and affecting several anatomic sites. In addition, chronic pain limits daily function and few studies describe treatment options for pain in patients with MFS. Research is needed to obtain more evidence-based knowledge for developing more appropriate rehabilitation programs for people with MFS. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reflections on the Future of Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders: A Response to Colvin, Forness, and Nelson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peck, Alec F.; Albrecht, Susan Fread; George, Cheryl L.; Mathur, Sarup R.; Paget, Mike; Ryan, Joseph B.; White, Richard B.; Baker, Diana

2012-01-01

In issue 37(1) of this journal, the authors published the findings of three studies addressing the status of Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) as an organization and of the field of special education for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD). In order to continue discussion of the status of CCBD, the editors…

Improving North American forest biomass estimates from literature synthesis and meta-analysis of existing biomass equations

Treesearch

David C. Chojnacky; Jennifer C. Jenkins; Amanda K. Holland

2009-01-01

Thousands of published equations purport to estimate biomass of individual trees. These equations are often based on very small samples, however, and can provide widely different estimates for trees of the same species. We addressed this issue in a previous study by devising 10 new equations that estimated total aboveground biomass for all species in North America (...

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

PubMed

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

2016-11-01

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

Antihistamines and Birth Defects: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Gilboa, Suzanne M.; Ailes, Elizabeth C.; Rai, Ramona P.; Anderson, Jaynia A.; Honein, Margaret A.

2015-01-01

Introduction Approximately 10-15% of women reportedly take an antihistamine during pregnancy for the relief of nausea and vomiting, allergy and asthma symptoms, or indigestion. Antihistamines include histamine H1-receptor and H2-receptor antagonists. Areas covered This is a systematic evaluation of the peer-reviewed epidemiologic literature published through February 2014 on the association between prenatal exposure to antihistamines and birth defects. Papers addressing histamine H1- or H2-receptor antagonists are included. Papers addressing pyridoxine plus doxylamine (Bendectin in the United States, Debendox in the United Kingdom, Diclectin in Canada, Lenotan and Merbental in other countries) prior to the year 2001 were excluded post-hoc because of several previously published meta-analyses and commentaries on this medication. Expert opinion The literature on the safety of antihistamine use during pregnancy with respect to birth defects is generally reassuring though the positive findings from a few large studies warrant corroboration in other populations. The findings in the literature are considered in light of three critical methodological issues: (1) selection of appropriate study population; (2) ascertainment of antihistamine exposures; and (3) ascertainment of birth defects outcomes. Selected antihistamines have been very well-studied (e.g. loratadine); others, especially H2- receptor antagonists, require additional study before an assessment of safety with respect to birth defects risk could be made. PMID:25307228

A Review of Technology-Based Youth and Family-Focused Interventions

PubMed Central

Prinz, Ronald J.

2017-01-01

In the past 10 years, mental and behavioral health has seen a proliferation of technology-based interventions in the form of online and other computer-delivered programs. This paper focuses on technology-based treatment and preventive interventions aimed at benefitting children and adolescents via either involving the parents and families, or only the youth. The review considered only technology-based interventions that had at least one published study with a randomized controlled trial design. Questions being addressed included: (1) What are the technology-based interventions in the mental/behavioral health area that have been systematically evaluated in published studies? (2) What are the common and unique characteristics of these interventions and their application with respect to sample characteristics, target problems, and technology characteristics (platforms, structures, elements, and communication formats)? and (3) Which intervention approaches and strategies have accrued the greatest evidence? The review identified 30 technology-based psychosocial interventions for children and families, 19 of which were parent or family-focused (32 studies) and 11 of which were youth-focused (in 13 studies). For the parent/family-focused interventions, greatest promise was found in those that addressed either youth behavioral problems or depressive/anxious symptoms, as well as more general bolstering of parenting efficacy. The youth-focused interventions showed some promise in reducing depressive/ anxious symptoms. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology-based approaches were considered, and areas for future research and development were discussed. PMID:27787701

A Review of Technology-Based Youth and Family-Focused Interventions.

PubMed

MacDonell, Kathleen Watson; Prinz, Ronald J

2017-06-01

In the past 10 years, mental and behavioral health has seen a proliferation of technology-based interventions in the form of online and other computer-delivered programs. This paper focuses on technology-based treatment and preventive interventions aimed at benefitting children and adolescents via either involving the parents and families, or only the youth. The review considered only technology-based interventions that had at least one published study with a randomized controlled trial design. Questions being addressed included: (1) What are the technology-based interventions in the mental/behavioral health area that have been systematically evaluated in published studies? (2) What are the common and unique characteristics of these interventions and their application with respect to sample characteristics, target problems, and technology characteristics (platforms, structures, elements, and communication formats)? and (3) Which intervention approaches and strategies have accrued the greatest evidence? The review identified 30 technology-based psychosocial interventions for children and families, 19 of which were parent or family-focused (32 studies) and 11 of which were youth-focused (in 13 studies). For the parent/family-focused interventions, greatest promise was found in those that addressed either youth behavioral problems or depressive/anxious symptoms, as well as more general bolstering of parenting efficacy. The youth-focused interventions showed some promise in reducing depressive/anxious symptoms. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology-based approaches were considered, and areas for future research and development were discussed.

Implementation of health risk assessments with family health history: barriers and benefits.

PubMed

Wu, R Ryanne; Orlando, Lori A

2015-09-01

Health risk assessments provide an opportunity to emphasise health promotion and disease prevention for individuals and populations at large. A key component of health risk assessments is the detailed collection of family health history information. This information is helpful in determining risk both for common chronic conditions and more rare diseases as well. While the concept of health risk assessments has been around since the Framingham Heart Study was launched in the 1950s, and such assessments are commonly performed in the workplace today, the US healthcare system has been slow to embrace them and the emphasis on prevention that they represent. Before wider implementation of health risk assessments within healthcare can be seen, several concerns must be addressed: (1) provider impact, (2) patient impact, (3) validity of patient-entered data and (4) health outcomes effect. Here, we describe recent developments in health risk assessment design that are helping to address these issues. 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.

Changing adherence-related beliefs about ICS maintenance treatment for asthma: feasibility study of an intervention delivered by asthma nurse specialists.

PubMed

Chapman, Sarah C E; Barnes, Neil; Barnes, Mari; Wilkinson, Andrea; Hartley, John; Piddock, Cher; Weinman, John; Horne, Rob

2015-06-05

The Necessity-Concerns Framework (NCF) posits that non-adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma is influenced by doubts about the necessity for ICS and concerns about their potential adverse effects. This feasibility study examined whether these beliefs could be changed by briefing asthma nurse specialists on ways of addressing necessity beliefs and concerns within consultations. Pre-post intervention study. Secondary care. Patients with a diagnosis of moderate to severe asthma who were prescribed daily ICS were recruited to either a hospital care group (n=79; 71.0% female) or intervention group (n=57; 66.7% female). Asthma nurse specialists attended a 1.5-day NCF briefing. Beliefs about ICS (primary outcome) and self-reported adherence were measured preconsultation and 1 month postconsultation. Participants also rated their satisfaction with their consultations immediately after the consultation. Consultation recordings were coded to assess intervention delivery. After the NCF briefing, nurse specialists elicited and addressed beliefs about medicine more frequently. The frequency of using the NCF remained low, for example, open questions eliciting adherence were used in 0/59 hospital care versus 14/49 (28.6%) intervention consultations. Doubts about personal necessity for, and concerns about, ICS were reduced at 1 month postbriefing (p<0.05), but the intervention was not applied extensively enough to improve adherence. The intervention changed nurse consultations, but not sufficiently enough to fully address non-adherence or adherence-related ICS beliefs (necessity and concerns). More effective techniques are needed to support nurse specialists and other practitioners to apply the intervention in hospital asthma review consultations. 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.

Effect of Process Changes in Surgical Training on Quantitative Outcomes From Surgery Residency Programs.

PubMed

Dietl, Charles A; Russell, John C

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on process changes in surgical training programs and to evaluate their effect on the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Core Competencies, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores, and American Board of Surgery (ABS) certification. A literature search was obtained from MEDLINE via PubMed.gov, ScienceDirect.com, Google Scholar on all peer-reviewed studies published since 2003 using the following search queries: surgery residency training, surgical education, competency-based surgical education, ACGME core competencies, ABSITE scores, and ABS pass rate. Our initial search list included 990 articles on surgery residency training models, 539 on competency-based surgical education, 78 on ABSITE scores, and 33 on ABS pass rate. Overall, 31 articles met inclusion criteria based on their effect on ACGME Core Competencies, ABSITE scores, and ABS certification. Systematic review showed that 5/31, 19/31, and 6/31 articles on process changes in surgical training programs had a positive effect on patient care, medical knowledge, and ABSITE scores, respectively. ABS certification was not analyzed. The other ACGME core competencies were addressed in only 6 studies. Several publications on process changes in surgical training programs have shown a positive effect on patient care, medical knowledge, and ABSITE scores. However, the effect on ABS certification, and other quantitative outcomes from residency programs, have not been addressed. Studies on education strategies showing evidence that residency program objectives are being achieved are still needed. This article addresses the 6 ACGME Core Competencies. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expert consensus statement to guide the evidence-based classification of Paralympic athletes with vision impairment: a Delphi study.

PubMed

Ravensbergen, H J C Rianne; Mann, D L; Kamper, S J

2016-04-01

Paralympic sports are required to develop evidence-based systems that allocate athletes into 'classes' on the basis of the impact of their impairment on sport performance. However, sports for athletes with vision impairment (VI) classify athletes solely based on the WHO criteria for low vision and blindness. One key barrier to evidence-based classification is the absence of guidance on how to address classification issues unique to VI sport. The aim of this study was to reach expert consensus on how issues specific to VI sport should be addressed in evidence-based classification. A four-round Delphi study was conducted with 25 participants who had expertise as a coach, athlete, classifier and/or administrator in Paralympic sport for VI athletes. The experts agreed that the current method of classification does not fulfil the requirements of Paralympic classification, and that the system should be different for each sport to account for the sports' unique visual demands. Instead of relying only on tests of visual acuity and visual field, the panel agreed that additional tests are required to better account for the impact of impairment on sport performance. There was strong agreement that all athletes should not be required to wear a blindfold as a means of equalising the impairment during competition. There is strong support within the Paralympic movement to change the way that VI athletes are classified. This consensus statement provides clear guidance on how the most important issues specific to VI should be addressed, removing key barriers to the development of evidence-based classification. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A Review of Energy Drinks and Mental Health, with a Focus on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

PubMed Central

Smith, Andrew P.

2016-01-01

Background: Concerns have been expressed regarding the potential for caffeinated energy drinks to negatively affect mental health, and particularly so in young consumers at whom they are often targeted. The products are frequently marketed with declarations of increasing mental and physical energy, providing a short-term boost to mood and performance. Although a certain amount of evidence has accumulated to substantiate some of these claims, the chronic effects of energy drinks on mental health also need to be addressed. Methods: To review the relevant literature, PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for all peer-reviewed articles published in English that addressed associations between energy drink use and mental health outcomes. Case reports were also considered, though empirical studies investigating acute mood effects were excluded as a review of such articles had recently been published. Fifty-six articles were retrieved: 20 of these (along with eight more identified through other means) were included in the current review, and, because the majority addressed aspects of stress, anxiety, and depression, particular focus was placed on these outcomes. Results: Though a number of null findings (and one negative relationship) were observed, the majority of studies examined reported positive associations between energy drink consumption and symptoms of mental health problems. Conclusions: Though the findings imply that energy drink use may increase the risk of undesirable mental health outcomes, the majority of research examined utilized cross-sectional designs. In most cases, it was therefore not possible to determine causation or direction of effect. For this reason, longitudinal and intervention studies are required to increase our understanding of the nature of the relationships observed. PMID:27274415

[Health of immigrants in Italy: increasing evidences and forgotten issues in the epidemiological research].

PubMed

Fedeli, Ugo; Baussano, Iacopo

2010-01-01

To obtain a broad picture of epidemiological studies on health of immigrants in Italy, we analyzed abstracts presented at the last five annual meetings of the Italian Epidemiological Association (AIE), and abstracts on PubMed published in 2000-2009 (including also clinical studies). Studies at AIE meetings mainly used electronic archives of health records to investigate the overall health profile of immigrants, or specifically women and perinatal health; these surveys are then rarely published on scientific journals. By contrast, several areas addressed in the literature (infectious diseases, accidents, lifestyles, mental health, pediatric diseases, allergic diseases) are almost absent in recent AIE meetings. If Italian epidemiologists claim a role as technical support to policy makers, they should probably invest more in what has recently become the most important and debated issue in the Italian society.

The use of colonic and anorectal high-resolution manometry and its place in clinical work and in research.

PubMed

Dinning, P G; Carrington, E V; Scott, S M

2015-12-01

In the esophagus, high-resolution manometry (HRM) has become a standard diagnostic tool in the investigation of suspected motility disorders. However, at the opposite end of the digestive tract (i.e., the colon and anorectum), the use of HRM still remains in its infancy, with relatively few published studies in the scientific literature. Further, the clinical utility of those studies that have been performed is largely undetermined. This review assesses all of the HRM studies published to date from both the colon and anorectum, explores the catheter types used, and attempts to determine the worth of HRM over traditional 'low-resolution' recordings from the same regions. Ultimately, this review addresses whether HRM currently provides information that will benefit patient diagnosis and treatment. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Obtaining subjects’ consent to publish identifying personal information: current practices and identifying potential issues

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In studies publishing identifying personal information, obtaining consent is regarded as necessary, as it is impossible to ensure complete anonymity. However, current journal practices around specific points to consider when obtaining consent, the contents of consent forms and how consent forms are managed have not yet been fully examined. This study was conducted to identify potential issues surrounding consent to publish identifying personal information. Methods Content analysis was carried out on instructions for authors and consent forms developed by academic journals in four fields (as classified by Journal Citation Reports): medicine general and internal, genetics and heredity, pediatrics, and psychiatry. An online questionnaire survey of editors working for journals that require the submission of consent forms was also conducted. Results Instructions for authors were reviewed for 491 academic journals (132 for medicine general and internal, 147 for genetics and heredity, 100 for pediatrics, and 112 for psychiatry). Approximately 40% (203: 74 for medicine general and internal, 31 for genetics and heredity, 58 for pediatrics, and 40 for psychiatry) stated that subject consent was necessary. The submission of consent forms was required by 30% (154) of the journals studied, and 10% (50) provided their own consent forms for authors to use. Two journals mentioned that the possible effects of publication on subjects should be considered. Many journal consent forms mentioned the difficulties in ensuring complete anonymity of subjects, but few addressed the study objective, the subjects’ right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. The main reason for requiring the submission of consent forms was to confirm that consent had been obtained. Conclusion Approximately 40% of journals required subject consent to be obtained. However, differences were observed depending on the fields. Specific considerations were not always documented. There is a need to address issues around the study objective, subjects’ right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. Whether responsibility for ensuring that the consent form has been signed lies with publishers also needs to be discussed. PMID:24267590

How Do Contextual Factors Influence Implementation and Receipt of Positive Youth Development Programs Addressing Substance Use and Violence? A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Process Evaluations.

PubMed

Dickson, Kelly; Melendez-Torres, G J; Fletcher, Adam; Hinds, Kate; Thomas, James; Stansfield, Claire; Murphy, Simon; Campbell, Rona; Bonell, Chris

2018-05-01

Positive youth development (PYD) often aims to prevent tobacco, alcohol, and drugs use and violence. We systematically reviewed PYD interventions, synthesizing process, and outcomes evidence. Synthesis of outcomes, published elsewhere, found no overall evidence of reducing substance use or violence but notable variability of fidelity. Our synthesis of process evaluations examined how implementation varied and was influenced by context. Process evaluations of PYD aiming to reduce substance use and violence. Study Inclusion Criteria: Overall review published since 1985; written in English; focused on youth aged 11 to 18 years; focused on interventions addressing multiple positive assets; reported on theory, process, or outcomes; and concerned with reducing substance use or violence. Synthesis of process evaluations examined how implementation varies with or is influenced by context. Two reviewers in parallel. Thematic synthesis. We identified 12 reports. Community engagement enhanced program appeal. Collaboration with other agencies could broaden the activities offered. Calm but authoritative staff increased acceptability. Staff continuity underpinned diverse activities and durable relationships. Empowering participants were sometimes in tension with requiring them to engage in diverse activities. Our systematic review identified factors that might help improve the fidelity and acceptability of PYD interventions. Addressing these might enable PYD to fulfill its potential as a means of promoting health.

Final Rule for Revised Carbon Monoxide (CO) Standard for Class I and II Nonhandheld New Nonroad Phase 1 Small Spark-Ignition Engines

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Rule published November 13, 1996, addressing the CO emission difference between oxygenated and nonoxygenated fuels that was not reflected when the Agency previously set the CO standard for these nonhandheld engines in a final rule published July 3, 1995.

Publishing in "SERJ": An Analysis of Papers from 2002-2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zieffler, Andrew; Garfield, Joan; delMas, Robert C.; Le, Laura; Isaak, Rebekah; Bjornsdottir, Audbjorg; Park, Jiyoon

2011-01-01

"SERJ" has provided a high quality professional publication venue for researchers in statistics education for close to a decade. This paper presents a review of the articles published to explore what they suggest about the field of statistics education, the researchers, the questions addressed, and the growing knowledge base on teaching and…

Higher Education Research 2000-2010: Changing Journal Publication Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tight, Malcolm

2012-01-01

The articles published in 15 specialist academic journals--based in Australasia, Europe and North America--focusing on higher education in the years 2010 (n = 567) and 2000 (n = 388) are analysed. The analysis focuses on: the themes and issues addressed in the articles published, the methods and methodologies used, theoretical engagement, the…

5 CFR 294.106 - Handbook of Publications, Periodicals, and OPM Issuances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... adjudication of cases; (ii) OPM policy statements and interpretations adopted by OPM but not published in the... delete identifying details when it makes available or publishes an opinion, statement of policy... found in OPM's Library in room 5H27 at the address listed in paragraph (b) of this section. (d) As...

5 CFR 1630.8 - Access of others to records about an individual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... has been published in a notice in the Federal Register (routine uses for the Board's systems of records are published separately in the Federal Register and are available from the Board's Privacy Act... notification is transmitted to the last known address of the subject individual; (9) To either House of...

5 CFR 1630.8 - Access of others to records about an individual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... has been published in a notice in the Federal Register (routine uses for the Board's systems of records are published separately in the Federal Register and are available from the Board's Privacy Act... notification is transmitted to the last known address of the subject individual; (9) To either House of...

Check List of Canadian Small Presses; English Language. Occasional Paper No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tratt, Grace, Comp.

Canadian small presses which publish in English are listed in this directory. Arranged alphabetically by press, each listing contains (where available) name of founder, founding date, first publication, present or last known owners, present or last known address, and a narrative description of publishing activities. The list covers both existing…

77 FR 30485 - Petitions for Reconsideration of Action in Rulemaking Proceeding

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-23

... Petition must be filed by June 7, 2012. Replies to an opposition must be filed June 18, 2012. ADDRESSES... Captioning of Internet Protocol-Delivered Video Programming: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, published at 77 FR 19480, March 30, 2012, and published...

Citation Patterns to Traditional and Electronic Preprints in the Published Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Youngen, Gregory K.

1998-01-01

Identifies the growing importance of electronic preprints in the published literature of physics and astronomy and address several areas of concern regarding the future role of electronic preprints in scientific communication. Topics include a history of preprints in astronomy and physics; inaccuracies in preprint citations; and archival issues.…

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

PubMed

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

2014-06-01

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

Economic Evaluation in Global Perspective: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Recent Literature.

PubMed

Pitt, Catherine; Goodman, Catherine; Hanson, Kara

2016-02-01

We present a bibliometric analysis of recently published full economic evaluations of health interventions and reflect critically on the implications of our findings for this growing field. We created a database drawing on 14 health, economic, and/or general literature databases for articles published between 1 January 2012 and 3 May 2014 and identified 2844 economic evaluations meeting our criteria. We present findings regarding the sensitivity, specificity, and added value of searches in the different databases. We examine the distribution of publications between countries, regions, and health areas studied and compare the relative volume of research with disease burden. We analyse authors' country and institutional affiliations, journals and journal type, language, and type of economic evaluation conducted. More than 1200 economic evaluations were published annually, of which 4% addressed low-income countries, 4% lower-middle-income countries, 14% upper-middle-income countries, and 83% high-income countries. Across country income levels, 53, 54, 86, and 100% of articles, respectively, included an author based in a country within the income level studied. Biomedical journals published 74% of economic evaluations. The volume of research across health areas correlates more closely with disease burden in high-income than in low-income and middle-income countries. Our findings provide an empirical basis for further study on methods, research prioritization, and capacity development in health economic evaluation. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Considerations for the design, analysis and presentation of in vivo studies.

PubMed

Ranstam, J; Cook, J A

2017-03-01

To describe, explain and give practical suggestions regarding important principles and key methodological challenges in the study design, statistical analysis, and reporting of results from in vivo studies. Pre-specifying endpoints and analysis, recognizing the common underlying assumption of statistically independent observations, performing sample size calculations, and addressing multiplicity issues are important parts of an in vivo study. A clear reporting of results and informative graphical presentations of data are other important parts. Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Looking into Pandora's Box: The Content of Sci-Hub and its Usage.

PubMed

Greshake, Bastian

2017-01-01

Despite the growth of Open Access, potentially illegally circumventing paywalls to access scholarly publications is becoming a more mainstream phenomenon. The web service Sci-Hub is amongst the biggest facilitators of this, offering free access to around 62 million publications. So far it is not well studied how and why its users are accessing publications through Sci-Hub. By utilizing the recently released corpus of Sci-Hub and comparing it to the data of  ~28 million downloads done through the service, this study tries to address some of these questions. The comparative analysis shows that both the usage and complete corpus is largely made up of recently published articles, with users disproportionately favoring newer articles and 35% of downloaded articles being published after 2013. These results hint that embargo periods before publications become Open Access are frequently circumnavigated using Guerilla Open Access approaches like Sci-Hub. On a journal level, the downloads show a bias towards some scholarly disciplines, especially Chemistry, suggesting increased barriers to access for these. Comparing the use and corpus on a publisher level, it becomes clear that only 11% of publishers are highly requested in comparison to the baseline frequency, while 45% of all publishers are significantly less accessed than expected. Despite this, the oligopoly of publishers is even more remarkable on the level of content consumption, with 80% of all downloads being published through only 9 publishers. All of this suggests that Sci-Hub is used by different populations and for a number of different reasons, and that there is still a lack of access to the published scientific record. A further analysis of these openly available data resources will undoubtedly be valuable for the investigation of academic publishing.

Publishing bioethics and bioethics--reflections on academic publishing by a journal editor.

PubMed

Schüklenk, Udo

2011-02-01

This article by one of the Editors of Bioethics, published in the 25th anniversary issue of the journal, describes some of the revolutionary changes academic publishing has undergone during the last decades. Many humanities journals went from typically small print-runs, counting by the hundreds, to on-line availability in thousands of university libraries worldwide. Article up-take by our subscribers can be measured efficiently. The implications of this and other changes to academic publishing are discussed. Important ethical challenges need to be addressed in areas such as the enforcement of plagiarism-related policies, the so-called 'impact factor' and its impact on academic integrity, and the question of whether on-line only publishing can currently guarantee the integrity of academic publishing histories. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

New Hampshire critical access hospitals: CEOs' report on ethical challenges.

PubMed

Nelson, William; Rosenberg, Marie-Claire; Weiss, Julie; Goodrich, Martha

2009-01-01

Research into the importance of organizational healthcare ethics has increasingly appeared in healthcare publications. However, to date, few published studies have examined ethical issues from the perspective of healthcare executives, and no empirical study has addressed organizational ethics with an explicit focus on rural hospitals. For our study, we sought to identify the frequency of ethical conflicts occurring within 12 general categories (domains) of administrative activities. Also, we wanted to determine what ethics resources are currently available and whether additional resources would be helpful. We conducted a structured telephone interview of all 13 chief executive officers (CEOs) of critical access hospitals in New Hampshire. All the CEOs in the study indicated that they encountered ethical conflicts. On average, the three most frequently noted domains were organizational-professional staff relations, reimbursement, and clinical care. All CEOs indicated they would like to have additional ethics resources to address these conflicts. This study verified that CEOs encounter a broad spectrum of ethical conflicts and need additional ethics resources to address them. Because this study used a small sample of CEOs and represented only one New England state, further ethics-related research in rural healthcare facilities is warranted. Follow-up study would allow for (1) a higher level of generalization of the findings, (2) clarity regarding specific ethical dilemmas that rural healthcare executives encounter, and (3) an assessment of ethics resources and training that healthcare executives need to address the ethical conflicts.

[Health promoting messages posted in Facebook by the health ministries of Brazil and Peru during an AIDS awareness campaign].

PubMed

Cadaxa, Aedê Gomes; Sousa, Maria Fátima de; Mendonça, Ana Valéria Machado

2015-12-01

To identify health promoting contents (information that can be transformed into decision-making resources to improve quality of life and the health of individuals or groups) in Facebook postings by the ministries of health in Brazil and Peru. This case study compared the messages published in Facebook by the ministries of health from Brazil and Peru during World AIDS Day. Content analysis was employed to identify health promoting contents in the messages posted between November 2013 and February 2014. A total of 105 messages were published on the topic of interest (37 from Peru and 68 from Brazil). In both cases, most messages focused on individuals, addressing the change or adoption of personal behaviors relating to the prevention and detection of HIV - 34 messages (50.0%) for Brazil and 17 (45.9%) for Peru. Twenty-one (30.9%) messages with a structural emphasis were published by Brazil and 14 (37.8%) by Peru, addressing the context of health care system organization, including HIV/ AIDS health policies, available services, access to HIV testing and initiatives to promote testing. Hybrid messages, including both emphases, were less frequent: 13 (19.1%) for Brazil and six (16.2%) for Peru. Health promoting contents were identified in hybrid messages, which provided resources to expand the understanding of individuals about the susceptibility to AIDS.

Bioenvironmental Engineering Guide to Beryllium

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-26

Health Dept Consultative Services Division 2510 Fifth St., Bldg. 840 Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7913 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for...Environ Health Dept Chair, Occup & Environ Health Dept This report is published in the interest of scientific and technical...UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) USAF School of Aerospace Medicine Occupational & Environmental Health Dept

Annual Conference in Rhetorical Criticism: Commended Papers (6th, California State Univ., Hayward, May, 1972).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chalip, Alice Grace, Ed.

At this 1972 conference, upper division and graduate students from nine western colleges submitted papers on the theory, history, and criticism of rhetoric. Three of them are published in this conference report, along with the principal address. In "Rhetorical Criticism as Argument," the principal address, Wayne Brockriede suggests that useful…

78 FR 59907 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Proposed Rule To Designate Critical Habitat for the Northwest...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-30

... for the proposed rule published on July 18, 2013 (78 FR 43005) is reopened. Comments and information on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2013-0079, must be received by November 29, 2013. Requests for public hearings must be made in writing (see ADDRESSES) by November 14, 2013. ADDRESSES: You may...

Association of growth and nutritional parameters with pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis: a literature review.

PubMed

Mauch, Renan Marrichi; Kmit, Arthur Henrique Pezzo; Marson, Fernando Augusto de Lima; Levy, Carlos Emilio; Barros-Filho, Antonio de Azevedo; Ribeiro, José Dirceu

2016-12-01

To review the literature addressing the relationship of growth and nutritional parameters with pulmonary function in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis. A collection of articles published in the last 15 years in English, Portuguese and Spanish was made by research in electronic databases - PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, Lilacs and Scielo - using the keywords cystic fibrosis, growth, nutrition, pulmonary function in varied combinations. Articles that addressed the long term association of growth and nutritional parameters, with an emphasis on growth, with pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis, were included, and we excluded those that addressing only the relationship between nutritional parameters and cystic fibrosis and those in which the aim was to describe the disease. Seven studies were included, with a total of 12,455 patients. Six studies reported relationship between growth parameters and lung function, including one study addressing the association of growth parameters, solely, with lung function, and all the seven studies reported relationship between nutritional parameters and lung function. The review suggests that the severity of the lung disease, determined by spirometry, is associated with body growth and nutritional status in cystic fibrosis. Thus, the intervention in these parameters can lead to the better prognosis and life expectancy for cystic fibrosis patients. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

False Memories and Free Speech: Is Scientific Debate Being Suppressed?

PubMed Central

Brewin, Chris R.

2016-01-01

Summary Commentators have raised important points, including the relative contribution of false beliefs versus false memories and the issue of how findings in the laboratory can be generalized to the real world, which we have addressed here. However, some of the commentaries misrepresent what we said, make criticisms that are unfounded, or imply that our article should not have been published in Applied Cognitive Psychology. We relate these responses to a more general literature on the suppression of unwanted scientific findings and suggest that the study of false memory would be better served by more openness to alternative perspectives. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Applied Cognitive Psychology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd PMID:28163370

Western Trauma Association Critical Decisions in Trauma: Management of rib fractures.

PubMed

Brasel, Karen J; Moore, Ernest E; Albrecht, Roxie A; deMoya, Marc; Schreiber, Martin; Karmy-Jones, Riyad; Rowell, Susan; Namias, Nicholas; Cohen, Mitchell; Shatz, David V; Biffl, Walter L

2017-01-01

This is a recommended management algorithm from the Western Trauma Association addressing the management of adult patients with rib fractures. Because there is a paucity of published prospective randomized clinical trials that have generated Class I data, these recommendations are based primarily on published observational studies and expert opinion of Western Trauma Association members. The algorithm and accompanying comments represent a safe and sensible approach that can be followed at most trauma centers. We recognize that there will be patient, personnel, institutional, and situational factors that may warrant or require deviation from the recommended algorithm. We encourage institutions to use this as a guideline to develop their own local protocols.

Subcentimeter noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP).

PubMed

Rosario, Pedro Weslley

2018-05-23

Recently, it was proposed that the noninvasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (noninvasive E-FVPTC) start to be called "noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features" (NIFTP). 1 As the original cohort of 109 patients with NIFTP studied by the consensus conference included only tumors which were equal or more than 1 cm in size, the consensus diagnostic criteria of NIFTP did not explicitly address subcentimeter lesions. 1,2 In fact, in a recent review published in this journal, Hung & Barletta recognize that there are a few published subcentimetre NIFTP in the literature. 3 This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Causal effects on child language development: A review of studies in communication sciences and disorders.

PubMed

Rogers, Clare R; Nulty, Karissa L; Betancourt, Mariana Aparicio; DeThorne, Laura S

2015-01-01

We reviewed recent studies published across key journals within the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) to survey what causal influences on child language development were being considered. Specifically, we reviewed a total of 2921 abstracts published within the following journals between 2003 and 2013: Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (LSHSS); American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (AJSLP); Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (JSLHR); Journal of Communication Disorders (JCD); and the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders (IJLCD). Of the 346 eligible articles that addressed causal factors on child language development across the five journals, 11% were categorized as Genetic (37/346), 83% (287/346) were categorized as Environmental, and 6% (22/346) were categorized as Mixed. The bulk of studies addressing environmental influences focused on therapist intervention (154/296=52%), family/caregiver linguistic input (65/296=22%), or family/caregiver qualities (39/296=13%). A more in-depth review of all eligible studies published in 2013 (n=34) revealed that family/caregiver qualities served as the most commonly controlled environmental factor (e.g., SES) and only 3 studies explicitly noted the possibility of gene-environment interplay. This review highlighted the need to expand the research base for the field of CSD to include a broader range of environmental influences on child language development (e.g., diet, toxin exposure, stress) and to consider more directly the complex and dynamic interplay between genetic and environmental effects. Readers will be able to highlight causal factors on child language development that have been studied over the past decade in CSD and recognize additional influences worthy of consideration. In addition, readers will become familiar with basic tenets of developmental systems theory, including the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors that shapes child development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advancing the role of the pharmacy technician: A systematic review.

PubMed

Mattingly, Ashlee N; Mattingly, T Joseph

To summarize the findings of a literature search on advancing the role of pharmacy technicians, including the types of training identified and the potential costs and benefits to both the technician and the pharmacy. A literature search of Scopus, Embase, and Medline was conducted on January 11, 2017. Original research, research reports, case studies, or association reports were included for review. Articles were considered to be relevant based on identification of an advanced pharmacy technician role or addressing additional training/education for technician functions. A standard data extraction form was used to collect study authors, article title, year published, journal title, study design, brief description of methods, primary outcome measures, advanced technician roles identified, additional education or training addressed, and additional costs and benefits identified in each article. A total of 33 articles were included for full review and data extraction. Study design varied, with 17 (52%) quantitative, 1 (3%) qualitative, 5 (15%) mixed-method, and 10 (30%) case study designs. Seventeen (52%) of the studies included were published after 2006. The mechanism of training was primarily through supervised on-the-job training, allowing technicians to assume administrative-based positions that facilitated a pharmacist-led clinical service, with either the pharmacist or the pharmacy receiving the greatest benefits. Although the literature supports technicians performing advanced roles in the pharmacy, resulting in either improved patient outcomes or opportunities for pharmacists to engage in additional clinical services, the benefits to the technician were primarily indirect, such as an increase in job satisfaction or a more desirable work schedule. If a technician is to take on additional roles that require completion of a formalized training or educational program, benefits that are more tangible may help to inspire technicians to pursue these roles. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longleaf pine wood and straw yields from two old-field planted sites in Georgia

Treesearch

E. David Dickens; David J. Moorhead; Bryan C. McElvany; Ray Hicks

2012-01-01

Little is known or published concerning longleaf pine’s growth rate, or wood and pine straw yields on old-field sites. Two study areas were installed in unthinned longleaf plantations established on former old-fields in Screven and Tift Counties, Georgia to address pine growth and straw yields. Soil series were delineated and replicated plots with three levels of...

Fire effects on soils in Lake States forests: A compilation of published research to facilitate long-term investigations

Treesearch

Jessica Miesel; P. Goebel; R. Corace; David Hix; Randall Kolka; Brian Palik; David Mladenoff

2012-01-01

Fire-adapted forests of the Lake States region are poorly studied relative to those of the western and southeastern United States and our knowledge base of regional short- and long-term fire effects on soils is limited. We compiled and assessed the body of literature addressing fire effects on soils in Lake States forests to facilitate the re-measurement of previous...

Electronics: Mott Transistor: Fundamental Studies and Device Operation Mechanisms

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-21

display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. Harvard University Office for Sponsored Programs...including journal references , in the following categories: (b) Papers published in non-peer-reviewed journals (N/A for none) 03/21/2016 03/21/2016 03...limited kinetics of electron doping in correlated oxides, Applied Physics Letters (07 2015) TOTAL: 1 Books Number of Manuscripts: Patents Submitted

Two Week Oral Dose Range-Finding Toxicity Study of WR269410 in Rats

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-09

Part 2. IFCC Method for Aspartate Aminotransferase, Amsterdam, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company (1975) Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT/GPT... IDENTIFICATION NUMBER DAMD17-92-C-2001 [8c ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) Fort Detrick Frederick, MD 21702-5009 10. SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS...STATEMENT 3 SIGNATURE PAGE 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 1. SUMMARY 7 2. INTRODUCTION 7 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS 7 3.1 Test

Where Did We Come From?: A Communication Analysis of the Creation-Evolution Controversy as Depicted in "Time,""Newsweek," and "U.S. News and World Report."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullum, Stephen J.

Noting the potential effect of print media on society, a study addressed the question of how "Time,""Newsweek," and "U.S. News and World Report" (USNWR) have presented the creation-evolution issue (particularly as taught in public schools) to its readers. Thirty-nine articles published form 1980 to 1992 were analyzed:…

Perceived obstacles to career success for women in academic surgery.

PubMed

Colletti, L M; Mulholland, M W; Sonnad, S S

2000-08-01

We conducted this study to determine whether concerns expressed by male and female surgeons at 1 academic center are generally reflective of broader concerns for academic surgery and academic medicine. We reviewed published studies concerning women in academic surgery within the context of reporting the results of a survey of both male and female surgeons at 1 academic center. We developed a survey that included demographic information, work experience, and social issues. The survey was distributed to the entire faculty. For key questions, we compared answers between male and female faculty. Additional data came from the published literature. We reviewed all available studies identified by a MEDLINE search with key words women and academic and medicine or physician. Included studies contained either data collection or editorial comment concerning women in academic medicine. Data and opinions from all included studies paralleling survey questions were extracted from each article. Male and female faculty members reported different experiences and perceptions, specifically relating to relationships between family and professional life and perceptions of subtle sex-related biases. Both men and women reported insufficient mentoring and difficulties in balancing personal and professional responsibilities. Attitudes, behaviors, and traditions surrounding how we structure work and evaluate participation in academic surgery are more difficult to change than just addressing obvious inequities in support for female surgeons. However, attempting the deeper changes is worthwhile, because addressing obstacles faced by female faculty, many of which also affect men, will allow progress toward environments that attract and retain the best physicians, regardless of sex.

Alcohol intake and gastric cancer: Meta-analyses of published data versus individual participant data pooled analyses (StoP Project).

PubMed

Ferro, Ana; Morais, Samantha; Rota, Matteo; Pelucchi, Claudio; Bertuccio, Paola; Bonzi, Rossella; Galeone, Carlotta; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ito, Hidemi; Hu, Jinfu; Johnson, Kenneth C; Yu, Guo-Pei; Palli, Domenico; Ferraroni, Monica; Muscat, Joshua; Malekzadeh, Reza; Ye, Weimin; Song, Huan; Zaridze, David; Maximovitch, Dmitry; Fernández de Larrea, Nerea; Kogevinas, Manolis; Vioque, Jesus; Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva M; Pakseresht, Mohammadreza; Pourfarzi, Farhad; Wolk, Alicja; Orsini, Nicola; Bellavia, Andrea; Håkansson, Niclas; Mu, Lina; Pastorino, Roberta; Kurtz, Robert C; Derakhshan, Mohammad H; Lagiou, Areti; Lagiou, Pagona; Boffetta, Paolo; Boccia, Stefania; Negri, Eva; La Vecchia, Carlo; Peleteiro, Bárbara; Lunet, Nuno

2018-05-01

Individual participant data pooled analyses allow access to non-published data and statistical reanalyses based on more homogeneous criteria than meta-analyses based on systematic reviews. We quantified the impact of publication-related biases and heterogeneity in data analysis and presentation in summary estimates of the association between alcohol drinking and gastric cancer. We compared estimates obtained from conventional meta-analyses, using only data available in published reports from studies that take part in the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project, with individual participant data pooled analyses including the same studies. A total of 22 studies from the StoP Project assessed the relation between alcohol intake and gastric cancer, 19 had specific data for levels of consumption and 18 according to cancer location; published reports addressing these associations were available from 18, 5 and 5 studies, respectively. The summary odds ratios [OR, (95%CI)] estimate obtained with published data for drinkers vs. non-drinkers was 10% higher than the one obtained with individual StoP data [18 vs. 22 studies: 1.21 (1.07-1.36) vs. 1.10 (0.99-1.23)] and more heterogeneous (I 2 : 63.6% vs 54.4%). In general, published data yielded less precise summary estimates (standard errors up to 2.6 times higher). Funnel plot analysis suggested publication bias. Meta-analyses of the association between alcohol drinking and gastric cancer tended to overestimate the magnitude of the effects, possibly due to publication bias. Additionally, individual participant data pooled analyses yielded more precise estimates for different levels of exposure or cancer subtypes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predatory Open Access in Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Manca, Andrea; Martinez, Gianluca; Cugusi, Lucia; Dragone, Daniele; Mercuro, Giuseppe; Deriu, Franca

2017-05-01

Increasingly scholars and researchers are being solicited by predatory open access journals seeking manuscript submissions and abusing the author-pays model by charging authors with publishing fees without any or proper peer review. Such questionable editorial practices are threatening the reputation and credibility of scholarly publishing. To date, no investigation has been conducted on this phenomenon in the field of rehabilitation. This study attempts to identify specific predatory journals operating in this field to quantify the phenomenon and its geographic distribution. Beall's List has been used to this end which, although not perfect, is a comprehensive and up-to-date report of predatory publishers. Of the 1113 publishers on the list, 59 journals were identified, for a total of 5610 published articles. The median number of articles published by each journal was 21, and the median amount of article processing charges was $499. Only 1 out of 59 journals was included in the Directory of Open Access Journals, whereas 7 (12%) were indexed by PubMed. Most of the publishers were based in India (36%) followed by the United States (25%) and Pakistan (5%), and 25% were without a verifiable address. The data indicate that the threat of predatory publishing in rehabilitation is real. Physiatrists, physiotherapists, researchers, and academics operating in this field are advised to use the tools available to recognize predatory practices before considering publishing in open access journals. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Racial disparities in bipolar disorder treatment and research: a call to action.

PubMed

Akinhanmi, Margaret O; Biernacka, Joanna M; Strakowski, Stephen M; McElroy, Susan L; Balls Berry, Joyce E; Merikangas, Kathleen R; Assari, Shervin; McInnis, Melvin G; Schulze, Thomas G; LeBoyer, Marion; Tamminga, Carol; Patten, Christi; Frye, Mark A

2018-03-12

Health disparities between individuals of African and European ancestry are well documented. The disparities in bipolar disorder may be driven by racial bias superimposed on established factors contributing to misdiagnosis, including: evolving empirically based diagnostic criteria (International Classification of Diseases [ICD], Research Diagnostic Criteria [RDC] and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual [DSM]), multiple symptom domains (i.e. mania, depression and psychosis), and multimodal medical and additional psychiatric comorbidity. For this paper, we reviewed the phenomenological differences between bipolar individuals of African and European ancestry in the context of diagnostic criteria and clinical factors that may contribute to a potential racial bias. Published data show that bipolar persons of African ancestry, compared with bipolar persons of non-African ancestry, are more often misdiagnosed with a disease other than bipolar disorder (i.e. schizophrenia). Additionally, studies show that there are disparities in recruiting patients of African ancestry to participate in important genomic studies. This gap in biological research in this underrepresented minority may represent a missed opportunity to address potential racial differences in the risk and course of bipolar illness. A concerted effort by the research community to increase inclusion of diverse persons in studies of bipolar disorder through community engagement may facilitate fully addressing these diagnostic and treatment disparities in bipolar individuals of African ancestry. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Delirium and the Family Caregiver: The Need for Evidence-based Education Interventions.

PubMed

Carbone, Meredith K; Gugliucci, Marilyn R

2015-06-01

Delirium, an acute confusional state, is experienced by many older adults. Although there is substantial research on risk factors and etiology, we hypothesized that there is a dearth of information on educating the family caregivers of delirious older patients. A date-specific (2000-2013) literature review of articles, written in English, was conducted in several major databases using keyword searches. This systematic review focused on 2 objectives: (1) investigate published studies on the impact of delirium on the family regarding caring for a loved one; and (2) determine if there are interventions that have provided family caregivers with education and/or coping skills to recognize and/or manage delirium. A systematic elimination provided outcomes that met both objectives. Thirty articles addressed impact on family caregivers (objective 1); only 7 addressed caregiver education regarding the delirious state of a loved one (objective 2). Few studies consider the impact of delirium on family caregivers and even fewer studies focus on how to manage delirium in loved ones. With increased risks to older adult patients, high cost of care, and the preventable nature of delirium, family caregiver education may be an important tactic to improve outcomes for both patient and caregiver. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Systematic review of surveillance by social media platforms for illicit drug use.

PubMed

Kazemi, Donna M; Borsari, Brian; Levine, Maureen J; Dooley, Beau

2017-12-01

The use of social media (SM) as a surveillance tool of global illicit drug use is limited. To address this limitation, a systematic review of literature focused on the ability of SM to better recognize illicit drug use trends was addressed. A search was conducted in databases: PubMed, CINAHL via Ebsco, PsychINFO via Ebsco, Medline via Ebsco, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, ABI/INFORM Complete and Communication and Mass Media Complete. Included studies were original research published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2005 and June 2015 that primarily focused on collecting data from SM platforms to track trends in illicit drug use. Excluded were studies focused on purchasing prescription drugs from illicit online pharmacies. Selected studies used a range of SM tools/applications, including message boards, Twitter and blog/forums/platform discussions. Limitations included relevance, a lack of standardized surveillance systems and a lack of efficient algorithms to isolate relevant items. Illicit drug use is a worldwide problem, and the rise of global social networking sites has led to the evolution of a readily accessible surveillance tool. Systematic approaches need to be developed to efficiently extract and analyze illicit drug content from social networks to supplement effective prevention programs. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

The Rice University Press Initiative: An Interview with Charles Henry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trevitte, Chad; Henry, Charles

2007-01-01

In this interview Charles Henry, publisher of the Rice University Press (RUP), discusses RUP's rebirth as a fully digital university press. Henry addresses the circumstances that led to this decision, and he further outlines the RUP business model whereby the press will publish its own titles--both digitally and in print-on-demand--while…

Comparison of Natural Gas Storage Estimates from the EIA and AGA

EIA Publications

1997-01-01

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has been publishing monthly storage information for years. In order to address the need for more timely information, in 1994 the American Gas Association (AGA) began publishing weekly storage levels. Both the EIA and the AGA series provide estimates of the total working gas in storage, but use significantly different methodologies.

Print vs. Online Scholarly Publishing: Notes and Reflections on the Peer Review Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryder, Martin

This paper addresses some of the major shifts in thinking about the nature of publishing and in basic beliefs regarding the peer review process in scholarly communication. Changes in the notion of ownership in the an age of technology are considered. Differences between the referee system with print publications and electronic text are outlined…

10 CFR 1304.110 - Disclosure of records to third parties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Information Act will be released in response to a request in accordance with the Board's regulations published at 10 CFR part 1303. (3) For a routine use as published in the annual notice in the Federal Register... transmitted to the last known address of such individual. (9) To either House of Congress, or, to the extent...

A Review of the Published Research Literature on Arts and the Handicapped, 1971-1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ash, Linda D.; Gambach, James

The document presents findings of a search of research literature in the area of arts and the handicapped published between 1971 and 1981. The literature search addresses the various art forms of visual art, drama, music, and dance/movement as well as the major handicapping conditions: mental retardation, hearing impairments, speech handicaps,…

A critical review of social and health inequalities in the nursing curriculum.

PubMed

Rozendo, Célia Alves; Santos Salas, Anna; Cameron, Brenda

2017-03-01

Social and health inequalities are a reality around the world and one of the most important challenges in the current age. Nurse educators can respond to these challenges by incorporating curricular components to identify and intervene in social and health inequalities. To examine how social and health inequalities have been addressed in the nursing curriculum. Informed by the work of Paulo Freire, a critical literature review was performed to examine how social and health inequalities have been addressed in the nursing curriculum. In July 2015, we searched for articles published from 2000 to 2015 in ERIC, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scielo, MEDLINE and LILACS databases. Main search terms included "disparity" or "inequality" and "curriculum" and "nursing." We included studies published in academic journals in English, Portuguese and Spanish. A total of 20 articles were included in this review. Most of the articles (15) were from the United States and described educational experiences in implementing courses in nursing undergraduate curricula. Limited experiences with graduate nursing education were identified. Social and health inequalities were approached in these articles through elements such as social justice, cultural competence, cultural safety, and advocacy. A concern to reduce social and health disparities was noted. We identified three major themes in the articles included in this review: 1) elements in the curricula that can contribute to reducing social and health inequalities; 2) educational and research strategies used to address the theme of inequalities; 3) a focus on socially vulnerable populations to increase awareness on social and health inequalities. Findings suggest that nursing education initiatives align with the recommendations from the World Health Organization to address disparities. There is also a need to identify existing conceptual and practical content on inequalities in the nursing curriculum through future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Common state mechanisms regulating tribal tobacco taxation and sales, the USA, 2015.

PubMed

DeLong, Hillary; Chriqui, Jamie; Leider, Julien; Chaloupka, Frank J

2016-10-01

Native American tribes, as sovereign nations, are exempt from state tobacco excise taxation, and self-govern on-reservation activity in the USA. Under Federal law, state excise taxes are owed by non-members purchasing tobacco on tribal land, but states are limited in how they enforce or collect these taxes. This study highlights the various policy approaches that states have taken to regulate tobacco sales on tribal lands given jurisdictional challenges. State laws (statutes, regulations and case law), Attorney General opinions, and revenue notices and rulings effective as of 1 January 2015 for all 50 states and the District of Columbia were compiled using Boolean searches in Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw. Laws were limited to those addressing taxation compacts or tobacco sales involving tribal entities. Master Settlement Agreement laws and non-codified tribal codes/compacts were excluded. Twenty of the 34 states with tribal lands address tribal tobacco sales. Fourteen states address intergovernmental compacts: 11 are tobacco specific, and suggest or require specific provisions. Fifteen states address tribal tax stamps: 2 explicitly prohibit stamping tribally sold products, 9 stamp all products, and 4 stamp some. Prepayment of excise tax is required in 12 states: 6 on all products, 4 on products in excess of quota, and 2 on products sold by non-tribal retailers. 6 states use quotas to limit tax-free tobacco available to tribes. Many states with a tribal presence have no formal strategies for non-members purchasing tobacco on tribal lands. Formalising policies and harmonising tax rates may assist states in collecting tax revenue from non-tribal consumers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Quality of prostate cancer screening information on the websites of nationally recognized cancer centers and health organizations.

PubMed

Manole, Bogdan-Alexandru; Wakefield, Daniel V; Dove, Austin P; Dulaney, Caleb R; Marcrom, Samuel R; Schwartz, David L; Farmer, Michael R

2017-12-24

The purpose of this study was to survey the accessibility and quality of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening information from National Cancer Institute (NCI) cancer center and public health organization Web sites. We surveyed the December 1, 2016, version of all 63 NCI-designated cancer center public Web sites and 5 major online clearinghouses from allied public/private organizations (cancer.gov, cancer.org, PCF.org, USPSTF.org, and CDC.gov). Web sites were analyzed according to a 50-item list of validated health care information quality measures. Web sites were graded by 2 blinded reviewers. Interrater agreement was confirmed by Cohen kappa coefficient. Ninety percent of Web sites addressed PSA screening. Cancer center sites covered 45% of topics surveyed, whereas organization Web sites addressed 70%. All organizational Web pages addressed the possibility of false-positive screening results; 41% of cancer center Web pages did not. Forty percent of cancer center Web pages also did not discuss next steps if a PSA test was positive. Only 6% of cancer center Web pages were rated by our reviewers as "superior" (eg, addressing >75% of the surveyed topics) versus 20% of organizational Web pages. Interrater agreement between our reviewers was high (kappa coefficient = 0.602). NCI-designated cancer center Web sites publish lower quality public information about PSA screening than sites run by major allied organizations. Nonetheless, information and communication deficiencies were observed across all surveyed sites. In an age of increasing patient consumerism, prospective prostate cancer patients would benefit from improved online PSA screening information from provider and advocacy organizations. Validated cancer patient Web educational standards remain an important, understudied priority. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Combined qualitative and quantitative research designs.

PubMed

Seymour, Jane

2012-12-01

Mixed methods research designs have been recognized as important in addressing complexity and are recommended particularly in the development and evaluation of complex interventions. This article reports a review of studies in palliative care published between 2010 and March 2012 that combine qualitative and quantitative approaches. A synthesis of approaches to mixed methods research taken in 28 examples of published research studies of relevance to palliative and supportive care is provided, using a typology based on a classic categorization put forward in 1992. Mixed-method studies are becoming more frequently employed in palliative care research and resonate with the complexity of the palliative care endeavour. Undertaking mixed methods research requires a sophisticated understanding of the research process and recognition of some of the underlying complexities encountered when working with different traditions and perspectives on issues of: sampling, validity, reliability and rigour, different sources of data and different data collection and analysis techniques.

Yellow fever risk assessment in the Central African Republic.

PubMed

Ramos Junior, Alberto Novaes; Heukelbach, Jorg

2015-04-01

Yellow fever still causes high burden in several areas of sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. There are few well-designed epidemiological studies and limited data about yellow fever in Africa. Staples et al., in a recently published paper in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, performed a nationwide study in the Central African Republic (CAR) assessing infection risk and the operational impact of preventive measures. The rapid assessment of human, non-human and mosquito data call attention to the potential risk of future yellow fever outbreaks in the CAR and elsewhere. The study reinforces the need for intensified applied and operational research to address problems and human capacity needs in the realm of neglected tropical diseases in the post-2015 agenda. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Bio-Nanotechnology Infrastructure and Technology Oriented Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-17

4) dissemination of the accomplishments through filing patents, publishing refereed papers and presenting at international conferences and meetings...NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Kinzy Jones 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Florida International University ADVANCED MATERIALS ENGINEERING RESERACH INSTITUTE 5e...University ADVANCED MATERIALS ENGINEERING RESERACH INSTITUTE 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES

The Birth of University Affiliated Early Childhood Centres of Excellence: Investing in Children, Families and Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krog, Soezin; Nel, Norma

2015-01-01

The wellbeing of young children is of national and international concern. Urgent action is therefore required to address issues of children's wellbeing, and failure to do so will have adverse consequences for children today and in generations to come. This paper addresses issues arising from recently published literature in the areas of Early…

78 FR 52601 - U.S. Department of State Advisory Committee on Private International Law (ACPIL): Public Meeting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-23

...The Department of State published a document in the Federal Register on August 19, 2013 concerning a U.S. Department of State Advisory Committee on Private International Law (ACPIL) Public Meeting on Arbitration, to take place on September 4, 2013. The document cited incorrect Web site addresses and an incorrect email address.

Whether, When, and Why Skinner Published on Biological Participation in Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Edward K.; Lazo, Junelyn F.; Smith, Nathaniel G.

2004-01-01

This paper brings some data to bear on the criticisms, claims, and arguments that Skinner (a) denied or dismissed biological participation in behavior, (b) addressed it only late in his career or more often later than earlier, or (c) addressed it only because of the overwhelming evidence for it or the criticisms that he had overlooked it. For…

Challenge of Professionalism. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges (71st, Columbus, Ohio, June 17-20, 1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Steve, Comp.

The challenge of professionalism is addressed in the 32 papers published in this Proceedings. The papers and their authors include: "New Concepts of Management: Challenges of Professionalism" (keynote address, Herman Birnbrauer); "Alternate Financing of Campus Projects" (F. Louis Fackler); "An Automated Work Order System…

Evaluating and addressing the effects of regression to the mean phenomenon in estimating collision frequencies on urban high collision concentration locations.

PubMed

Lee, Jinwoo; Chung, Koohong; Kang, Seungmo

2016-12-01

Two different methods for addressing the regression to the mean phenomenon (RTM) were evaluated using empirical data: Data from 110 miles of freeway located in California were used to evaluate the performance of the EB and CRP methods in addressing RTM. CRP outperformed the EB method in estimating collision frequencies in selected high collision concentration locations (HCCLs). Findings indicate that the performance of the EB method can be markedly affected when SPF is biased, while the performance of CRP remains much less affected. The CRP method was more effective in addressing RTM. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effectiveness of Environment-Based Interventions That Address Behavior, Perception, and Falls in People With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Major Neurocognitive Disorders: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Jensen, Lou; Padilla, René

This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of environment-based interventions that address behavior, perception, and falls in the home and other settings for people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related major neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). Database searches were limited to outcomes studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 2006 and April 2014. A total of 1,854 articles were initially identified, of which 42 met inclusion criteria. Strong evidence indicates that person-centered approaches can improve behavior. Moderate evidence supports noise regulation, environmental design, unobtrusive visual barriers, and environmental relocation strategies to reduce problematic behaviors. Evidence is insufficient for the effectiveness of mealtime ambient music, bright light, proprioceptive input, wander gardens, optical strategies, and sensory devices in improving behavior or reducing wandering and falls. Although evidence supports many environment-based interventions used by occupational therapy practitioners to address behavior, perception, and falls in people with AD and related major NCDs, more studies are needed. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

A review of simulation-enhanced, team-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for undergraduate students.

PubMed

Onan, Arif; Simsek, Nurettin; Elcin, Melih; Turan, Sevgi; Erbil, Bülent; Deniz, Kaan Zülfikar

2017-11-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training is an essential element of clinical skill development for healthcare providers. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation has described issues related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care education. Educational interventions have been initiated to try to address these issues using a team-based approach and simulation technologies that offer a controlled, safe learning environment. The aim of the study is to review and synthesize published studies that address the primary question "What are the features and effectiveness of educational interventions related to simulation-enhanced, team-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training?" We conducted a systematic review focused on educational interventions pertaining to cardiac arrest and emergencies that addressed this main question. The findings are presented together with a discussion of the effectiveness of various educational interventions. In conclusion, student attitudes toward interprofessional learning and simulation experiences were more positive. Research reports emphasized the importance of adherence to established guidelines, adopting a holistic approach to training, and that preliminary training, briefing, deliberate practices, and debriefing should help to overcome deficiencies in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A scoping review of scoping reviews: advancing the approach and enhancing the consistency.

PubMed

Pham, Mai T; Rajić, Andrijana; Greig, Judy D; Sargeant, Jan M; Papadopoulos, Andrew; McEwen, Scott A

2014-12-01

The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A search was conducted in four bibliographic databases and the gray literature to identify scoping review studies. Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers using pretested forms. The search identified 344 scoping reviews published from 1999 to October 2012. The reviews varied in terms of purpose, methodology, and detail of reporting. Nearly three-quarter of reviews (74.1%) addressed a health topic. Study completion times varied from 2 weeks to 20 months, and 51% utilized a published methodological framework. Quality assessment of included studies was infrequently performed (22.38%). Scoping reviews are a relatively new but increasingly common approach for mapping broad topics. Because of variability in their conduct, there is a need for their methodological standardization to ensure the utility and strength of evidence. © 2014 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

“Church-Based Health Programs for Mental Disorders among African Americans: A Review

PubMed Central

Hankerson, Sidney H.; Weissman, Myrna M.

2014-01-01

Objective African Americans, compared to White Americans, underutilize traditional mental health services. A systematic review is presented of studies involving church-based health promotion programs (CBHPP) for mental disorders among African Americans to assess the feasibility of utilizing such programs to address racial disparities in mental health care. Methods A literature review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ATLA Religion databases was conducted to identify articles published between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 2009. Inclusion criteria included the following: studies were conducted in a church; primary objective(s) involved assessment, perceptions/attitudes, education, prevention, group support, or treatment for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV mental disorders or their correlates; number of participants was reported; qualitative and/or quantitative data were reported; and African Americans were the target population. Results Of 1,451 studies identified, 191 studies were eligible for formal review. Only eight studies met inclusion criteria for this review. The majority of studies focused on substance related disorders (n=5), were designed to assess the effects of a specific intervention (n=6), and targeted adults (n=6). One study focused on depression and was limited by a small sample size of seven participants. Conclusion Although CBHPP have been successful in addressing racial disparities for several chronic medical conditions, the published literature on CBHPP for mental disorders is extremely limited. More intensive research is needed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of utilizing church-based health programs as a possible resource for screening and treatment to improve disparities in mental health care for African Americans. PMID:22388529

Electroencephalography after a single unprovoked seizure.

PubMed

Debicki, Derek B

2017-07-01

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an essential diagnostic tool in the evaluation of seizure disorders. In particular, EEG is used as an additional investigation for a single unprovoked seizure. Epileptiform abnormalities are related to seizure disorders and have been shown to predict recurrent unprovoked seizures (i.e., a clinical definition of epilepsy). Thus, the identification of epileptiform abnormalities after a single unprovoked seizure can inform treatment options. The current review addresses the relationship between EEG abnormalities and seizure recurrence. This review also addresses factors that are found to improve the yield of recording epileptiform abnormalities including timing of EEG relative to the new-onset seizure, use of repeat studies, use of sleep deprivation and prolonged recordings. Copyright © 2017 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Primary health care research in Saudi Arabia: A quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Jahan, Saulat; Al-Saigul, Abdullah Mohammed

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the published primary health care (PHC) research conducted in Saudi Arabia quantitatively and to determine the distribution of these research publications according to the topic, time, geographical location, and institution. In this descriptive study, we conducted literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar. The Medical Subject Headings terms: "Primary Health" AND "Saudi" and "Primary Care" AND "Saudi" were used for searching relevant journal articles. Relevant information about the journal articles, published till December 2011, was recorded on a coding instrument. From 1983 to 2011, a total of 655 PHC research articles were found. The publication output showed an increase with time. Original research articles (85.6%) were the main type of publications, and the most common study design was cross-sectional (93.4%). "Chronic diseases" and "health services research" were the main topics addressed. Riyadh province had the highest proportion (46.3%) of publications, and the universities (56.2%), followed by the Saudi Ministry of Health (24.9%), were the main institutions publishing the research. Despite a well-established PHC setup in Saudi Arabia, the research outputs are low. Most of the published articles are cross-sectional studies and are conducted by the universities. Enhancing the PHC research by creating a supportive environment will lead to an increased evidence base for PHC and its effective translation into service delivery.

Updates on the use of vaccines in dermatological conditions.

PubMed

Hanna, Edith; Dany, Mohammed; Abbas, Ossama; Kreidieh, Firas; Kurban, Mazen

2018-05-22

Numerous vaccines are being actively developed for use in dermatologic diseases. Advances in the fields of immunotherapy, genetics and molecular medicine have allowed for the design of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines with immense potential in managing infections and malignancies of the skin. This review addresses the different vaccines available for use in dermatological diseases and those under development for future potential use. The major limitation of our review is its complete reliance on published data. Our review is strictly limited to the availability of published research online through available databases. We do not cite any of the authors' previous publications nor have we conducted previous original research studies regarding vaccines in dermatology. Strength would have been added to our paper had we conducted original studies by our research team regarding the candidate vaccines delineated in the paper.

Economic evaluations of alcohol prevention interventions: Is the evidence sufficient? A review of methodological challenges.

PubMed

Hill, Sarah R; Vale, Luke; Hunter, David; Henderson, Emily; Oluboyede, Yemi

2017-12-01

Public health interventions have unique characteristics compared to health technologies, which present additional challenges for economic evaluation (EE). High quality EEs that are able to address the particular methodological challenges are important for public health decision-makers. In England, they are even more pertinent given the transition of public health responsibilities in 2013 from the National Health Service to local government authorities where new agents are shaping policy decisions. Addressing alcohol misuse is a globally prioritised public health issue. This article provides a systematic review of EE and priority-setting studies for interventions to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse published internationally over the past decade (2006-2016). This review appraises the EE and priority-setting evidence to establish whether it is sufficient to meet the informational needs of public health decision-makers. 619 studies were identified via database searches. 7 additional studies were identified via hand searching journals, grey literature and reference lists. 27 met inclusion criteria. Methods identified included cost-utility analysis (18), cost-effectiveness analysis (6), cost-benefit analysis (CBA) (1), cost-consequence analysis (CCA) (1) and return-on-investment (1). The review identified a lack of consideration of methodological challenges associated with evaluating public health interventions and limited use of methods such as CBA and CCA which have been recommended as potentially useful for EE in public health. No studies using other specific priority-setting tools were identified. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed Central

Martini, Leila; Presley, David; Klieger, Sarah

2016-01-01

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

Pediatric trauma research in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

PubMed

Hefny, Ashraf F; Grivna, Michal; Abbas, Alaa K; Branicki, Frank J; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M

2012-04-01

To review published pediatric trauma research from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries so as to identify research fields that need to be enhanced. A MEDLINE search for articles on pediatric trauma from GCC countries during the period 1960 to 2010 was performed. The content of articles was analyzed, classified and summarized. Fifty-three articles were found and retrieved of which 18 (34%) were published in the last 5 years, 42 (79.2%) were original articles. The first author was affiliated to a university in 29 reports (54.7%), to a community hospital in 13 (24.5%) and to a military hospital in 10 (18.9%). All articles were observational studies that included 18 (34%) case-control studies, 18 (34%) case reports/case series studies, 8 (15.1%) prospective studies, and 7 (13.2%) cross sectional studies. The median (range) impact factor of the journals was 1.3 (0.5-3.72). No meta-analysis studies were found. A strategic plan is required to support pediatric trauma research in GCC countries so as to address unmet needs. Areas of deficiency include pre-hospital care, post-traumatic psychological effects and post-traumatic rehabilitation, interventional studies focused on a safe child environment and attitude changes, and the socioeconomic impact of pediatric trauma. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

"Small" data in a big data world: archiving terrestrial ecology data at ORNL DAAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhana Vannan, S. K.; Beaty, T.; Boyer, A.; Deb, D.; Hook, L.; Shrestha, R.; Thornton, M.; Virdi, M.; Wei, Y.; Wright, D.

2016-12-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC http://daac.ornl.gov), a NASA-funded data center, archives a diverse collection of terrestrial biogeochemistry and ecological dynamics observations and models in support of NASA's Earth Science program. The ORNL DAAC has been addressing the increasing challenge of publishing diverse small data products into an online archive while dealing with the enhanced need for integration and availability of these data to address big science questions. This paper will show examples of "small" diverse data holdings - ranging from the Daymet model output data to site-based soil moisture observation data. We define "small" by the data volume of these data products compared to petabyte scale observations. We will highlight the use of tools and services for visualizing diverse data holdings and subsetting services such as the MODIS land products subsets tool (at ORNL DAAC) that provides big MODIS data in small chunks. Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) and data citations have enhanced the availability of data. The challenge faced by data publishers now is to deal with the increased number of publishable data products and most importantly the difficulties of publishing small diverse data products into an online archive. This paper will also present our experiences designing a data curation system for these types of data. The characteristics of these data will be examined and their scientific value will be demonstrated via data citation metrics. We will present case studies of leveraging specialized tools and services that have enabled small data sets to realize their "big" scientific potential. Overall, we will provide a holistic view of the challenges and potential of small diverse terrestrial ecology data sets from data curation to distribution.

Invited Commentary: Continuing to Loosen the Constraints on Epidemiology in an Age of Change-A Comment on McMichael's "Prisoners of the Proximate".

PubMed

Galea, Sandro

2017-06-01

Published in 1999, McMichael's "Prisoners of the Proximate: Loosening the Constraints on Epidemiology in an Age of Change" (Am J Epidemiol. 1999;149(10):887-897) outlined an exciting vision for epidemiology as the field that that can help us better understand the drivers of population health so that we may intervene, paving the way for healthier populations. McMichael's paper remains today what it was when it was first published: clear, thoughtful, provocative, and usefully prescriptive in its call to action. McMichael identified 4 constraints facing epidemiology. The field has risen to this challenge and addressed some of these constraints. I discuss how successful (or not) we have been in addressing each of these 4 challenges. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Use of Mathematical Models of Chlamydia Transmission to Address Public Health Policy Questions: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Rönn, Minttu M; Wolf, Emory E; Chesson, Harrell; Menzies, Nicolas A; Galer, Kara; Gorwitz, Rachel; Gift, Thomas; Hsu, Katherine; Salomon, Joshua A

2017-05-01

Mathematical models of chlamydia transmission can help inform disease control policy decisions when direct empirical evaluation of alternatives is impractical. We reviewed published chlamydia models to understand the range of approaches used for policy analyses and how the studies have responded to developments in the field. We performed a literature review by searching Medline and Google Scholar (up to October 2015) to identify publications describing dynamic chlamydia transmission models used to address public health policy questions. We extracted information on modeling methodology, interventions, and key findings. We identified 47 publications (including two model comparison studies), which reported collectively on 29 distinct mathematical models. Nine models were individual-based, and 20 were deterministic compartmental models. The earliest studies evaluated the benefits of national-level screening programs and predicted potentially large benefits from increased screening. Subsequent trials and further modeling analyses suggested the impact might have been overestimated. Partner notification has been increasingly evaluated in mathematical modeling, whereas behavioral interventions have received relatively limited attention. Our review provides an overview of chlamydia transmission models and gives a perspective on how mathematical modeling has responded to increasing empirical evidence and addressed policy questions related to prevention of chlamydia infection and sequelae.

Getting the 'blues': the existence, diffusion and influence of pornography on young peoples' sexual health in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Day, Andrea

2014-01-01

While substantial research has examined the effects of pornography on young people in developed societies, existing studies fall short in addressing how sexually-explicit material affects young people in developing countries. The importance of such knowledge increases as the globalising effects of technology expand young peoples' access and exposure to pornography. During the summer of 2012, a study was undertaken in Sierra Leone examining factors affecting young peoples' sexual and reproductive health. The research assessed the influence of HIV knowledge, communication about sex, civil war and contraception myths on sexual behaviours, while remaining open to unanticipated factors. During data collection, respondents identified pornography, also called blues, as an influential factor, detailing its newfound accessibility driven by improved access to information and communication technologies in the country. Respondents also addressed several presumed ways in which pornography impacts young peoples' decisions about sexual health. The following study examines perceived effects of young peoples' exposure to pornography based on existing literature. It then outlines the findings of research conducted in Sierra Leone, drawing on primary data from the respondents and relevant published literature and concludes with proposals for addressing its negative effects.

Slim Chance: The Pivotal Role of Air Mobility in the Burma Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

to address other, persistent lessons learned from Burma: proper crew management, to prevent aircrew burnout from extended combat flying; streamlined...1 Carl H. Builder, The Icarus Syndrome (London: Transaction Publishers, 2003), 12. In transitioning from the historical analysis of air...Icarus Syndrome . London: Transaction Publishers, 2003. Burlingame, Roger. General Billy Mitchell: Champion of Air Defense. Westport, Connecticut

Does Pretend Play Matter? Searching for Evidence: Comment on Lillard et al. (2013)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergen, Doris

2013-01-01

Lillard et al. (2013) have done a thorough review of published pretend play research from the past 50 plus years. However, they did not thoroughly address the reasons why this body of research has such flaws as well as the contradictory or minimal findings that call into question strongly held views and published assertions regarding the…

Publicaciones Periodicas de Educacion de America Latina y el Caribe (Educational Publications of Latin America and the Caribbean).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oficina Regional de Educacion de la Unesco para America Latina y el Caribe, Santiago (Chile).

The periodicals listed in this bibliography are those published in Latin America and the Caribbean that deal exclusively with educational themes. Information for each entry, when available, includes the title, subtitle, name and address of publisher, frequency of publication, year the publication began and/or terminated, any previous title, and…

Politics as Usual: The Joint Committee on Printing and Executive Agency Publishing, 1919-1921.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, John

1993-01-01

Provides an interpretation of the U.S. Congress Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) efforts to control departmental publishing from 1919 to 1921. Topics addressed include the JCP and the War Department, the role of the JCP in the defeat of the League of Nations, and the issue of separation of powers. (126 references) (LRW)

Economics of Scholarly Publishing: Exploring the Causes of Subscription Price Variations of Scholarly Journals in Business Subject-Specific Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Lewis G.

2011-01-01

This empirical research investigates subscription price variations of scholarly journals in five business subject-specific areas using the semilogarithmic regression model. It has two main purposes. The first is to address the unsettled debate over whether or not and to what extent commercial publishers reap monopoly profits by overcharging…

The decade 1989-1998 in Spanish psychology: an analysis of research in statistics, methodology, and psychometric theory.

PubMed

García-Pérez, M A

2001-11-01

This paper presents an analysis of research published in the decade 1989-1998 by Spanish faculty members in the areas of statistical methods, research methodology, and psychometric theory. Database search and direct correspondence with faculty members in Departments of Methodology across Spain rendered a list of 193 papers published in these broad areas by 82 faculty members. These and other faculty members had actually published 931 papers over the decade of analysis, but 738 of them addressed topics not appropriate for description in this report. Classification and analysis of these 193 papers revealed topics that have attracted the most interest (psychophysics, item response theory, analysis of variance, sequential analysis, and meta-analysis) as well as other topics that have received less attention (scaling, factor analysis, time series, and structural models). A significant number of papers also dealt with various methodological issues (software, algorithms, instrumentation, and techniques). A substantial part of this report is devoted to describing the issues addressed across these 193 papers--most of which are written in the Spanish language and published in Spanish journals--and some representative references are given.

Alternatives to Address Role Clarification at the U.S. Army Community Hospital, Fort Polk

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

Szilagyi , Andrew D., and Wallace , Marc J., Organizational Behavior and Performance (Santa Monica: Goodyear Publishing Company, 1977): Page 214. 14...Institute For Social Research, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1972. Ivancevich, John M., Szilagyi , Andrew D. and Wallace , Marc J...opposed to professional and technical groups. 1 1 Another study by Szilagyi and Sims postulated the existence of a role ambiguity continuum which revealed

A Health System-wide Moral Distress Consultation Service: Development and Evaluation.

PubMed

Hamric, Ann B; Epstein, Elizabeth G

2017-06-01

Although moral distress is now a well-recognized phenomenon among all of the healthcare professions, few evidence-based strategies have been published to address it. In morally distressing situations, the "presenting problem" may be a particular patient situation, but most often signals a deeper unit- or system-centered issue. This article describes one institution's ongoing effort to address moral distress in its providers. We discuss the development and evaluation of the Moral Distress Consultation Service, an interprofessional, unit/system-oriented approach to addressing and ameliorating moral distress.

Assessing the relevance of ecotoxicological studies for regulatory decision making.

PubMed

Rudén, Christina; Adams, Julie; Ågerstrand, Marlene; Brock, Theo Cm; Poulsen, Veronique; Schlekat, Christian E; Wheeler, James R; Henry, Tala R

2017-07-01

Regulatory policies in many parts of the world recognize either the utility of or the mandate that all available studies be considered in environmental or ecological hazard and risk assessment (ERA) of chemicals, including studies from the peer-reviewed literature. Consequently, a vast array of different studies and data types need to be considered. The first steps in the evaluation process involve determining whether the study is relevant to the ERA and sufficiently reliable. Relevance evaluation is typically performed using existing guidance but involves application of "expert judgment" by risk assessors. In the present paper, we review published guidance for relevance evaluation and, on the basis of the practical experience within the group of authors, we identify additional aspects and further develop already proposed aspects that should be considered when conducting a relevance assessment for ecotoxicological studies. From a regulatory point of view, the overarching key aspect of relevance concerns the ability to directly or indirectly use the study in ERA with the purpose of addressing specific protection goals and ultimately regulatory decision making. Because ERA schemes are based on the appropriate linking of exposure and effect estimates, important features of ecotoxicological studies relate to exposure relevance and biological relevance. Exposure relevance addresses the representativeness of the test substance, environmental exposure media, and exposure regime. Biological relevance deals with the environmental significance of the test organism and the endpoints selected, the ecological realism of the test conditions simulated in the study, as well as a mechanistic link of treatment-related effects for endpoints to the protection goal identified in the ERA. In addition, uncertainties associated with relevance should be considered in the assessment. A systematic and transparent assessment of relevance is needed for regulatory decision making. The relevance aspects also need to be considered by scientists when designing, performing, and reporting ecotoxicological studies to facilitate their use in ERA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:652-663. © 2016 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2016 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Obesity educational interventions in U.S. medical schools: a systematic review and identified gaps.

PubMed

Vitolins, Mara Z; Crandall, Sonia; Miller, David; Ip, Eddie; Marion, Gail; Spangler, John G

2012-01-01

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. However, physicians feel poorly trained to address the obesity epidemic. This article examines effective training methods for overweight and obesity intervention in undergraduate medical education. Using indexing terms related to overweight, obesity, and medical student education, we conducted a literature searched PubMed PsycINFO, Cochrane, and ERIC for relevant articles in English. References from articles identified were also reviewed to located additional articles. We included all studies that incorporated process or outcome evaluations of obesity educational interventions for U.S. medical students. Of an initial 168 citations, 40 abstracts were retrieved; 11 studies were found to be pertinent to medical student obesity education, but only 5 included intervention and evaluation elements. Quality criteria for inclusion consisted of explicit evaluation of the educational methods used. Data extraction identified participants (e.g., year of medical students), interventions, evaluations, and results. These 5 studies successfully used a variety of teaching methods including hands on training, didactic lectures, role-playing, and standardized patient interaction to increase medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and skills regarding overweight and obesity intervention. Two studies addressed medical student bias toward overweight and obese patients. No studies addressed health disparities in the epidemiology and bias of obesity. Despite the commonly cited "obesity epidemic," there are very few published studies that report the effectiveness of medical school obesity educational programs. Gaps still exist within undergraduate medical education including specific training that addresses obesity and long-term studies showing that such training is retained.

Self-management programmes for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a call for a reconceptualisation.

PubMed

Jonsdottir, Helga

2013-03-01

To synthesise findings from previously published studies on the effectiveness of self-management programmes for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Self-management is a widely valued concept to address contemporary issues of chronic health problems. Yet, findings of self-management programmes for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are indecisive. Literature review of (1) previously published systematic reviews and (2) an integrative literature review. Synthesis of findings from previously published systematic reviews (n = 4) of the effectiveness of self-management programmes for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and an integrated review that was performed on papers published between January 2007-June 2012 (n = 9). Findings demonstrate that there are few studies on the effectiveness of self-management programmes on people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease despite more than a decade of research activities. Outcomes of the studies reveal some increase in health-related quality of life and reduction in use of healthcare resources. The methodological approaches vary, and the sample size is primarily small. Families are not acknowledged. Features of patient-centredness exist in self-management programmes, particularly in the more recent articles. The effectiveness of self-management programmes for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remains indecisive. A reconceptualisation of self-management programmes is called for with attention to a family-centred, holistic and relational care focusing on living with and minimising the handicapping consequences of the health problems in their entirety. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Quality tools and resources to support organisational improvement integral to high-quality primary care: a systematic review of published and grey literature.

PubMed

Janamian, Tina; Upham, Susan J; Crossland, Lisa; Jackson, Claire L

2016-04-18

To conduct a systematic review of the literature to identify existing online primary care quality improvement tools and resources to support organisational improvement related to the seven elements in the Primary Care Practice Improvement Tool (PC-PIT), with the identified tools and resources to progress to a Delphi study for further assessment of relevance and utility. Systematic review of the international published and grey literature. CINAHL, Embase and PubMed databases were searched in March 2014 for articles published between January 2004 and December 2013. GreyNet International and other relevant websites and repositories were also searched in March-April 2014 for documents dated between 1992 and 2012. All citations were imported into a bibliographic database. Published and unpublished tools and resources were included in the review if they were in English, related to primary care quality improvement and addressed any of the seven PC-PIT elements of a high-performing practice. Tools and resources that met the eligibility criteria were then evaluated for their accessibility, relevance, utility and comprehensiveness using a four-criteria appraisal framework. We used a data extraction template to systematically extract information from eligible tools and resources. A content analysis approach was used to explore the tools and resources and collate relevant information: name of the tool or resource, year and country of development, author, name of the organisation that provided access and its URL, accessibility information or problems, overview of each tool or resource and the quality improvement element(s) it addresses. If available, a copy of the tool or resource was downloaded into the bibliographic database, along with supporting evidence (published or unpublished) on its use in primary care. This systematic review identified 53 tools and resources that can potentially be provided as part of a suite of tools and resources to support primary care practices in improving the quality of their practice, to achieve improved health outcomes.

Safety and tolerability of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with pathologic positive sensory phenomena: a review of literature

PubMed Central

Muller, Paul A; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Rotenberg, Alexander

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is emerging as a valuable therapeutic and diagnostic tool. rTMS appears particularly promising for disorders characterized by positive sensory phenomena attributable to alterations in sensory cortex excitability. Among these are tinnitus, auditory and visual hallucinations, and pain syndromes. OBJECTIVE Despite studies addressing rTMS efficacy in suppression of positive sensory symptoms, the safety of stimulation of potentially hyperexcitable cortex has not been fully addressed. We performed a systematic literature review and metanalysis to describe the rTMS safety profile in these disorders. METHODS Using the PubMed database, we performed an English-language literature search from January 1985 to April 2011 to review all pertinent publications. Per study, we noted and listed pertinent details. From these data we also calculated a crude per-subject risk for each adverse event. RESULTS 106 publications (n = 1815 subjects) were identified with patients undergoing rTMS for pathologic positive sensory phenomena. Adverse events associated with rTMS were generally mild and occurred in 16.7% of subjects. Seizure was the most serious adverse event, and occurred in three patients with a 0.16% crude per-subject risk. The second most severe adverse event involved aggravation of sensory phenomena, occurring in 1.54%. CONCLUSIONS The published data suggest rTMS for the treatment or diagnosis of pathologic positive sensory phenomena appears to be a relatively safe and well-tolerated procedure. However, published data are lacking in systematic reporting of adverse events, and safety risks of rTMS in these patient populations will have to be addressed in future prospective trials. PMID:22322098

On Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in Connecticut

PubMed Central

Manthous, Constantine A.; Sofair, Andre N.

2014-01-01

Background: Medicaid is the federal program, administered by states, for health care for the poor. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has added a large number of new recipients to this program. Hypothesis: Medicaid programs in some, if not many, states do not provide patients uniform access to subspecialty care guaranteed by the federal statutes. Insofar as the ACA does not address this pre-existing “sub-specialty gap” and more patients are now covered by Medicaid under the ACA, the gap is likely to increase and may contribute to disparities of health care access and outcomes. Methods: A brief description of previous studies demonstrating or suggesting a subspecialty gap in Medicaid services is accompanied by perspectives of the authors, using published literature — most notably the Denver, Colorado health care system — to propose various solutions that may be deployed to address gaps in subspecialty coverage. Results: All published studies describing the Medicaid subspecialty gap are qualitative, survey designs. There are no authoritative objective data regarding the exact prevalence of gaps for each subspecialty in each state. However, surveys of caregivers suggest that gaps were prevalent in the United States prior to initiation of the ACA. Even fewer papers have addressed solutions (in light of the paucity of data describing the magnitude of the problem), and proposed solutions remain speculative and not grounded in objective data. Conclusions: There is reason to believe that a substantial proportion of U.S. citizens — those who are guaranteed a full complement of health services through Medicaid — have difficult or no access to some subspecialty services, many of which other citizens take for granted. This problem deserves greater attention to verify its existence, quantify its magnitude, and develop solutions. PMID:25506291

Interventions addressing risk factors of ischaemic heart disease in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

PubMed

Ebireri, Jennifer; Aderemi, Adewale V; Omoregbe, Nicholas; Adeloye, Davies

2016-07-05

Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is currently ranked eighth among the leading causes of deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). Yet, effective population-wide preventive measures targeting risks in the region are still largely unavailable. We aimed to review population-wide and individual-level interventions addressing risk factors of IHD among adults in sSA. A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health and AJOL was conducted to identify studies focusing on population-wide and individual-level interventions targeting risks of IHD among adults in sSA. We conducted a detailed synthesis of basic findings of selected studies. A total of 2311 studies were identified, with only 9 studies meeting our selection criteria. 3 broad interventions were identified: dietary modifications, physical activity and community-based health promotion measures on tobacco and alcohol cessation. 3 studies reported significant reduction in blood pressure (BP), and another study reported statistically significant reduction in mean total cholesterol. Other outcome measures observed ranged from mild to no reduction in BP, blood glucose, body mass index and total cholesterol, respectively. We cannot specify with all certainty contextually feasible interventions that can be effective in modifying IHD risk factors in population groups across sSA. We recommend more research on IHD, particularly on the understanding of the burden, geared towards developing and/or strengthening preventive and treatment interventions for the disease in sSA. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Title: Studies on drug switchability showed heterogeneity in methodological approaches: a scoping review.

PubMed

Belleudi, Valeria; Trotta, Francesco; Vecchi, Simona; Amato, Laura; Addis, Antonio; Davoli, Marina

2018-05-16

Several drugs share the same therapeutic indication, including those undergoing patent expiration. Concerns on the interchangeability are frequent in clinical practice, challenging the evaluation of switchability through observational research. To conduct a scoping review of observational studies on drug switchability to identify methodological strategies adopted to deal with bias and confounding. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science (updated 1/31/2017) to identify studies evaluating switchability in terms of effectiveness/safety outcomes or compliance. Three reviewers independently screened studies extracting all characteristics. Strategies to address confounding, particularly, previous drug use and switching reasons were considered. All findings were summarized in descriptive analyses. Thirty-two studies, published in the last 10 years, met the inclusion criteria. Epilepsy, cardiovascular and rheumatology were the most frequently represented clinical areas. 75% of the studies reported data on effectiveness/safety outcomes. The most frequent study design was cohort (65.6%) followed by case-control (21.9%) and self-controlled (12.5%). Case-control and case-crossover studies showed homogeneous methodological strategies to deal with bias and confounding. Among cohort studies, the confounding associated with previous drug use was addressed introducing variables in multivariate model (47.3%) or selecting only adherent patients (14.3%). Around 30% of cohort studies did not report reasons for switching. In the remaining 70%, clinical parameters or previous occurrence of outcomes were measured to identify switching connected with lack of effectiveness or adverse events. This study represents a starting point for researchers and administrators who are approaching the investigation and assessment of issues related to interchangeability of drugs. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Troubled minds in the Gulf: mental health research in the United Arab Emirates (1989-2008).

PubMed

Osman, Ossama T; Afifi, M

2010-07-01

This article aims to describe the characteristics of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) mental health research published from 1989 to 2008 in PubMed indexed journals to identify gaps and to suggest recommendations. Our sensitive PubMed search for general and mental health publications in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the UAE revealed a total of 192 mental health studies published in GCC countries over the past 20 years, which constituted less than 1% of the GCC total biomedical research. Most of the studies were from the UAE University and were either epidemiologic (48.98%) or psychometric (24.49%) with no studies addressing mental health systems research. Underrepresented were studies on health promotion and interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, ethnic, and gender research. There is a need for more international collaboration and for policies that link research conducted to services provided with longitudinal studies to test the long-term impact of early preventive interventions.

Adapting the Patient-Centered Medical Home to Address Psychosocial Adversity: Results of a Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Vu, Cecilia; Rothman, Emily; Kistin, Caroline J; Barton, Kelly; Bulman, Barb; Budzak-Garza, Ann; Olson-Dorff, Denyse; Bair-Merritt, Megan H

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) seeks to improve population health. However, PCMH models often focus on improving treatment of chronic diseases rather than on addressing psychosocial adversity. We sought to gather key stakeholder input about how PCMHs might feasibly and sustainably address psychosocial adversity within their patient populations. We conducted 25 semistructured interviews with key stakeholders, such as physicians, nurses, medical assistants, and patients. The audiorecorded interviews focused on participants' perceptions of the best ways to modify the PCMH to address patients' psychosocial adversity. To facilitate information gathering, a fictional patient case was presented. Analyses were conducted using a 3-stage content-analysis process. Participants identified provider-related and systems-level changes necessary for addressing these psychosocial adversities effectively. On the provider level, participants thought that practitioners should foster trusting relationships with patients and should be emotionally present as patients describe their life experiences. Participants also emphasized that providers need to have sensitive conversations about adversity and resilience. On a systems level, participants discussed that documentation must balance privacy and include relevant information in the medical record. In addition, care should be delivered not by a single provider but by a team that has a longitudinal relationship with the patient; this care team should include behavioral health support. Participants provided practical strategies and highlighted provider and systems level changes to adequately address patients' prior psychosocial adversity. Future studies need to assess the degree to which such a trauma-informed approach improves patient access, outcomes, and care quality, and reduces cost. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advances in asthma and allergy genetics in 2007.

PubMed

Vercelli, Donata

2008-08-01

This review discusses the main advances in the genetics of asthma and allergy published in the Journal in 2007. The association studies discussed herein addressed 3 main topics: the effect of the environment and gene-environment interactions on asthma/allergy susceptibility, the contribution of T(H)2 immunity gene variants to allergic inflammation, and the role of filaggrin mutations in atopic dermatitis and associated phenotypes. Other articles revealed novel, potentially important candidate genes or confirmed known ones. Collectively, the works published in 2007 reiterate that allergy and asthma are typical complex diseases; that is, they are disorders in which intricate interactions among environmental and genetic factors modify disease susceptibility by altering the fundamental structural and functional properties of target organs at critical developmental windows.

Learning for Development: Selected Speeches of Sir John Daniel and Colleagues, September 2006-February 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commonwealth of Learning, 2007

2007-01-01

The third in a series published by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), this booklet reproduces five addresses and one article from late 2006 and early 2007. This collection of speeches is entitled "Learning for Development" because that is the focus of the work of the COL's work. The addresses presented here were given at the opening and…

Psychological perspectives on fear of childbirth.

PubMed

Rondung, Elisabet; Thomtén, Johanna; Sundin, Örjan

2016-12-01

The objective of this narrative review was to examine the literature on fear of childbirth from a psychological perspective, addressing the specificity of childbirth fear, the pathways of fear acquisition, and the physiological, cognitive and behavioral aspects of fear. Systematic procedures for literature search, inclusion and exclusion left 86 original research papers for analysis. Findings summarize the body of knowledge for each area of interest, as well as the number of studies addressing each theme. Overall, few studies adopt a clear-cut psychological perspective, leaving the psychological mechanisms of childbirth fear largely unexplored. Although methodological limitations make conclusions difficult, results give a hint of etiological diversity and possible psychological mechanisms commonly described as transdiagnostic features in anxiety. Systematic investigations of psychological mechanisms, longitudinal studies exploring possible vicious circles of fear, and studies comparing psychological characteristics within the group of women fearing childbirth are identified as research areas of high priority. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The prevalence of encoded digital trace evidence in the nonfile space of computer media(,) (.).

PubMed

Garfinkel, Simson L

2014-09-01

Forensically significant digital trace evidence that is frequently present in sectors of digital media not associated with allocated or deleted files. Modern digital forensic tools generally do not decompress such data unless a specific file with a recognized file type is first identified, potentially resulting in missed evidence. Email addresses are encoded differently for different file formats. As a result, trace evidence can be categorized as Plain in File (PF), Encoded in File (EF), Plain Not in File (PNF), or Encoded Not in File (ENF). The tool bulk_extractor finds all of these formats, but other forensic tools do not. A study of 961 storage devices purchased on the secondary market and shows that 474 contained encoded email addresses that were not in files (ENF). Different encoding formats are the result of different application programs that processed different kinds of digital trace evidence. Specific encoding formats explored include BASE64, GZIP, PDF, HIBER, and ZIP. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Journal of Forensic Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Open Access, data capitalism and academic publishing.

PubMed

Hagner, Michael

2018-02-16

Open Access (OA) is widely considered a breakthrough in the history of academic publishing, rendering the knowledge produced by the worldwide scientific community accessible to all. In numerous countries, national governments, funding institutions and research organisations have undertaken enormous efforts to establish OA as the new publishing standard. The benefits and new perspectives, however, cause various challenges. This essay addresses several issues, including that OA is deeply embedded in the logic and practices of data capitalism. Given that OA has proven an attractive business model for commercial publishers, the key predictions of OA-advocates, namely that OA would liberate both scientists and tax payers from the chains of global publishing companies, have not become true. In its conclusion, the paper discusses the opportunities and pitfalls of non-commercial publishing.

Research Gaps in Wilderness Medicine.

PubMed

Tritz, Daniel; Dormire, Kody; Brachtenbach, Travis; Gordon, Joshua; Sanders, Donald; Gearheart, David; Crawford, Julia; Vassar, Matt

2018-05-18

Wilderness medicine involves the treatment of individuals in remote, austere environments. Given the high potential for injuries as well as the unique treatment modalities required in wilderness medicine, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines are necessary to provide optimal care. In this study, we identify evidence gaps from low-quality recommendations in wilderness medicine clinical practice guidelines and identify new/ongoing research addressing them. We included relevant clinical practice guidelines from the Wilderness Medical Society and obtained all 1C or 2C level recommendations. Patient/Problem/Population, intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) questions were created to address each recommendation. Using 24 search strings, we extracted titles, clinical trial registry number, and recruitment status for 8899 articles. We categorized the articles by trial design to infer the effect they may have on future recommendations. Twelve clinical practice guidelines met inclusion criteria. From these we located 275 low-quality recommendations and used them to create 275 PICO questions. Thirty-three articles were relevant to the PICO questions. Heat-related illness had the highest number of relevant articles (n=9), but acute pain and altitude sickness had the most randomized clinical trials (n=6). Overall, few studies were being conducted to address research gaps in wilderness medicine. Heat-related illness had the most new or ongoing research, whereas no studies were being conducted to address gaps in eye injuries, basic wound management, or spine immobilization. Animals, cadavers, and mannequin research are useful in cases in which human evidence is difficult to obtain. Establishing research priorities is recommended for addressing research gaps identified by guideline panels. Copyright © 2018 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recent trends in working with the private sector to improve basic healthcare: a review of evidence and interventions.

PubMed

Montagu, Dominic; Goodman, Catherine; Berman, Peter; Penn, Amy; Visconti, Adam

2016-10-01

The private sector provides the majority of health care in Africa and Asia. A number of interventions have, for many years, applied different models of subsidy, support and engagement to address social and efficiency failures in private health care markets. We have conducted a review of these models, and the evidence in support of them, to better understand what interventions are currently common, and to what extent practice is based on evidence. Using established typologies, we examined five models of intervention with private markets for care: commodity social marketing, social franchising, contracting, accreditation and vouchers. We conducted a systematic review of both published and grey literature, identifying programmes large enough to be cited in publications, and studies of the listed intervention types. 343 studies were included in the review, including both published and grey literature. Three hundred and eighty programmes were identified, the earliest having begun operation in 1955. Commodity social marketing programmes were the most common intervention type, with 110 documented programmes operating for condoms alone at the highest period. Existing evidence shows that these models can improve access and utilization, and possibly quality, but for all programme types, the overall evidence base remains weak, with practice in private sector engagement consistently moving in advance of evidence. Future research should address key questions concerning the impact of interventions on the market as a whole, the distribution of benefits by socio-economic status, the potential for scale up and sustainability, cost-effectiveness compared to relevant alternatives and the risk of unintended consequences. Alongside better data, a stronger conceptual basis linking programme design and outcomes to context is also required. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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

PubMed

Eckhardt, Ann L; DeVon, Holli A

2017-10-01

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

Wilderness Medical Society practice guidelines for the use of epinephrine in outdoor education and wilderness settings: 2014 update.

PubMed

Gaudio, Flavio G; Lemery, Jay; Johnson, David E

2014-12-01

The Epinephrine Roundtable took place on July 27, 2008, during the 25th Annual Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) in Snowmass, CO. The WMS convened this roundtable to explore areas of consensus and uncertainty in the field treatment of anaphylaxis. Panelists were selected on the basis of their relevant academic or professional experience. There is a paucity of data that address the treatment of anaphylaxis in the wilderness. Anaphylaxis is a rare disease, with a sudden onset and drastic course that does not lend itself to study in randomized, controlled trials. Therefore, the panel endorsed the following position based on the limited available evidence and review of published articles, as well as expert consensus. The position represents the consensus of the panelists and is endorsed by the WMS. In 2014, the authors reviewed relevant articles published since the Epinephrine Roundtable. The following is an updated version of the original guidelines published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine 2010;21(4):185-187. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Persistence and availability of Web services in computational biology.

PubMed

Schultheiss, Sebastian J; Münch, Marc-Christian; Andreeva, Gergana D; Rätsch, Gunnar

2011-01-01

We have conducted a study on the long-term availability of bioinformatics Web services: an observation of 927 Web services published in the annual Nucleic Acids Research Web Server Issues between 2003 and 2009. We found that 72% of Web sites are still available at the published addresses, only 9% of services are completely unavailable. Older addresses often redirect to new pages. We checked the functionality of all available services: for 33%, we could not test functionality because there was no example data or a related problem; 13% were truly no longer working as expected; we could positively confirm functionality only for 45% of all services. Additionally, we conducted a survey among 872 Web Server Issue corresponding authors; 274 replied. 78% of all respondents indicate their services have been developed solely by students and researchers without a permanent position. Consequently, these services are in danger of falling into disrepair after the original developers move to another institution, and indeed, for 24% of services, there is no plan for maintenance, according to the respondents. We introduce a Web service quality scoring system that correlates with the number of citations: services with a high score are cited 1.8 times more often than low-scoring services. We have identified key characteristics that are predictive of a service's survival, providing reviewers, editors, and Web service developers with the means to assess or improve Web services. A Web service conforming to these criteria receives more citations and provides more reliable service for its users. The most effective way of ensuring continued access to a service is a persistent Web address, offered either by the publishing journal, or created on the authors' own initiative, for example at http://bioweb.me. The community would benefit the most from a policy requiring any source code needed to reproduce results to be deposited in a public repository.

Persistence and Availability of Web Services in Computational Biology

PubMed Central

Schultheiss, Sebastian J.; Münch, Marc-Christian; Andreeva, Gergana D.; Rätsch, Gunnar

2011-01-01

We have conducted a study on the long-term availability of bioinformatics Web services: an observation of 927 Web services published in the annual Nucleic Acids Research Web Server Issues between 2003 and 2009. We found that 72% of Web sites are still available at the published addresses, only 9% of services are completely unavailable. Older addresses often redirect to new pages. We checked the functionality of all available services: for 33%, we could not test functionality because there was no example data or a related problem; 13% were truly no longer working as expected; we could positively confirm functionality only for 45% of all services. Additionally, we conducted a survey among 872 Web Server Issue corresponding authors; 274 replied. 78% of all respondents indicate their services have been developed solely by students and researchers without a permanent position. Consequently, these services are in danger of falling into disrepair after the original developers move to another institution, and indeed, for 24% of services, there is no plan for maintenance, according to the respondents. We introduce a Web service quality scoring system that correlates with the number of citations: services with a high score are cited 1.8 times more often than low-scoring services. We have identified key characteristics that are predictive of a service's survival, providing reviewers, editors, and Web service developers with the means to assess or improve Web services. A Web service conforming to these criteria receives more citations and provides more reliable service for its users. The most effective way of ensuring continued access to a service is a persistent Web address, offered either by the publishing journal, or created on the authors' own initiative, for example at http://bioweb.me. The community would benefit the most from a policy requiring any source code needed to reproduce results to be deposited in a public repository. PMID:21966383

Guidelines on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis.

PubMed

Knobler, R; Berlin, G; Calzavara-Pinton, P; Greinix, H; Jaksch, P; Laroche, L; Ludvigsson, J; Quaglino, P; Reinisch, W; Scarisbrick, J; Schwarz, T; Wolf, P; Arenberger, P; Assaf, C; Bagot, M; Barr, M; Bohbot, A; Bruckner-Tuderman, L; Dreno, B; Enk, A; French, L; Gniadecki, R; Gollnick, H; Hertl, M; Jantschitsch, C; Jung, A; Just, U; Klemke, C-D; Lippert, U; Luger, T; Papadavid, E; Pehamberger, H; Ranki, A; Stadler, R; Sterry, W; Wolf, I H; Worm, M; Zic, J; Zouboulis, C C; Hillen, U

2014-01-01

After the first investigational study on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma was published in 1983 with its subsequent recognition by the FDA for its refractory forms, the technology has shown significant promise in the treatment of other severe and refractory conditions in a multi-disciplinary setting. Among the major studied conditions are graft versus host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, systemic sclerosis, solid organ transplant rejection and inflammatory bowel disease. In order to provide recognized expert practical guidelines for the use of this technology for all indications the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) proceeded to address these questions in the hands of the recognized experts within and outside the field of dermatology. This was done using the recognized and approved guidelines of EDF for this task. These guidelines provide at present the most comprehensive available expert recommendations for the use of extracorporeal photopheresis based on the available published literature and expert consensus opinion. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Trochleoplasty: Indications and Technique.

PubMed

Nolan, John E; Schottel, Patrick C; Endres, Nathan K

2018-05-09

Trochlear dysplasia is a well-described risk factor for patellar instability. Trochleoplasty has emerged as a procedure within the surgical armamentarium for patellar instability, yet its role is unclear. A variety of trochleoplasty procedures have emerged. The purpose of this review is to clarify indications for trochleoplasty, outline the technical steps involved in performing common trochleoplasties and report the published outcomes and potential complications of these procedures. Patellar instability with severe trochlear dysplasia is the main indication for trochleoplasty. Three types of trochleoplasty have emerged: (1) lateral facet elevation; (2) sulcus deepening; and (3) recession wedge. Deepening and recession wedge trochleoplasties are the most commonly performed. Trochleoplasty is a surgical option for addressing patellar instability in patients with severe trochlear dysplasia. Deepening and recession wedge trochleoplasties that address Dejour B and D dysplastic trochleas are the most studied, with both short- and midterm outcomes reported. Long-term outcomes are lacking and comparative studies are needed.

Twenty Years of Public Health Research: Inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations

PubMed Central

Boehmer, Ulrike

2002-01-01

Objectives. This study determined to what extent lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations have been studied over the past 20 years of public health research. Methods. From MEDLINE English-language articles on human subjects published between 1980 and 1999, I identified articles that included LGBT individuals. The abstracts were analyzed with a coding procedure that categorized the content by topic, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. Results. LGBT issues were addressed by 3777 articles, or 0.1% of all Medline articles; 61% of the articles were disease-specific, and 85% omitted reference to race/ethnicity. Research unrelated to sexually transmitted diseases addressed lesbians and gay men with similar frequency, whereas bisexual persons were less frequently considered, and the least amount of research focused on transgender individuals. Conclusions. Findings supported that LGBT issues have been neglected by public health research and that research unrelated to sexually transmitted diseases is lacking. PMID:12084696

Literature study on clinical treatment of facial paralysis in the last 20 years using Web of Science

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaoge; Feng, Ling; Du, Liang; Zhang, Anxiang; Tang, Tian

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Facial paralysis is defined as severe or complete loss of facial muscle motor function. OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to explore a bibliometric approach to quantitatively assess the research on clinical treatment of facial paralysis using rehabilitation, physiotherapy and acupuncture using Web of Science from 1992 to 2011. DESIGN: Bibliometric approach. DATA RETRIEVAL: A bibliometric analysis based on the publications on Web of Science was performed using key words such as “facial paralysis”, “rehabilitation”, “physiotherapy” and “acupuncture”. INCLUSIVE CRITERIA: (1) Research articles on the clinical treatment of facial paralysis using acupuncture or physiotherapy (e.g. exercise, electro-stimulation) and other rehabilitation methods; (2) researches on human and animal fundamentals, clinical trials and case reports; (3) Article types: article, review, proceedings paper, note, letter, editorial material, discussion, book chapter. (4) Publication year: 1992–2011 inclusive. Exclusion criteria: (1) Articles on the causes and diagnosis on facial paralysis; (2) Type of articles: correction; (3) Articles from following databases: all databases related to social science and chemical databases in Web of Science. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Overall number of publications; (2) number of publications annually; (3) number of citations received annually; (4) top cited paper; (5) subject categories of publication; (6) the number of countries in which the article is published; (7) distribution of output in journals. RESULTS: Overall population stands at 3 543 research articles addressing the clinical treatment of facial paralysis in Web of Science during the study period. There is also a markedly increase in the number of publications on the subject “facial paralysis treatments using rehabilitation” during the first decade of the 21st century, except in 2004 and 2006 when there are perceptible drops in the number of articles published. The only other year during the study period saw such a drop is 1993. Specifically, there are 192 published articles on facial paralysis treated by rehabilitation in the past two decades, far more than the output of physiotherapy treatment. Physiotherapy treatment scored only 25 articles including acupuncture treatment, with over 80% of these written by Chinese researchers and clinicians. Ranked by regions, USA is by far the most productive country in terms of the number of publications on facial paralysis rehabilitation and physiotherapy research. Seeing from another angle, the journals that focus on otolaryngology published the most number of articles in rehabilitation and physiotherapy studies, whereas most acupuncture studies on facial paralysis were published in the alternative and complementary medicine journals. CONCLUSION: Study of facial paralysis remains an area of active investigation and innovation. Further clinical studies in humans addressing the use of growth factors or stem cells continue to successful facial nerve regeneration. PMID:25767492

Literature study on clinical treatment of facial paralysis in the last 20 years using Web of Science: Comparison between rehabilitation, physiotherapy and acupuncture.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoge; Feng, Ling; Du, Liang; Zhang, Anxiang; Tang, Tian

2012-01-15

Facial paralysis is defined as severe or complete loss of facial muscle motor function. The study was undertaken to explore a bibliometric approach to quantitatively assess the research on clinical treatment of facial paralysis using rehabilitation, physiotherapy and acupuncture using Web of Science from 1992 to 2011. Bibliometric approach. A bibliometric analysis based on the publications on Web of Science was performed using key words such as "facial paralysis", "rehabilitation", "physiotherapy" and "acupuncture". (1) Research articles on the clinical treatment of facial paralysis using acupuncture or physiotherapy (e.g. exercise, electro-stimulation) and other rehabilitation methods; (2) researches on human and animal fundamentals, clinical trials and case reports; (3) Article types: article, review, proceedings paper, note, letter, editorial material, discussion, book chapter. (4) Publication year: 1992-2011 inclusive. (1) Articles on the causes and diagnosis on facial paralysis; (2) Type of articles: correction; (3) Articles from following databases: all databases related to social science and chemical databases in Web of Science. (1) Overall number of publications; (2) number of publications annually; (3) number of citations received annually; (4) top cited paper; (5) subject categories of publication; (6) the number of countries in which the article is published; (7) distribution of output in journals. Overall population stands at 3 543 research articles addressing the clinical treatment of facial paralysis in Web of Science during the study period. There is also a markedly increase in the number of publications on the subject "facial paralysis treatments using rehabilitation" during the first decade of the 21(st) century, except in 2004 and 2006 when there are perceptible drops in the number of articles published. The only other year during the study period saw such a drop is 1993. Specifically, there are 192 published articles on facial paralysis treated by rehabilitation in the past two decades, far more than the output of physiotherapy treatment. Physiotherapy treatment scored only 25 articles including acupuncture treatment, with over 80% of these written by Chinese researchers and clinicians. Ranked by regions, USA is by far the most productive country in terms of the number of publications on facial paralysis rehabilitation and physiotherapy research. Seeing from another angle, the journals that focus on otolaryngology published the most number of articles in rehabilitation and physiotherapy studies, whereas most acupuncture studies on facial paralysis were published in the alternative and complementary medicine journals. Study of facial paralysis remains an area of active investigation and innovation. Further clinical studies in humans addressing the use of growth factors or stem cells continue to successful facial nerve regeneration.

DOORS to the semantic web and grid with a PORTAL for biomedical computing.

PubMed

Taswell, Carl

2008-03-01

The semantic web remains in the early stages of development. It has not yet achieved the goals envisioned by its founders as a pervasive web of distributed knowledge and intelligence. Success will be attained when a dynamic synergism can be created between people and a sufficient number of infrastructure systems and tools for the semantic web in analogy with those for the original web. The domain name system (DNS), web browsers, and the benefits of publishing web pages motivated many people to register domain names and publish web sites on the original web. An analogous resource label system, semantic search applications, and the benefits of collaborative semantic networks will motivate people to register resource labels and publish resource descriptions on the semantic web. The Domain Ontology Oriented Resource System (DOORS) and Problem Oriented Registry of Tags and Labels (PORTAL) are proposed as infrastructure systems for resource metadata within a paradigm that can serve as a bridge between the original web and the semantic web. The Internet Registry Information Service (IRIS) registers [corrected] domain names while DNS publishes domain addresses with mapping of names to addresses for the original web. Analogously, PORTAL registers resource labels and tags while DOORS publishes resource locations and descriptions with mapping of labels to locations for the semantic web. BioPORT is proposed as a prototype PORTAL registry specific for the problem domain of biomedical computing.

Knowledge of healthy lifestyle in Iran: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Ghanei, Mostafa; Ahmady, Khodabakhsh; Babaei, Mansour; Tavana, Ali Mehrabi; Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Ebadi, Abbas; Poursaid, Syed Masood

2016-01-01

Introduction Lifestyle is a set of goals, plans, values, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs manifested in the personal and family life of the individual and in her or his social interactions. It is an interdisciplinary concept that involves a health-oriented view of the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains of life. Despite their great importance, there is not much knowledge in Iran about healthy lifestyles. The present study is an attempt to address the knowledge of healthy lifestyle in Iran through a review of the literature on the subject. Methods The present systematic review searched Elsevier, SID, Pub Med, Magiran, IranMedex, and Google Scholar databases for relevant articles published between 2000 and 2014. We used various keywords for the searches, including knowledge, lifestyle, health, and Iran. As a result, 62 articles were included in the study. Results There has been a dramatic increase in the publication of articles on lifestyle in Iran over the past 10 years. The results obtained showed that 64% of the articles addressed physical health, 14% addressed psychological health, 10% addressed social health, and 12% addressed spiritual health. Most lifestyle studies conducted in Iran have focused on physical health, and a few have examined the psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of lifestyle. None of the studies has examined the knowledge map of healthy lifestyles in Iran. Conclusion Given the changes in the causes of mortality from infectious and chronic diseases that impose greater medication and treatment costs on the society, and since diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyles have become the leading cause of death, it is essential for health researchers to focus on the root cause of these diseases, i.e., lifestyle and human behaviors. PMID:27123231

Hormonal contraceptive use in HIV-infected women using antiretroviral therapy: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Womack, Julie A; Novick, Gina; Goulet, Joseph L

2015-01-01

Background While extensive research has explored pharmacokinetic interactions between antiretroviral therapy (ART) and hormonal contraception, few studies have examined whether these interactions affect clinical outcomes. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of the literature that describes hormonal contraceptive use among HIV-infected women who also use ART, focusing on papers that address clinically important outcomes such as pregnancy or ovulation. Methods/design An electronic literature search was conducted of PubMed and Ovid to identify all articles that addressed hormonal contraception co-administered with ART published in English between January 1, 1990 and October 30, 2014. In addition, manual reference checks of all articles of interest were conducted to identify articles not captured in the electronic search. Our search criteria identified 405 records. The title and abstract of data reports retrieved via the search were reviewed to identify potential articles of interest. Those with any indication of the main outcomes of interest were considered for inclusion (N=162). Abstracts were then reviewed to identify those manuscripts that would merit a review of the full-text version (N=64). Eight articles that addressed the outcomes of interest were identified. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of these articles. Results The studies reviewed were limited in a number of ways that precluded their providing a rigorous assessment of the efficacy of contraception when co-administered with ART. Discussion None of the studies were of adequate quality to provide the guidance that providers and HIV-infected women need when considering contraceptive options. High-quality, well-powered studies are required to address the efficacy of hormonal contraception when co-administered with ART. PMID:28955156

'Please don't call me Mister': patient preferences of how they are addressed and their knowledge of their treating medical team in an Australian hospital.

PubMed

Parsons, Shaun R; Hughes, Andrew J; Friedman, N Deborah

2016-01-06

To investigate how patients prefer to be addressed by healthcare providers and to assess their knowledge of their attending medical team's identity in an Australian Hospital. Single-centre, large tertiary hospital in Australia. 300 inpatients were included in the survey. Patients were selected in a sequential, systematic and whole-ward manner. Participants were excluded with significant cognitive impairment, non-English speaking, under the age of 18 years or were too acutely unwell to participate. The sample demographic was predominately an older population of Anglo-Saxon background. Patients preferred mode of address from healthcare providers including first name, title and second name, abbreviated first name or another name. Whether patients disliked formal address of title and second name. Secondarily, patient knowledge of their attending medical team members name and role and if correct, what position within the medical hierarchy they held. Over 99% of patients prefer informal address with greater than one-third having a preference to being called a name other than their legal first name. 57% of patients were unable to correctly name a single member of their attending medical team. These findings support patient preference of informal address; however, healthcare providers cannot assume that a documented legal first name is preferred by the patient. Patient knowledge of their attending medical team is poor and suggests current introduction practices are insufficient. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Presidential addresses of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene: 1907–2013

PubMed Central

Hay, Simon I.; McHugh, Gerri M.

2013-01-01

Presidents have been required to give an inaugural address on commencing office at the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) since its foundation in 1907. All presidential addresses were identified, sourced and assembled into an annotated bibliography. The majority of presidential addresses have been published in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Unpublished and in some cases ‘lost’ contributions have now been sourced where possible and archived at the RSTMH. This unique, rich and rewarding archive provides a vista into the development of the RSTMH and the discipline of tropical medicine. The archive is freely available to all. PMID:24026462

Reproducible and reusable research: are journal data sharing policies meeting the mark?

PubMed

Vasilevsky, Nicole A; Minnier, Jessica; Haendel, Melissa A; Champieux, Robin E

2017-01-01

There is wide agreement in the biomedical research community that research data sharing is a primary ingredient for ensuring that science is more transparent and reproducible. Publishers could play an important role in facilitating and enforcing data sharing; however, many journals have not yet implemented data sharing policies and the requirements vary widely across journals. This study set out to analyze the pervasiveness and quality of data sharing policies in the biomedical literature. The online author's instructions and editorial policies for 318 biomedical journals were manually reviewed to analyze the journal's data sharing requirements and characteristics. The data sharing policies were ranked using a rubric to determine if data sharing was required, recommended, required only for omics data, or not addressed at all. The data sharing method and licensing recommendations were examined, as well any mention of reproducibility or similar concepts. The data was analyzed for patterns relating to publishing volume, Journal Impact Factor, and the publishing model (open access or subscription) of each journal. A total of 11.9% of journals analyzed explicitly stated that data sharing was required as a condition of publication. A total of 9.1% of journals required data sharing, but did not state that it would affect publication decisions. 23.3% of journals had a statement encouraging authors to share their data but did not require it. A total of 9.1% of journals mentioned data sharing indirectly, and only 14.8% addressed protein, proteomic, and/or genomic data sharing. There was no mention of data sharing in 31.8% of journals. Impact factors were significantly higher for journals with the strongest data sharing policies compared to all other data sharing criteria. Open access journals were not more likely to require data sharing than subscription journals. Our study confirmed earlier investigations which observed that only a minority of biomedical journals require data sharing, and a significant association between higher Impact Factors and journals with a data sharing requirement. Moreover, while 65.7% of the journals in our study that required data sharing addressed the concept of reproducibility, as with earlier investigations, we found that most data sharing policies did not provide specific guidance on the practices that ensure data is maximally available and reusable.

Multidrug-resistant organisms in a community living facility: tracking patient interactions and time spent in common areas.

PubMed

Bowen, Mary Elizabeth; Craighead, Jeffrey D; Klanchar, S Angelina; Nieves-Garcia, Veronica

2012-09-01

Contact precautions in community living facilities (CLF) are used to reduce the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO). However, this policy does not address the contamination of shared spaces, devices (eg, wheelchairs), and interactions with other patients. Using a real-time surveillance system, this study examines the time MDRO-positive patients spend interacting with others in communal areas. The findings from this study may be used to tailor MDRO policies and practices to the specific needs of CLF. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Skin tightening technologies.

PubMed

Greene, Ryan M; Green, Jeremy B

2014-02-01

Radiofrequency (RF) and intense focused ultrasound (IFUS) are increasingly used to address skin laxity of the face and neck. Both nonablative RF and ultrasound create a heat-induced tissue response that leads to collagen remodeling and other ultrastructural changes. Although these treatments are not meant to replace surgical procedures, patient satisfaction in the majority of studies has been consistently high. This article discusses the various RF and IFUS technologies currently in use and reviews pertinent clinical studies evaluating their efficacy and safety. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Solidification/Stabilization Resource Guide

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Solidification/Stabilization Resource Guide is intended to inform site cleanup managers of recently-published materials such as field reports and guidance documents that address issues relevant to solidification/stabilization technologies.

Community Education for Family Planning in the U.S.: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Carter, Marion W; Tregear, Michelle L; Moskosky, Susan B

2015-08-01

Community education may involve activities that seek to raise awareness and promote behavior change, using mass media, social media, and other media or interpersonal methods in community settings. This systematic review evaluated the evidence of the effects of community education on select short- and medium-term family planning outcomes. Using an analytic approach drawn from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, multiple databases were searched for articles published from January 1985 through February 2011 describing studies of community education related to family planning in the U.S. Included articles were reviewed and assessed for potential bias using a standardized process in 2011. An updated, targeted review for the 2011-2014 period was conducted in early 2015. Seventeen papers were identified. Most (nine) related to mass media interventions; three involved targeted print media, two involved text messaging or e-mail, two described outcome workers conducting community education, and one involved community theater. Study designs, strength of evidence, and levels of possible bias varied widely. Twelve of 15 studies that addressed outcomes such as increased awareness found positive associations with those outcomes, with six also reporting null findings. Seven of eight studies that addressed use of services reported positive associations, with two also reporting null findings. The targeted, additional review identified two other studies. Evidence related to community education for family planning purposes is limited and highly variable. As goals of community education are usually limited to shorter-term outcomes, the evidence suggests that a range of approaches may be effective. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Review of attrition and adherence in exercise studies following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Hacker, Eileen Danaher; Mjukian, Maral

2014-04-01

Implementing exercise programs in people receiving high-dose chemotherapy followed by bone marrow (BMT) or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) presents unique challenges. This review examines subject attrition rates and reasons for attrition as well as adherence to exercise interventions following BMT/SCT. Studies published between January 1985 and December 2012 that prospectively tested an exercise intervention following BMT or SCT were included in the review. Evaluation criteria included: (1) exercise modality; (2) the amount of supervision required to implement the intervention; (3) timing of the intervention; (4) subject attrition rates and reasons for attrition; and (5) exercise adherence rates. Of the 20 studies reviewed, most tested an aerobic exercise intervention or a combination of aerobic and strength training. Supervised exercise sessions were more commonly used than unsupervised sessions. The overall attrition rate was 18% for the 998 subjects enrolled in the studies. Major reasons for attrition included death, change in health status, protocol issues, personal issues with subjects, and lost to follow-up/no reason provided. Authors of supervised exercise programs rarely published exercise adherence information. Unsupervised exercise programs relied mainly on self-report to document adherence. Exercise research following BMT/SCT is becoming more sophisticated as researchers build upon the expanding literature base. Questions regarding subject attrition and adherence to exercise interventions must be addressed to identify interventions that are likely to be successful when translated into clinical practice. Subject attrition from exercise studies following BMT/SCT is relatively low. Adherence information for exercise interventions needs to be regularly addressed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publisher Correction: Quantum engineering of transistors based on 2D materials heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iannaccone, Giuseppe; Bonaccorso, Francesco; Colombo, Luigi; Fiori, Gianluca

2018-06-01

In the version of this Perspective originally published, in the email address for the author Giuseppe Iannaccone, the surname was incorrectly given as "innaconne"; this has now been corrected in all versions of the Perspective. Also, an error in the production process led to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 being of low resolution; these have now been replaced with higher-quality versions.

Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Guidelines: Lack of Authors and Disclosures in the AAOMS White Papers.

PubMed

Ji, Yisi D; Lahey, Edward T

2018-03-02

The purpose of this study was to evaluate current state of authorship, financial disclosures, and conflicts of interest in position papers published by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS). This is a cross-sectional review of the position papers published by the AAOMS from 2013 to 2017. Primary outcome variables include position papers published by the AAOMS. Secondary outcome variables include declaration of authorship, financial disclosures, and financial payments. The Open Payments Database for financial disclosures was reviewed for the year the position paper was published and the immediate preceding year. Ten position papers were published by the AAOMS from 2013 to 2017. Of the 10 papers, authorship was listed in 3, and none explicitly addressed the presence or absence of financial disclosures or conflicts of interest. Contributors to 3 of the 3 authored papers were found at review of the Open Payments Database to have received industry funding in the year the position paper was published and the immediate preceding year. The remuneration ranged from less than $1,000 to $554,006.02. Position papers published by the AAOMS lack standardization for authorship and statements on potential financial disclosure. The authors suggest full disclosures of authorship and authors' conflicts of interest should be stated on all position papers to provide transparency to the process. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of the published literature on team-based learning in health professions education.

PubMed

Reimschisel, Tyler; Herring, Anna L; Huang, Jennifer; Minor, Tara J

2017-12-01

Summarize the published literature on team-based learning (TBL) in health professions education (HPE) using the TBL conceptual framework to identify gaps that can guide future research Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar were searched through May 2016 for English-language articles regarding the use of TBL in HPE. Reviewers independently extracted data and coded for the seven elements in Michaelsen's Model of TBL. A total of 118 articles met inclusion criteria. The number of articles published yearly on TBL has grown steadily, more than tripling between 2011 and 2016. Most studies (55; 47%) involved undergraduate medical students and took place in the US (72; 61%). The most commonly studied framework component was Teacher and Learner Attitudes (97; 82%). Other commonly studied elements included Learning Outcomes (85; 72%) and Team Characteristics (25; 21%). Contextual Factors affecting TBL was addressed in one study. A substantial body of literature examines the effect that TBL has on traditional measures of achievement. However, many dimensions of TBL have not been well studied, including Teacher Decisions about TBL, Contextual Factors that affect TBL, Learners' Engagement, and Pattern of Engagement within Teams. Future research in these areas could determine the best use of TBL in HPE.

The health diagnoses of homeless adolescents: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Medlow, Sharon; Klineberg, Emily; Steinbeck, Kate

2014-07-01

Homelessness during adolescence impacts negatively upon young people's physical and mental wellbeing. To be effective, programs aimed at addressing the health needs of this population must include knowledge of both the presenting and underlying acute and chronic conditions that characterise this high risk group of youth. We undertook a systematic review of the international literature for studies that used validated instruments and techniques to diagnose prevalence rates of physical and mental health disorders in homeless adolescents. Twenty-one studies fulfilled the selection criteria. Of these, nine studies examined mental health diagnoses including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and substance abuse disorders. With one exception, the remaining twelve studies all related to sexually transmitted infections. Homeless adolescents are diagnosed with widely varying rates of mental health disorders and high rates of sexually transmitted infection. Other likely chronic and acute physical conditions appear to be neglected in the published research. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of literature on psychosocial aspects of gynecomastia in adolescents and young men.

PubMed

Rew, Lynn; Young, Cara; Harrison, Tracie; Caridi, Robert

2015-08-01

Gynecomastia represents a serious psychosocial challenge for many adolescent and young adult males, but short of surgery, little attention has been given to this concern. The purpose of this paper is to report findings from a systematic review of the literature about psychosocial correlates, psychosocial interventions, and quality of research evidence about young males with gynecomastia. From an initial 233 published papers, 10 studies were identified and reviewed. Five were descriptive case studies and included no statistical analyses. The other studies were all conducted with small samples. Despite the limited evidence, findings suggest that many young men suffer emotional distress concerning gynecomastia, but this distress has received few interventions beyond surgical removal of the breast tissue. Future studies are needed to address this problem more fully so that more aggressive measures such as frequent assessments of the physical and psychosocial aspects of the condition can be done by healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and description of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews on patient safety published in medical journals.

PubMed

Barajas-Nava, Leticia Andrea; Calvache, José Andrés; López-Alcalde, Jesús; Solà, Ivan; Cosp, Xavier Bonfill

2013-06-01

To identify and describe randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) on patient safety published from 1973 onward. We handsearched a total of 12 medical journals published in English with contents related to patient safety to identify RCTs and SRs published between 1973 and the end of 2010. The results obtained from this search were complemented with an additional search in MEDLINE. The documents were classified by area of specialty or service in which the intervention was applied, level of preventive action, and type of patient safety incident, the latter in accordance with the International Classification for Patient Safety proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The main features of the identified studies are also described. A total of 787 issues of 12 journals published between 1973 and 2010 were handsearched. This procedure yielded 10,162 references, of which, 131 corresponded to RCTs and 127 to SRs. A parallel MEDLINE search identified only about two-thirds of these articles. Of all the studies identified, 83 RCTs and 64 SRs addressed interventions related to patient safety. The types of incident related to patient safety that were included most often in RCTs involved the clinical process, and for SRs, those related to resources/organizational management. On average, only 3.5 RCTs and 3.4 SRs were published per year, many of which had significant deficiencies in the reported information, such as, for instance, a lack of details on the methodology used. The number of RCTs and SRs on patient safety published in specialized journals is scarce. No studies on interventions to improve the safety of the handling of blood and derivatives, infections related to health care, nutrition, or infrastructure were identified as a result of our search. Handsearching plays a key role in the identification of all the clinical trials that could be included in SRs on patient safety interventions. Knowing the content of RCTs and SRs published on patient safety can better target future research.

Common needs but divergent interventions for U.S. homeless and foster care children: results from a systematic review.

PubMed

Zlotnick, Cheryl; Tam, Tammy; Zerger, Suzanne

2012-09-01

Many children living in homeless situations in the U.S. have temporary stays in foster care, and both populations suffer disproportionately higher rates of physical, psychological and social difficulties compared with other children. However, very little is known about which specific interventions achieve the best outcomes for children in these overlapping transitional living situations. To address this gap, we review existing literature to identify the most promising practices for children living in transition. A standardised vocabulary specific to each of three electronic databases (i.e. Medline, PsychINFO and CINAHL) was employed to identify studies that described an intervention specifically targeting foster care or homeless children and families. Separate systematic searches were conducted for homeless and foster children, and only studies published in English between January 1993 and February 2009 were selected. The final sample (n = 43) of articles described interventions that fell into two categories: mental health (n = 17) and case management (n = 26). No article included a sample containing both homeless and foster care children, and most studies on homeless children used case management interventions while most studies on foster care children focused on mental health interventions. Few articles employed rigorous study designs. Although repeatedly studies have demonstrated the overlap between populations of homeless and foster care children, studies focused on one population or the other. Virtually all studies on both homeless and foster children devised interventions to reduce trauma and family instability; yet, no evidence-based practice addresses the overlapping needs and potentially relevant evidence-based practice for these two populations. An important and vital next step is to establish an effective evidence-based intervention that reduces the impact of trauma on both U.S. populations of children living in transition. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Recommendations for research design of telehealth studies.

PubMed

Chumbler, Neale R; Kobb, Rita; Brennan, David M; Rabinowitz, Terry

2008-11-01

Properly designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard to use when examining the effectiveness of telehealth interventions on clinical outcomes. Some published telehealth studies have employed well-designed RCTs. However, such methods are not always feasible and practical in particular settings. This white paper addresses not only the need for properly designed RCTs, but also offers alternative research designs, such as quasi-experimental designs, and statistical techniques that can be employed to rigorously assess the effectiveness of telehealth studies. This paper further offers design and measurement recommendations aimed at and relevant to administrative decision-makers, policymakers, and practicing clinicians.

Study of Viability and Challenges of using SiPMs as an Alternative to PMT’s in Scintillation Detectors for Nuclear Safeguards

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

Iliev, Metodi

The goals of this project are to identify fundamental and practical problems and features with SiPMs as they relate to IAEA detector needs, Identify published results and implementations of scintillation detectors tat use SiPMs that are of interest to IAEA, asses how effectively the fundamental problems were addresses, and perform simulations and experiments as needed to reproduce crucial results and make recommendations.

Compilation of Projects Addressing the Early Childhood Provisions of IDEA: Discretionary Projects Supported by the Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fiscal Year 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danaher, Joan; Armijo, Caroline; Kraus, Robert; Festa, Cathy

This directory describes approximately 300 discretionary projects addressing the early childhood provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It was compiled from four volumes separately published by the ERIC/OSEP Special Project. The discretionary grants and contracts authorized by the 1997 Amendments to the IDEA are…

Compilation of Projects Addressing the Early Childhood Provisions of IDEA. Discretionary Projects Supported by the Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fiscal Year 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danaher, Joan; Armijo, Caroline; Kraus, Robert; Festa, Cathy

This directory describes approximately 300 discretionary projects addressing the early childhood provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It was compiled from four volumes separately published by the ERIC/OSEP Special Project. The discretionary grants and contracts authorized by the 1997 Amendments to the IDEA are…

Gigabit Network Communications Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-31

additional BPF channels, raw bytesync support for video codecs, and others. All source file modifications were logged with RCS. Source and object trees were...34 (RFCs). 20 RFCs were published this quarter: RFC 1366: Gerich, E., " Guidelines for Management of IP Address Space", Merit, October 1992. RFC 1367...Topolcic, C., "Schedule for IP Address Space Management Guidelines ", CNRI, October 1992. RFC 1368: McMaster, D. (Synoptics Communications, Inc.), K

Decision Analysis of the Benefits and Costs of Screening for Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

REPORT DATE: TYPE OF REPORT: Annual PREPARED FOR: U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command...MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Fort Detrick, Maryland...constructed and in men aged 55 to 75. Results of this model have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, presented at

Electroacoustic Tissue Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

Brown University Providence, RI 02912 REPORT DATE: April 2005 TYPE OF REPORT: Annual PREPARED FOR: U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Fort...Brown.edu 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING 10. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) AGENCY REPORT NUMBER U.S. Army Medical Research and...prediction by Debye. Reviews have been published by Povey3 , Zana and Yeager 4, Babchin, Chow and Sawatzky, 5 and O’Brien, Cannon, and Rowlands 6-9. The

Rescue of TET2 Haploinsufficiency in Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patients Using Turbo Cosubstrate

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

Annual PREPARED FOR: U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702-5012 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Approved for...2446 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Fort...enhance the activity of TET2 enzymes from MDS patient. Further, we published a manuscript on convenient expression, purification and quantitative liquid

Research in progress: Medical Research Council United Kingdom Refractory Asthma Stratification Programme (RASP-UK).

PubMed

Heaney, Liam G; Djukanovic, Ratko; Woodcock, Ashley; Walker, Samantha; Matthews, John G; Pavord, Ian D; Bradding, Peter; Niven, Robert; Brightling, Chris E; Chaudhuri, Rekha; Arron, Joseph R; Choy, David F; Cowan, Douglas; Mansur, Adel; Menzies-Gow, Andrew; Adcock, Ian; Chung, Kian F; Corrigan, Chris; Coyle, Peter; Harrison, Timothy; Johnston, Sebastian; Howarth, Peter; Lordan, James; Sabroe, Ian; Bigler, Jeannette; Smith, Dirk; Catley, Matthew; May, Richard; Pierre, Lisa; Stevenson, Chris; Crater, Glenn; Keane, Frank; Costello, Richard W; Hudson, Val; Supple, David; Hardman, Tim

2016-02-01

The UK Refractory Asthma Stratification Programme (RASP-UK) will explore novel biomarker stratification strategies in severe asthma to improve clinical management and accelerate development of new therapies. Prior asthma mechanistic studies have not stratified on inflammatory phenotype and the understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms in asthma without Type 2 cytokine inflammation is limited. RASP-UK will objectively assess adherence to corticosteroids (CS) and examine a novel composite biomarker strategy to optimise CS dose; this will also address what proportion of patients with severe asthma have persistent symptoms without eosinophilic airways inflammation after progressive CS withdrawal. There will be interactive partnership with the pharmaceutical industry to facilitate access to stratified populations for novel therapeutic studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Forensic investigation into a death: post-traumatic amnesia in a worker with a work-related head injury sustained in a coal-fired thermal power plant in India.

PubMed

Muralidhar, Venkiteswaran

2017-03-15

This is the first reported case of a work-related head injury in a coal-fired thermal power plant in India. This case highlights the trend of not reporting work injuries due to fears of reprisal from the management team that may include the termination of employment. Post-traumatic amnesia in a worker presenting with head trauma must be recognised by coworkers, so the cause of injury can be elicited early and the victim gets timely medical help. There are few published studies on work-related traumatic brain injury, and they provide no information on either anatomical localisation or signs and symptoms. It is imperative that this under-researched area is studied, so detailed epidemiology and accurate national and global statistics are made available to address this dangerous yet preventable condition. 2017 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Deployment stressors of the Iraq War: insights from the mainstream media.

PubMed

La Bash, Heidi A J; Vogt, Dawne S; King, Lynda A; King, Daniel W

2009-02-01

A comprehensive understanding of the stressors of the Iraq War is needed to ensure appropriate postdeployment assessments and to inform empirical inquiries. Yet we are unaware of any published studies that address the range of stressors experienced by this cohort. Thus, in the present study, we report the results of an interpretive literature review of mainstream media reports published from the beginning of the Iraq War in March 2003 to March 2005. This literature revealed a combination of stressors associated with traditional combat, insurgency warfare, and peacekeeping operations. The increasing deployment of National Guard/Reservist personnel, older soldiers, and women highlights additional stressors associated with sexual harassment and assault, preparedness and training, and life and family disruptions. This is a cause for concern as war-zone stressors have been implicated in postdeployment health outcomes, including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment, immediate physical and mental health, and long-term adjustment.

Scientific literature addressing detection of monosialoganglioside: A 10-year bibliometric analysis.

PubMed

Xu, Yanli; Li, Miaojing; Liu, Zhijun; Xi, Aiping; Zhao, Chaoxian; Zhang, Jianzhong

2012-04-05

The study was undertaken to explore a bibliometric approach to quantitatively assess the research on detection of monosialoganglioside from 2002 to 2011. A bibliometric analysis based on the publications on Web of Science was performed using key words such as "monosialoganglioside", "colloidal gold", "high performance liquid chromatography" and "detection". (1) Research articles on the detection of monosialoganglioside; (2) researches on human and animal fundamentals, clinical trials and case reports; (3) article types: article, review, proceedings paper, note, letter, editorial material, discussion, book chapter; (4) Publication year: 2002-2011. (1) unrelated articles; (2) type of articles: correction; (3) articles from following databases: all databases related to social science and arts & humanities in Web of Science were excluded. (1) distribution of subject areas; (2) number of publications annually; (3) document type and language of publications; (4) distribution of institutions; (5) distribution of output in journals; (6) the number of countries in which the article is published; (7) top cited paper. Overall population stands at 1 880 research articles addressing detection of monosialoganglioside in Web of Science during the study period. Articles (1 599) were the most frequently used document type comprising 85.05%, followed by meeting abstracts, reviews and proceedings papers. The distribution of subject categories showed that monosialoganglioside research covered both clinical and basic science research. The USA, Japan, and Italy were the three most productive countries, and the publication numbers in the USA were highest with 559 papers. The University of Milan, Nagoya University, and Kinki University are the most productive institutions regarding detection of monosialoganglioside. In 559 articles published by Americans, Medical College of Georgia ranked the first with 30 articles, followed by University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (28 articles), Cornell University (24 articles) and Johns Hopkins University (24 articles). In 442 articles published by Japanese, Nagoya University ranked the first with 40 articles, followed by Kinki University (36 articles), and Dokkyo University (31 articles). Though the total number of publications by Japanese is smaller than Americans, the top three institutions published more publications than American institutions. There is a markedly increase in the number of publications on the subject detection of monosialoganglioside in 2004, which the peak in the past 10 years. The valley bottom of the subject appeared in 2005. In total, the research is increased with time prolonged. Journal of Neurochemistry, Journal of Biological Chemistry and Journal of Neuroimmunology were core subject journals in monosialoganglioside studies. This study highlights the topics in detection of monosialoganglioside research that are being published around the world.

[Images of the elderly in printed advertisements in a time change perspective].

PubMed

Röhr-Sendlmeier, U M; Ueing, S

2004-02-01

This content analytical study investigates the changes of image of the elderly in printed advertisements. A total of 364 advertisements published in 1999 and 2000 involving elderly models were analyzed. A positive image of older age is generally transported in advertisements addressing all consumers, whereas physical and cognitive deficits occurring with age are expressed in some verbal elements of advertisements addressing primarily the elderly themselves. However, such deficits are not visually depicted, since health, full energy and activity provide positive orientation. Compared with advertisements in the 1970s and 1980s, the elderly are shown as more attractive, active and socially appreciated today. In spite of their improved image, the elderly, especially older women, are still not represented in printed advertisement in proportion to their number in the population.

Use of necrophagous insects as evidence of cadaver relocation: myth or reality?

PubMed Central

Gosselin, Matthias; Hedouin, Valéry

2017-01-01

The use of insects as indicators of post-mortem displacement is discussed in many texts, courses and TV shows, and several studies addressing this issue have been published. Although the concept is widely cited, it is poorly understood, and only a few forensic cases have successfully applied such a method. The use of necrophagous insects as evidence of cadaver relocation actually involves a wide range of biological aspects. Distribution, microhabitat, phenology, behavioral ecology, and molecular analysis are among the research areas associated with this topic. This article provides the first review of the current knowledge and addresses the potential and limitations of different methods to evaluate their applicability. This work reveals numerous weaknesses and erroneous beliefs as well as many possibilities and research opportunities. PMID:28785513

The neurophysiology of language: Insights from non-invasive brain stimulation in the healthy human brain.

PubMed

Hartwigsen, Gesa

2015-09-01

With the advent of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), a new decade in the study of language has started. NIBS allows for testing the functional relevance of language-related brain activation and enables the researcher to investigate how neural activation changes in response to focal perturbations. This review focuses on the application of NIBS in the healthy brain. First, some basic mechanisms will be introduced and the prerequisites for carrying out NIBS studies of language are addressed. The next section outlines how NIBS can be used to characterize the contribution of the stimulated area to a task. In this context, novel approaches such as multifocal transcranial magnetic stimulation and the condition-and-perturb approach are discussed. The third part addresses the combination of NIBS and neuroimaging in the study of plasticity. These approaches are particularly suited to investigate short-term reorganization in the healthy brain and may inform models of language recovery in post-stroke aphasia. Copyright © 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controversial role of mast cells in skin cancers.

PubMed

Varricchi, Gilda; Galdiero, Maria R; Marone, Giancarlo; Granata, Francescopaolo; Borriello, Francesco; Marone, Gianni

2017-01-01

Cancer development is a multistep process characterized by genetic and epigenetic alterations during tumor initiation and progression. The stromal microenvironment can promote tumor development. Mast cells, widely distributed throughout all tissues, are a stromal component of many solid and haematologic tumors. Mast cells can be found in human and mouse models of skin cancers such as melanoma, basal and squamous cell carcinomas, primary cutaneous lymphomas, haemangiomas and Merkel cell carcinoma. However, human and animal studies addressing potential functions of mast cells and their mediators in skin cancers have provided conflicting results. In several studies, mast cells play a pro-tumorigenic role, whereas in others, they play an anti-tumorigenic role. Other studies have failed to demonstrate a clear role for tumor-associated mast cells. Many unanswered questions need to be addressed before we understand whether tumor-associated mast cells are adversaries, allies or simply innocent bystanders in different types and subtypes of skin cancers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health equity impact assessment.

PubMed

Povall, Susan L; Haigh, Fiona A; Abrahams, Debbie; Scott-Samuel, Alex

2014-12-01

The World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health has called for 'health equity impact assessments' of all economic agreements, market regulation and public policies. We carried out an international study to clarify if existing health impact assessment (HIA) methods are adequate for the task of global health equity assessments. We triangulated data from a scoping review of the international literature, in-depth interviews with health equity and HIA experts and an international stakeholder workshop. We found that equity is not addressed adequately in HIAs for a variety of reasons, including inadequate guidance, absence of definitions, poor data and evidence, perceived lack of methods and tools and practitioner unwillingness or inability to address values like fairness and social justice. Current methods can address immediate, 'downstream' factors, but not the root causes of inequity. Extending HIAs to cover macro policy and global equity issues will require new tools to address macroeconomic policies, historical roots of inequities and upstream causes like power imbalances. More sensitive, participatory methods are also required. There is, however, no need for the development of a completely new methodology. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

76 FR 35619 - Labeling and Effectiveness Testing; Sunscreen Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-17

...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing this document to address labeling and effectiveness testing for certain over-the counter (OTC) sunscreen products containing specified active ingredients and marketed without approved applications. This document addresses labeling and effectiveness testing issues raised by the nearly 2,900 submissions that we received in response to the sunscreen proposed rule of August 27, 2007 (2007 proposed rule). The document also identifies specific claims that render a product that is subject to this rule misbranded or would not be allowed on any OTC sunscreen product marketed without an approved application. The document does not address issues related to sunscreen active ingredients or certain other issues regarding the GRASE determination for sunscreen products. The document requires OTC sunscreen products to comply with the content and format requirements for OTC drug labeling contained in the 1999 Drug Facts final rule (published in the Federal Register of March 17, 1999, by lifting the delay of implementation date for that rule that we published on September 3, 2004).

Reliable and Persistent Identification of Linked Data Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, David

Linked Data techniques rely upon common terminology in a manner similar to a relational database'vs reliance on a schema. Linked Data terminology anchors metadata descriptions and facilitates navigation of information. Common vocabularies ease the human, social tasks of understanding datasets sufficiently to construct queries and help to relate otherwise disparate datasets. Vocabulary terms must, when using the Resource Description Framework, be grounded in URIs. A current bestpractice on the World Wide Web is to serve vocabulary terms as Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and present both human-readable and machine-readable representations to the public. Linked Data terminology published to theWorldWideWeb may be used by others without reference or notification to the publishing party. That presents a problem: Vocabulary publishers take on an implicit responsibility to maintain and publish their terms via the URLs originally assigned, regardless of the inconvenience such a responsibility may cause. Over the course of years, people change jobs, publishing organizations change Internet domain names, computers change IP addresses,systems administrators publish old material in new ways. Clearly, a mechanism is required to manageWeb-based vocabularies over a long term. This chapter places Linked Data vocabularies in context with the wider concepts of metadata in general and specifically metadata on the Web. Persistent identifier mechanisms are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on Persistent URLs, or PURLs. PURLs and PURL services are discussed in the context of Linked Data. Finally, historic weaknesses of PURLs are resolved by the introduction of a federation of PURL services to address needs specific to Linked Data.

Significance chasing in research practice: causes, consequences and possible solutions.

PubMed

Ware, Jennifer J; Munafò, Marcus R

2015-01-01

The low reproducibility of findings within the scientific literature is a growing concern. This may be due to many findings being false positives which, in turn, can misdirect research effort and waste money. We review factors that may contribute to poor study reproducibility and an excess of 'significant' findings within the published literature. Specifically, we consider the influence of current incentive structures and the impact of these on research practices. The prevalence of false positives within the literature may be attributable to a number of questionable research practices, ranging from the relatively innocent and minor (e.g. unplanned post-hoc tests) to the calculated and serious (e.g. fabrication of data). These practices may be driven by current incentive structures (e.g. pressure to publish), alongside the preferential emphasis placed by journals on novelty over veracity. There are a number of potential solutions to poor reproducibility, such as new publishing formats that emphasize the research question and study design, rather than the results obtained. This has the potential to minimize significance chasing and non-publication of null findings. Significance chasing, questionable research practices and poor study reproducibility are the unfortunate consequence of a 'publish or perish' culture and a preference among journals for novel findings. It is likely that top-down change implemented by those with the ability to modify current incentive structure (e.g. funders and journals) will be required to address problems of poor reproducibility. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The effectiveness of interventions to meet family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kynoch, Kate; Chang, Anne M; Coyer, Fiona

Background Attending to the needs of family members of critically ill patients is an important and necessary step in providing appropriate care for both the patient and the family. An initial search of the Cochrane and Joanna Briggs Institute Libraries did not reveal any published systematic reviews recommending effective interventions for addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an acute intensive care unit.Objectives This systematic review aims to establish best practice in addressing the needs of family members with a relative admitted to an adult critical care unit.Search strategy An extensive search of the major databases was conducted. Databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, psycINFO, Health source, Web of science, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and Database of abstracts of reviews of effects (DARE) as well as Pubmed. The search included published and unpublished studies and papers in English from 1980-2010.Selection criteria This review considered any randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit. In the absence of randomised controlled trials, other research designs such as quasi-experimental as well as before and after studies were considered for inclusion in the narrative summary to enable the identification of current approaches and possible future strategies for addressing family needs of critically ill patients.Assessment of quality Each included study was assessed by two independent reviewers using the appropriate appraisal checklist developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.Data collection and analysis Data was extracted from the papers included in this review using standardised data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument package. The studies included in this review were not suitable for meta-analysis and therefore the results are presented in narrative form.Results Fourteen studies and one dissertation met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. There were 12 quasi-experimental studies identified including 8 two or three group, pre-test/post-test studies; 1 one-way between subjects design; 1 interrupted time series and 1 two-group comparative design study. The dissertation was a quasi-experimental three group pre-test/post-test design. There were 3 prospective randomised trials included. The evidence identified includes: the use of support groups for family members of patients admitted to an intensive care unit, structured communication and/or education programs for family members, the use of leaflets or brochures to meet family information needs and open or more flexible visiting hours.Conclusion/Recommendations This review makes several recommendations for clinical practice to address family needs of patients admitted to a critical care unit, however this review highlights the need for significant further research in this area. Future intervention studies focusing on family needs could include: the use of technology such as DVD's and SMS for informing families and interventions specifically designed to improve family comfort.

Publishing SNP genotypes of human embryonic stem cell lines: policy statement of the International Stem Cell Forum Ethics Working Party.

PubMed

Knoppers, Bartha M; Isasi, Rosario; Benvenisty, Nissim; Kim, Ock-Joo; Lomax, Geoffrey; Morris, Clive; Murray, Thomas H; Lee, Eng Hin; Perry, Margery; Richardson, Genevra; Sipp, Douglas; Tanner, Klaus; Wahlström, Jan; de Wert, Guido; Zeng, Fanyi

2011-09-01

Novel methods and associated tools permitting individual identification in publicly accessible SNP databases have become a debatable issue. There is growing concern that current technical and ethical safeguards to protect the identities of donors could be insufficient. In the context of human embryonic stem cell research, there are no studies focusing on the probability that an hESC line donor could be identified by analyzing published SNP profiles and associated genotypic and phenotypic information. We present the International Stem Cell Forum (ISCF) Ethics Working Party's Policy Statement on "Publishing SNP Genotypes of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines (hESC)". The Statement prospectively addresses issues surrounding the publication of genotypic data and associated annotations of hESC lines in open access databases. It proposes a balanced approach between the goals of open science and data sharing with the respect for fundamental bioethical principles (autonomy, privacy, beneficence, justice and research merit and integrity).

VO-Dance an IVOA tools to easy publish data into VO and it's extension on planetology request

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smareglia, R.; Capria, M. T.; Molinaro, M.

2012-09-01

Data publishing through the self standing portals can be joined to VO resource publishing, i.e. astronomical resources deployed through VO compliant services. Since the IVOA (International Virtual Observatory Alliance) provides many protocols and standards for the various data flavors (images, spectra, catalogues … ), and since the data center has as a goal to grow up in number of hosted archives and services providing, the idea arose to find a way to easily deploy and maintain VO resources. VO-Dance is a java web application developed at IA2 that addresses this idea creating, in a dynamical way, VO resources out of database tables or views. It is structured to be potentially DBMS and platform independent and consists of 3 main tokens, an internal DB to store resources description and model metadata information, a restful web application to deploy the resources to the VO community. It's extension to planetology request is under study to best effort INAF software development and archive efficiency.

Review article: Emergency department models of care in the context of care quality and cost: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wylie, Kate; Crilly, Julia; Toloo, Ghasem Sam; FitzGerald, Gerry; Burke, John; Williams, Ged; Bell, Anthony

2015-04-01

To identify current ED models of care and their impact on care quality, care effectiveness, and cost. A systematic search of key health databases (Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMbase) was conducted to identify literature on ED models of care. Additionally, a focused review of the contents of 11 international and national emergency medicine, nursing and health economic journals (published between 2010 and 2013) was undertaken with snowball identification of references of the most recent and relevant papers. Articles published between 1998 and 2013 in the English language were included for initial review by three of the authors. Studies in underdeveloped countries and not addressing the objectives of the present study were excluded. Relevant details were extracted from the retrieved literature, and analysed for relevance and impact. The literature was synthesised around the study's main themes. Models described within the literature mainly focused on addressing issues at the input, throughput or output stages of ED care delivery. Models often varied to account for site specific characteristics (e.g. onsite inpatient units) or to suit staffing profiles (e.g. extended scope physiotherapist), ED geographical location (e.g. metropolitan or rural site), and patient demographic profile (e.g. paediatrics, older persons, ethnicity). Only a few studies conducted cost-effectiveness analysis of service models. Although various models of delivering emergency healthcare exist, further research is required in order to make accurate and reliable assessments of their safety, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Critical Appraisal of the Quality of Evidence Addressing the Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Management of Peripheral Artery Disease in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulceration.

PubMed

Ali, Stephen R; Ozdemir, Baris A; Hinchliffe, Robert J

2018-06-13

There is a paucity of robust evidence on prevention and management of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) to inform treatment. This study appraises the current quality of the evidence addressing diagnosis, prognosis, and management of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in patients with DFUs using a newly devised 21 point scoring (TOPS) disease specific research appraisal tool published by the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) and European Wound Management Association. The 2015 IWGDF guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, and management of PAD in patients with DFUs was used to identify studies pertaining to prevention and management. Two reviewers assessed these articles against TOPS, which examines study design, conduct, and outcome reporting. The overall median score was 8 (3-12/21). The median design total score was 2 (0-4/11). The median conduct total score was 2 (1-4/6). The median outcomes total score was 3 (1-4/4). There was improvement with time in overall total (Spearman Rho 0.39, p = .0005), design total (0.35, p = .0023), and outcomes total (0.35, p = .0002), but not conduct total (-0.03, p = .8132) scores. Although this analysis revealed an improvement over time in the overall calibre of studies, the present quality remains poor on which to inform the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of patients with PAD and diabetic foot ulceration. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A scoping review of scoping reviews: advancing the approach and enhancing the consistency

PubMed Central

Pham, Mai T; Rajić, Andrijana; Greig, Judy D; Sargeant, Jan M; Papadopoulos, Andrew; McEwen, Scott A

2014-01-01

Background The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. Methods A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A search was conducted in four bibliographic databases and the gray literature to identify scoping review studies. Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers using pretested forms. Results The search identified 344 scoping reviews published from 1999 to October 2012. The reviews varied in terms of purpose, methodology, and detail of reporting. Nearly three-quarter of reviews (74.1%) addressed a health topic. Study completion times varied from 2 weeks to 20 months, and 51% utilized a published methodological framework. Quality assessment of included studies was infrequently performed (22.38%). Conclusions Scoping reviews are a relatively new but increasingly common approach for mapping broad topics. Because of variability in their conduct, there is a need for their methodological standardization to ensure the utility and strength of evidence. © 2014 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:26052958

A systematic review of randomized clinical trials published in Malaria Journal between 2008 and 2013.

PubMed

Martínez-Alonso, E; Ramos, J M

2016-06-01

Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are a key component in clinical research and they provide the highest quality clinical results. The objective of this study was to describe the main characteristics of RCTs published in Malaria Journal, including research topics, study population and design, funding sources and collaboration between institutions. This may help researchers and funders define future research priorities in this field. A retrospective analysis was performed on the RCTs published in Malaria Journal between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2013. A key-word search by "Randomized controlled trial" or "Random*" was carried out in PubMed. RCT indexed to MEDLINE were selected for the analysis. A total of 108 published articles containing RCTs were analysed. Treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria (n=45, 41.6%), especially the efficacy and safety of antimalarial drugs, and malaria prevention (n=34, 31.5%) were the two main research topics. The majority of trials were conducted in Africa (62.2%) and Asia (27%) and received external funding (private, 42.3% and/or public, 38.6%). Paediatric population was the primary study group (n=63, 58.3%), followed by adults (n=29, 26.9%). Pregnant women (n=7) and geriatric population (n=1) remain underrepresented. Nearly 75% of trials were conducted in individual subjects and 25% in groups of subjects (cluster RCTs). A considerable collaboration between researchers and institutions is noteworthy. RCTs published in Malaria Journal address a wide range of research topics. Paediatric trials conducted in Africa and Asia are frequently performed, and a significant worldwide collaboration to fight against malaria has been identified.

Too much information? A document analysis of sport safety resources from key organisations.

PubMed

Bekker, Sheree; Finch, Caroline F

2016-05-06

The field of sport injury prevention has seen a marked increase in published research in recent years, with concomitant proliferation of lay sport safety resources, such as policies, fact sheets and posters. The aim of this study was to catalogue and categorise the number, type and topic focus of sport safety resources from a representative set of key organisations. Cataloguing and qualitative document analysis of resources available from the websites of six stakeholder organisations in Australia. This study was part of a larger investigation, the National Guidance for Australian Football Partnerships and Safety (NoGAPS) project. The NoGAPS study provided the context for a purposive sampling of six organisations involved in the promotion of safety in Australian football. These partners are recognised as being highly representative of organisations at national and state level that reflect similarly in their goals around sport safety promotion in Australia. The catalogue comprised 284 resources. More of the practical and less prescriptive types of resources, such as fact sheets, than formal policies were found. Resources for the prevention of physical injuries were the predominant sport safety issue addressed, with risk management, environmental issues and social behaviours comprising other categories. Duplication of resources for specific safety issues, within and across organisations, was found. People working within sport settings have access to a proliferation of resources, which creates a potential rivalry for sourcing of injury prevention information. Important issues that are likely to influence the uptake of safety advice by the general sporting public include the sheer number of resources available, and the overlap and duplication of resources addressing the same issues. The existence of a large number of resources from reputable organisations does not mean that they are necessarily evidence based, fully up to date or even effective in supporting sport safety behaviour change. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Motivators for resolving or seeking help for gambling problems: a review of the empirical literature.

PubMed

Suurvali, Helen; Hodgins, David C; Cunningham, John A

2010-03-01

This literature review summarizes recent empirical research on the reasons disordered gamblers try, through treatment or otherwise, to resolve or reduce their gambling problems. Relevant databases and bibliographies were searched for English-language studies, published since 1998, that asked gamblers themselves about motivators for action. Found were ten studies addressing reasons for trying to resolve or reduce gambling problems, five addressing reasons for seeking help and four addressing reasons for requesting self-exclusion from casinos. Help-seeking occurred largely in response to gambling-related harms (especially financial problems, relationship issues and negative emotions) that had already happened or that were imminent. Resolution was often motivated by the same kinds of harms but evaluation/decision-making and changes in lifestyle or environment played a more prominent role. Self-exclusion was motivated by harms, evaluation/decision-making and a wish to regain control. Awareness and educational materials could incorporate messages that might encourage heavy gamblers to make changes before harms became too great. Intervention development could also benefit from more research on the motivators leading to successful (vs. failed) resolution, as well as on the ways in which disordered gamblers are able to overcome specific barriers to seeking help or reaching resolution.

Communication vulnerable in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A systematic review.

PubMed

Neto, Lavoisier Leite; Constantini, Ana Carolina; Chun, Regina Yu Shon

2017-01-01

Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) exhibit speech disorders since the early stages that decrease the communication rate and interfere in social participation. To conduct a literature review on communication vulnerable and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Descriptors of the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) were used: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Health Vulnerability, Communication Barriers, Nonverbal Communication, and Communication Aids for Disabled. Articles in Portuguese and English from 2010 to 2015, fully available in the Virtual Health Library, PubMed, and Scopus were used. Duplicate articles and those not related to communication/language were excluded. Of the 94 articles found, 37 met the criteria. All of them were published in the USA and Europe, none was Brazilian; 27% of 2012 to 2014; 40.5% descriptive studies and 24.3% case studies; 45.9% addressed ALS and 24.3%, other serious motor alterations, including ALS. A large proportion (89.2%) addressed AAC, 70.3% Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). The results show that the researches recurrently addressed communication vulnerable, although not necessarily in these terms. The device which was most employed was the BCI, mainly in advanced stages of the disease.

Modelling multiple sources of dissemination bias in meta-analysis.

PubMed

Bowden, Jack; Jackson, Dan; Thompson, Simon G

2010-03-30

Asymmetry in the funnel plot for a meta-analysis suggests the presence of dissemination bias. This may be caused by publication bias through the decisions of journal editors, by selective reporting of research results by authors or by a combination of both. Typically, study results that are statistically significant or have larger estimated effect sizes are more likely to appear in the published literature, hence giving a biased picture of the evidence-base. Previous statistical approaches for addressing dissemination bias have assumed only a single selection mechanism. Here we consider a more realistic scenario in which multiple dissemination processes, involving both the publishing authors and journals, are operating. In practical applications, the methods can be used to provide sensitivity analyses for the potential effects of multiple dissemination biases operating in meta-analysis.

[Using the notion of vulnerability in the production of knowledge about tuberculosis: integrative review].

PubMed

Maffacciolli, Rosana; Hahn, Giselda Veronice; Rossetto, Maíra; Almeida, Carlos Podalirio Borges de; Manica, Silvia Troyahn; Paiva, Tiago Sousa; Oliveira, Dora Lucia Leidens Correa de

2015-01-01

to identify how the notion of vulnerability is used in national and international scientific publications that address the problem of tuberculosis. an integrative review of literature published in the databases of the Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, the United States National Library of Medicine and the Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações, considering the descriptors Tuberculosis and Vulnerability in Portuguese and English. we selected fifty-eight studies published between 1992 and February 2014, which resulted in three categories of analysis. CONCLUSION the link between tuberculosis and the notion of vulnerability has not been sufficiently consolidated in national and international literature. This creates an obstacle for the achievement of the epistemological transformations and pragmatic measures that are required to obtain better results from interventions in the field.

Misrepresentation, liberalism, and heterosexual bias in introductory psychology textbooks.

PubMed

McDonald, G

1981-01-01

The present study investigated the content of 48 introductory psychology textbooks published over a five-year period (1975-1979) and recommended by publishing companies or psychology professors for use in Canadian universities. The findings indicated that for every one source of relevant information on homosexuality there were five sources of misrepresentative data that reflect a combination of misleading information, liberalism, and heterosexual bias. Textbook editors and authors have: (1) failed to address the rights and needs of gay people; (2) failed to document accurately the social changes associated with being gay; and (3) perpetuated societal stereotypes, thereby appearing to justify the prejudice and discrimination encountered by gay people in their daily lives. Guidelines for the discussion of lesbianism and male homosexuality in introductory psychology textbooks are proposed.

Reviewing and addressing the link between mass media and the increase in obesity among European children: The European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) and The European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) consensus statement.

PubMed

Mazur, Artur; Caroli, Margherita; Radziewicz-Winnicki, Igor; Nowicka, Paulina; Weghuber, Daniel; Neubauer, David; Dembiński, Łukasz; Crawley, Francis P; White, Martin; Hadjipanayis, Adamos

2018-04-01

This study reviewed the link between social media and the growing epidemic of childhood obesity in Europe. A task force from the European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Childhood Obesity Group searched published literature and developed a consensus statement. It found that there was evidence of a strong link between obesity levels across European countries and childhood media exposure and that parents and society needed a better understanding of the influence of social media on dietary habits. Health policies in Europe must take account of the range of social media influences that promote the development of childhood obesity. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Anonymizing 1:M microdata with high utility

PubMed Central

Gong, Qiyuan; Luo, Junzhou; Yang, Ming; Ni, Weiwei; Li, Xiao-Bai

2016-01-01

Preserving privacy and utility during data publishing and data mining is essential for individuals, data providers and researchers. However, studies in this area typically assume that one individual has only one record in a dataset, which is unrealistic in many applications. Having multiple records for an individual leads to new privacy leakages. We call such a dataset a 1:M dataset. In this paper, we propose a novel privacy model called (k, l)-diversity that addresses disclosure risks in 1:M data publishing. Based on this model, we develop an efficient algorithm named 1:M-Generalization to preserve privacy and data utility, and compare it with alternative approaches. Extensive experiments on real-world data show that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art technique, in terms of data utility and computational cost. PMID:28603388

Short-Term Medical Service Trips: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Short-term medical service trips (MSTs) aim to address unmet health care needs of low- and middle-income countries. The lack of critically reviewed empirical evidence of activities and outcomes is a concern. Developing evidence-based recommendations for health care delivery requires systematic research review. I focused on MST publications with empirical results. Searches in May 2013 identified 67 studies published since 1993, only 6% of the published articles on the topic in the past 20 years. Nearly 80% reported on surgical trips. Although the MST field is growing, its medical literature lags behind, with nearly all of the scholarly publications lacking significant data collection. By incorporating data collection into service trips, groups can validate practices and provide information about areas needing improvement. PMID:24832401

Facebook as a recruitment tool for adolescent health research: a systematic review.

PubMed

Amon, Krestina L; Campbell, Andrew J; Hawke, Catherine; Steinbeck, Katharine

2014-01-01

Researchers are increasingly using social media to recruit participants to surveys and clinical studies. However, the evidence of the efficacy and validity of adolescent recruitment through Facebook is yet to be established. To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the use of Facebook to recruit adolescents for health research. Nine electronic databases and reference lists were searched for articles published between 2004 and 2013. Studies were included in the review if: 1) participants were aged ≥ 10 to ≤ 18 years, 2) studies addressed a physical or mental health issue, 3) Facebook was identified as a recruitment tool, 4) recruitment details using Facebook were outlined in the methods section and considered in the discussion, or information was obtained by contacting the authors, 5) results revealed how many participants were recruited using Facebook, and 6) studies addressed how adolescent consent and/or parental consent was obtained. Titles, abstracts, and keywords were scanned and duplicates removed by 2 reviewers. Full text was evaluated for inclusion criteria, and 2 reviewers independently extracted data. The search resulted in 587 publications, of which 25 full-text papers were analyzed. Six studies met all the criteria for inclusion in the review. Three recruitment methods using Facebook was identified: 1) paid Facebook advertising, 2) use of the Facebook search tool, and 3) creation and use of a Facebook Page. Eligible studies described the use of paid Facebook advertising and Facebook as a search tool as methods to successfully recruit adolescent participants. Online and verbal consent was obtained from participants recruited from Facebook. Copyright © 2014 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health promotion interventions and policies addressing excessive alcohol use: a systematic review of national and global evidence as a guide to health-care reform in China.

PubMed

Li, Qing; Babor, Thomas F; Zeigler, Donald; Xuan, Ziming; Morisky, Donald; Hovell, Melbourne F; Nelson, Toben F; Shen, Weixing; Li, Bing

2015-01-01

Steady increases in alcohol consumption and related problems are likely to accompany China's rapid epidemiological transition and profit-based marketing activities. We reviewed research on health promotion interventions and policies to address excessive drinking and to guide health-care reform. We searched Chinese- and English-language databases and included 21 studies in China published between 1980 and 2013 that covered each policy area from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. We evaluated and compared preventive interventions to the global alcohol literature for cross-national applicability. In contrast with hundreds of studies in the global literature, 11 of 12 studies from mainland China were published in Chinese; six of 10 in English were on taxation from Taiwan or Hong Kong. Most studies demonstrated effectiveness in reducing excessive drinking, and some reported the reduction of health problems. Seven were randomized controlled trials. Studies targeted schools, drink-driving, work-places, the health sector and taxation. China is the world's largest alcohol market, yet there has been little growth in alcohol policy research related to health promotion interventions over the past decade. Guided by a public health approach, the WHO Global Strategy and health reform experience in Russia, Australia, Mexico and the United States, China could improve its public health response through better coordination and implementation of surveillance and evidence-based research, and through programmatic and legal responses such as public health law research, screening and early intervention within health systems and the implementation of effective alcohol control strategies. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The art and science of publishing: reflections from editors of surgery journals.

PubMed

Kibbe, Melina R; Sarr, Michael G; Livingston, Edward H; Freischlag, Julie A; Lillemoe, Keith D; McFadden, David W

2014-01-01

During the 8th Annual Academic Surgical Congress held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 5-7, 2013, the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) Presidential Session was dedicated to the topic of publishing. A survey consisting of 37 questions on issues related to publishing was administered to the AAS membership 1 mo before the meeting. The results of the survey were then presented during the 2013 AAS Presidential Session. In addition, a panel of five editors from surgery journals relevant to the membership of the AAS was convened to discuss topics addressed in the results of the survey. These topics included: (1) how to publish in high-impact factor journals; (2) top five reasons why manuscripts get rejected; (3) the do's and don'ts of publishing (i.e., ethics of publishing); (4) how to get on an editorial board; and (5) the future of publishing. This review summarizes the contents of this AAS Presidential Session and provides information relevant for any academician, investigator, or scientist. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reporting of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials with a focus on drug safety: an empirical assessment.

PubMed

Hammad, Tarek A; Neyarapally, George A; Pinheiro, Simone P; Iyasu, Solomon; Rochester, George; Dal Pan, Gerald

2013-01-01

Due to the sparse nature of serious drug-related adverse events (AEs), meta-analyses combining data from several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate drug safety issues are increasingly being conducted and published, influencing clinical and regulatory decision making. Evaluation of meta-analyses involves the assessment of both the individual constituent trials and the approaches used to combine them. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting framework is designed to enhance the reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. However, PRISMA may not cover all critical elements useful in the evaluation of meta-analyses with a focus on drug safety particularly in the regulatory-public health setting. This work was conducted to (1) evaluate the adherence of a sample of published drug safety-focused meta-analyses to the PRISMA reporting framework, (2) identify gaps in this framework based on key aspects pertinent to drug safety, and (3) stimulate the development and validation of a more comprehensive reporting tool that incorporates elements unique to drug safety evaluation. We selected a sample of meta-analyses of RCTs based on review of abstracts from high-impact journals as well as top medical specialty journals between 2009 and 2011. We developed a preliminary reporting framework based on PRISMA with specific additional reporting elements critical for the evaluation of drug safety meta-analyses of RCTs. The reporting of pertinent elements in each meta-analysis was reviewed independently by two authors; discrepancies in the independent evaluations were resolved through discussions between the two authors. A total of 27 meta-analyses, 12 from highest impact journals, 13 from specialty medical journals, and 2 from Cochrane reviews, were identified and evaluated. The great majority (>85%) of PRISMA elements were addressed in more than half of the meta-analyses reviewed. However, the majority of meta-analyses (>60%) did not address most (>80%) of the additional reporting elements critical for the evaluation of drug safety. Some of these elements were not addressed in any of the reviewed meta-analyses. This review included a sample of meta-analyses, with a focus on drug safety, recently published in high-impact journals; therefore, we may have underestimated the extent of the reporting problem across all meta-analyses of drug safety. Furthermore, temporal trends in reporting could not be evaluated in this review because of the short time interval selected. While the majority of PRISMA elements were addressed by most studies reviewed, the majority of studies did not address most of the additional safety-related elements. These findings highlight the need for the development and validation of a drug safety reporting framework and the importance of the current initiative by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) to create a guidance document for drug safety information synthesis/meta-analysis, which may improve reporting, conduct, and evaluation of meta-analyses of drug safety and inform clinical and regulatory decision making.

Compilation of Projects Addressing the Early Childhood Provisions of IDEA: Discretionary Projects Supported by the Office of Special Education Programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fiscal Year, 2003.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danaher, Joan; Armijo, Caroline; Hipps, Cherie; Kraus, Robert

2004-01-01

This directory contains 262 discretionary projects addressing the early childhood provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It was compiled from four volumes separately published by the ERIC/OSEP Special Project. The discretionary grants and contracts authorized by the 1997 Amendments to the IDEA are administered by the…

Manned Mars missions: A working group report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, Michael B. (Editor); Keaton, Paul W. (Editor)

1986-01-01

The discussions of the Working Group (based in large part on working papers, which will shortly be published separately) are summarized. These papers cover a broad range of subjects which need to be addressed in the formulation of such a formidable enterprise as a manned Mars program. Science objective and operations; Mars surface infrastructure and activities; mission and system concepts and configurations; life sciences; impacts on the space infrastructure; and costs, schedules, and organizations are addressed.

National Information Policies for the Asia Oceania Region. Proceedings of the General Assembly and Congress of the International Federation for Information and Documentation Commission for Asia and Oceania (11th, Seoul, Korea, October 29-31, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickson, Ian, Ed.; Dwyer, Lisa, Ed.

The 18 papers presented at this conference address national information policies, information for industry, and electronic publishing. The titles of the papers are as follows: (1) "Industrial Information Policies of Developing Countries" (keynote address, Sung Jin Choi); (2) "National Information Policy. Current Trends and…

Gold Standard Testing of Motion Based Tracking Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-15

NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER H0L0 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9...LABORATORY 711TH HUMAN PERFORMANCE WING, AIRMAN SYSTEMS DIRECTORATE, WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH 45433 AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND UNITED STATES AIR...711th Human Performance Wing 711th Human Performance Wing Air Force Research Laboratory Air Force Research Laboratory This report is published in the

Nitrogen Solubility in Adipose Tissues of Diving Animals: Implications for Human Divers and for Modeling Diving Physiology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Biology & Marine Biology , UNCW REPORT NUMBER 601 S. College Road Wi lmington, NC...Information PI: Dr. Heather Koopman Institution: Biology & Marine Biology , University of North Carolina Wilmington Award #: N000141210442 Title...both graduate and undergraduate) • 1 paper published in Journal of Experimental Biology (and picked up by the media; see X. G. below); 3 additional

Culture X: addressing barriers to physical activity in Samoa.

PubMed

Heard, Emma Marie; Auvaa, Leveti; Conway, Brooke A

2017-08-01

There is an urgent need to address the epidemic rates of non-communicable diseases globally, and the Pacific Island region is of particular concern. Increasing physical activity participation plays an important role in reducing some of the key risk factors for non-communicable diseases including obesity and being overweight. In order to address low levels of physical activity, it is essential to understand the key barriers and facilitating factors experienced by specific population groups. The purpose of this study is to investigate key facilitating factors for participation in a dance aerobic initiative, Culture X, developed in the Pacific Island country, Samoa. The study further aims to understand ways in which the programme assists participants in addressing barriers to physical activity. Face-to-face interviews running from 10 to 20 min were conducted with 28 Culture X participants in order to gain a deep understanding of participants' personal perspectives with regard to barriers and facilitating factors to physical activity. Findings suggest the inclusion of key cultural components (including, traditional dance moves and music, prayer, community orientation and family inclusiveness) were integral for supporting ongoing participation in Culture X. These components further assisted participants in addressing important personal and social barriers to physical activity (including lack of motivation and enjoyment, lack of confidence, time management, family and social commitments and lack of support). This study highlights creative ways that health promotion in the Pacific Island region can encourage physical activity and informs health promotion literature regarding the importance of placing local culture at the heart of behaviour change initiatives. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The effect of hand-hygiene interventions on infectious disease-associated absenteeism in elementary schools: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Wang, Zhangqi; Lapinski, Maria; Quilliam, Elizabeth; Jaykus, Lee-Ann; Fraser, Angela

2017-06-01

Hand-hygiene interventions are widely used in schools but their effect on reducing absenteeism is not well known. The aim of our literature review was to determine whether implementation of a hand-hygiene intervention reduced infectious disease-associated absenteeism in elementary schools. The eligible studies (N = 19), published between 1996 and 2014, were summarized and the methodologic quality of each was assessed. Our review indicated evidence is available to show hand-hygiene interventions had an effect on reducing acute gastrointestinal illness-associated absenteeism but inadequate evidence is available to show an effect on respiratory illness-associated absenteeism. The methodologic quality assessment of eligible studies revealed common design flaws, such as lack of randomization, blinding, and attrition, which must be addressed in future studies to strengthen the evidence base on the effect of hand-hygiene interventions on school absenteeism. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumer willingness to pay for pharmacy services: An updated review of the literature.

PubMed

Painter, Jacob T; Gressler, Laura; Kathe, Niranjan; Slabaugh, S Lane; Blumenschein, Karen

2018-02-02

Quantifying the value of pharmacy services is imperative for the profession as it works to establish an expanded role within evolving health care systems. The literature documents the work that many have contributed toward meeting this goal. To date, however, the preponderance of evidence evaluates the value of pharmacist services to third-party payers; few published studies address the value that consumers place on these services. In 1999, a review of studies that used the contingent valuation method to value pharmacy services was published. The objective of this manuscript is to provide an update of that review. Relevant studies published in the English language were identified searching MEDLINE, ECONLIT and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts databases from January 1999 to November 2017. Only studies that specifically elicited willingness to pay for a community pharmacist provided service from actual or potential consumers were included. Thirty-one studies using the contingent valuation method to value pharmacy services were identified using the search strategy outlined. These studies included surveys in different demographic and geographic populations and valuing various pharmacy services. Improving the quality of studies using contingent valuation to value pharmacy services will aid the profession in marketing pharmacy services to consumers, and may assist practitioners who wish to implement various pharmacy services in their practice settings. A limited number of studies have been conducted, but the quality of contingent valuation studies valuing pharmacist services is improving. Understanding the pharmacy services that consumers value, and understanding the level of their monetary willingness to pay for those services will be crucial as the profession continues to work toward establishing a sustainable and economically viable role within the evolving health care systems. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

From Classroom to Wardroom: Internalizing, Integrating and Reinforcing Leadership and Management, Education and Training (LMET) Skills in the Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

8217 by business concerns. Every handicraft, all human dealings, are constantly in that danger. (Heidegger, 1954) Emile Durkheim addressed the problem... Durkheim , 1893) Weber, in his controversial study, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalization, also noted this "multiplicity of perspectives and...196n....... • Durkheim , E., The Division of Labor in Society, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1933. Eddy, W.B., "From Training to Organization Change

Advancing Ethical Neuroscience Research.

PubMed

Borah, B Rashmi; Strand, Nicolle K; Chillag, Kata L

2016-12-01

As neuroscience research advances, researchers, clinicians, and other stakeholders will face a host of ethical challenges. The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (Bioethics Commission) has published two reports that provide recommendations on how to advance research endeavors ethically. The commission addressed, among other issues, how to prioritize different types of neuroscience research and how to include research participants who have impaired consent capacity. The Bioethics Commission's recommendations provide a foundation for ethical guidelines as neuroscience research advances and progresses. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

[The quality of epidemiological research on pediatric refractive error and amblyopia in China needs to be improved].

PubMed

He, M G

2017-01-11

Over the past decade, great progress has been made in the clinical and epidemiological studies on refractive error and amblyopia in children with research findings published in international peer reviewed journals. This article reviews some of the essential publications so that the research findings could be learnt extensively, understood critically and objectively, and applied effectively to clinical practice. We aim to address the current limitations and shed light on clinical practice. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 3-6) .

Hepatitis A and B immunization for individuals with inherited bleeding disorders.

PubMed

Steele, M; Cochrane, A; Wakefield, C; Stain, A-M; Ling, S; Blanchette, V; Gold, R; Ford-Jones, L

2009-03-01

Hepatitis A and B vaccines are highly effective tools that can greatly reduce infection risk in the bleeding disorder population. Although hepatitis A and B immunization for individuals with bleeding disorders is universally recommended, various advisory bodies often differ with respect to many practical aspects of vaccination. To review the published literature and guidelines and form a practical, comprehensive and consistent approach to hepatitis A and B immunization for individuals with bleeding disorders. We reviewed published immunization guidelines from North American immunization advisory bodies and published statements from North American and international haemophilia advisory bodies. A search of the MEDLINE database was performed to find original published literature pertaining to hepatitis A or B immunization of patients with haemophilia or bleeding disorder patients that provided supporting or refuting evidence for advisory body guidelines. Various advisory bodies' immunization guidelines regarding individuals with bleeding disorders have contradictory statements and often did not clarify issues (e.g. post vaccination surveillance). Published literature addressing immunization in bleeding disorder patients is sparse and mostly examines route of vaccine administration, complications and corresponding antibody response. Although the risk of hepatitis A and B infection is low, the use of simple measures such as vaccination is reasonable and advocated by haemophilia advisory bodies. Following our review of the available literature and North American guidelines, we have developed comprehensive and practical recommendations addressing hepatitis A and B immunization for the bleeding disorder population that may be applicable in Bleeding Disorder clinics.

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.

77 FR 56630 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-13

... public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the Internet at http://www.... Decentralized locations: DISA Field Activities World-wide. Official mailing addresses are published as an...

Forty years of quality-of-life research in congenital heart disease: Temporal trends in conceptual and methodological rigor.

PubMed

Bratt, Ewa-Lena; Moons, Philip

2015-09-15

The first study on quality of life (QoL) in patients with congenital heart disease was published 40 years ago. Since then, the number of QoL articles on these patients has grown exponentially. We conducted a systematic literature review of all empirical studies on QoL in patients with congenital heart disease published since 1974, with the aim of determining the range of conceptual and methodological rigor of studies and identifying temporal trends in these parameters. PubMed, Embase, and Cinahl were searched for empirical studies addressing QoL in children, adolescents, or adults with congenital heart disease, published between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 2014. We applied 10 review criteria that were previously developed by Gill and Feinstein in 1994 and further refined by Moons et al. in 2004. Overall, 234 articles were reviewed. We found slight but non-significant temporal improvements in conceptual and methodological rigor and in use of assessment methods. This indicates a trend toward a more professional and exacting approach in QoL assessments. However, the majority of articles still had substantial conceptual and methodological deficits. Furthermore, we observed that citation of the publications of Gill and Feinstein and Moons et al. in published QoL research is associated with higher quality scores, suggesting that these articles have a positive impact on conceptual and methodological caliber. Despite 40 years of QoL research in this field, this review shows that major weaknesses in methodological rigor remain highly prevalent, which may make QoL studies inconclusive. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical and biological warfare: General studies. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). NewSearch

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

Not Available

1994-10-01

The bibliography contains citations concerning federally sponsored and conducted studies into chemical and biological warfare operations and planning. These studies cover areas not addressed in other parts of this series. The topics include production and storage of agents, delivery techniques, training, military and civil defense, general planning studies, psychological reactions to chemical warfare, evaluations of materials exposed to chemical agents, and studies on banning or limiting chemical warfare. Other published searches in this series on chemical warfare cover detection and warning, defoliants, protection, and biological studies, including chemistry and toxicology. (Contains 250 citations and includes a subject term index andmore » title list.)« less

Effectiveness of knowledge translation tools addressing multiple high-burden chronic diseases affecting older adults: protocol for a systematic review alongside a realist review.

PubMed

Kastner, Monika; Perrier, Laure; Hamid, Jemila; Tricco, Andrea C; Cardoso, Roberta; Ivers, Noah M; Liu, Barbara; Marr, Sharon; Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; Wong, Geoff; Graves, Lisa; Straus, Sharon E

2015-02-03

The burden of chronic disease is a global phenomenon, particularly among people aged 65 years and older. More than half of older adults have more than one chronic disease and their care is not optimal. Chronic disease management (CDM) tools have the potential to meet this challenge but they are primarily focused on a single disease, which fails to address the growing number of seniors with multiple chronic conditions. We will conduct a systematic review alongside a realist review to identify effective CDM tools that integrate one or more high-burden chronic diseases affecting older adults and to better understand for whom, under what circumstances, how and why they produce their outcomes. We will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AgeLine and the Cochrane Library for experimental, quasi-experimental, observational and qualitative studies in any language investigating CDM tools that facilitate optimal disease management in one or more high-burden chronic diseases affecting adults aged ≥65 years. Study selection will involve calibration of reviewers to ensure reliability of screening and duplicate assessment of articles. Data abstraction and risk of bias assessment will also be performed independently. Analysis will include descriptive summaries of study and appraisal characteristics, effectiveness of each CDM tool (meta-analysis if appropriate); and a realist programme theory will be developed and refined to explain the outcome patterns within the included studies. Ethics approval is not required for this study. We anticipate that our findings, pertaining to gaps in care across high-burden chronic diseases affecting seniors and highlighting specific areas that may require more research, will be of interest to a wide range of knowledge users and stakeholders. We will publish and present our findings widely, and also plan more active dissemination strategies such as workshops with our key stakeholders. Our protocol is registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42014014489). 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.

Kaizen practice in healthcare: a qualitative analysis of hospital employees' suggestions for improvement.

PubMed

Mazzocato, Pamela; Stenfors-Hayes, Terese; von Thiele Schwarz, Ulrica; Hasson, Henna; Nyström, Monica Elisabeth

2016-07-29

Kaizen, or continuous improvement, lies at the core of lean. Kaizen is implemented through practices that enable employees to propose ideas for improvement and solve problems. The aim of this study is to describe the types of issues and improvement suggestions that hospital employees feel empowered to address through kaizen practices in order to understand when and how kaizen is used in healthcare. We analysed 186 structured kaizen documents containing improvement suggestions that were produced by 165 employees at a Swedish hospital. Directed content analysis was used to categorise the suggestions into following categories: type of situation (proactive or reactive) triggering an action; type of process addressed (technical/administrative, support and clinical); complexity level (simple or complex); and type of outcomes aimed for (operational or sociotechnical). Compliance to the kaizen template was calculated. 72% of the improvement suggestions were reactions to a perceived problem. Support, technical and administrative, and primary clinical processes were involved in 47%, 38% and 16% of the suggestions, respectively. The majority of the kaizen documents addressed simple situations and focused on operational outcomes. The degree of compliance to the kaizen template was high for several items concerning the identification of problems and the proposed solutions, and low for items related to the test and implementation of solutions. There is a need to combine kaizen practices with improvement and innovation practices that help staff and managers to address complex issues, such as the improvement of clinical care processes. The limited focus on sociotechnical aspects and the partial compliance to kaizen templates may indicate a limited understanding of the entire kaizen process and of how it relates to the overall organisational goals. This in turn can hamper the sustainability of kaizen practices and results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Indonesia: A Whole of Government Approach to Partnership Against Extremism

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-03

century partnership. We are entering an era where our relations will be more and more driven by the need to address global issues , as much as by...Southeast Asia: Domestic, Regional, and Global Issues (London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003), 75. 7 Peng Claire Bei, “Terrorism and the Future of...Southeast Asia: Domestic, Regional, and Global Issues . London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003. Crocker, Chester A., Fen Osler Hampson, and Pamela R

Scientometric Analysis and Mapping of Scientific Articles on Diabetic Retinopathy.

PubMed

Ramin, Shahrokh; Gharebaghi, Reza; Heidary, Fatemeh

2015-01-01

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the major cause of blindness among the working-age population globally. No systematic research has been previously performed to analyze the research published on DR, despite the need for it. This study aimed to analyze the scientific production on DR to draw overall roadmap of future research strategic planning in this field. A bibliometric method was used to obtain a view on the scientific production about DR by the data extracted from the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). Articles about DR published in 1993-2013 were analyzed to obtain a view of the topic's structure, history, and to document relationships. The trends in the most influential publications and authors were analyzed. Most highly cited articles addressed epidemiologic and translational research topics in this field. During the past 3 years, there has been a trend toward biomarker discovery and more molecular translational research. Areas such as gene therapy and micro-RNAs are also among the recent hot topics. Through analyzing the characteristics of papers and the trends in scientific production, we performed the first scientometric report on DR. Most influential articles have addressed epidemiology and translational research subjects in this field, which reflects that globally, the earlier diagnosis and treatment of this devastating disease still has the highest global priority.

Eight questions about physician-rating websites: a systematic review.

PubMed

Emmert, Martin; Sander, Uwe; Pisch, Frank

2013-02-01

Physician-rating websites (PRWs) are currently gaining in popularity because they increase transparency in the health care system. However, research on the characteristics and content of these portals remains limited. To identify and synthesize published evidence in peer-reviewed journals regarding frequently discussed issues about PRWs. Peer-reviewed English and German language literature was searched in seven databases (Medline (via PubMed), the Cochrane Library, Business Source Complete, ABI/Inform Complete, PsycInfo, Scopus, and ISI web of knowledge) without any time constraints. Additionally, reference lists of included studies were screened to assure completeness. The following eight previously defined questions were addressed: 1) What percentage of physicians has been rated? 2) What is the average number of ratings on PRWs? 3) Are there any differences among rated physicians related to socioeconomic status? 4) Are ratings more likely to be positive or negative? 5) What significance do patient narratives have? 6) How should physicians deal with PRWs? 7) What major shortcomings do PRWs have? 8) What recommendations can be made for further improvement of PRWs? Twenty-four articles published in peer-reviewed journals met our inclusion criteria. Most studies were published by US (n=13) and German (n=8) researchers; however, the focus differed considerably. The current usage of PRWs is still low but is increasing. International data show that 1 out of 6 physicians has been rated, and approximately 90% of all ratings on PRWs were positive. Although often a concern, we could not find any evidence of "doctor-bashing". Physicians should not ignore these websites, but rather, monitor the information available and use it for internal and ex-ternal purpose. Several shortcomings limit the significance of the results published on PRWs; some recommendations to address these limitations are presented. Although the number of publications is still low, PRWs are gaining more attention in research. But the current condition of PRWs is lacking. This is the case both in the United States and in Germany. Further research is necessary to increase the quality of the websites, especially from the patients' perspective.

The scientific literature on Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857) from 1982 to 2012.

PubMed

Barbosa, Fabiana G

2014-09-01

Limnoperna fortunei (golden mussel) is a freshwater bivalve native to Southeast Asia, but is becoming an invasive species in several aquatic ecosystems in the world. In this study, a scientometric analysis was performed to identify the patterns, trends and gaps of knowledge for this invasive species. A survey of the published literature was conducted using the database of the Thomson Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). A total of 107 papers were surveyed that were published between 1982 and 2012 in 60 journals. The number of papers on L. fortunei over the years has increased, especially within the last eight years of the study period. Argentina, Brazil, and Japan are the countries that contributed the most papers to the literature on invasive bivalve. The majority of papers were field-observational studies. Among some important gaps that need to be addressed are the relatively small number and/or lack of studies conducted in the native countries and in countries invaded by L. fortunei, the lack of internationally collaborative publications in these countries, as well as a low number of internationally collaborative studies.

[Scientific-professional production on the ICF disability model in Spain. A literature review (2001-2010)].

PubMed

Comín Comín, Magdalena; Ruiz Garrós, Cristina; Franco, Esther; Damian, Javier; Ruiz Tovar, Maria; de Pedro-Cuesta, Jesús

2011-12-01

To quantify the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in Spain on the basis of published reports, and to compare this use with that in other European countries. We reviewed the scientific literature published by, or with the participation of, authors having Spanish institutional affiliations in Spanish or international journals between May 2001 and June 2010. A total of 47 papers were identified, with a recent annual increase in those published in English. There was a predominance of theoretical journals (53.1%) and those specializing in mental health, rehabilitation and disability, with a medium or low impact factor. The World Health Organization-Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS-II) was used in 27.6% of publications. Most studies addressed adult populations with mental illness. Spain ranked midway in the table of European countries (fifth by Medline references). This review suggests that the effective application of the ICF in Spain is limited but is increasing and is internationally co-ordinated. The main fields of application are theoretical and diagnostic, in various clinical, rehabilitation and population-based contexts and, to a much lesser extent, in health services. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Assesment of publication practices in geosciences in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cazenave, A.; Barbe, V.

2003-12-01

We present results of a study which goal was to investigate in which journals scientists in geosciences (i.e., in the fields covered by the AGU) in developing countries publish most of their papers.We were interested in particular in looking at the percentage of publications in AGU journals. Using science indicators collected by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), we analysed publication practices for 1997-2002 in the following countries : India, China, Russia, Brazil, Argentina and Chile. We investigated the evolution of the number of publications through time, identified most used journals, determined times cited and impact factors of papers published in the top 15 most used journals. We also determined the percentage of articles published in AGU journals versus other journals. We found that for the 6 counties considered, this percentage varies from about 2 to 3 percent (Argentina, China) to about 8 percent (the other 4 countries). Investigation of authors addresses indicates that the majority of articles published in AGU journals are multi-countries publications, involving international collaboration mainly with scientists from North America and Europe. Implications on page-charge and access to AGU journals are also discussed.

Health promotion interventions and policies addressing excessive alcohol use: A systematic review of national and global evidence as a guide to health-care reform in China

PubMed Central

Li, Qing; Babor, Thomas F.; Zeigler, Donald; Xuan, Ziming; Morisky, Donald; Hovell, Melbourne F.; Nelson, Toben F.; Shen, Weixing; Li, Bing

2014-01-01

Aims Steady increases in alcohol consumption and related problems are likely to accompany China's rapid epidemiologic transition and profit-based marketing activities. We reviewed research on health promotion interventions and policies to address excessive drinking and to guide health-care reform. Methods We searched in Chinese and English language databases and included 21 studies in China published between 1980 and 2013 that covered each policy area from the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. We evaluated and compared preventive interventions to the global alcohol literature for cross-national applicability. Results In contrast with hundreds of studies in the global literature, 11 of 12 studies from mainland China were published in Chinese; six of ten in English were on taxation from Taiwan or Hong Kong. Most studies demonstrated effectiveness in reducing excessive drinking, and some reported the reduction of health problems. Seven were randomized controlled trials. Studies targeted schools, drink-driving, workplaces, the health sector, and taxation. Conclusions China is the world's largest alcohol market, yet there has been little growth in alcohol policy research related to health promotion interventions over the past decade. Guided by a public health approach, the WHO Global Strategy, and health reform experience in Russia, Australia, Mexico, and the USA, China could improve its public health response through better coordination and implementation of surveillance and evidence-based research, and through programmatic and legal responses such as public health law research, screening and early intervention within health systems, and the implementation of effective alcohol control strategies. PMID:25533866

Twenty years of multidisciplinary research and practice: the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation then and now.

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Findley, Patricia A; Feuerstein, Michael

2011-12-01

Early research of work disability in the 1980s showed a complexity of factors influencing pain and health-related functional limitation at work; hence, multidisciplinary perspectives were necessary to understand the complex interplay between biomechanical, organizational, social, and psychological factors impacting work disability. To address this need, the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation was founded in 1991 with the goal of providing a scientific, yet practical forum for presenting multidisciplinary research and practice in work disability. Now, the 20-year collection of articles in the Journal reflects important trends and directions in the field of occupational rehabilitation. We conducted a retrospective summary of the past 20 years of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, including its inaugural goals and intent, rates of submission and acceptance, trends in the types of articles published, study topics, global distribution of authors, and future directions. The original goal of providing a multidisciplinary scientific and practical forum has been met, but current trends reflect a maturing scientific evidence base, with less representation of employer-based case studies and practical innovations. There has been a dramatic increase in the international representation of studies, authors, and peer reviewers outside of the US. Also, published studies now address work disability for a larger number of health concerns. Contributions to the Journal continue to reflect a multidisciplinary perspective, but the Journal has seen significant changes with respect to international representation, the expanding study of non-musculoskeletal sources of work disability, and the maturing scientific evidence base in the field of occupational rehabilitation. Future volumes of the Journal will likely reflect continuing changes in the global economy, workforce fitness, and job demands.

Ovarian follicle maturation and ovulation: An integrated perspective

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patino, R.; Thomas, P.; Yoshizaki, G.

2003-01-01

Numerous studies with teleosts have addressed the regulation and mechanisms of oocyte maturation, but largely at the exclusion of ovulation. A smaller but still considerable number of studies have focused on ovulation, and ignored maturation. Consequently, little is known about the mechanistic linkages between these two events. New information is presented here indicating that luteinizing hormone regulates the acquisition not only of oocyte maturational competence, but also ovulatory competence. The thesis is presented that maturation and ovulation are closely integrated and overlapping events that are best viewed conceptually and experimentally as parts of a functional whole. ?? 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Agent-based modeling and systems dynamics model reproduction.

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

North, M. J.; Macal, C. M.

2009-01-01

Reproducibility is a pillar of the scientific endeavour. We view computer simulations as laboratories for electronic experimentation and therefore as tools for science. Recent studies have addressed model reproduction and found it to be surprisingly difficult to replicate published findings. There have been enough failed simulation replications to raise the question, 'can computer models be fully replicated?' This paper answers in the affirmative by reporting on a successful reproduction study using Mathematica, Repast and Swarm for the Beer Game supply chain model. The reproduction process was valuable because it demonstrated the original result's robustness across modelling methodologies and implementation environments.

Beyond Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalysis: A Review of Psychoanalytic Empirical Single Case Studies Published in ISI-Ranked Journals.

PubMed

Meganck, Reitske; Inslegers, Ruth; Krivzov, Juri; Notaerts, Liza

2017-01-01

Single case studies are at the origin of both theory development and research in the field of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. While clinical case studies are the hallmark of psychoanalytic theory and practice, their scientific value has been strongly criticized. To address problems with the subjective bias of retrospective therapist reports and uncontrollability of clinical case studies, systematic approaches to investigate psychotherapy process and outcome at the level of the single case have been developed. Such empirical case studies are also able to bridge the famous gap between academic research and clinical practice as they provide clinically relevant insights into how psychotherapy works. This study presents a review of psychoanalytic empirical case studies published in ISI-ranked journals and maps the characteristics of the study, therapist, patient en therapies that are investigated. Empirical case studies increased in quantity and quality (amount of information and systematization) over time. While future studies could pay more attention to providing contextual information on therapist characteristics and informed consent considerations, the available literature provides a basis to conduct meta-studies of single cases and as such contribute to knowledge aggregation.

Beyond Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalysis: A Review of Psychoanalytic Empirical Single Case Studies Published in ISI-Ranked Journals

PubMed Central

Meganck, Reitske; Inslegers, Ruth; Krivzov, Juri; Notaerts, Liza

2017-01-01

Single case studies are at the origin of both theory development and research in the field of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. While clinical case studies are the hallmark of psychoanalytic theory and practice, their scientific value has been strongly criticized. To address problems with the subjective bias of retrospective therapist reports and uncontrollability of clinical case studies, systematic approaches to investigate psychotherapy process and outcome at the level of the single case have been developed. Such empirical case studies are also able to bridge the famous gap between academic research and clinical practice as they provide clinically relevant insights into how psychotherapy works. This study presents a review of psychoanalytic empirical case studies published in ISI-ranked journals and maps the characteristics of the study, therapist, patient en therapies that are investigated. Empirical case studies increased in quantity and quality (amount of information and systematization) over time. While future studies could pay more attention to providing contextual information on therapist characteristics and informed consent considerations, the available literature provides a basis to conduct meta-studies of single cases and as such contribute to knowledge aggregation. PMID:29046660

Commentary: Writing and Evaluating Qualitative Research Reports.

PubMed

Wu, Yelena P; Thompson, Deborah; Aroian, Karen J; McQuaid, Elizabeth L; Deatrick, Janet A

2016-06-01

To provide an overview of qualitative methods, particularly for reviewers and authors who may be less familiar with qualitative research. A question and answer format is used to address considerations for writing and evaluating qualitative research. When producing qualitative research, individuals are encouraged to address the qualitative research considerations raised and to explicitly identify the systematic strategies used to ensure rigor in study design and methods, analysis, and presentation of findings. Increasing capacity for review and publication of qualitative research within pediatric psychology will advance the field's ability to gain a better understanding of the specific needs of pediatric populations, tailor interventions more effectively, and promote optimal health. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Review of Residential Low-Load HVAC Systems

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

Brown, Scott A.; Thornton, Brian A.; Widder, Sarah H.

In support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building America Program, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) conducted an investigation to inventory commercially available HVAC technologies that are being installed in low-load homes. The first step in this investigation was to conduct a review of published literature to identify low-load HVAC technologies available in the United States and abroad, and document the findings of existing case studies that have evaluated the performance of the identified technologies. This report presents the findings of the literature review, identifies gaps in the literature or technical understanding that must be addressed before low-load HVACmore » technologies can be fully evaluated, and introduces PNNL’s planned research and analysis for this project to address identified gaps and potential future work on residential low-load HVAC systems.« less

Children's knowledge of sexual abuse prevention in El Salvador.

PubMed

Hurtado, Alicia; Katz, Craig L; Ciro, Dianne; Guttfreund, Daniel; Nosike, Digna

2014-01-01

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a global health problem that must be addressed. In a country with limited resources such as El Salvador, we sought an alternative way to disseminate CSA prevention information to elementary school children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention exhibit at a children's museum. We asked 189 children to answer a questionnaire about CSA prevention before entering a museum exhibit on the subject and then asked 59 different children to answer the questionnaire after visiting the exhibit. Children's knowledge scores on CSA prevention significantly improved after visiting the exhibit (P < .012). A museum exhibit that addresses CSA prevention is an effective way of communicating CSA prevention to children. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stepping Stones Triple P: the importance of putting the findings into context.

PubMed

Tellegen, Cassandra L; Sofronoff, Kate

2015-02-04

The Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) parenting program is an evidence-based program for parents of children with a disability. A trial of SSTP was recently published in BMC Medicine, which reported results of a randomized controlled trial comparing SSTP to care-as-usual. Although the paper described what should be an important replication trial of SSTP, there are significant shortcomings to the scientific approach of the reporting that need to be addressed. The paper initially cites only a few published SSTP studies and describes evidence for the efficacy of the program as "very scarce". A meta-analysis of studies evaluating SSTP published prior to submission of this paper was not cited. The results are inconsistent with previous evidence for SSTP, yet the authors provide scant interpretation for this inconsistency. Similarly, the unusually high dropout rate of 49% was not adequately explained. The claims that previous research has only been conducted by the developers, has not included children with intellectual disability, and has not used care-as-usual comparison groups, are inaccurate. This commentary explores these issues further in order to place the findings from the recent trial into context.

Nanotechnology in cosmetics.

PubMed

Katz, Linda M; Dewan, Kapal; Bronaugh, Robert L

2015-11-01

Nanomaterials are being used in cosmetic products for various effects. However, their use also raises potential safety concerns. Some of these concerns can be addressed by determining the type of nanomaterials used, as well as stability, potential for skin absorption, route of exposure, and how they are formulated in cosmetic products. There has been considerable effort internationally to harmonize approaches in order to address definitional issues and safety concerns related to the use of nanomaterials in cosmetic products. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Yoga as a Therapeutic Intervention: A Bibliometric Analysis of Published Research Studies from 1967 to 2013

PubMed Central

Slutsky, Jeremiah; Singh, Nilkamal; Khalsa, Sat Bir S.

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted on publications for yoga therapy research in clinical populations. Methods: Major electronic databases were searched for articles in all languages published between 1967 and 2013. Databases included PubMed, PsychInfo, MEDLINE, IndMed, Indian Citation Index, Index Medicus for South-East Asia Region, Web of Knowledge, Embase, EBSCO, and Google Scholar. Nonindexed journals were searched manually. Key search words included yoga, yoga therapy, pranayama, asana. All studies met the definition of a clinical trial. All styles of yoga were included. The authors extracted the data. Results: A total of 486 articles met the inclusion criteria and were published in 217 different peer-reviewed journals from 29 different countries on 28,080 study participants. The primary result observed is the three-fold increase in number of publications seen in the last 10 years, inclusive of all study designs. Overall, 45% of the studies published were randomized controlled trials, 18% were controlled studies, and 37% were uncontrolled studies. Most publications originated from India (n=258), followed by the United States (n=122) and Canada (n=13). The top three disorders addressed by yoga interventions were mental health, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease. Conclusion: A surge in publications on yoga to mitigate disease-related symptoms in clinical populations has occurred despite challenges facing the field of yoga research, which include standardization and limitations in funding, time, and resources. The population at large has observed a parallel surge in the use of yoga outside of clinical practice. The use of yoga as a complementary therapy in clinical practice may lead to health benefits beyond traditional treatment alone; however, to effect changes in health care policy, more high-quality, evidence-based research is needed. PMID:26196166

A systematic review of midwife-led interventions to address post partum post-traumatic stress.

PubMed

Borg Cunen, Nicole; McNeill, Jenny; Murray, Karen

2014-02-01

to systematically identify interventions that midwives could introduce to address post-traumatic stress in women following childbirth. a search strategy was developed and relevant papers were identified from databases including Cinahl, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Key search terms used were post-traumatic stress, post partum, intervention, controlled trial and review. Papers eligible for inclusion were primary studies and reviews of research published from 2002-2012, focusing on interventions which could be implemented by midwives for the prevention and/or management of PTSD. For primary studies, RCTs, controlled clinical trials, and cohort studies with a control group were eligible. Eligible reviews were those with a specified search strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using recognised frameworks. six primary studies and eight reviews were eligible for inclusion. The majority of included studies or reviews focused on debriefing and/or counselling interventions; however the results were not consistent due to significant variation in methodological quality and use of dissimilar interventions. Two of the reviews considered the general management of post partum PTSD and one broadly covered anxiety during pregnancy and the post partum, incorporating a section on PTSD. The majority of women reported that the opportunity to discuss their childbirth experience was subjectively beneficial. no evidence-based midwifery interventions were identified from this systematic review that can be recommended for introduction into practice to address PTSD. It is recommended that future research in this area should incorporate standardised interventions with similar outcome measures to facilitate synthesis of results. Further research on interventions used in non-maternity populations is needed in order to confirm their usefulness in addressing post partum PTSD. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 13384 - Additional Guidance on Airfare/Air Tour Price Advertisements; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

...The Department published a notice entitled ``Additional Guidance on Airfare/Air Tour Price Advertisements,'' in the Federal Register of February 27, 2012; the notice contained an incorrect address for the Department.

Missouri Highway Safety Manual Recalibration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-05-01

The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) is a national manual for analyzing the highway safety of various facilities, including rural roads, urban arterials, freeways, and intersections. The HSM was first published in 2010, and a 2014 supplement addressed fre...

75 FR 69515 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-12

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of information collection packages requiring..., E-mail address: [email protected] . (SSA) Social Security Administration, DCBFM, Attn...

77 FR 35739 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-14

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of information collection packages requiring...: 202-395-6974, Email address: [email protected] . (SSA), Social Security Administration...

78 FR 39055 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of information collection packages requiring... address: [email protected] . (SSA) Social Security Administration, DCRDP, Attn: Reports...

77 FR 33546 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-06

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of information collection packages requiring...: 202-395-6974, Email address: [email protected] ; (SSA), Social Security Administration...

78 FR 56264 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-12

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of information collection packages requiring..., Email address: [email protected] . (SSA), Social Security Administration, DCRDP, Attn: Reports...

76 FR 52043 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-19

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of information collection packages requiring.... E-mail address: [email protected] . (SSA) Social Security Administration, DCBFM. Attn...

Needing a nudge: the effect of encouragement on submission rates and journal selection.

PubMed

Wendling, Andrea; Brocato, Joseph

2014-06-01

Mentorship within academic institutions influences research productivity; no published studies have addressed whether encouragement on a national level would have similar effects. We studied whether contact by a journal's editorial board members would affect submission rates or journal selection by authors. Authors of potentially publishable conference materials presented at national conferences sponsored by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine were randomized to receive an invitation to submit work to Family Medicine or to receive no contact. After 2 years, we surveyed authors regarding whether a manuscript had been attempted and, if completed, where it had been submitted and eventually published. A total of 345 submissions were reviewed, 72 met inclusion criteria, and 41 authors responded to the survey (57%). There were no differences in demographics, scholarly activity in general, or faculty status between study groups. There was no significant difference in whether manuscripts based on targeted projects had been written, completed, submitted, or published. There was a significant difference in where manuscripts were submitted with the inviting journal receiving proportionately more submissions from the group of authors that had been contacted (90% Contacted group, 43% No-Contact). Simple encouragement from editorial board members of a national peer-reviewed journal in the form of a single e-mail invitation did not increase the scholarly production of authors. Encouragement may, however, increase the likelihood that completed works are submitted to the inviting journal, which is a useful finding for journals interested in soliciting scholarly works of interest.

Significance chasing in research practice: Causes, consequences, and possible solutions

PubMed Central

Ware, Jennifer J.; Munafò, Marcus R.

2016-01-01

Background and Aims The low reproducibility of findings within the scientific literature is a growing concern. This may be due to many findings being false positives, which in turn can misdirect research effort and waste money. Methods We review factors that may contribute to poor study reproducibility and an excess of ‘significant’ findings within the published literature. Specifically, we consider the influence of current incentive structures, and the impact of these on research practices. Results The prevalence of false positives within the literature may be attributable to a number of questionable research practices, ranging from the relatively innocent and minor (e.g., unplanned post hoc tests), to the calculated and serious (e.g., fabrication of data). These practices may be driven by current incentive structures (e.g. pressure to publish), alongside the preferential emphasis placed by journals on novelty over veracity. There are a number of potential solutions to poor reproducibility, such as new publishing formats that emphasise the research question and study design, rather than the results obtained. This has the potential to minimise significance chasing and non-publication of null findings. Conclusions Significance chasing, questionable research practices, and poor study reproducibility are the unfortunate consequence of a “publish or perish” culture and a preference among journals for novel findings. It is likely that top-down change implemented by those with the ability to modify current incentive structure (e.g., funders and journals) will be required to address problems of poor reproducibility. PMID:25040652

Research publications in medical journals (1992-2013) by family medicine authors - suez canal university-egypt.

PubMed

Abdulmajeed, Abdulmajeed A; Ismail, Mosleh A; Nour-Eldein, Hebatallah

2014-01-01

Research in family medicine (FM) provides an important contribution to its discipline. Family medicine research can contribute to many areas of primary care, ranging from the early diagnosis to equitable health care. Publication productivity is important in academic settings as a marker for career advancement. To describe the publications by family medicine researcher authors between 1992 and 2013. All full text, original articles published by family medicine researcher; author with affiliation to the Suez Canal University were collected using the internet and hand search. The journals that published for family medicine researcher authors were identified. Author characteristics were described. The trend of publications was described. All articles were analyzed for their characteristics, including the themes and study designs according to predefined criteria. Along 22 years, 149 research articles were published by 48 family medicine authors in 39 medical journals. The largest category in publications was related to Family physician/Health service (FP-HS, n = 52 articles), followed by 'Patient' category (n = 42). All the studies were quantitative; the largest group was represented by cross-sectional studies (76.5%). The publication productivity by family medicine researchers are going to be increased. FP-HS and patient topics were mostly addressed in publications. Cross-sectional studies exceeded any other designs. There is need to put more emphasis on intervention studies. Continuous assessment and improvement of FM research production and publication is recommended.

Plasma rich in growth factors had limited effect on early bone formation in extraction sockets: Response to "Anitua, E., Alkhraisat, M.H. & Orive, G. (2013) Letter to the Editor: Rigorous methodology is the school of coherent conclusions in science. European Journal of Oral Implantology 6: 9-11.".

PubMed

Farina, Roberto; Bressan, Eriberto; Taut, Andrei; Cucchi, Alessandro; Trombelli, Leonardo

2014-10-01

To address the criticisms raised by Anitua et al. (European Journal of Oral Implantology, 6, 2013, 9-11) to the article "Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in Human Post-Extraction Sockets: an Histological and Histomorphometric Study.", recently published by Farina and colleagues (Clinical Oral Implants Research 2012; doi: 10.1111/clr.12033). All the methodological aspects criticized in the letter by Anitua et al. were thoroughly reconsidered and discussed in a structured short communication. When indicated, pertinent, additional material was included to reinforce our considerations. As most clinical studies in implant dentistry, including previous studies evaluating the efficacy/effectiveness of PRGF, the study by Farina et al. has some limitations. However, it is currently the only published controlled trial using quantitative parameters related to PRGF-induced early bone formation. Despite all limitations, the results of the study by Farina et al., which were based on different quantitative parameters (micro-CT scan, immunohistochemical markers of wound healing and bone deposition), indicated a limited effect of PRGF on early bone formation in extraction sockets. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Conditions for addressing environmental determinants of health behavior in intersectoral policy networks: A fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis.

PubMed

Peters, D T J M; Verweij, S; Grêaux, K; Stronks, K; Harting, J

2017-12-01

Improving health requires changes in the social, physical, economic and political determinants of health behavior. For the realization of policies that address these environmental determinants, intersectoral policy networks are considered necessary for the pooling of resources to implement different policy instruments. However, such network diversity may increase network complexity and therefore hamper network performance. Network complexity may be reduced by network management and the provision of financial resources. This study examined whether network diversity - amidst the other conditions - is indeed needed to address environmental determinants of health behavior. We included 25 intersectoral policy networks in Dutch municipalities aimed at reducing overweight, smoking, and alcohol/drugs abuse. For our fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis we used data from three web-based surveys among (a) project leaders regarding network diversity and size (n = 38); (b) project leaders and project partners regarding management (n = 278); and (c) implementation professionals regarding types of environmental determinants addressed (n = 137). Data on budgets were retrieved from project application forms. Contrary to their intentions, most policy networks typically addressed personal determinants. If the environment was addressed too, it was mostly the social environment. To address environmental determinants of health behavior, network diversity (>50% of the actors are non-public health) was necessary in networks that were either small (<16 actors) or had small budgets (<€183,172), when both were intensively managed. Irrespective of network diversity, environmental determinants also were addressed by small networks with large budgets, and by large networks with small budgets, when both provided network management. We conclude that network diversity is important - although not necessary - for resource pooling to address environmental determinants of health behavior, but only effective in the presence of network management. Our findings may support intersectoral policy networks in improving health behaviors by addressing a variety of environmental determinants. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Optical implementation of quantum computers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rarity, John; Weinfurter, Harald

2004-09-01

A topical issue of Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics will be devoted to recent advances in optical implementation of quantum computers. The topics to be covered will include, but are not limited to: bullet Linear optics quantum gates bullet Progress towards nonlinear optics quantum gates bullet Interface between optical qubits and atomic/solid state qubits bullet Novel architectures bullet Single-photon sources and detectors bullet Photonic quantum networks bullet Few-qubit applications The DEADLINE for submission of contributions is 15 January 2005 to allow the topical issue to be published in about October 2005. All contributions will be peer-reviewed in accordance with the normal refereeing procedures and standards of Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics. Submissions should preferably be in either standard LaTeX form or Microsoft Word. Advice on publishing your work in the journal may be found at www.iop.org/journals/authors/jopb. There are no page charges for publication. The corresponding author of each paper published will receive a complimentary copy of the topical issue. Contributions to the topical issue should preferably be submitted electronically at www.iop.org/journals/authors/jopb or by e-mail to jopb@iop.org. Authors unable to submit online or by e-mail may send hard copy contributions (enclosing the electronic code) to: Dr Claire Bedrock (Publisher), Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics, Institute of Physics Publishing, Dirac House, Temple Back, Bristol BS1 6BE, UK. All contributions should be accompanied by a readme file or covering letter, quoting `JOPB Topical Issue - Optical implementation of quantum computers', giving the postal and e-mail addresses for correspondence. Any subsequent change of address should be notified to the publishing office. We look forward to receiving your contribution to this topical issue.

Publishing biomedical journals on the World-Wide Web using an open architecture model.

PubMed Central

Shareck, E. P.; Greenes, R. A.

1996-01-01

BACKGROUND: In many respects, biomedical publications are ideally suited for distribution via the World-Wide Web, but economic concerns have prevented the rapid adoption of an on-line publishing model. PURPOSE: We report on our experiences with assisting biomedical journals in developing an online presence, issues that were encountered, and methods used to address these issues. Our approach is based on an open architecture that fosters adaptation and interconnection of biomedical resources. METHODS: We have worked with the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), as well as five other publishers. A set of tools and protocols was employed to develop a scalable and customizable solution for publishing journals on-line. RESULTS: In March, 1996, the New England Journal of Medicine published its first World-Wide Web issue. Explorations with other publishers have helped to generalize the model. CONCLUSIONS: Economic and technical issues play a major role in developing World-Wide Web publishing solutions. PMID:8947685

Accuracy of commercial geocoding: assessment and implications.

PubMed

Whitsel, Eric A; Quibrera, P Miguel; Smith, Richard L; Catellier, Diane J; Liao, Duanping; Henley, Amanda C; Heiss, Gerardo

2006-07-20

Published studies of geocoding accuracy often focus on a single geographic area, address source or vendor, do not adjust accuracy measures for address characteristics, and do not examine effects of inaccuracy on exposure measures. We addressed these issues in a Women's Health Initiative ancillary study, the Environmental Epidemiology of Arrhythmogenesis in WHI. Addresses in 49 U.S. states (n = 3,615) with established coordinates were geocoded by four vendors (A-D). There were important differences among vendors in address match rate (98%; 82%; 81%; 30%), concordance between established and vendor-assigned census tracts (85%; 88%; 87%; 98%) and distance between established and vendor-assigned coordinates (mean rho [meters]: 1809; 748; 704; 228). Mean rho was lowest among street-matched, complete, zip-coded, unedited and urban addresses, and addresses with North American Datum of 1983 or World Geodetic System of 1984 coordinates. In mixed models restricted to vendors with minimally acceptable match rates (A-C) and adjusted for address characteristics, within-address correlation, and among-vendor heteroscedasticity of rho, differences in mean rho were small for street-type matches (280; 268; 275), i.e. likely to bias results relying on them about equally for most applications. In contrast, differences between centroid-type matches were substantial in some vendor contrasts, but not others (5497; 4303; 4210) p(interaction) < 10(-4), i.e. more likely to bias results differently in many applications. The adjusted odds of an address match was higher for vendor A versus C (odds ratio = 66, 95% confidence interval: 47, 93), but not B versus C (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.3). That of census tract concordance was no higher for vendor A versus C (OR = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.2) or B versus C (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.3). Misclassification of a related exposure measure--distance to the nearest highway--increased with mean rho and in the absence of confounding, non-differential misclassification of this distance biased its hypothetical association with coronary heart disease mortality toward the null. Geocoding error depends on measures used to evaluate it, address characteristics and vendor. Vendor selection presents a trade-off between potential for missing data and error in estimating spatially defined attributes. Informed selection is needed to control the trade-off and adjust analyses for its effects.

Accuracy of commercial geocoding: assessment and implications

PubMed Central

Whitsel, Eric A; Quibrera, P Miguel; Smith, Richard L; Catellier, Diane J; Liao, Duanping; Henley, Amanda C; Heiss, Gerardo

2006-01-01

Background Published studies of geocoding accuracy often focus on a single geographic area, address source or vendor, do not adjust accuracy measures for address characteristics, and do not examine effects of inaccuracy on exposure measures. We addressed these issues in a Women's Health Initiative ancillary study, the Environmental Epidemiology of Arrhythmogenesis in WHI. Results Addresses in 49 U.S. states (n = 3,615) with established coordinates were geocoded by four vendors (A-D). There were important differences among vendors in address match rate (98%; 82%; 81%; 30%), concordance between established and vendor-assigned census tracts (85%; 88%; 87%; 98%) and distance between established and vendor-assigned coordinates (mean ρ [meters]: 1809; 748; 704; 228). Mean ρ was lowest among street-matched, complete, zip-coded, unedited and urban addresses, and addresses with North American Datum of 1983 or World Geodetic System of 1984 coordinates. In mixed models restricted to vendors with minimally acceptable match rates (A-C) and adjusted for address characteristics, within-address correlation, and among-vendor heteroscedasticity of ρ, differences in mean ρ were small for street-type matches (280; 268; 275), i.e. likely to bias results relying on them about equally for most applications. In contrast, differences between centroid-type matches were substantial in some vendor contrasts, but not others (5497; 4303; 4210) pinteraction < 10-4, i.e. more likely to bias results differently in many applications. The adjusted odds of an address match was higher for vendor A versus C (odds ratio = 66, 95% confidence interval: 47, 93), but not B versus C (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.3). That of census tract concordance was no higher for vendor A versus C (OR = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.2) or B versus C (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.9, 1.3). Misclassification of a related exposure measure – distance to the nearest highway – increased with mean ρ and in the absence of confounding, non-differential misclassification of this distance biased its hypothetical association with coronary heart disease mortality toward the null. Conclusion Geocoding error depends on measures used to evaluate it, address characteristics and vendor. Vendor selection presents a trade-off between potential for missing data and error in estimating spatially defined attributes. Informed selection is needed to control the trade-off and adjust analyses for its effects. PMID:16857050

CALL FOR PAPERS: Quantum control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancini, Stefano; Wiseman, Howard M.; Man'ko, Vladimir I.

2004-10-01

Over the last few decades, the achievements of highly precise technologies for manipulating systems at quantum scales have paved the way for the development of quantum control. Moreover, the proliferation of results in quantum information suggest that control theory might profitably be re-examined from this perspective. Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics will publish a topical issue devoted to quantum control. The Guest Editors invite contributions from researchers working in any area related to quantum control. Topics to be covered include: • Quantum Hamiltonian dynamics and programming control • Quantum decoherence control • Open loop control • Closed loop (feedback) control • Quantum measurement theory • Quantum noise and filtering • Estimation and decision theory • Quantum error correction • Group representation in quantum control • Coherent control in quantum optics and lasers • Coherent control in cavity QED and atom optics • Coherent control in molecular dynamics The topical issue is scheduled for publication in November 2005 and the DEADLINE for submission of contributions is 28 February 2005. All contributions will be peer-reviewed in accordance with the normal refereeing procedures and standards of Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics. Submissions should preferably be in either standard LaTeX form or Microsoft Word. Advice on publishing your work in the journal may be found at www.iop.org/journals/authors/jopb. Enquiries regarding this topical issue may be addressed to the Publisher, Dr Claire Bedrock (claire.bedrock@iop.org). There are no page charges for publication. The corresponding author of each paper published will receive a complimentary copy of the topical issue. Contributions to the topical issue should preferably be submitted electronically at www.iop.org/journals/authors/jopb or by e-mail to jopb@iop.org. Authors unable to submit online or by e-mail may send hard copy contributions (enclosing the electronic code) to: Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics, Institute of Physics Publishing, Dirac House, Temple Back, Bristol BS1 6BE, UK. All contributions should be accompanied by a readme file or covering letter, quoting `JOPB Topical Issue - Quantum control', giving the postal and e-mail addresses for correspondence. Any subsequent change of address should be notified to the publishing office. We look forward to receiving your contribution to this topical issue.

[Nutrition sciences in Spain in the second half of the twentieth century: a descriptive bibliometric study of the journal Anales de Bromatologia (1949-1993)].

PubMed

Bernabeu-Mestre, J; Ureña Alberola, M T; Esplugues Pellicer, J X; Trescastro-López, E M; Galiana-Sánchez, M E; Castelló Botía, I

2012-11-01

To analyse the institutionalisation of nutrition sciences in Spain in the second half of the twentieth century, and evaluate the activities of the journal Anales de Bromatología. Descriptive bibliometric study of the original articles. Full names of the authors and the complete article title were recorded. Using key words, each article was assigned by consensus of the researchers to a single main subject in accordance with the thirteen subject areas addressed by the Spanish Society of Bromatology in its meetings. An analysis was conducted of the distribution and trends of general productivity indicators and their characteristics. A total of 917 original articles were published, with a mean of 20.8 papers/year. The subjects for which the highest percentage of articles was recorded were foreign substances in foods, foods of plant origin and nutrition. A total of 874 authors contributed, with a collaboration rate of 2.43 and a transience rate of 70.1%. Distribution of the number of authors per article was close to that indicated by Lotka's law of scientific productivity. The top twelve producers, predominantly women, participated in 49.9% of the articles published. The journal showed low productivity and was of an endogamous nature, with a predominance of authors related to the School of Bromatology in the Faculty of Pharmacy, at the Complutense University. The subjects addressed reflected the demands of the nutrition transition in Spain.

Unsuitable readability levels of patient information pertaining to dementia and related diseases: a comparative analysis.

PubMed

Weih, Markus; Reinhold, Angelika; Richter-Schmidinger, Tanja; Sulimma, Anne-Kathrin; Klein, Harald; Kornhuber, Johannes

2008-12-01

Our study investigated the readability of printed material about dementia that is offered to patients and caregivers. Comparisons of various brochures (at least three standard pages in length) on dementia and related disorders were made using automated measuring by the SMOG readability index grade. 118 brochures were assessed (25 in English, 93 in German), for which the mean readability was found to be high school/college level as measured by the SMOG readability index (grade 13.6 +/- 1.8). No differences in readability were observed between materials produced by pharmaceutical companies and other sources. Furthermore, recently published brochures were not more readable than older ones. Shorter brochures, English brochures and those containing medical facts were easier to read than longer ones, those written in German or brochures primarily addressing psychosocial care/social issues. The sentence length was above the 20 word recommendation in 25% of the brochures. The average font size of the brochure texts was small (mean font size 11.1 +/- 1.6 point) with only 25% of brochures having a font size of 12 or more, as recommended. Written patient information and educational material of more than three standard pages is often published at unsuitably high readability levels using small fonts. Information material about dementia should be designed and tested prior to distribution among patients and caregivers. Future studies should address material shorter than three pages and material for younger caregivers.

Feasibility of peer assessment and clinical audit to self-regulate the quality of physiotherapy services: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Maas, Marjo J M; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; Driehuis, Femke; Heerkens, Yvonne F; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; van der Wees, Philip J

2017-02-10

To evaluate the feasibility of a quality improvement programme aimed to enhance the client-centeredness, effectiveness and transparency of physiotherapy services by addressing three feasibility domains: (1) acceptability of the programme design, (2) appropriateness of the implementation strategy and (3) impact on quality improvement. Mixed methods study. 64 physiotherapists working in primary care, organised in a network of communities of practice in the Netherlands. The programme contained: (1) two cycles of online self-assessment and peer assessment (PA) of clinical performance using client records and video-recordings of client communication followed by face-to-face group discussions, and (2) clinical audit assessing organisational performance. Assessment was based on predefined performance indicators which could be scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Discussions addressed performance standards and scoring differences. All feasibility domains were evaluated qualitatively with two focus groups and 10 in-depth interviews. In addition, we evaluated the impact on quality improvement quantitatively by comparing self-assessment and PA scores in cycles 1 and 2. We identified critical success features relevant to programme development and implementation, such as clarifying expectations at baseline, training in PA skills, prolonged engagement with video-assessment and competent group coaches. Self-reported impact on quality improvement included awareness of clinical and organisational performance, improved evidence-based practice and client-centeredness and increased motivation to self-direct quality improvement. Differences between self-scores and peer scores on performance indicators were not significant. Between cycles 1 and 2, scores for record keeping showed significant improvement, however not for client communication. This study demonstrated that bottom-up initiatives to improve healthcare quality can be effective. The results justify ongoing evaluation to inform nationwide implementation when the critical success features are addressed. Further research is necessary to explore the sustainability of the results and the impact on client outcomes in a full-scale study. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Common Elements in Rare Kidney Diseases: Conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference.

PubMed

Aymé, Ségolène; Bockenhauer, Detlef; Day, Simon; Devuyst, Olivier; Guay-Woodford, Lisa M; Ingelfinger, Julie R; Klein, Jon B; Knoers, Nine V A M; Perrone, Ronald D; Roberts, Julia; Schaefer, Franz; Torres, Vicente E; Cheung, Michael; Wheeler, David C; Winkelmayer, Wolfgang C

2017-10-01

Rare kidney diseases encompass at least 150 different conditions, most of which are inherited. Although individual rare kidney diseases raise specific issues, as a group these rare diseases can have overlapping challenges in diagnosis and treatment. These challenges include small numbers of affected patients, unidentified causes of disease, lack of biomarkers for monitoring disease progression, and need for complex care. To address common clinical and patient issues among rare kidney diseases, the KDIGO Controversies Conference entitled, Common Elements in Rare Kidney Diseases, brought together a panel of multidisciplinary clinical providers and patient advocates to address five central issues for rare kidney diseases. These issues encompassed diagnostic challenges, management of kidney functional decline and progression of chronic kidney disease, challenges in clinical study design, translation of advances in research to clinical care, and provision of practical and integrated patient support. Thus, by a process of consensus, guidance for addressing these challenges was developed and is presented here. Copyright © 2017 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The information needs of North American parents of children with asthma: a state-of-the-science review of the literature.

PubMed

Archibald, Mandy M; Scott, Shannon D

2014-01-01

Asthma, the most common chronic disease of childhood, presents diverse challenges to parents who are responsible for its management. Parents must be informed regarding symptom recognition, medications, prevention, and treatment to effectively minimize acute exacerbations and asthma sequela. Current approaches to asthma education do not address the vast range of information needs of parents, and few studies explicitly identify parental information needs in a comprehensive manner. To address this gap and to create a parental information needs taxonomy, a "state-of-the-science" review of the literature was conducted. Three electronic databases were searched and articles were screened according to pre-established inclusion criteria. Of 164 articles retrieved, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Parental information needs can be classified in the following categories: asthma basics, treatment modalities, coping, and medical expectations. This information needs taxonomy may help practitioners better address the information needs of parents of children with asthma. Copyright © 2014 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Repigmentation in vitiligo: position paper of the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference.

PubMed

Gan, Emily Y; Eleftheriadou, Viktoria; Esmat, Samia; Hamzavi, Iltefat; Passeron, Thierry; Böhm, Markus; Anbar, Tag; Goh, Boon Kee; Lan, Cheng-Che E; Lui, Harvey; Ramam, M; Raboobee, Noufal; Katayama, Ichiro; Suzuki, Tamio; Parsad, Davinder; Seth, Vaneeta; Lim, Henry W; van Geel, Nanja; Mulekar, Sanjeev; Harris, John; Wittal, Richard; Benzekri, Laila; Gauthier, Yvon; Kumarasinghe, Prasad; Thng, Steven T G; Silva de Castro, Caio Cesar; Abdallah, Marwa; Vrijman, Charlotte; Bekkenk, Marcel; Seneschal, Julien; Pandya, Amit G; Ezzedine, Khaled; Picardo, Mauro; Taïeb, Alain

2017-01-01

The Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference (VGICC), through an international e-Delphi consensus, concluded that 'repigmentation' and 'maintenance of gained repigmentation' are essential core outcome measures in future vitiligo trials. This VGICC position paper addresses these core topics in two sections and includes an atlas depicting vitiligo repigmentation patterns and color match. The first section delineates mechanisms and characteristics of vitiligo repigmentation, and the second section summarizes the outcomes of international meeting discussions and two e-surveys on vitiligo repigmentation, which had been carried out over 3 yr. Treatment is defined as successful if repigmentation exceeds 80% and at least 80% of the gained repigmentation is maintained for over 6 months. No agreement was found on the best outcome measure for assessing target or global repigmentation, therefore highlighting the limitations of e-surveys in addressing clinical measurements. Until there is a clear consensus, existing tools should be selected according to the specific needs of each study. A workshop will be conducted to address the remaining issues so as to achieve a consensus. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Summary of Research Adaptions of Visceral and Cerebral Resistance Arteries to Simulated Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delp, Michael

2003-01-01

The proposed studies were designed address the effects of simulated microgravity on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cell function in resistance arteries isolated from visceral tissues (spleen, mesentery and kidneys) and cerebrum. Alterations in vascular function induced by microgravity are particularly relevant to the problems of orthostatic intolerance and reduced exercise capacity experienced by astronauts upon re-entry into the earth's gravitational field. Decrements in contractile function or enhanced vasodilatory responsiveness of peripheral resistance arteries could lead to decreased peripheral resistance and orthostatic hypotension. Alternatively, augmentation of contractile function in cerebral resistance arteries could lead to increased cerebral vascular resistance and diminished perfusion of the brain. The Specific Aims and hypotheses were proposed in this grant. Following each of the Specific Aims, progress toward addressing that specific aim is presented. With the exception of Specific Aim VI (see aim for details), all aims have been experimentally addressed as proposed. The final six months of the granting period will be used for manuscript preparation; manuscripts in preparation will contain results from Specific Aims I-IV. Results from Specific Aims V and VI have been published.

Immunization in pregnancy clinical research in low- and middle-income countries - Study design, regulatory and safety considerations.

PubMed

Kochhar, Sonali; Bonhoeffer, Jan; Jones, Christine E; Muñoz, Flor M; Honrado, Angel; Bauwens, Jorgen; Sobanjo-Ter Meulen, Ajoke; Hirschfeld, Steven

2017-12-04

Immunization of pregnant women is a promising public health strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality among both the mothers and their infants. Establishing safety and efficacy of vaccines generally uses a hybrid design between a conventional interventional study and an observational study that requires enrolling thousands of study participants to detect an unknown number of uncommon events. Historically, enrollment of pregnant women in clinical research studies encountered many barriers based on risk aversion, lack of knowledge, and regulatory ambiguity. Conducting research enrolling pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries can have additional factors to address such as limited availability of baseline epidemiologic data on disease burden and maternal and neonatal outcomes during and after pregnancy; challenges in recruiting and retaining pregnant women in research studies, variability in applying and interpreting assessment methods, and variability in locally acceptable and available infrastructure. Some measures to address these challenges include adjustment of study design, tailoring recruitment, consent process, retention strategies, operational and logistical processes, and the use of definitions and data collection methods that will align with efforts globally. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Tsimane Health and Life History Project: Integrating anthropology and biomedicine.

PubMed

Gurven, Michael; Stieglitz, Jonathan; Trumble, Benjamin; Blackwell, Aaron D; Beheim, Bret; Davis, Helen; Hooper, Paul; Kaplan, Hillard

2017-04-01

The Tsimane Health and Life History Project, an integrated bio-behavioral study of the human life course, is designed to test competing hypotheses of human life-history evolution. One aim is to understand the bidirectional connections between life history and social behavior in a high-fertility, kin-based context lacking amenities of modern urban life (e.g. sanitation, banks, electricity). Another aim is to understand how a high pathogen burden influences health and well-being during development and adulthood. A third aim addresses how modernization shapes human life histories and sociality. Here we outline the project's goals, history, and main findings since its inception in 2002. We reflect on the implications of current findings and highlight the need for more coordinated ethnographic and biomedical study of contemporary nonindustrial populations to address broad questions that can situate evolutionary anthropology in a key position within the social and life sciences. © 2017 The Authors Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The persistent sampling bias in developmental psychology: A call to action.

PubMed

Nielsen, Mark; Haun, Daniel; Kärtner, Joscha; Legare, Cristine H

2017-10-01

Psychology must confront the bias in its broad literature toward the study of participants developing in environments unrepresentative of the vast majority of the world's population. Here, we focus on the implications of addressing this challenge, highlight the need to address overreliance on a narrow participant pool, and emphasize the value and necessity of conducting research with diverse populations. We show that high-impact-factor developmental journals are heavily skewed toward publishing articles with data from WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic) populations. Most critically, despite calls for change and supposed widespread awareness of this problem, there is a habitual dependence on convenience sampling and little evidence that the discipline is making any meaningful movement toward drawing from diverse samples. Failure to confront the possibility that culturally specific findings are being misattributed as universal traits has broad implications for the construction of scientifically defensible theories and for the reliable public dissemination of study findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Designing clinical trials to address the needs of childhood and adult asthma: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's AsthmaNet.

PubMed

Sutherland, E Rand; Busse, William W

2014-01-01

In 2008, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute announced its intent to support a new asthma network known as AsthmaNet. This clinical trials consortium, now in its fifth year, has been charged with developing and executing clinical trials to address the most important asthma management questions and identify new treatment approaches in pediatric and adult patients. This review will discuss the organization of AsthmaNet and the scientific context in which the network was developed and began its work, report the results of an internal priority-setting exercise designed to guide the network's scientific strategy, and highlight the portfolio of clinical trials, proof-of-concept studies, and mechanistic studies planned for the 7-year period of the network to update the global asthma community regarding the progress and processes of the network. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

An integrated science-based methodology to assess potential risks and implications of engineered nanomaterials.

PubMed

Tolaymat, Thabet; El Badawy, Amro; Sequeira, Reynold; Genaidy, Ash

2015-11-15

There is an urgent need for broad and integrated studies that address the risks of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) along the different endpoints of the society, environment, and economy (SEE) complex adaptive system. This article presents an integrated science-based methodology to assess the potential risks of engineered nanomaterials. To achieve the study objective, two major tasks are accomplished, knowledge synthesis and algorithmic computational methodology. The knowledge synthesis task is designed to capture "what is known" and to outline the gaps in knowledge from ENMs risk perspective. The algorithmic computational methodology is geared toward the provision of decisions and an understanding of the risks of ENMs along different endpoints for the constituents of the SEE complex adaptive system. The approach presented herein allows for addressing the formidable task of assessing the implications and risks of exposure to ENMs, with the long term goal to build a decision-support system to guide key stakeholders in the SEE system towards building sustainable ENMs and nano-enabled products. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Medical management of hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a consensus algorithm for the initiation and adjustment of therapy: a consensus statement from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

PubMed

Nathan, D M; Buse, J B; Davidson, M B; Ferrannini, E; Holman, R R; Sherwin, R; Zinman, B

2009-01-01

The consensus algorithm for the medical management of type 2 diabetes was published in August 2006 with the expectation that it would be updated, based on the availability of new interventions and new evidence to establish their clinical role. The authors continue to endorse the principles used to develop the algorithm and its major features. We are sensitive to the risks of changing the algorithm cavalierly or too frequently, without compelling new information. An update to the consensus algorithm published in January 2008 specifically addressed safety issues surrounding the thiazolidinediones. In this revision, we focus on the new classes of medications that now have more clinical data and experience.

Public Health's Approach to Systemic Racism: a Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Castle, Billie; Wendel, Monica; Kerr, Jelani; Brooms, Derrick; Rollins, Aaron

2018-05-04

Recently, public health has acknowledged racism as a social determinant of health. Much evidence exists on the impact of individual-level racism and discrimination, with little to no examination of racism from the standpoint of systems and structures. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze the extent to which public health currently addresses systemic racism in the published literature. Utilizing the PRISMA guidelines, this review examines three widely used databases to examine published literature covering the topic as well as implications for future research and practice. A total of 85 articles were included in the review analysis after meeting study criteria. Across numerous articles, the terms racism and systemic racism are largely absent. A critical need exists for an examination of the historical impact of systemic racism on the social determinants of health and health of marginalized populations.

Increasing the Use of Skilled Health Personnel Where Traditional Birth Attendants Were Providers of Childbirth Care: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Vieira, Claudia; Portela, Anayda; Miller, Tina; Coast, Ernestina; Leone, Tiziana; Marston, Cicely

2012-01-01

Background Improved access to skilled health personnel for childbirth is a priority strategy to improve maternal health. This study investigates interventions to achieve this where traditional birth attendants were providers of childbirth care and asks what has been done and what has worked? Methods and Findings We systematically reviewed published and unpublished literature, searching 26 databases and contacting experts to find relevant studies. We included references from all time periods and locations. 132 items from 41 countries met our inclusion criteria and are included in an inventory; six were intervention evaluations of high or moderate quality which we further analysed. Four studies report on interventions to deploy midwives closer to communities: two studies in Indonesia reported an increase in use of skilled health personnel; another Indonesian study showed increased uptake of caesarean sections as midwives per population increased; one study in Bangladesh reported decreased risk of maternal death. Two studies report on interventions to address financial barriers: one in Bangladesh reported an increase in use of skilled health personnel where financial barriers for users were addressed and incentives were given to skilled care providers; another in Peru reported that use of emergency obstetric care increased by subsidies for preventive and maternity care, but not by improved quality of care. Conclusions The interventions had positive outcomes for relevant maternal health indicators. However, three of the studies evaluate the village midwife programme in Indonesia, which limits the generalizability of conclusions. Most studies report on a main intervention, despite other activities, such as community mobilization or partnerships with traditional birth attendants. Many authors note that multiple factors including distance, transport, family preferences/support also need to be addressed. Case studies of interventions in the inventory illustrate how different countries attempted to address these complexities. Few high quality studies that measure effectiveness of interventions exist. PMID:23110138

Increasing the use of skilled health personnel where traditional birth attendants were providers of childbirth care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Vieira, Claudia; Portela, Anayda; Miller, Tina; Coast, Ernestina; Leone, Tiziana; Marston, Cicely

2012-01-01

Improved access to skilled health personnel for childbirth is a priority strategy to improve maternal health. This study investigates interventions to achieve this where traditional birth attendants were providers of childbirth care and asks what has been done and what has worked? We systematically reviewed published and unpublished literature, searching 26 databases and contacting experts to find relevant studies. We included references from all time periods and locations. 132 items from 41 countries met our inclusion criteria and are included in an inventory; six were intervention evaluations of high or moderate quality which we further analysed. Four studies report on interventions to deploy midwives closer to communities: two studies in Indonesia reported an increase in use of skilled health personnel; another Indonesian study showed increased uptake of caesarean sections as midwives per population increased; one study in Bangladesh reported decreased risk of maternal death. Two studies report on interventions to address financial barriers: one in Bangladesh reported an increase in use of skilled health personnel where financial barriers for users were addressed and incentives were given to skilled care providers; another in Peru reported that use of emergency obstetric care increased by subsidies for preventive and maternity care, but not by improved quality of care. The interventions had positive outcomes for relevant maternal health indicators. However, three of the studies evaluate the village midwife programme in Indonesia, which limits the generalizability of conclusions. Most studies report on a main intervention, despite other activities, such as community mobilization or partnerships with traditional birth attendants. Many authors note that multiple factors including distance, transport, family preferences/support also need to be addressed. Case studies of interventions in the inventory illustrate how different countries attempted to address these complexities. Few high quality studies that measure effectiveness of interventions exist.

The Misconception of Case-Control Studies in the Plastic Surgery Literature: A Literature Audit.

PubMed

Hatchell, Alexandra C; Farrokhyar, Forough; Choi, Matthew

2017-06-01

Case-control study designs are commonly used. However, many published case-control studies are not true case-controls and are in fact mislabeled. The purpose of this study was to identify all case-control studies published in the top three plastic surgery journals over the past 10 years, assess which were truly case-control studies, clarify the actual design of the articles, and address common misconceptions. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for case-control studies in the three highest-impact factor plastic surgery journals (2005 to 2015). Two independent reviewers screened the resulting titles, abstracts, and methods, if applicable, to identify articles labeled as case-control studies. These articles were appraised and classified as true case-control studies or non-case-control studies. The authors found 28 articles labeled as case-control studies. However, only six of these articles (21 percent) were truly case-control designs. Of the 22 incorrectly labeled studies, one (5 percent) was a randomized controlled trial, three (14 percent) were nonrandomized trials, two (9 percent) were prospective comparative cohort designs, 14 (64 percent) were retrospective comparative cohort designs, and two (9 percent) were cross-sectional designs. The mislabeling was worse in recent years, despite increases in evidence-based medicine awareness. The majority of published case-control studies are not in fact case-control studies. This misunderstanding is worsening with time. Most of these studies are actually comparative cohort designs. However, some studies are truly clinical trials and thus a higher level of evidence than originally proposed.

Clinical studies of fiber posts: a literature review.

PubMed

Cagidiaco, Maria C; Goracci, Cecilia; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Ferrari, Marco

2008-01-01

This literature review aimed to find answers to relevant questions regarding the clinical outcome of endontically treated teeth restored with fiber posts. All clinical studies published since 1990 in journals indexed in MEDLINE were retrieved by searching PubMed with the query terms "fiber posts and clinical studies." The reference list of the collected articles was also screened for further relevant citations. The strength of the evidence provided by the reviewed papers was assessed according to the criteria of evidence-based dentistry. Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on fiber posts have been published in peer-reviewed journals. A meta-analysis is not applicable to these studies since they do not address the same specific clinical question. Retrospective and prospective trials without controls are also available. Two RCTs indicate that fiber-reinforced composite posts outperform metal posts in the restoration of endontically treated teeth. However, this evidence cannot be considered as conclusive. Longer-term RCTs would be desirable. The placement of a fiber-reinforced composite post protects against failure, especially under conditions of extensive coronal destruction. The most common type of failure with fiber-reinforced composite posts is debonding.