Assessing and monitoring soil quality at agricultural waste disposal areas-Soil Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doula, Maria; Kavvadias, Victor; Sarris, Apostolos; Lolos, Polykarpos; Liakopoulou, Nektaria; Hliaoutakis, Aggelos; Kydonakis, Aris

2014-05-01

The necessity of elaborating indicators is one of the priorities identified by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The establishment of an indicator monitoring system for environmental purposes is dependent on the geographical scale. Some indicators such as rain seasonality or drainage density are useful over large areas, but others such as soil depth, vegetation cover type, and land ownership are only applicable locally. In order to practically enhance the sustainability of land management, research on using indicators for assessing land degradation risk must initially focus at local level because management decisions by individual land users are taken at this level. Soils that accept wastes disposal, apart from progressive degradation, may cause serious problems to the surrounding environment (humans, animals, plants, water systems, etc.), and thus, soil quality should be necessarily monitored. Therefore, quality indicators, representative of the specific waste type, should be established and monitored periodically. Since waste composition is dependent on their origin, specific indicators for each waste type should be established. Considering agricultural wastes, such a specification, however, could be difficult, since almost all agricultural wastes are characterized by increased concentrations of the same elements, namely, phosphorous, nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, etc.; contain large amounts of organic matter; and have very high values of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and electrical conductivity. Two LIFE projects, namely AgroStrat and PROSODOL are focused on the identification of soil indicators for the assessment of soil quality at areas where pistachio wastes and olive mill wastes are disposed, respectively. Many soil samples were collected periodically for 2 years during PROSODOL and one year during AgroStrat (this project is in progress) from waste disposal areas and analyzed for 23 parameters

Quality Indicators for Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheffel, Maren; Drachsler, Hendrik; Stoyanov, Slavi; Specht, Marcus

2014-01-01

This article proposes a framework of quality indicators for learning analytics that aims to standardise the evaluation of learning analytics tools and to provide a mean to capture evidence for the impact of learning analytics on educational practices in a standardised manner. The criteria of the framework and its quality indicators are based on…

Survey of quality indicators in commercial dehydrated fruits.

PubMed

Megías-Pérez, Roberto; Gamboa-Santos, Juliana; Soria, Ana Cristina; Villamiel, Mar; Montilla, Antonia

2014-05-01

Physical and chemical quality parameters (dry matter, aw, protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C, 2-furoylmethyl amino acids, rehydration ratio and leaching loss) have been determined in 30 commercial dehydrated fruits (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, cherry, apple, grapefruit, mango, kiwifruit, pineapple, melon, coconut, banana and papaya). For comparison purposes, strawberry samples processed in the laboratory by freeze-drying and by convective drying were used as control samples. Overall quality of dehydrated fruits seemed to be greatly dependent on processing conditions and, in a cluster analysis, samples which were presumably subjected to osmotic dehydration were separated from the rest of fruits. These samples presented the lowest concentration of vitamin C and the highest evolution of Maillard reaction, as evidenced by its high concentration of 2-furoylmethyl amino acids. This is the first study on the usefulness of this combination of chemical and physical indicators to assess the overall quality of commercial dehydrated fruits. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sperm quality variables as indicators of bull fertility may be breed dependent.

PubMed

Morrell, Jane M; Nongbua, Thanapol; Valeanu, Sabina; Lima Verde, Isabel; Lundstedt-Enkel, Katrin; Edman, Anders; Johannisson, Anders

2017-10-01

A means of discriminating among bulls of high fertility based on sperm quality is needed by breeding centers. The objective of the study was to examine parameters of sperm quality in bulls of known fertility to identify useful indicators of fertility. Frozen semen was available from bulls of known fertility (Viking Genetics, Skara, Sweden): Swedish Red (n=31), Holstein (n=25) and Others (one each of Charolais, Limousin, Blonde, SKB). After thawing, the sperm samples were analyzed for motility (computer assisted sperm analysis), plasma membrane integrity, chromatin integrity, acrosome status, mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species. A fertility index score based on the adjusted 56-day non-return rate for >1000 inseminations was available for each bull. Multivariate data analysis (Partial Least Squares Regression and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Regression) was performed to identify variables related to fertility; Pearson univariate correlations were made on the parameters of interest. Breed of bull affected the relationship of sperm quality variables and fertility index score, as follows: Swedish Red: %DNA Fragmentation Index, r=-0.56, P<0.01; intact plasma membrane, r=0.40, P<0.05; membrane damaged, not acrosome reacted, r=-0.6, P<0.01; Linearity, r=0.37, P<0.05; there was a trend towards significance for Wobble, r=0.34, P=0.08. Holstein: Linearity was significant r=0.46, P<0.05; there was a trend towards significance for Wobble, r=0.45, P=0.08. In conclusion, breed has a greater effect on sperm quality than previously realized; different parameters of sperm quality are needed to indicate potential fertility in different breeds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of regional soil quality factors and indicators: a case study on an alluvial plain (central Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Şeker, Cevdet; Hüseyin Özaytekin, Hasan; Negiş, Hamza; Gümüş, İlknur; Dedeoğlu, Mert; Atmaca, Emel; Karaca, Ümmühan

2017-05-01

Sustainable agriculture largely depends on soil quality. The evaluation of agricultural soil quality is essential for economic success and environmental stability in rapidly developing regions. In this context, a wide variety of methods using vastly different indicators are currently used to evaluate soil quality. This study was conducted in one of the most important irrigated agriculture areas of Konya in central Anatolia, Turkey, to analyze the soil quality indicators of Çumra County in combination with an indicator selection method, with the minimum data set using a total of 38 soil parameters. We therefore determined a minimum data set with principle component analysis to assess soil quality in the study area and soil quality was evaluated on the basis of a scoring function. From the broad range of soil properties analyzed, the following parameters were chosen: field capacity, bulk density, aggregate stability, and permanent wilting point (from physical soil properties); electrical conductivity, Mn, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, pH, and NO3-N (from chemical soil properties); and urease enzyme activity, root health value, organic carbon, respiration, and potentially mineralized nitrogen (from biological properties). According to the results, the chosen properties were found as the most sensitive indicators of soil quality and they can be used as indicators for evaluating and monitoring soil quality at a regional scale.

Measuring quality of care: considering conceptual approaches to quality indicator development and evaluation.

PubMed

Stelfox, Henry T; Straus, Sharon E

2013-12-01

In this article, we describe one approach for developing and evaluating quality indicators. We focus on describing different conceptual approaches to quality indicator development, review one approach for developing quality indicators, outline how to evaluate quality indicators once developed, and discuss quality indicator maintenance. The key steps for developing quality indicators include specifying a clear goal for the indicators; using methodologies to incorporate evidence, expertise, and patient perspectives; and considering contextual factors and logistics of implementation. The Strategic Framework Board and the National Quality Measure Clearinghouse have developed criteria for evaluating quality indicators that complement traditional psychometric evaluations. Optimal strategies for quality indicator maintenance and dissemination have not been determined, but experiences with clinical guideline maintenance may be informative. For quality indicators to effectively guide quality improvement efforts, they must be developed, evaluated, maintained, and implemented using rigorous evidence-informed practices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Soil Quality Indicator: a new concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barão, Lúcia; Basch, Gottlieb

2017-04-01

During the last century, cultivated soils have been intensively exploited for food and feed production. This exploitation has compromised the soils' natural functions and many of the soil-mediated ecosystems services, including its production potential for agriculture. Also, soils became increasingly vulnerable and less resilient to a wide range of threats. To overcome this situation, new and better management practices are needed to prevent soil from degradation. However, to adopt the best management practices in a specific location, it is necessary to evaluate the soil quality status first. Different soil quality indicators have been suggested over the last decades in order to evaluate the soil status, and those are often based on the performance of soil chemical, physical and biological properties. However, the direct link between these properties and the associated soil functions or soil vulnerability to threats appears more difficult to be established. This present work is part of the iSQAPER project- Interactive Soil Quality Assessment in Europe and China for Agricultural Productivity and Environmental Resilience, where new soil quality concepts are explored to provide better information regarding the effects of the most promising agricultural management practices on soil quality. We have developed a new conceptual soil quality indicator which determines the soil quality status, regarding its vulnerability towards different threats. First, different indicators were specifically developed for each of the eight threats considered - Erosion, SOM decline, Poor Structure, Poor water holding capacity, Compaction, N-Leaching, Soil-borne pests and diseases and Salinization. As an example for the case of Erosion, the RUSLE equation for the estimate of the soil annual loss was used. Secondly, a reference classification was established for each indicator to integrate all possible results into a Good, Intermediate or Bad classification. Finally, all indicators were

Framework and indicator testing protocol for developing and piloting quality indicators for the UK quality and outcomes framework.

PubMed

Campbell, Stephen M; Kontopantelis, Evangelos; Hannon, Kerin; Burke, Martyn; Barber, Annette; Lester, Helen E

2011-08-10

Quality measures should be subjected to a testing protocol before being used in practice using key attributes such as acceptability, feasibility and reliability, as well as identifying issues derived from actual implementation and unintended consequences. We describe the methodologies and results of an indicator testing protocol (ITP) using data from proposed quality indicators for the United Kingdom Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). The indicator testing protocol involved a multi-step and methodological process: 1) The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, to test clarity and necessity, 2) data extraction from patients' medical records, to test technical feasibility and reliability, 3) diaries, to test workload, 4) cost-effectiveness modelling, and 5) semi-structured interviews, to test acceptability, implementation issues and unintended consequences. Testing was conducted in a sample of representative family practices in England. These methods were combined into an overall recommendation for each tested indicator. Using an indicator testing protocol as part of piloting was seen as a valuable way of testing potential indicators in 'real world' settings. Pilot 1 (October 2009-March 2010) involved thirteen indicators across six clinical domains and twelve indicators passed the indicator testing protocol. However, the indicator testing protocol identified a number of implementation issues and unintended consequences that can be rectified or removed prior to national roll out. A palliative care indicator is used as an exemplar of the value of piloting using a multiple attribute indicator testing protocol - while technically feasible and reliable, it was unacceptable to practice staff and raised concerns about potentially causing actual patient harm. This indicator testing protocol is one example of a protocol that may be useful in assessing potential quality indicators when adapted to specific country health care settings and may be of use to policy-makers and

Relationship between water quality parameters and the survival of indicator microorganisms - Escherichia coli - in a stormwater wetland.

PubMed

Cheng, Jing; Niu, Siping; Kim, Youngchul

2013-01-01

Indicator microorganisms - Escherichia coli - in a stormwater wetland controlling non-point source pollution in the Keum River basin was studied and the relationship between water quality parameters and the survival of E. coli was investigated by Pearson correlation analysis based on 16 sets of data collected on dry days. A significant seasonal variation of the density of E. coli was observed in the influent and effluent. A dominant decay of E. coli was found in almost all the wetland components. In the settling pond, the density was observed to vary negatively with pH and the removal of total suspended solids, and the decay was promoted by solar radiation. In the aeration pond, the survival of E. coli was encouraged negatively by the dilution effect, unfavorable increase of dissolved oxygen (DO) and sedimentation with coarse particles. In the marsh wetland, the reduction of E. coli was positively influenced by UV radiation, obvious increase of pH, DO and sedimentation with algae and particles. In the polishing pond, the introduction of E. coli with avian feces and growth of the bacteria were more prevalent than decay. Although this introduction or growth was almost negligible, further study will be conducted in the future.

Impact of the present-on-admission indicator on hospital quality measurement: experience with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Inpatient Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Glance, Laurent G; Osler, Turner M; Mukamel, Dana B; Dick, Andrew W

2008-02-01

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has constructed Inpatient Quality Indicator (IQI) mortality measures to measure hospital quality using routinely available administrative data. With the exception of California, New York State, and Wisconsin, administrative data do not include a present-on-admission (POA) indicator to distinguish between preexisting conditions and complications. The extent to which the lack of a POA indicator biases quality assessment based on the AHRQ mortality measures is unknown. To examine the impact of the POA indicator on hospital quality assessment based on the AHRQ mortality measures using enhanced administrative data from California, which includes a POA indicator. Retrospective cohort study based on 2.07 million inpatient admissions between 1998 and 2000 in the California State Inpatient Database. The AHRQ IQI software was used to calculate risk-adjusted mortality rates using either (1) routine administrative data that included all the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9-CM codes or (2) enhanced administrative data that included only the ICD-9-CM codes representing preexisting conditions. The inclusion of the POA indicator frequently results in changes in the quality ranking of hospitals classified as high-quality or low-quality using routine administrative data. Twenty-seven percent (stroke) to 94% (coronary artery bypass graft) of hospitals classified as high-quality using routine administrative data were reclassified as intermediate- or low-quality hospitals using the enhanced administrative data. Twenty-five percent (congestive heart failure) to 76% (percutaneous coronary intervention) of hospitals classified as low-quality hospitals using enhanced administrative data were misclassified as intermediate-quality hospitals using routine administrative data. Despite the fact that the AHRQ IQIs were primarily intended to serve as a screening tool, they are being increasingly used to publicly report hospital

Monitoring and assessment of water health quality in the Tajan River, Iran using physicochemical, fish and macroinvertebrates indices.

PubMed

Aazami, Jaber; Esmaili-Sari, Abbas; Abdoli, Asghar; Sohrabi, Hormoz; Van den Brink, Paul J

2015-01-01

Nowadays, aquatic organisms are used as bio-indicators to assess ecological water quality in western regions, but have hardly been used in an Iranian context. We, therefore, evaluated the suitability of several indices to assess the water quality for an Iranian case study. Measured data on biotic (fish and macroinvertebrates) and abiotic elements (28 physicochemical and habitat parameters), were used to calculate six indices for assessment of water quality and the impact of human activities in the Tajan river, Iran. GIS, uni- and multivariate statistics were used to assess the correlations between biological and environmental endpoints. The results showed that ecological condition and water quality were reduced from up- to downstream. The reduced water quality was revealed by the biotic indices better than the abiotic ones which were linked to a variety of ecological water quality scales. The fish index showed a strong relationship with long-term database of physicochemical parameters (12 years (94%)), whereas macroinvertebrates index is more correlated with short-term data (76%). Meanwhile, the biotic and abiotic elements in this study were also classified well by PCA. Pulp and wood plants and sand mining are indicated to have the most negative effects on the river ecosystem.

Evidence-based quality indicators for stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Grube, Maike M; Dohle, Christian; Djouchadar, Diana; Rech, Petra; Bienek, Karen; Dietz-Fricke, Ursula; Jöbges, Michael; Kohler, Martin; Missala, Isabelle; Schönherr, Bertram; Werner, Cordula; Zeytountchian, Helen; Wissel, Jörg; Heuschmann, Peter U

2012-01-01

Previous stroke performance measures consider aspects of postacute treatment, but there are only few specific quality indicators or standards for poststroke rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to develop a set of indicators for measuring the quality of postacute stroke rehabilitation in inpatient and outpatient facilities using a standardized evidence-based approach. Quality indicators were developed between January 2009 and February 2010 by an interdisciplinary board of healthcare professionals from rehabilitation centers cooperating in the Berlin Stroke Alliance. The Berlin Stroke Alliance is a regional network of >40 providers of acute treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare aiming to improve stroke services within Berlin and Brandenburg. The indicators were developed according to published international recommendations and predefined methodological requirements. The applied standards included a systematic literature review, a rating of published evidence, an external peer review, and the evaluation in a pilot study before implementation. Of an initial list of 33 indicators, 20 indicators were rated as being appropriate. After completion of the pilot phase, we agreed on a set of 18 indicators. The indicators measure processes (9 indicators), outcomes (5 indicators), and structures (4 indicators) in the following domains of stroke rehabilitation: completion of diagnostics; secondary prevention; cognition and affect; speech and swallowing; management of complications; sensorimotor functions and mobility; discharge status; and aftercare. Documentation of evidence-based quality indicators for stroke rehabilitation in clinical routine is feasible and can serve as a first step toward implementing standardized cross-institutional quality assurance programs for stroke rehabilitation.

Quality indicators for hip fracture care, a systematic review.

PubMed

Voeten, S C; Krijnen, P; Voeten, D M; Hegeman, J H; Wouters, M W J M; Schipper, I B

2018-05-17

Quality indicators are used to measure quality of care and enable benchmarking. An overview of all existing hip fracture quality indicators is lacking. The primary aim was to identify quality indicators for hip fracture care reported in literature, hip fracture audits, and guidelines. The secondary aim was to compose a set of methodologically sound quality indicators for the evaluation of hip fracture care in clinical practice. A literature search according to the PRISMA guidelines and an internet search were performed to identify hip fracture quality indicators. The indicators were subdivided into process, structure, and outcome indicators. The methodological quality of the indicators was judged using the Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) instrument. For structure and process indicators, the construct validity was assessed. Sixteen publications, nine audits and five guidelines were included. In total, 97 unique quality indicators were found: 9 structure, 63 process, and 25 outcome indicators. Since detailed methodological information about the indicators was lacking, the AIRE instrument could not be applied. Seven indicators correlated with an outcome measure. A set of nine quality indicators was extracted from the literature, audits, and guidelines. Many quality indicators are described and used. Not all of them correlate with outcomes of care and have been assessed methodologically. As methodological evidence is lacking, we recommend the extracted set of nine indicators to be used as the starting point for further clinical research. Future research should focus on assessing the clinimetric properties of the existing quality indicators.

Quality Indicators in Radiation Oncology

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

Albert, Jeffrey M.; Das, Prajnan, E-mail: prajdas@mdanderson.org

Oncologic specialty societies and multidisciplinary collaborative groups have dedicated considerable effort to developing evidence-based quality indicators (QIs) to facilitate quality improvement, accreditation, benchmarking, reimbursement, maintenance of certification, and regulatory reporting. In particular, the field of radiation oncology has a long history of organized quality assessment efforts and continues to work toward developing consensus quality standards in the face of continually evolving technologies and standards of care. This report provides a comprehensive review of the current state of quality assessment in radiation oncology. Specifically, this report highlights implications of the healthcare quality movement for radiation oncology and reviews existing efforts tomore » define and measure quality in the field, with focus on dimensions of quality specific to radiation oncology within the “big picture” of oncologic quality assessment efforts.« less

Future Development of Nursing Home Quality Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arling, Greg; Kane, Robert L.; Lewis, Teresa; Mueller, Christine

2005-01-01

Nursing home quality indicators have been developed over the past 10 years to quantify nursing home quality and to draw systematic comparisons between facilities. Although these indicators have been applied widely for nursing home regulation, quality improvement, and public reporting, researchers and stakeholders have raised concerns about their…

Optimal design of monitoring networks for multiple groundwater quality parameters using a Kalman filter: application to the Irapuato-Valle aquifer.

PubMed

Júnez-Ferreira, H E; Herrera, G S; González-Hita, L; Cardona, A; Mora-Rodríguez, J

2016-01-01

A new method for the optimal design of groundwater quality monitoring networks is introduced in this paper. Various indicator parameters were considered simultaneously and tested for the Irapuato-Valle aquifer in Mexico. The steps followed in the design were (1) establishment of the monitoring network objectives, (2) definition of a groundwater quality conceptual model for the study area, (3) selection of the parameters to be sampled, and (4) selection of a monitoring network by choosing the well positions that minimize the estimate error variance of the selected indicator parameters. Equal weight for each parameter was given to most of the aquifer positions and a higher weight to priority zones. The objective for the monitoring network in the specific application was to obtain a general reconnaissance of the water quality, including water types, water origin, and first indications of contamination. Water quality indicator parameters were chosen in accordance with this objective, and for the selection of the optimal monitoring sites, it was sought to obtain a low-uncertainty estimate of these parameters for the entire aquifer and with more certainty in priority zones. The optimal monitoring network was selected using a combination of geostatistical methods, a Kalman filter and a heuristic optimization method. Results show that when monitoring the 69 locations with higher priority order (the optimal monitoring network), the joint average standard error in the study area for all the groundwater quality parameters was approximately 90 % of the obtained with the 140 available sampling locations (the set of pilot wells). This demonstrates that an optimal design can help to reduce monitoring costs, by avoiding redundancy in data acquisition.

Stability evaluation of quality parameters for palm oil products at low temperature storage.

PubMed

Ramli, Nur Aainaa Syahirah; Mohd Noor, Mohd Azmil; Musa, Hajar; Ghazali, Razmah

2018-07-01

Palm oil is one of the major oils and fats produced and traded worldwide. The value of palm oil products is mainly influenced by their quality. According to ISO 17025:2005, accredited laboratories require a quality control procedure with respect to monitoring the validity of tests for determination of quality parameters. This includes the regular use of internal quality control using secondary reference materials. Unfortunately, palm oil reference materials are not currently available. To establish internal quality control samples, the stability of quality parameters needs to be evaluated. In the present study, the stability of quality parameters for palm oil products was examined over 10 months at low temperature storage (6 ± 2 °C). The palm oil products tested included crude palm oil (CPO); refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm oil (RBDPO); RBD palm olein (RBDPOo); and RBD palm stearin (RBDPS). The quality parameters of the oils [i.e. moisture content, free fatty acid content (FFA), iodine value (IV), fatty acids composition (FAC) and slip melting point (SMP)] were determined prior to and throughout the storage period. The moisture, FFA, IV, FAC and SMP for palm oil products changed significantly (P < 0.05), whereas the moisture content for CPO, IV for RBDPO and RBDPOo, stearic acid composition for CPO and linolenic acid composition for CPO, RBDPO, RBDPOo and RBDPS did not (P > 0.05). The stability study indicated that the quality of the palm oil products was stable within the specified limits throughout the storage period at low temperature. The storage conditions preserved the quality of palm oil products throughout the storage period. These findings qualify the use of the palm oil products CPO, RBDPO, RBDPOo and RBDPS as control samples in the validation of test results. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Water quality indicators: bacteria, coliphages, enteric viruses.

PubMed

Lin, Johnson; Ganesh, Atheesha

2013-12-01

Water quality through the presence of pathogenic enteric microorganisms may affect human health. Coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and coliphages are normally used as indicators of water quality. However, the presence of above-mentioned indicators do not always suggest the presence of human enteric viruses. It is important to study human enteric viruses in water. Human enteric viruses can tolerate fluctuating environmental conditions and survive in the environment for long periods of time becoming causal agents of diarrhoeal diseases. Therefore, the potential of human pathogenic viruses as significant indicators of water quality is emerging. Human Adenoviruses and other viruses have been proposed as suitable indices for the effective identification of such organisms of human origin contaminating water systems. This article reports on the recent developments in the management of water quality specifically focusing on human enteric viruses as indicators.

Quality parameters of mango and potential of non-destructive techniques for their measurement - a review.

PubMed

Jha, S N; Narsaiah, K; Sharma, A D; Singh, M; Bansal, S; Kumar, R

2010-01-01

The king of fruits "Mango" (Mangifera indica L.) is very nutritious and rich in carotenes. India produces about 50% of the total world's mango. Many researchers have reported the maturity indices and quality parameters for determination of harvesting time and eating quality. The methods currently used for determination of quality of mango are mostly based on the biochemical analysis, which leads to destruction of the fruits. Numerous works are being carried out to explore some non-destructive methods such as Near Infrared (NIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray and Computed Tomography (CT), electronic nose, machine vision and ultrasound for quality determination of fruits. This paper deals with some recent work reported on quality parameters, harvesting and post-harvest treatments in relation to quality of mango fruits and reviews on some of the potential non-destructive techniques that can be explored for quality determination of mango cultivars.

Chemometric studies of water quality parameters of Sankarankovil block of Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu.

PubMed

Alagumuthu, G; Rajan, M

2010-09-01

The fluoride concentration in ground water was determined in Sankarankovil block of Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu (India) where it is the only source of drinking water. Various other water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity total hardness and total alkalinity as well as calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate and chloride concentrations were also measured. A systematic calculation of correlation coefficient among different physico-chemical parameters was performed. The analytical results indicated considerable variations among the analyzed samples with respect to their chemical composition. Majority of the samples do not comply with Indian as well as WHO water quality standards. The fluoride concentration in the ground water of these villages varied from 0.66 to 3.84 mg l(-1), causes dental fluorosis among people especially children of these villages. The high and low fluoride containing areas were located using isopleth mapping technique. Overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes without any prior treatment except at few locations out of 50 villages.

Parameter-based estimation of CT dose index and image quality using an in-house android™-based software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mubarok, S.; Lubis, L. E.; Pawiro, S. A.

2016-03-01

Compromise between radiation dose and image quality is essential in the use of CT imaging. CT dose index (CTDI) is currently the primary dosimetric formalisms in CT scan, while the low and high contrast resolutions are aspects indicating the image quality. This study was aimed to estimate CTDIvol and image quality measures through a range of exposure parameters variation. CTDI measurements were performed using PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) phantom of 16 cm diameter, while the image quality test was conducted by using catphan ® 600. CTDI measurements were carried out according to IAEA TRS 457 protocol using axial scan mode, under varied parameters of tube voltage, collimation or slice thickness, and tube current. Image quality test was conducted accordingly under the same exposure parameters with CTDI measurements. An Android™ based software was also result of this study. The software was designed to estimate the value of CTDIvol with maximum difference compared to actual CTDIvol measurement of 8.97%. Image quality can also be estimated through CNR parameter with maximum difference to actual CNR measurement of 21.65%.

The effect of anthropogenic and natural factors on the prevalence of physicochemical parameters of water and bacterial water quality indicators along the river Białka, southern Poland.

PubMed

Bojarczuk, Anna; Jelonkiewicz, Łukasz; Lenart-Boroń, Anna

2018-04-01

This study was aimed to determine the anthropogenic and natural factors affecting spatial and temporal changes in the physicochemical parameters and bacterial indicators of water quality in the river Białka. The impact of intensive development of the tourist infrastructure on the quality of river water and the potential health threats to tourists was also assessed. Water samples were collected over a period of 2.5 years, once per each month in four sites along the river. Temperature, electrolytic conductivity, pH, and water level were measured onsite; flow rate data were acquired from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management; chemical analyses allowed to determine the amount of fourteen ions, while microbiological indicators included total and thermotolerant coliforms, total and thermotolerant Escherichia coli, and mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria. The combination of hydrological, hydrochemical, and microbiological methods generated large amount of data, which were processed by multivariate statistical analysis. A downstream cumulative effect was observed in the contamination of the river water. Fecal coliforms and E. coli were detected in all sites, suggesting the source of fecal contamination even in the protected areas. Intensive development of a ski resort and the related infrastructure, together with the need to accommodate numerous tourists in the examined region, has an evident environmental impact. The resulting deterioration of water quality poses health risks to tourists, as water from the Białka river is used for a variety of purposes, including as a raw drinking water or for artificial snowing of ski slopes. The seasonal changes in the physicochemical parameters mainly result from varying natural factors that shape the water quality in the studied region. The differences in the number of analyzed microorganisms result from seasonal variation in touristic activity and are affected mostly by point sources of sewage inflow.

Measures and Indicators of Vgi Quality: AN Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antoniou, V.; Skopeliti, A.

2015-08-01

The evaluation of VGI quality has been a very interesting and popular issue amongst academics and researchers. Various metrics and indicators have been proposed for evaluating VGI quality elements. Various efforts have focused on the use of well-established methodologies for the evaluation of VGI quality elements against authoritative data. In this paper, a number of research papers have been reviewed and summarized in a detailed report on measures for each spatial data quality element. Emphasis is given on the methodology followed and the data used in order to assess and evaluate the quality of the VGI datasets. However, as the use of authoritative data is not always possible many researchers have turned their focus on the analysis of new quality indicators that can function as proxies for the understanding of VGI quality. In this paper, the difficulties in using authoritative datasets are briefly presented and new proposed quality indicators are discussed, as recorded through the literature review. We classify theses new indicators in four main categories that relate with: i) data, ii) demographics, iii) socio-economic situation and iv) contributors. This paper presents a dense, yet comprehensive overview of the research on this field and provides the basis for the ongoing academic effort to create a practical quality evaluation method through the use of appropriate quality indicators.

Relationship between the properties of raw and cooked spaghetti - new indices for pasta quality evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biernacka, Beata; Dziki, Dariusz; Różyło, Renata; Wójcik, Monika; Miś, Antoni; Romankiewicz, Daria; Krzysiak, Zbigniew

2018-04-01

The quality of pasta can be evaluated by measuring the characteristics which encompass the most important quality parameters, such as colour, cooking properties and texture. The aim of the study was to suggest new indices which can be used to evaluate the quality of pasta. For the tests, 15 samples of spaghetti (produced from either semolina or common wheat flour) were used. The bending test was performed for the determination of the strength properties of raw pasta, while the pasta colour parameters were evaluated via the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage system. The pasta cooking test included the evaluation of optimum cooking time, weight increase index and cooking loss. The samples of cooked spaghetti were cut, and the parameters describing pasta texture were determined. Statistical analysis showed significant correlations (α = 0.05) between colour parameters (lightness and redness) and pasta ash content (R = -0.90 and 0.84, respectively). The mechanical properties of raw pasta correlated positively with pasta density. The strongest correlation was found between pasta density and flexural strength. The destruction force for raw spaghetti during the bending test correlated significantly and positively with the cutting force of the cooked pasta. The obtained correlations can be helpful in pasta quality evaluation.

An environmental scan of quality indicators in critical care.

PubMed

Valiani, Sabira; Rigal, Romain; Stelfox, Henry T; Muscedere, John; Martin, Claudio M; Dodek, Peter; Lamontagne, François; Fowler, Robert; Gheshmy, Afshan; Cook, Deborah J; Forster, Alan J; Hébert, Paul C

2017-06-21

We performed a directed environmental scan to identify and categorize quality indicators unique to critical care that are reported by key stakeholder organizations. We convened a panel of experts ( n = 9) to identify key organizations that are focused on quality improvement or critical care, and reviewed their online publications and website content for quality indicators. We identified quality indicators specific to the care of critically ill adult patients and then categorized them according to the Donabedian and the Institute of Medicine frameworks. We also noted the organizations' rationale for selecting these indicators and their reported evidence base. From 28 targeted organizations, we identified 222 quality indicators, 127 of which were unique. Of the 127 indicators, 63 (32.5%) were safety indicators and 61 (31.4%) were effectiveness indicators. The rationale for selecting quality indicators was supported by consensus for 58 (26.1%) of the 222 indicators and by published research evidence for 45 (20.3%); for 119 indicators (53.6%), the rationale was not reported or the reader was referred to other organizations' reports. Of the 127 unique quality indicators, 27 (21.2%) were accompanied by a formal grading of evidence, whereas for 52 (40.9%), no reference to evidence was provided. There are many quality indicators related to critical care that are available in the public domain. However, owing to a paucity of rationale for selection, supporting evidence and results of implementation, it is not clear which indicators should be adopted for use. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its licensors.

An environmental scan of quality indicators in critical care

PubMed Central

Valiani, Sabira; Rigal, Romain; Stelfox, Henry T.; Muscedere, John; Martin, Claudio M.; Dodek, Peter; Lamontagne, François; Fowler, Robert; Gheshmy, Afshan; Cook, Deborah J.; Forster, Alan J.; Hébert, Paul C.

2017-01-01

Background: We performed a directed environmental scan to identify and categorize quality indicators unique to critical care that are reported by key stakeholder organizations. Methods: We convened a panel of experts (n = 9) to identify key organizations that are focused on quality improvement or critical care, and reviewed their online publications and website content for quality indicators. We identified quality indicators specific to the care of critically ill adult patients and then categorized them according to the Donabedian and the Institute of Medicine frameworks. We also noted the organizations' rationale for selecting these indicators and their reported evidence base. Results: From 28 targeted organizations, we identified 222 quality indicators, 127 of which were unique. Of the 127 indicators, 63 (32.5%) were safety indicators and 61 (31.4%) were effectiveness indicators. The rationale for selecting quality indicators was supported by consensus for 58 (26.1%) of the 222 indicators and by published research evidence for 45 (20.3%); for 119 indicators (53.6%), the rationale was not reported or the reader was referred to other organizations' reports. Of the 127 unique quality indicators, 27 (21.2%) were accompanied by a formal grading of evidence, whereas for 52 (40.9%), no reference to evidence was provided. Interpretation: There are many quality indicators related to critical care that are available in the public domain. However, owing to a paucity of rationale for selection, supporting evidence and results of implementation, it is not clear which indicators should be adopted for use. PMID:28637683

Quality in the provision of headache care. 2: defining quality and its indicators.

PubMed

Peters, Michele; Jenkinson, Crispin; Perera, Suraj; Loder, Elizabeth; Jensen, Rigmor; Katsarava, Zaza; Gil Gouveia, Raquel; Broner, Susan; Steiner, Timothy

2012-08-01

The objective of this study was to define "quality" of headache care, and develop indicators that are applicable in different settings and cultures and to all types of headache. No definition of quality of headache care has been formulated. Two sets of quality indicators, proposed in the US and UK, are limited to their localities and/or specific to migraine and their development received no input from people with headache. We first undertook a literature review. Then we conducted a series of focus-group consultations with key stakeholders (doctors, nurses and patients) in headache care. From the findings we proposed a large number of putative quality indicators, and refined these and reduced their number in consultations with larger international groups of stakeholder representatives. We formulated a definition of quality from the quality indicators. Five main themes were identified: (1) headache services; (2) health professionals; (3) patients; (4) financial resources; (5) political agenda and legislation. An initial list of 160 putative quality indicators in 14 domains was reduced to 30 indicators in 9 domains. These gave rise to the following multidimensional definition of quality of headache care: "Good-quality headache care achieves accurate diagnosis and individualized management, has appropriate referral pathways, educates patients about their headaches and their management, is convenient and comfortable, satisfies patients, is efficient and equitable, assesses outcomes and is safe." Quality in headache care is multidimensional and resides in nine essential domains that are of equal importance. The indicators are currently being tested for feasibility of use in clinical settings.

Assessment of Ganga river ecosystem at Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India with reference to water quality indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhutiani, R.; Khanna, D. R.; Kulkarni, Dipali Bhaskar; Ruhela, Mukesh

2016-06-01

The river Ganges is regarded as one of the most holy and sacred rivers of the world from time immemorial. The evaluation of river water quality is a critical element in the assessment of water resources. The quality/potability of water that is consumed defines the base line of protection against many diseases and infections. The present study aimed to calculate Water Quality Index (WQI) by the analysis of sixteen physico-chemical parameters on the basis of River Ganga index of Ved Prakash, weighted arithmetic index and WQI by National sanitation foundation (NSF) to assess the suitability of water for drinking, irrigation purposes and other human uses. These three water quality indices have been used to assess variation in the quality of the River Ganga at monitored locations over an 11-year period. Application of three different indexes to assess the water quality over a period of 11 years shows minor variations in water quality. Index values as per River Ganga Index by Ved Prakash et al. from 2000 to 2010 ranged between medium to good, Index values as per NSF Index for years 2000-2010 indicate good water quality, while Index values as per the weighted arithmetic index method for the study period indicate poor water quality.

Nuclear size as estrogen-responsive chromatin quality parameter of mouse spermatozoa.

PubMed

Cacciola, Giovanna; Chioccarelli, Teresa; Altucci, Lucia; Viggiano, Andrea; Fasano, Silvia; Pierantoni, Riccardo; Cobellis, Gilda

2013-11-01

Recently, we have investigated the endocannabinoid involvement in chromatin remodeling events occurring in male spermatids. Indeed, we have demonstrated that genetic inactivation of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (Cnr1) negatively influences chromatin remodeling mechanisms, by reducing histone displacement and indices of sperm chromatin quality (chromatin condensation and DNA integrity). Conversely, Cnr1 knock-out (Cnr1(-/-)) male mice, treated with estrogens, replaced histones and rescued chromatin condensation as well as DNA integrity. In the present study, by exploiting Cnr1(+/+), Cnr(+/-) and Cnr1(-/-) epididymal sperm samples, we show that histone retention directly correlates with low values of sperm chromatin quality indices determining sperm nuclear size elongation. Moreover, we demonstrate that estrogens, by promoting histone displacement and chromatin condensation rescue, are able to efficiently reduce the greater nuclear length observed in Cnr1(-/-) sperm. As a consequence of our results, we suggest that nucleus length may be used as a morphological parameter useful to screen out spermatozoa with low chromatin quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selecting clinical quality indicators for laboratory medicine.

PubMed

Barth, Julian H

2012-05-01

Quality in laboratory medicine is often described as doing the right test at the right time for the right person. Laboratory processes currently operate under the oversight of an accreditation body which gives confidence that the process is good. However, there are aspects of quality that are not measured by these processes. These are largely focused on ensuring that the most clinically appropriate test is performed and interpreted correctly. Clinical quality indicators were selected through a two-phase process. Firstly, a series of focus groups of clinical scientists were held with the aim of developing a list of quality indicators. These were subsequently ranked in order by an expert panel of primary and secondary care physicians. The 10 top indicators included the communication of critical results, comprehensive education to all users and adequate quality assurance for point-of-care testing. Laboratories should ensure their tests are used to national standards, that they have clinical utility, are calibrated to national standards and have long-term stability for chronic disease management. Laboratories should have error logs and demonstrate evidence of measures introduced to reduce chances of similar future errors. Laboratories should make a formal scientific evaluation of analytical quality. This paper describes the process of selection of quality indicators for laboratory medicine that have been validated sequentially by deliverers and users of the service. They now need to be converted into measureable variables related to outcome and validated in practice.

Recreation trends: indicators of environmental quality

Treesearch

Roy Feuchter

1980-01-01

As you probably know, tomorrow is Earth Day-80, the 10th anniversary of the original Earth Day, so it is certainly appropriate that we talk these next few days about environmental quality and the relationship of outdoor recreation to that quality. However, perhaps the title should be more of a question such as: Are recreation trends indicators of environmental quality...

Effects of environmental and water quality parameters on the functioning of copepod assemblages in tropical estuaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araujo, Adriana V.; Dias, Cristina O.; Bonecker, Sérgio L. C.

2017-07-01

We examined changes in the functioning of copepod assemblages with increasing pollution in estuaries, using sampling standardization of the salinity range to enable comparisons. Copepod assemblages were analyzed in four southeast Brazilian estuaries with different water quality levels and hydrodynamic characteristics over two years. We obtained mesozooplankton samples together with environmental and water quality parameters in the estuaries, every two months under predetermined salinities ranging from 15 to 25. The values of parameters, except species size, associated with the functioning of the copepod assemblages (biomass, productivity, and turnover rate) did not differ among estuaries. However, in the more polluted estuaries, the biomass and productivity of copepod assemblages of mesozooplankton were negatively correlated with concentration of pollution indicator parameters. Conversely, in the less polluted estuaries some degree of enrichment still seems to increase the system biomass and productivity, as these parameters were inversely related to indicators of improved water quality. The pollution level of estuaries distorted the relationship between temperature and the efficiency of converting energy to organic matter. In the less polluted estuaries, the relationship between turnover rate and temperature was over 70%, while in the most polluted estuaries, this relationship was only approximately 50%. Our results demonstrated that the functioning of assemblages in the estuaries was affected differently by increasing pollution depending on the water quality level of the system. Thus, investigating the functioning of assemblages can be a useful tool for the analysis of estuarine conditions.

Development of vegetation based soil quality indices for mineralized terrane in arid and semi-arid regions

Treesearch

S. W. Blecker; L. L. Stillings; M. C. Amacher; J. A. Ippolito; N. M. DeCrappeo

2012-01-01

Soil quality indices (SQIs) are often management driven and attempt to describe key relationships between above- and below-ground parameters. In terrestrial systems, indices that were initially developed and modified for agroecosystems have been applied to non-agricultural systems in increasing number. We develop an SQI in arid and semi-arid ecosystems of the Western...

The dissolved organic matter as a potential soil quality indicator in arable soils of Hungary.

PubMed

Filep, Tibor; Draskovits, Eszter; Szabó, József; Koós, Sándor; László, Péter; Szalai, Zoltán

2015-07-01

Although several authors have suggested that the labile fraction of soils could be a potential soil quality indicator, the possibilities and limitations of using the dissolved organic matter (DOM) fraction for this purpose have not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that DOM is an adequate indicator of soil quality. To test this, the soil quality indices (SQI) of 190 arable soils from a Hungarian dataset were estimated, and these values were compared to DOM parameters (DOC and SUVA254). A clear difference in soil quality was found between the soil types, with low soil quality for arenosols (average SQI 0.5) and significantly higher values for gleysols, vertisols, regosols, solonetzes and chernozems. The SQI-DOC relationship could be described by non-linear regression, while a linear connection was observed between SQI and SUVA. The regression equations obtained for the dataset showed only one relatively weak significant correlation between the variables, for DOC (R (2) = 0.157(***); n = 190), while non-significant relationships were found for the DOC and SUVA254 values. However, an envelope curve operated with the datasets showed the robust potential of DOC to indicate soil quality changes, with a high R (2) value for the envelope curve regression equation. The limitations to using the DOM fraction of soils as a quality indicator are due to the contradictory processes which take place in soils in many cases.

A cluster-randomised quality improvement study to improve two inpatient stroke quality indicators.

PubMed

Williams, Linda; Daggett, Virginia; Slaven, James E; Yu, Zhangsheng; Sager, Danielle; Myers, Jennifer; Plue, Laurie; Woodward-Hagg, Heather; Damush, Teresa M

2016-04-01

Quality indicator collection and feedback improves stroke care. We sought to determine whether quality improvement training plus indicator feedback was more effective than indicator feedback alone in improving inpatient stroke indicators. We conducted a cluster-randomised quality improvement trial, randomising hospitals to quality improvement training plus indicator feedback versus indicator feedback alone to improve deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis and dysphagia screening. Intervention sites received collaborative-based quality improvement training, external facilitation and indicator feedback. Control sites received only indicator feedback. We compared indicators pre-implementation (pre-I) to active implementation (active-I) and post-implementation (post-I) periods. We constructed mixed-effect logistic models of the two indicators with a random intercept for hospital effect, adjusting for patient, time, intervention and hospital variables. Patients at intervention sites (1147 admissions), had similar race, gender and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores to control sites (1017 admissions). DVT prophylaxis improved more in intervention sites during active-I period (ratio of ORs 4.90, p<0.001), but did not differ in post-I period. Dysphagia screening improved similarly in both groups during active-I, but control sites improved more in post-I period (ratio of ORs 0.67, p=0.04). In logistic models, the intervention was independently positively associated with DVT performance during active-I period, and negatively associated with dysphagia performance post-I period. Quality improvement training was associated with early DVT improvement, but the effect was not sustained over time and was not seen with dysphagia screening. External quality improvement programmes may quickly boost performance but their effect may vary by indicator and may not sustain over time. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already

Performance of biotic indices in comparison to chemical-based Water Quality Index (WQI) in evaluating the water quality of urban river.

PubMed

Wan Abdul Ghani, Wan Mohd Hafezul; Abas Kutty, Ahmad; Mahazar, Mohd Akmal; Al-Shami, Salman Abdo; Ab Hamid, Suhaila

2018-04-19

In order to evaluate the water quality of one of the most polluted urban river in Malaysia, the Penchala River, performance of eight biotic indices, Biomonitoring Working Party (BMWP), BMWP Thai , BMWP Viet , Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT), ASPT Thai , BMWP Viet , Family Biotic Index (FBI), and Singapore Biotic Index (SingScore), was compared. The water quality categorization based on these biotic indices was then compared with the categorization of Malaysian Water Quality Index (WQI) derived from measurements of six water physicochemical parameters (pH, BOD, COD, NH 3 -N, DO, and TSS). The river was divided into four sections: upstream section (recreational area), middle stream 1 (residential area), middle stream 2 (commercial area), and downstream. Abundance and diversity of the macroinvertebrates were the highest in the upstream section (407 individual and H' = 1.56, respectively), followed by the middle stream 1 (356 individual and H' = 0.82). The least abundance was recorded in the downstream section (214 individual). Among all biotic indices, BMWP was the most reliable in evaluating the water quality of this urban river as their classifications were comparable to the WQI. BMWPs in this study have strong relationships with dissolved oxygen (DO) content. Our results demonstrated that the biotic indices were more sensitive towards organic pollution than the WQI. BMWP indices especially BMWP Viet were the most reliable and could be adopted along with the WQI for assessment of water quality in urban rivers.

Evaluation of volatile aldehydes as discriminating parameters in quality vinegars with protected European geographical indication.

PubMed

Durán-Guerrero, Enrique; Chinnici, Fabio; Natali, Nadia; Riponi, Claudio

2015-09-01

Thirty-six high-quality vinegars with geographical indication belonging to Sherry and Modena areas (vinegars of Jerez, balsamic vinegars of Modena and traditional balsamic vinegars of Modena) with all possible aging periods were analyzed to determine the content of volatile aldehydes. A solid-phase extraction method with in-cartridge derivatization using O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed. Twenty-two volatile aldehydes were identified and determined in the samples. Analysis of variance provided significant differences among the samples as a function of the type of vinegar, aging time and raw material. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis demonstrated the possibility of discriminating the samples in terms of aging time and raw material. Linear aldehydes and compounds such as furfural, methional, nonenal, hexenal, 2-methylbutanal and i-butyraldehyde were the most significant variables able to discriminate the samples. Aldehyde content of premium quality vinegars is a function of both ageing time and raw material. Their evaluation could be a useful tool with a view to ascertaining vinegar origin and genuineness. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Water quality assessment of Australian ports using water quality evaluation indices

PubMed Central

Jahan, Sayka

2017-01-01

Australian ports serve diverse and extensive activities, such as shipping, tourism and fisheries, which may all impact the quality of port water. In this work water quality monitoring at different ports using a range of water quality evaluation indices was applied to assess the port water quality. Seawater samples at 30 stations in the year 2016–2017 from six ports in NSW, Australia, namely Port Jackson, Botany, Kembla, Newcastle, Yamba and Eden, were investigated to determine the physicochemical and biological variables that affect the port water quality. The large datasets obtained were designed to determine the Water Quality Index, Heavy metal Evaluation Index, Contamination Index and newly developed Environmental Water Quality Index. The study revealed medium water quality index and high and medium heavy metal evaluation index at three of the study ports and high contamination index in almost all study ports. Low level dissolved oxygen and higher level of total dissolved solids, turbidity, fecal coliforms, copper, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, cadmium and cobalt are mainly responsible for the poor water qualities of the port areas. Good water quality at the background samples indicated that various port activities are the likely cause for poor water quality inside the port area. PMID:29244876

Practice Parameters for the Respiratory Indications for Polysomnography in Children

PubMed Central

Aurora, R. Nisha; Zak, Rochelle S.; Karippot, Anoop; Lamm, Carin I.; Morgenthaler, Timothy I.; Auerbach, Sanford H.; Bista, Sabin R.; Casey, Kenneth R.; Chowdhuri, Susmita; Kristo, David A.; Ramar, Kannan

2011-01-01

Background: There has been marked expansion in the literature and practice of pediatric sleep medicine; however, no recent evidence-based practice parameters have been reported. These practice parameters are the first of 2 papers that assess indications for polysomnography in children. This paper addresses indications for polysomnography in children with suspected sleep related breathing disorders. These recommendations were reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed, and the American Academy of Neurology grading system was used to assess the quality of evidence. Recommendations for PSG Use: Polysomnography in children should be performed and interpreted in accordance with the recommendations of the AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events. (Standard) Polysomnography is indicated when the clinical assessment suggests the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children. (Standard) Children with mild OSAS preoperatively should have clinical evaluation following adenotonsillectomy to assess for residual symptoms. If there are residual symptoms of OSAS, polysomnography should be performed. (Standard) Polysomnography is indicated following adenotonsillectomy to assess for residual OSAS in children with preoperative evidence for moderate to severe OSAS, obesity, craniofacial anomalies that obstruct the upper airway, and neurologic disorders (e.g., Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and myelomeningocele). (Standard) Polysomnography is indicated for positive airway pressure (PAP) titration in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. (Standard) Polysomnography is indicated when the clinical assessment suggests the diagnosis of congenital central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome or sleep related hypoventilation due to neuromuscular disorders or chest wall deformities. It is indicated in selected cases of primary sleep

Baby-MONITOR: A Composite Indicator of NICU Quality

PubMed Central

Kowalkowski, Marc A.; Zupancic, John A. F.; Pietz, Kenneth; Richardson, Peter; Draper, David; Hysong, Sylvia J.; Thomas, Eric J.; Petersen, Laura A.; Gould, Jeffrey B.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: NICUs vary in the quality of care delivered to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. NICU performance on 1 measure of quality only modestly predicts performance on others. Composite measurement of quality of care delivery may provide a more comprehensive assessment of quality. The objective of our study was to develop a robust composite indicator of quality of NICU care provided to VLBW infants that accurately discriminates performance among NICUs. METHODS: We developed a composite indicator, Baby-MONITOR, based on 9 measures of quality chosen by a panel of experts. Measures were standardized, equally weighted, and averaged. We used the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative database to perform across-sectional analysis of care given to VLBW infants between 2004 and 2010. Performance on the Baby-MONITOR is not an absolute marker of quality but indicates overall performance relative to that of the other NICUs. We used sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of the composite indicator, by varying assumptions and methods. RESULTS: Our sample included 9023 VLBW infants in 22 California regional NICUs. We found significant variations within and between NICUs on measured components of the Baby-MONITOR. Risk-adjusted composite scores discriminated performance among this sample of NICUs. Sensitivity analysis that included different approaches to normalization, weighting, and aggregation of individual measures showed the Baby-MONITOR to be robust (r = 0.89–0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The Baby-MONITOR may be a useful tool to comprehensively assess the quality of care delivered by NICUs. PMID:24918221

Assessing biodiesel quality parameters for wastewater grown Chlorella sp.

PubMed

Bagul, Samadhan Yuvraj; K Bharti, Randhir; Dhar, Dolly Wattal

2017-07-01

Microalgae are reported as the efficient source of renewable biodiesel which should be able to meet the global demand of transport fuels. Present study is focused on assessment of wastewater grown indigenous microalga Chlorella sp. for fuel quality parameters. This was successfully grown in secondary treated waste water diluted with tap water (25% dilution) in glass house. The microalga showed a dry weight of 0.849 g L -1 with lipid content of 27.1% on dry weight basis on 21st day of incubation. After transesterification, the yield of fatty acid methyl ester was 80.64% with major fatty acids as palmitic, linoleic, oleic and linolenic. The physical parameters predicted from empirical equations in the biodiesel showed cetane number as 56.5, iodine value of 75.5 g I 2 100 g -1 , high heating value 40.1 MJ kg -1 , flash point 135 °C, kinematic viscosity 4.05 mm 2 s -1 with density of 0.86 g cm 3 and cold filter plugging point as 0.7 °C. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), 1 H, 13 C NMR spectrum confirmed the chemical nature of biodiesel. The results indicated that the quality of biodiesel was almost as per the criterion of ASTM standards; hence, wastewater grown Chlorella sp. can be used as a promising strain for biodiesel production.

WATER QUALITY INDICES: A SURVEY OF INDICES USED IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

This study documents the extent to which water quality indices currently are being used in the United States. It reviews the indices published in the literature and surveys the States and interstate commissions to determine: (1) which agencies are using indices, (2) the type of i...

Key interventions and quality indicators for quality improvement of STEMI care: a RAND Delphi survey.

PubMed

Aeyels, Daan; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Coeckelberghs, Ellen; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2017-12-13

Identification, selection and validation of key interventions and quality indicators for improvement of in hospital quality of care for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. A structured literature review was followed by a RAND Delphi Survey. A purposively selected multidisciplinary expert panel of cardiologists, nurse managers and quality managers selected and validated key interventions and quality indicators prior for quality improvement for STEMI. First, 34 experts (76% response rate) individually assessed the appropriateness of items to quality improvement on a nine point Likert scale. Twenty-seven key interventions, 16 quality indicators at patient level and 27 quality indicators at STEMI care programme level were selected. Eighteen additional items were suggested. Experts received personal feedback, benchmarking their score with group results (response rate, mean, median and content validity index). Consequently, 32 experts (71% response rate) openly discussed items with an item-content validity index above 75%. By consensus, the expert panel validated a final set of 25 key interventions, 13 quality indicators at patient level and 20 quality indicators at care programme level prior for improvement of in hospital care for STEMI. A structured literature review and multidisciplinary expertise was combined to validate a set of key interventions and quality indicators prior for improvement of care for STEMI. The results allow researchers and hospital staff to evaluate and support quality improvement interventions in a large cohort within the context of a health care system.

Air quality as respiratory health indicator: a critical review.

PubMed

Moshammer, Hanns; Wallner, Peter

2011-09-01

As part of the European Public Health project IMCA II validity and practicability of "air pollution" as a respiratory health indicator were analyzed. The definitions of air quality as an indicator proposed by the WHO project ECOEHIS and by IMCA I were compared. The public availability of the necessary data was checked through access to web-based data-bases. Practicability and interpretation of the indicator were discussed with project partners and external experts. Air quality serves as a kind of benchmark for the good health-related environmental policy. In this sense, it is a relevant health indicator. Although air quality is not directly in the responsibility of health policy, its vital importance for the population's health should not be neglected. In principle, data is available to calculate this IMCA indicator for any chosen area in Europe. The indicator is relevant and informative, but calculation and interpretation need input from local expert knowledge. The European health policy is well advised to take air quality into account. To that end, an interdisciplinary approach is warranted. The proposed definition of air quality as a (respiratory) health indicator is workable, but correct interpretation depends on expert and local knowledge.

A Proposed Roadmap for Inpatient Neurology Quality Indicators

PubMed Central

Douglas, Vanja C.; Josephson, S. Andrew

2011-01-01

Background/Purpose: In recent years, there has been increasing pressure to measure and report quality in health care. However, there has been little focus on quality measurement in the field of neurology for conditions other than stroke and transient ischemic attack. As the number of evidence-based treatments for neurological conditions grows, so will the demand to measure the quality of care delivered. The purpose of this study was to review essential components of hospital performance measures for neurological disease and propose potential quality indicators for commonly encountered inpatient neurological diagnoses. Methods: We determined the most common inpatient neurological diagnoses at a major tertiary care medical center by reviewing the billing database. We then searched PubMed and the National Guidelines Clearinghouse to identify treatment guidelines for these conditions. Guideline recommendations with class I/level A evidence were evaluated as possible quality indicators. Results: We found 94 guidelines for 14 inpatient neurological conditions other than stroke and transient ischemic attack. Of these, 36 guidelines contained at least 1 recommendation with class I evidence. Based on these, potential quality indicators for intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, pneumococcal meningitis, coma following cardiac arrest, encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo are proposed. Conclusions: There are several inpatient neurological conditions with treatments or diagnostic test routines supported by high levels of evidence that could be used in the future as quality indicators. PMID:23983832

Evaluation of multivariate linear regression and artificial neural networks in prediction of water quality parameters

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This paper examined the efficiency of multivariate linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models in prediction of two major water quality parameters in a wastewater treatment plant. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) as well as indirect indicators of organic matters are representative parameters for sewer water quality. Performance of the ANN models was evaluated using coefficient of correlation (r), root mean square error (RMSE) and bias values. The computed values of BOD and COD by model, ANN method and regression analysis were in close agreement with their respective measured values. Results showed that the ANN performance model was better than the MLR model. Comparative indices of the optimized ANN with input values of temperature (T), pH, total suspended solid (TSS) and total suspended (TS) for prediction of BOD was RMSE = 25.1 mg/L, r = 0.83 and for prediction of COD was RMSE = 49.4 mg/L, r = 0.81. It was found that the ANN model could be employed successfully in estimating the BOD and COD in the inlet of wastewater biochemical treatment plants. Moreover, sensitive examination results showed that pH parameter have more effect on BOD and COD predicting to another parameters. Also, both implemented models have predicted BOD better than COD. PMID:24456676

Optical spectral signatures of liquids by means of fiber optic technology for product and quality parameter identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mignani, A. G.; Ciaccheri, L.; Mencaglia, A. A.; Diaz-Herrera, N.; Garcia-Allende, P. B.; Ottevaere, H.; Thienpont, H.; Attilio, C.; Cimato, A.; Francalanci, S.; Paccagnini, A.; Pavone, F. S.

2009-01-01

Absorption spectroscopy in the wide 200-1700 nm spectral range is carried out by means of optical fiber instrumentation to achieve a digital mapping of liquids for the prediction of important quality parameters. Extra virgin olive oils from Italy and lubricant oils from turbines with different degrees of degradation were considered as "case studies". The spectral data were processed by means of multivariate analysis so as to obtain a correlation to quality parameters. In practice, the wide range absorption spectra were considered as an optical signature of the liquids from which to extract product quality information. The optical signatures of extra virgin olive oils were used to predict the content of the most important fatty acids. The optical signatures of lubricant oils were used to predict the concentration of the most important parameters for indicating the oil's degree of degradation, such as TAN, JOAP anti-wear index, and water content.

Evaluation of the Ecochemical Status of the Danube in Serbia in Terms of Water Quality Parameters

PubMed Central

Takić, Ljiljana; Mladenović-Ranisavljević, Ivana; Vuković, Milovan; Mladenović, Ilija

2012-01-01

The Danube is an international river passing partly through Serbia. The protection of the environment and sustainable use of water resources is a primary task that implies constant monitoring of the quality status and evaluation of ecochemical status of the water in the Danube basin. The investigation includes calculation of all-inclusive water quality by the Serbian water quality index (SWQI) method and an evaluation of eco-chemical status of the Danube water in terms of water quality parameters from the entry to the exit point along its course through Serbia in the year of 2009. The results show that the overall quality of the Danube water on the territory of Serbia corresponds to the descriptive indicator of “very good” water. According to the Council Directive75/440/EEC, the evaluation of the ecostatus, with slight deviation of individual parameters at Pančevo, corresponds to A1 category of the surface water quality intended for the abstraction of drinking water supplies in member states. PMID:22645471

Genetic and phenotypic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits in commercial crossbred pigs.

PubMed

Miar, Y; Plastow, G S; Moore, S S; Manafiazar, G; Charagu, P; Kemp, R A; Van Haandel, B; Huisman, A E; Zhang, C Y; McKay, R M; Bruce, H L; Wang, Z

2014-07-01

Pork quality and carcass characteristics are now being integrated into swine breeding objectives because of their economic value. Understanding the genetic basis for these traits is necessary for this to be accomplished. The objective of this study was to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits in 2 Canadian swine populations. Data from a genomic selection study aimed at improving meat quality with a mating system involving hybrid Landrace × Large White and Duroc pigs were used to estimate heritabilities and phenotypic and genetic correlations among them. Data on 2,100 commercial crossbred pigs for meat quality and carcass traits were recorded with pedigrees compromising 9,439 animals over 15 generations. Significant fixed effects (company, sex, and slaughter batch), covariates (cold carcass weight and slaughter age), and random additive and common litter effects were fitted in the models. A series of pairwise bivariate analyses were implemented in ASReml to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters. Heritability estimates (±SE) for carcass traits were moderate to high and ranged from 0.22 ± 0.08 for longissimus dorsi muscle area to 0.63 ± 0.04 for trimmed ham weight, except for firmness, which was low. Heritability estimates (±SE) for meat quality traits varied from 0.10 ± 0.04 to 0.39 ± 0.06 for the Minolta b* of ham quadriceps femoris muscle and shear force, respectively. Generally, most of the genetic correlations were significant (P < 0.05) and ranged from low (0.18 ± 0.07) to high (-0.97 ± 0.35). There were high negative genetic correlations between drip loss with pH and shear force and a positive correlation with cooking loss. Genetic correlations between carcass weight (both hot and cold) with carcass marbling were highly positive. It was concluded that selection for increasing primal and subprimal cut weights with better pork quality may be possible. Furthermore, the use of pH is confirmed as an indicator

Measurement of Health Care Quality in Atopic Dermatitis - Development and Application of a Set of Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Steinke, S; Beikert, F C; Langenbruch, A; Fölster-Holst, R; Ring, J; Schmitt, J; Werfel, T; Hintzen, S; Franzke, N; Augustin, M

2018-05-15

Quality indicators are essential tools for the assessment of health care, in particular for guideline-based procedures. 1) Development of a set of indicators for the evaluation of process and outcomes quality in atopic dermatitis (AD) care. 2) Application of the indicators to a cross-sectional study and creation of a global process quality index. An expert committee consisting of 10 members of the German guideline group on atopic dermatitis condensed potential quality indicators to a final set of 5 outcomes quality and 12 process quality indicators using a Delphi panel. The outcomes quality and 7 resp. 8 process quality indicators were retrospectively applied to a nationwide study on 1,678 patients with atopic dermatitis (AtopicHealth). Each individual process quality indicator score was then summed up to a global index (ranges from 0 (no quality achieved) to 100 (full quality achieved)) displaying the quality of health care. In total, the global process quality index revealed a median value of 62.5 and did not or only slightly correlate to outcome indicators as the median SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis; rp =0.08), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI; rp = 0.256), and Patient Benefit Index (PBI; rp = -0.151). Process quality of AD care is moderate to good. The health care process quality index does not substantially correlate to the health status of AD patients measured by 5 different outcomes quality indicators. Further research should include the investigation of reliability, responsiveness, and feasibility of the proposed quality indicators for AD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A set of care quality indicators for stroke management.

PubMed

Navarro Soler, I M; Ignacio García, E; Masjuan Vallejo, J; Gállego Culleré, J; Mira Solves, J J

2017-06-22

This study proposes a set of quality indicators for care outcomes in patients with acute cerebral infarction. These indicators are understandable and relevant from a clinical viewpoint, as well as being acceptable and feasible in terms of time required, ease of data capture, and interpretability. The method consisted of reaching consensus among doctors after having reviewed the literature on quality indicators in stroke. We then designed and conducted a field study to assess the understandability and feasibility of the set of indicators. Consensus yielded 8 structural indicators, 5 process indicators, and 12 result indicators. Additionally, standards of reference were established for each indicator. This set of indicators can be used to monitor the quality care for stroke patients, identify strengths, and potentially to identify areas needing improvement. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Enzyme activities by indicator of quality in organic soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raigon Jiménez, Mo; Fita, Ana Delores; Rodriguez Burruezo, Adrián

2016-04-01

The analytical determination of biochemical parameters, as soil enzyme activities and those related to the microbial biomass is growing importance by biological indicator in soil science studies. The metabolic activity in soil is responsible of important processes such as mineralization and humification of organic matter. These biological reactions will affect other key processes involved with elements like carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus , and all transformations related in soil microbial biomass. The determination of biochemical parameters is useful in studies carried out on organic soil where microbial processes that are key to their conservation can be analyzed through parameters of the metabolic activity of these soils. The main objective of this work is to apply analytical methodologies of enzyme activities in soil collections of different physicochemical characteristics. There have been selective sampling of natural soils, organic farming soils, conventional farming soils and urban soils. The soils have been properly identified conserved at 4 ° C until analysis. The enzyme activities determinations have been: catalase, urease, cellulase, dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase, which bring together a representative group of biological transformations that occur in the soil environment. The results indicate that for natural and agronomic soil collections, the values of the enzymatic activities are within the ranges established for forestry and agricultural soils. Organic soils are generally higher level of enzymatic, regardless activity of the enzyme involved. Soil near an urban area, levels of activities have been significantly reduced. The vegetation cover applied to organic soils, results in greater enzymatic activity. So the quality of these soils, defined as the ability to maintain their biological productivity is increased with the use of cover crops, whether or spontaneous species. The practice of cover based on legumes could be used as an ideal choice

A first-approximation urban-air-quality indicator

Treesearch

David M. Paproski; Julian R. Walker

1977-01-01

Development of the first-approximation-urban-air-quality indicator was reported by the Economic Council of Canada. The indicator takes account of ambient concentrations of five pollutants: sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and total oxidants. Epidemiological evidence indicating the potential impact of these pollutants on human...

Quality Indicators for Safe Medication Preparation and Administration: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Maaskant, Jolanda M.; de Boer, Monica; Krediet, C. T. Paul; Nieveen van Dijkum, Els J. M.

2015-01-01

Background One-third of all medication errors causing harm to hospitalized patients occur in the medication preparation and administration phase, which is predominantly a nursing activity. To monitor, evaluate and improve the quality and safety of this process, evidence-based quality indicators can be used. Objectives The aim of study was to identify evidence-based quality indicators (structure, process and outcome) for safe in-hospital medication preparation and administration. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched for relevant studies published up to January 2015. Additionally, nine databases were searched to identify relevant grey literature. Two reviewers independently selected studies if (1) the method for quality indicator development combined a literature search with expert panel opinion, (2) the study contained quality indicators on medication safety, and (3) any of the quality indicators were applicable to hospital medication preparation and administration. A multidisciplinary team appraised the studies independently using the AIRE instrument, which contains four domains and 20 items. Quality indicators applicable to in-hospital medication preparation and administration were extracted using a structured form. Results The search identified 1683 studies, of which 64 were reviewed in detail and five met the inclusion criteria. Overall, according to the AIRE domains, all studies were clear on purpose; most of them applied stakeholder involvement and used evidence reasonably; usage of the indicator in practice was scarcely described. A total of 21 quality indicators were identified: 5 structure indicators (e.g. safety management and high alert medication), 11 process indicators (e.g. verification and protocols) and 5 outcome indicators (e.g. harm and death). These quality indicators partially cover the 7 rights. Conclusion Despite the relatively small number of included studies, the identified quality indicators can serve as an excellent starting

SU-F-P-64: The Impact of Plan Complexity Parameters On the Plan Quality and Deliverability of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy with Canonical Correlation Analysis

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

Jin, X; Yi, J; Xie, C

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of complexity indices on the plan quality and deliverability of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and to determine the most significant parameters in the generation of an ideal VMAT plan. Methods: A multi-dimensional exploratory statistical method, canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was adopted to study the correlations between VMAT parameters of complexity, quality and deliverability, as well as their contribution weights with 32 two-arc VMAT nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients and 31 one-arc VMAT prostate cancer patients. Results: The MU per arc (MU/Arc) and MU per control point (MU/CP) of NPC were 337.8±25.2 and 3.7±0.3, respectively, whichmore » were significantly lower than those of prostate cancer patients (MU/Arc : 506.9±95.4, MU/CP : 5.6±1.1). The plan complexity indices indicated that two-arc VMAT plans were more complex than one-arc VMAT plans. Plan quality comparison confirmed that one-arc VMAT plans had a high quality than two-arc VMAT plans. CCA results implied that plan complexity parameters were highly correlated with plan quality with the first two canonical correlations of 0.96, 0.88 (both p<0.001) and significantly correlated with deliverability with the first canonical correlation of 0.79 (p<0.001), plan quality and deliverability was also correlated with the first canonical correlation of 0.71 (p=0.02). Complexity parameters of MU/CP, segment area (SA) per CP, percent of MU/CP less 3 and planning target volume (PTV) were weighted heavily in correlation with plan quality and deliveability . Similar results obtained from individual NPC and prostate CCA analysis. Conclusion: Relationship between complexity, quality, and deliverability parameters were investigated with CCA. MU, SA related parameters and PTV volume were found to have strong effect on the plan quality and deliverability. The presented correlation among different quantified parameters could be used to improve the plan quality and the

Quantitative analysis of aircraft multispectral-scanner data and mapping of water-quality parameters in the James River in Virginia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. W.; Bahn, G. S.

1977-01-01

Statistical analysis techniques were applied to develop quantitative relationships between in situ river measurements and the remotely sensed data that were obtained over the James River in Virginia on 28 May 1974. The remotely sensed data were collected with a multispectral scanner and with photographs taken from an aircraft platform. Concentration differences among water quality parameters such as suspended sediment, chlorophyll a, and nutrients indicated significant spectral variations. Calibrated equations from the multiple regression analysis were used to develop maps that indicated the quantitative distributions of water quality parameters and the dispersion characteristics of a pollutant plume entering the turbid river system. Results from further analyses that use only three preselected multispectral scanner bands of data indicated that regression coefficients and standard errors of estimate were not appreciably degraded compared with results from the 10-band analysis.

Effect of dietary plant extract on meat quality and sensory parameters of meat from Equidae.

PubMed

Rossi, Raffaella; Ratti, Sabrina; Pastorelli, Grazia; Maghin, Federica; Martemucci, Giovanni; Casamassima, Donato; D'Alessandro, Angela Gabriella; Corino, Carlo

2017-11-01

Plant extracts as Lippia spp. have been proven antioxidant properties. Recent studies have been shown that dietary supplementation with plant extracts is able to enhance meat quality parameters. Studies regarding meat quality in Equidae are limited. The effect of dietary plant extract (PE), containing verbascoside, on meat quality, oxidative stability and sensory parameters of Longissimus Lumborum (LL) muscle in Equidae was studied. Dietary treatment did not affect (P > 0.05) pH, colour indices and chemical parameters of muscle in both donkey and horse. Dietary PE improved (P < 0.01) oxidative stability in donkey muscle during refrigerated storage. Sensory characteristics of LL muscle were positively affected (P < 0.05) by dietary PE in both donkey and horse. In particular, colour, taste and texture were enhanced in LL muscle from animals fed PE. Oxidative stability was lower (P < 0.05) in LL muscle of horse than that of donkey. Dietary plant extract, containing verbascoside, can be considered as a natural source of antioxidants, and is also able to improve oxidative stability of donkey meat and to affect the sensory attributes of Equidae meat. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Quality Indicators of Primary Health Care Facilities in Austria].

PubMed

Semlitsch, Thomas; Abuzahra, Muna; Stigler, Florian; Jeitler, Klaus; Posch, Nicole; Siebenhofer, Andrea

2017-07-11

Background The strengthening of primary health care is one major goal of the current national health reform in Austria. In this context, a new interdisciplinary concept was developed in 2014 that defines structures and requirements for future primary health care facilities. Objective The aim of this project was the development of quality indicators for the evaluation of the scheduled primary health care facilities in Austria, which are in accordance with the new Austrian concept. Methods We used the RAND/NPCRDC method for the development and selection of the quality indicators. We conducted systematic literature searches for existing measures in international databases for quality indicators as well as in bibliographic databases. All retrieved measures were evaluated and rated by an expert panel in a 2-step process regarding relevance and feasibility. Results Overall, the literature searches yielded 281 potentially relevant quality indicators, which were summarized to 65 different quality measures for primary health care. Out of these, the panel rated and accepted 30 measures as relevant and feasible for use in Austria. Five of these indicators were structure measures, 14 were process measures and the remaining 11 were outcome measures. Based on the Austrian primary health care concept, the final set of quality indicators was grouped in the 5 following domains: Access to primary health care (5), quality of care (15), continuity of care (5), coordination of care (4), and safety (1). Conclusion This set of quality measures largely covers the four defined functions of primary health care. It enables standardized evaluation of primary health care facilities in Austria regarding the implementation of the Austrian primary health care concept as well as improvement in healthcare of the population. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Quality Indicators of Online Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirner, Leo; Kochtanek, Thomas

2012-01-01

The continued growth of online programs in higher education has resulted in concerns about how institutions monitor the quality of their online programs. These concerns indicate a need for a process by which online programs may be evaluated and compared. They provided the impetus for this study, the goals of which were to identify quality…

Stakeholders' perspectives on quality indicators for diabetes care: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Markhorst, Joekie; Martirosyan, Liana; Calsbeek, Hiske; Braspenning, Jozé

2012-01-01

Transparency in diabetes care requires quality indicators that are of interest to stakeholders in order to optimise their usage. Indicator development is often focused on consensus, and little is known about stakeholders' preferences for information on quality. To explore the preferences of consumers, providers, purchasers and policy makers for different quality domains and indicators in relation to the intended use of quality indicators. Between June and December 2009, 14 semi-structured interviews were held with stakeholders who have a decisive vote in the selection of the national indicator set for diabetes care in the Netherlands. The following subjects were explored: (1) the aims of using information on quality; (2) the interpretation of and preferences for the quality domains of safety, timeliness, effectiveness and patient-centredness in relation to the user aims; and (3) the preferences for structure, process or outcome indicators. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Stakeholders had similar and different aims according to their roles. The interpretations of quality domains varied greatly between the stakeholders. Besides differences in interpretation, their preferences were similar. Most stakeholders prioritised patient-centredness above the other domains of quality, ranked in order of priority as safety, effectiveness and timeliness, whereas purchasers also prioritised efficiency. All stakeholders preferred to use process indicators or a mix of process and outcome indicators. The preferences of the stakeholders for quality indicators seem to be neither well-refined nor congruent. The implementation of an indicator set can probably be improved if the stakeholders' definitions and preferences for quality domains become more explicit during the selection process for indicators.

Investigation of the Bitumen Modification Process Regime Parameters Influence on Polymer-Bitumen Bonding Qualitative Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, P. S.; Mishchenko, S. V.; Belyaev, V. P.; Belousov, O. A.; Frolov, V. A.

2018-04-01

The objects of this study are petroleum road bitumen and polymeric bituminous binder for road surfaces obtained by polymer materials. The subject of the study is monitoring the polymer-bitumen binder quality changes as a result of varying the bitumen modification process. The purpose of the work is to identify the patterns of the modification process and build a mathematical model that provides the ability to calculate and select technological equipment. It is shown that the polymer-bitumen binder production with specified quality parameters can be ensured in apparatuses with agitators in turbulent mode without the colloidal mills use. Bitumen mix and modifying additives limiting indicators which can be used as restrictions in the form of mathematical model inequalities are defined. A mathematical model for the polymer-bitumen binder preparation has been developed and its adequacy has been confirmed.

Application of soil quality indices to assess the status of agricultural soils irrigated with treated wastewaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morugán-Coronado, A.; Arcenegui, V.; García-Orenes, F.; Mataix-Solera, J.; Mataix-Beneyto, J.

2012-12-01

The supply of water is limited in some parts of the Mediterranean region, such as southeastern Spain. The use of treated wastewater for the irrigation of agricultural soils is an alternative to using better-quality water, especially in semi-arid regions. On the other hand, this practice can modify some soil properties, change their relationships, the equilibrium reached and influence soil quality. In this work two soil quality indices were used to evaluate the effects of irrigation with treated wastewater in soils. The indices were developed studying different soil properties in undisturbed soils in SE Spain, and the relationships between soil parameters were established using multiple linear regressions. This study was carried out in three areas of Alicante Province (SE Spain) irrigated with wastewater, including four study sites. The results showed slight changes in some soil properties as a consequence of irrigation with wastewater, the obtained levels not being dangerous for agricultural soils, and in some cases they could be considered as positive from an agronomical point of view. In one of the study sites, and as a consequence of the low quality wastewater used, a relevant increase in soil organic matter content was observed, as well as modifications in most of the soil properties. The application of soil quality indices indicated that all the soils of study sites are in a state of disequilibrium regarding the relationships between properties independent of the type of water used. However, there were no relevant differences in the soil quality indices between soils irrigated with wastewater with respect to their control sites for all except one of the sites, which corresponds to the site where low quality wastewater was used.

Quality indicators for the management of Barrett's esophagus, dysplasia, and esophageal adenocarcinoma: international consensus recommendations from the American Gastroenterological Association Symposium.

PubMed

Sharma, Prateek; Katzka, David A; Gupta, Neil; Ajani, Jaffer; Buttar, Navtej; Chak, Amitabh; Corley, Douglas; El-Serag, Hashem; Falk, Gary W; Fitzgerald, Rebecca; Goldblum, John; Gress, Frank; Ilson, David H; Inadomi, John M; Kuipers, Ernest J; Lynch, John P; McKeon, Frank; Metz, David; Pasricha, Pankaj J; Pech, Oliver; Peek, Richard; Peters, Jeffrey H; Repici, Alessandro; Seewald, Stefan; Shaheen, Nicholas J; Souza, Rhonda F; Spechler, Stuart J; Vennalaganti, Prashanth; Wang, Kenneth

2015-11-01

The development of and adherence to quality indicators in gastroenterology, as in all of medicine, is increasing in importance to ensure that patients receive consistent high-quality care. In addition, government-based and private insurers will be expecting documentation of the parameters by which we measure quality, which will likely affect reimbursements. Barrett's esophagus remains a particularly important disease entity for which we should maintain up-to-date guidelines, given its commonality, potentially lethal outcomes, and controversies regarding screening and surveillance. To achieve this goal, a relatively large group of international experts was assembled and, using the modified Delphi method, evaluated the validity of multiple candidate quality indicators for the diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus. Several candidate quality indicators achieved >80% agreement. These statements are intended to serve as a consensus on candidate quality indicators for those who treat patients with Barrett's esophagus. Copyright © 2015 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting Long-term Trend of Water Quality Indices of Dong-gang River, Taiwan Using Quantile Regression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, D.; Shiau, J.

2013-12-01

ABSTRACT BODY: Abstract Surface water quality is an essential issue in water-supply for human uses and sustaining healthy ecosystem of rivers. However, water quality of rivers is easily influenced by anthropogenic activities such as urban development and wastewater disposal. Long-term monitoring of water quality can assess whether water quality of rivers deteriorates or not. Taiwan is a population-dense area and heavily depends on surface water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses. Dong-gang River is one of major resources in southern Taiwan for agricultural requirements. The water-quality data of four monitoring stations of the Dong-gang River for the period of 2000-2012 are selected for trend analysis. The parameters used to characterize water quality of rivers include biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), suspended solids (SS), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N). These four water-quality parameters are integrated into an index called river pollution index (RPI) to indicate the pollution level of rivers. Although widely used non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and linear regression exhibit computational efficiency to identify trends of water-quality indices, limitations of such approaches include sensitive to outliers and estimations of conditional mean only. Quantile regression, capable of identifying changes over time of any percentile values, is employed in this study to detect long-term trend of water-quality indices for the Dong-gang River located in southern Taiwan. The results show that Dong-gang River 4 stations from 2000 to 2012 monthly long-term trends in water quality.To analyze s Dong-gang River long-term water quality trends and pollution characteristics. The results showed that the bridge measuring ammonia Long-dong, BOD5 measure in that station on a downward trend, DO, and SS is on the rise, River Pollution Index (RPI) on a downward trend. The results form Chau-Jhou station also ahowed simialar trends .more and more near the

Quality Indicators for the Management of Barrett’s Esophagus, Dysplasia, and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: International Consensus Recommendations from the American Gastroenterological Association Symposium

PubMed Central

Sharma, Prateek; Katzka, David A.; Gupta, Neil; Ajani, Jaffer; Buttar, Navtej; Chak, Amitabh; Corley, Douglas; El-Serag, Hashem; Falk, Gary W.; Fitzgerald, Rebecca; Goldblum, John; Gress, Frank; Ilson, David H.; Inadomi, John M.; Kuipers, Ernest J.; Lynch, John P.; McKeon, Frank; Metz, David; Pasricha, Pankaj J.; Pech, Oliver; Peek, Richard; Peters, Jeffrey H.; Repici, Alessandro; Seewald, Stefan; Shaheen, Nicholas J.; Souza, Rhonda F.; Spechler, Stuart J.; Vennalaganti, Prashanth; Wang, Kenneth

2016-01-01

The development of and adherence to quality indicators in gastroenterology, as in all of medicine, is increasing in importance to ensure that patients receive consistent high-quality care. In addition, government-based and private insurers will be expecting documentation of the parameters by which we measure quality, which will likely affect reimbursements. Barrett’s esophagus remains a particularly important disease entity for which we should maintain up-to-date guidelines, given its commonality, potentially lethal outcomes, and controversies regarding screening and surveillance. To achieve this goal, a relatively large group of international experts was assembled and, using the modified Delphi method, evaluated the validity of multiple candidate quality indicators for the diagnosis and management of Barrett’s esophagus. Several candidate quality indicators achieved >80% agreement. These statements are intended to serve as a consensus on candidate quality indicators for those who treat patients with Barrett’s esophagus. PMID:26296479

Sterols indicate water quality and wastewater treatment efficiency.

PubMed

Reichwaldt, Elke S; Ho, Wei Y; Zhou, Wenxu; Ghadouani, Anas

2017-01-01

As the world's population continues to grow, water pollution is presenting one of the biggest challenges worldwide. More wastewater is being generated and the demand for clean water is increasing. To ensure the safety and health of humans and the environment, highly efficient wastewater treatment systems, and a reliable assessment of water quality and pollutants are required. The advance of holistic approaches to water quality management and the increasing use of ecological water treatment technologies, such as constructed wetlands and waste stabilisation ponds (WSPs), challenge the appropriateness of commonly used water quality indicators. Instead, additional indicators, which are direct measures of the processes involved in the stabilisation of human waste, have to be established to provide an in-depth understanding of system performance. In this study we identified the sterol composition of wastewater treated in WSPs and assessed the suitability of human sterol levels as a bioindicator of treatment efficiency of wastewater in WSPs. As treatment progressed in WSPs, the relative abundance of human faecal sterols, such as coprostanol, epicoprostanol, 24-ethylcoprostanol, and sitostanol decreased significantly and the sterol composition in wastewater changed significantly. Furthermore, sterol levels were found to be correlated with commonly used wastewater quality indicators, such as BOD, TSS and E. coli. Three of the seven sterol ratios that have previously been used to track sewage pollution in the environment, detected a faecal signal in the effluent of WSPs, however, the others were influenced by high prevalence of sterols originating from algal and fungal activities. This finding poses a concern for environmental assessment studies, because environmental pollution from waste stabilisation ponds can go unnoticed. In conclusion, faecal sterols and their ratios can be used as reliable indicators of treatment efficiency and water quality during wastewater

Variation of Water Quality Parameters with Siltation Depth for River Ichamati Along International Border with Bangladesh Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, P. K.; Pal, S.; Banerjee, G.; Biswas Roy, M.; Ray, D.; Majumder, A.

2014-12-01

River is considered as one of the main sources of freshwater all over the world. Hence analysis and maintenance of this water resource is globally considered a matter of major concern. This paper deals with the assessment of surface water quality of the Ichamati river using multivariate statistical techniques. Eight distinct surface water quality observation stations were located and samples were collected. For the samples collected statistical techniques were applied to the physico-chemical parameters and depth of siltation. In this paper cluster analysis is done to determine the relations between surface water quality and siltation depth of river Ichamati. Multiple regressions and mathematical equation modeling have been done to characterize surface water quality of Ichamati river on the basis of physico-chemical parameters. It was found that surface water quality of the downstream river was different from the water quality of the upstream. The analysis of the water quality parameters of the Ichamati river clearly indicate high pollution load on the river water which can be accounted to agricultural discharge, tidal effect and soil erosion. The results further reveal that with the increase in depth of siltation, water quality degraded.

High-quality Italian rice cultivars: chemical indices of ageing and aroma quality.

PubMed

Griglione, Alessandra; Liberto, Erica; Cordero, Chiara; Bressanello, Davide; Cagliero, Cecilia; Rubiolo, Patrizia; Bicchi, Carlo; Sgorbini, Barbara

2015-04-01

The volatile fractions of six Italian high-quality rice cultivars were investigated by HS-SPME-GC-MS to define fingerprinting and identify chemical markers and/or indices of ageing and aroma quality. In particular, four non-aromatic (Carnaroli, Carnise, Cerere and Antares) and two aromatic (Apollo and Venere) rices, harvested in 2010 and 2011, were monitored over 12months. Twenty-five aroma components were considered and, despite considerable inter-annual variability, some of them showed similar trends over time, including 2-(E)-octenal as a marker of ageing for all cultivars, and heptanal, octanal and 2-ethyl hexanol as cultivar-specific indicators. The area ratios 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline/1-octen-3-ol, for Venere, and 3-methyl-1-butanol/2-methyl-1-butanol, for Apollo, were also found to act as ageing indices. Additional information on release of key-aroma compounds was also obtained from quantitation and its dependence on grain shape and chemical composition. Heptanal/1-octen-3-ol and heptanal/octanal ratios were also defined as characterising the aroma quality indices of the six Italian rice cultivars investigated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Indicators and Quality Review in Australian Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Gordon; Reynolds, Pat

1995-01-01

A study examined the relationship between quantitative performance and diversity indicators and the quality rankings of Australian universities made by the Commission for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Correlations between three performance factors (traditional research university performance, teaching performance, competitive research…

WATGIS: A GIS-Based Lumped Parameter Water Quality Model

Treesearch

Glenn P. Fernandez; George M. Chescheir; R. Wayne Skaggs; Devendra M. Amatya

2002-01-01

A Geographic Information System (GIS)­based, lumped parameter water quality model was developed to estimate the spatial and temporal nitrogen­loading patterns for lower coastal plain watersheds in eastern North Carolina. The model uses a spatially distributed delivery ratio (DR) parameter to account for nitrogen retention or loss along a drainage network. Delivery...

Assessment of emergency general surgery care based on formally developed quality indicators.

PubMed

Ingraham, Angela; Nathens, Avery; Peitzman, Andrew; Bode, Allison; Dorlac, Gina; Dorlac, Warren; Miller, Preston; Sadeghi, Mahsa; Wasserman, Deena D; Bilimoria, Karl

2017-08-01

Emergency general surgery outcomes vary widely across the United States. The utilization of quality indicators can reduce variation and assist providers in administering care aligned with established recommendations. Previous quality indicators have not focused on emergency general surgery patients. We identified indicators of high-quality emergency general surgery care and assessed patient- and hospital-level compliance with these indicators. We utilized a modified Delphi technique (RAND Appropriateness Methodology) to develop quality indicators. Through 2 rankings, an expert panel ranked potential quality indicators for validity. We then examined historic compliance with select quality indicators after 4 nonelective procedures (cholecystectomy, appendectomy, colectomy, small bowel resection) at 4 academic centers. Of 25 indicators rated as valid, 13 addressed patient-level quality and 12 addressed hospital-level quality. Adherence with 18 indicators was assessed. Compliance with performing a cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis within 72 hours of symptom onset ranged from 45% to 76%. Compliance with surgery start times within 3 hours from the decision to operate for uncontained perforated viscus ranged from 20% to 100%. Compliance with exploration of patients with small bowel obstructions with ischemia/impending perforation within 3 hours of the decision to operate was 0% to 88%. For 3 quality indicators (auditing 30-day unplanned readmissions/operations for patients previously managed nonoperatively, monitoring time to source control for intra-abdominal infections, and having protocols for bypass/transfer), none of the hospitals were compliant. Developing indicators for providers to assess their performance provides a foundation for specific initiatives. Adherence to quality indicators may improve the quality of emergency general surgery care provided for which current outcomes are potentially modifiable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scale Control and Quality Management of Printed Image Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novoselskaya, O. A.; Kolesnikov, V. L.; Solov'eva, T. V.; Nagornova, I. V.; Babluyk, E. B.; Trapeznikova, O. V.

2017-06-01

The article provides a comparison of the main valuation techniques for a regulated parameter of printability of the offset paper by current standards GOST 24356 and ISO 3783: 2006. The results of development and implementation of a complex test scale for management and control the quality of printed production are represented. The estimation scale is introduced. It includes normalized parameters of print optical density, print uniformity, picking out speed, the value of dot gain, print contrast with the added criteria of minimizing microtexts, a paper slip, resolution threshold and effusing ability of paper surface. The results of analysis allow directionally form surface properties of the substrate to facilitate achieving the required quality of the printed image parameters, i. e. optical density of a print at a predetermined level not less than 1.3, the print uniformity with minimal deviation of dot gain about the order of 10 per cents.

Monitoring marine recreational water quality using multiple microbial indicators in an urban tropical environment

PubMed Central

Shibata, Tomoyuki; Solo-Gabriele, Helena M.; Fleming, Lora E.; Elmir, Samir

2008-01-01

The microbial water quality at two beaches, Hobie Beach and Crandon Beach, in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA was measured using multiple microbial indicators for the purpose of evaluating correlations between microbes and for identifying possible sources of contamination. The indicator microbes chosen for this study (enterococci, Escherichia coli, fecal coliform, total coliform and C. perfringens) were evaluated through three different sampling efforts. These efforts included daily measurements at four locations during a wet season month and a dry season month, spatially intensive water sampling during low- and high-tide periods, and a sand sampling effort. Results indicated that concentrations did not vary in a consistent fashion between one indicator microbe and another. Daily water quality frequently exceeded guideline levels at Hobie Beach for all indicator microbes except for fecal coliform, which never exceeded the guideline. Except for total coliform, the concentrations of microbes did not change significantly between seasons in spite of the fact that the physical–chemical parameters (rainfall, temperature, pH, and salinity) changed significantly between the two monitoring periods. Spatially intense water sampling showed that the concentrations of microbes were significantly different with distance from the shoreline. The highest concentrations were observed at shoreline points and decreased at offshore points. Furthermore, the highest concentrations of indicator microbe concentrations were observed at high tide, when the wash zone area of the beach was submerged. Beach sands within the wash zone tested positive for all indicator microbes, thereby suggesting that this zone may serve as the source of indicator microbes. Ultimate sources of indicator microbes to this zone may include humans, animals, and possibly the survival and regrowth of indicator microbes due to the unique environmental conditions found within this zone. Overall, the results of this

[Construction and implementation of two quality indicators in nursing services].

PubMed

de Moura, Gisela Maria Schebela Souto; Juchem, Beatriz Cavalcanti; Falk, Maria Lucia Rodrigues; de Magalhães, Ana Maria Muller; Suzuki, Lyliam Midori

2009-03-01

Indicators monitor the quality of services and improve the attention offered to the patients. Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, has been developing strategies to assess its services according to its institutional management policy of quality The present study aims to report the experience at this university hospital with the construction and implementation of quality indicators in its nursing services. In 2006, four indicators were established: incidence of pressure ulcer, with a goal of < or = 10:1000 patients per day/month and incidence of falls from bed whose goal was established as < or = 2:1000 patients per day/month. Our challenge was to build and implement these indicators as management tools to assess the quality of nursing services, for this is a large hospital.

Water quality parameter measurement using spectral signatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, P. E.

1973-01-01

Regression analysis is applied to the problem of measuring water quality parameters from remote sensing spectral signature data. The equations necessary to perform regression analysis are presented and methods of testing the strength and reliability of a regression are described. An efficient algorithm for selecting an optimal subset of the independent variables available for a regression is also presented.

Developing quality indicators for community services: the case of district nursing.

PubMed

Davies, Philippa; Wye, Lesley; Horrocks, Sue; Salisbury, Chris; Sharp, Debbie

2011-01-01

Quality indicators exist for the acute and primary care sectors in the National Health Service (NHS), but until recently little attention has been given to measuring the quality of community services. The innovative project described in this paper attempted to address that gap. To produce a framework for developing quality indicators for Bristol Community Health services. To develop a set of initial indicators for Bristol Community Health services using the proposed framework. After familiarising ourselves with community services and NHS policy, gathering the views of stakeholders and consulting the literature on quality indicators, we designed a framework for indicator development, using the 'test' case of the district nursing service. The long list of possible indicators came from best practice guidelines for wound, diabetes and end of life care, the three conditions most commonly treated by district nurses. To narrow down this list we surveyed and held workshops with district nurses, interviewed service users by telephone and met with commissioners and senior community health managers. The final set of quality indicators for district nurses included 23 organisational and clinical process and outcome indicators and eight patient experience indicators. These indicators are now being piloted, together with two potential tools identified to capture patient reported outcomes. Developing quality indicators for community services is time consuming and resource intensive. A range of skills are needed including clinical expertise, project management and skills in evidence-based medicine. The commitment and involvement of front-line professionals is crucial.

Rheumatologists' perception of systemic lupus erythematosus quality indicators: significant interest and perceived barriers.

PubMed

Casey, Carolyn; Chung, Cecilia P; Crofford, Leslie J; Barnado, April

2017-01-01

Differences in quality of care may contribute to health disparities in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies show low physician adherence rates to the SLE quality indicators but do not assess physician perception of SLE quality indicators or quality improvement. Using a cross-sectional survey of rheumatologists in the southeastern USA, we assessed the perception and involvement of rheumatologists in quality improvement and the SLE quality indicators. Using electronic mail, an online survey of 32 questions was delivered to 568 rheumatologists. With a response rate of 19% (n = 106), the majority of participants were male, Caucasian, with over 20 years of experience, and seeing adult patients in an academic setting. Participants had a positive perception toward quality improvement (81%) with a majority responding that the SLE quality indicators would significantly impact quality of care (54%). While 66% of respondents were familiar with the SLE quality indicators, only 18% of respondents reported using them in everyday practice. The most commonly reported barrier to involvement in quality improvement and the SLE quality indicators was time. Rheumatologists had a positive perception of the SLE quality indicators and agreed that use of the quality indicators could improve quality of care in SLE; however, they identified time as a barrier to implementation. Future studies should investigate methods to increase use of the SLE quality indicators.

History of water quality parameters - a study on the Sinos River/Brazil.

PubMed

Konzen, G B; Figueiredo, J A S; Quevedo, D M

2015-05-01

Water is increasingly becoming a valuable resource, constituting one of the central themes of environmental, economic and social discussions. The Sinos River, located in southern Brazil, is the main river from the Sinos River Basin, representing a source of drinking water supply for a highly populated region. Considering its size and importance, it becomes necessary to conduct a study to follow up the water quality of this river, which is considered by some experts as one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. As for this study, its great importance lies in the historical analysis of indicators. In this sense, we sought to develop aspects related to the management of water resources by performing a historical analysis of the Water Quality Index (WQI) of the Sinos River, using statistical methods. With regard to the methodological procedures, it should be pointed out that this study performs a time analysis of monitoring data on parameters related to a punctual measurement that is variable in time, using statistical tools. The data used refer to analyses of the water quality of the Sinos River (WQI) from the State Environmental Protection Agency Henrique Luiz Roessler (Fundação Estadual de Proteção Ambiental Henrique Luiz Roessler, FEPAM) covering the period between 2000 and 2008, as well as to a theoretical analysis focusing on the management of water resources. The study of WQI and its parameters by statistical analysis has shown to be effective, ensuring its effectiveness as a tool for the management of water resources. The descriptive analysis of the WQI and its parameters showed that the water quality of the Sinos River is concerning low, which reaffirms that it is one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. It should be highlighted that there was an overall difficulty in obtaining data with the appropriate periodicity, as well as a long complete series, which limited the conduction of statistical studies such as the present one.

Quality indicators for hip fracture patients: a scoping review protocol

PubMed Central

Pitzul, Kristen B; Munce, Sarah E P; Perrier, Laure; Beaupre, Lauren; Morin, Suzanne N; McGlasson, Rhona; Jaglal, Susan B

2014-01-01

Introduction Hip fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and care of hip fracture patients places a heavy burden on healthcare systems due to prolonged recovery time. Measuring quality of care delivered to hip fracture patients is important to help target efforts to improve care for patients and efficiency of the health system. The purpose of this study is to synthesise the evidence surrounding quality of care indicators for patients who have sustained a hip fracture. Using a scoping review methodology, the research question that will be addressed is: “What patient, institutional, and system-level indicators are currently in use or proposed for measuring quality of care across the continuum for individuals following a hip fracture?”. Methods and analysis We will employ the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. The synthesis will be limited to quality of care indicators for individuals who suffered low trauma hip fracture. All English peer-reviewed studies published from the year 2000-most recent will be included. Literature search strategies will be developed using medical subject headings and text words related to hip fracture quality indicators and the search will be peer-reviewed. Numerous electronic databases will be searched. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts for inclusion, followed by screening of the full text of potentially relevant articles to determine final inclusion. Abstracted data will include study characteristics and indicator definitions. Dissemination To improve quality of care for patients and create a more efficient healthcare system, mechanisms for the measurement of quality of care are required. The implementation of quality of care indicators enables stakeholders to target areas for improvement in service delivery. Knowledge translation activities will occur throughout the review with dissemination of the project goals and findings to local, national, and

European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology Quality Indicators for Advanced Ovarian Cancer Surgery.

PubMed

Querleu, Denis; Planchamp, François; Chiva, Luis; Fotopoulou, Christina; Barton, Desmond; Cibula, David; Aletti, Giovanni; Carinelli, Silvestro; Creutzberg, Carien; Davidson, Ben; Harter, Philip; Lundvall, Lene; Marth, Christian; Morice, Philippe; Rafii, Arash; Ray-Coquard, Isabelle; Rockall, Andrea; Sessa, Cristiana; van der Zee, Ate; Vergote, Ignace; du Bois, Andreas

2016-09-01

The surgical management of advanced ovarian cancer involves complex surgery. Implementation of a quality management program has a major impact on survival. The goal of this work was to develop a list of quality indicators (QIs) for advanced ovarian cancer surgery that can be used to audit and improve the clinical practice. This task has been carried out under the auspices of the European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology (ESGO). Quality indicators were based on scientific evidence and/or expert consensus. A 4-step evaluation process included a systematic literature search for the identification of potential QIs and the documentation of scientific evidence, physical meetings of an ad hoc multidisciplinarity International Development Group, an internal validation of the targets and scoring system, and an external review process involving physicians and patients. Ten structural, process, or outcome indicators were selected. Quality indicators 1 to 3 are related to achievement of complete cytoreduction, caseload in the center, training, and experience of the surgeon. Quality indicators 4 to 6 are related to the overall management, including active participation to clinical research, decision-making process within a structured multidisciplinary team, and preoperative workup. Quality indicator 7 addresses the high value of adequate perioperative management. Quality indicators 8 to 10 highlight the need of recording pertinent information relevant to improvement of quality. An ESGO-approved template for the operative report has been designed. Quality indicators were described using a structured format specifying what the indicator is measuring, measurability specifications, and targets. Each QI was associated with a score, and an assessment form was built. The ESGO quality criteria can be used for self-assessment, for institutional or governmental quality assurance programs, and for the certification of centers. Quality indicators and corresponding targets give

Key Performance Indicators in the Evaluation of the Quality of Radiation Safety Programs.

PubMed

Schultz, Cheryl Culver; Shaffer, Sheila; Fink-Bennett, Darlene; Winokur, Kay

2016-08-01

Beaumont is a multiple hospital health care system with a centralized radiation safety department. The health system operates under a broad scope Nuclear Regulatory Commission license but also maintains several other limited use NRC licenses in off-site facilities and clinics. The hospital-based program is expansive including diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine (molecular imaging), interventional radiology, a comprehensive cardiovascular program, multiple forms of radiation therapy (low dose rate brachytherapy, high dose rate brachytherapy, external beam radiotherapy, and gamma knife), and the Research Institute (including basic bench top, human and animal). Each year, in the annual report, data is analyzed and then tracked and trended. While any summary report will, by nature, include items such as the number of pieces of equipment, inspections performed, staff monitored and educated and other similar parameters, not all include an objective review of the quality and effectiveness of the program. Through objective numerical data Beaumont adopted seven key performance indicators. The assertion made is that key performance indicators can be used to establish benchmarks for evaluation and comparison of the effectiveness and quality of radiation safety programs. Based on over a decade of data collection, and adoption of key performance indicators, this paper demonstrates one way to establish objective benchmarking for radiation safety programs in the health care environment.

Developing a national framework of quality indicators for public hospitals.

PubMed

Simou, Effie; Pliatsika, Paraskevi; Koutsogeorgou, Eleni; Roumeliotou, Anastasia

2014-01-01

The current study describes the development of a preliminary set of quality indicators for public Greek National Health System (GNHS) hospitals, which were used in the "Health Monitoring Indicators System: Health Map" (Ygeionomikos Chartis) project, with the purpose that these quality indicators would assess the quality of all the aspects relevant to public hospital healthcare workforce and services provided. A literature review was conducted in the MEDLINE database to identify articles referring to international and national hospital quality assessment projects, together with an online search for relevant projects. Studies were included if they were published in English, from 1980 to 2010. A consensus panel took place afterwards with 40 experts in the field and tele-voting procedure. Twenty relevant projects and their 1698 indicators were selected through the literature search, and after the consensus panel process, a list of 67 indicators were selected to be implemented for the assessment of the public hospitals categorized under six distinct dimensions: Quality, Responsiveness, Efficiency, Utilization, Timeliness, and Resources and Capacity. Data gathered and analyzed in this manner provided a novel evaluation and monitoring system for Greece, which can assist decision-makers, healthcare professionals, and patients in Greece to retrieve relevant information, with the long-term goal to improve quality in care in the GNHS hospital sector. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quality Indicators for Global Benchmarking of Localized Prostate Cancer Management.

PubMed

Sampurno, Fanny; Zheng, Jia; Di Stefano, Lydia; Millar, Jeremy L; Foster, Claire; Fuedea, Ferran; Higano, Celestia; Hulan, Hartwig; Mark, Stephen; Moore, Caroline; Richardson, Alison; Sullivan, Frank; Wenger, Neil S; Wittmann, Daniela; Evans, Sue

2018-03-01

We sought to develop a core set of clinical indicators to enable international benchmarking of localized prostate cancer management using data available in the TrueNTH (True North) Global Registry. An international expert panel completed an online survey and participated in a face to face meeting. Participants included 3 urologists, 3 radiation oncologists, 2 psychologists, 1 medical oncologist, 1 nurse and 1 epidemiologist with prostate cancer expertise from a total of 7 countries. Current guidelines on prostate cancer treatment and potential quality indicators were identified from a literature review. These potential indicators were refined and developed through a modified Delphi process during which each panelist independently and repeatedly rated each indicator based on importance (satisfying the indicator demonstrated a provision of high quality care) and feasibility (the likelihood that data used to construct the indicator could be collected at a population level). The main outcome measure was items with panel agreement indicted by a disagreement index less 1, median importance 8.5 or greater and median feasibility 9 or greater. The expert panel endorsed 33 indicators. Seven of these 33 prostate cancer quality indicators assessed care relating to diagnosis, 7 assessed primary treatment, 1 assessed salvage treatment and 18 assessed health outcomes. We developed a set of quality indicators to measure prostate cancer care using numerous international evidence-based clinical guidelines. These indicators will be pilot tested in the TrueNTH Global Registry. Reports comparing indicator performance will subsequently be distributed to groups at participating sites with the purpose of improving the consistency and quality of prostate cancer management on a global basis. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biomonitoring of water quality of the Osumi, Devolli, and Shkumbini rivers through benthic macroinvertebrates and chemical parameters.

PubMed

Duka, Sonila; Pepa, Bledar; Keci, Erjola; Paparisto, Anila; Lazo, Pranvera

2017-04-16

Environmental monitoring of river water quality in Albania, using biological and chemical parameters, is a fast and effective way to assess the quality of water bodies.The aim of this study was to investigate Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT), Biotic index-Richness using macroinvertebrates to assess the water quality, with special reference to nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) levels in the Devolli, Shkumbini and Osumi rivers. Our objective was to investigate the relationships between the measures of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and nutrient concentrations to assess water quality. The rivers' benthic macroinvertebrates were collected during different seasons in 2012. The biological and chemical parameters used in the current study identified them as quick indicators of water quality assessment. The total number of macroinvertebrate individuals (n = 15,006) (Osumi river: n = 5,546 organisms; Devolli river: n = 3,469 organisms; and Shkumbini river: n = 5,991 organisms), together with the EPT group (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera), showed that the water quality at the river stations during the above-mentioned period belonged to Classes II and III (fair water quality and good water quality, respectively). The classification of the water quality was also based on the nitrogen and total phosphorus contents. The pollution tolerance levels of macroinvertebrate taxa varied from the non-tolerating forms encountered in environments with low pollution levels to the tolerating forms that are typical of environments with considerable pollution levels.

Linking quality indicators to clinical trials: an automated approach

PubMed Central

Coiera, Enrico; Choong, Miew Keen; Tsafnat, Guy; Hibbert, Peter; Runciman, William B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective Quality improvement of health care requires robust measurable indicators to track performance. However identifying which indicators are supported by strong clinical evidence, typically from clinical trials, is often laborious. This study tests a novel method for automatically linking indicators to clinical trial registrations. Design A set of 522 quality of care indicators for 22 common conditions drawn from the CareTrack study were automatically mapped to outcome measures reported in 13 971 trials from ClinicalTrials.gov. Intervention Text mining methods extracted phrases mentioning indicators and outcome phrases, and these were compared using the Levenshtein edit distance ratio to measure similarity. Main Outcome Measure Number of care indicators that mapped to outcome measures in clinical trials. Results While only 13% of the 522 CareTrack indicators were thought to have Level I or II evidence behind them, 353 (68%) could be directly linked to randomized controlled trials. Within these 522, 50 of 70 (71%) Level I and II evidence-based indicators, and 268 of 370 (72%) Level V (consensus-based) indicators could be linked to evidence. Of the indicators known to have evidence behind them, only 5.7% (4 of 70) were mentioned in the trial reports but were missed by our method. Conclusions We automatically linked indicators to clinical trial registrations with high precision. Whilst the majority of quality indicators studied could be directly linked to research evidence, a small portion could not and these require closer scrutiny. It is feasible to support the process of indicator development using automated methods to identify research evidence. PMID:28651340

Oregon Child Care Quality Indicators Program: QRS Profile. The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Child Trends, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper presents a profile of Oregon's Child Care Quality Indicators Program prepared as part of the Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment Study. The profile consists of several sections and their corresponding descriptions including: (1) Program Information; (2) Rating Details; (3) Quality Indicators for Center-Based Programs; (4)…

Water quality in Atlantic rainforest mountain rivers (South America): quality indices assessment, nutrients distribution, and consumption effect.

PubMed

Avigliano, Esteban; Schenone, Nahuel

2016-08-01

The South American Atlantic rainforest is a one-of-a-kind ecosystem considered as a biodiversity hotspot; however, in the last decades, it was intensively reduced to 7 % of its original surface. Water resources and water quality are one of the main goods and services this system provides to people. For monitoring and management recommendations, the present study is focused on (1) determining the nutrient content (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and phosphate) and physiochemical parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and total dissolved solids) in surface water from 24 rainforest mountain rivers in Argentina, (2) analyzing the human health risk, (3) assessing the environmental distribution of the determined pollutants, and (4) analyzing water quality indices (WQIobj and WQImin). In addition, for total coliform bacteria, a dataset was used from literature. Turbidity, total dissolved solids, and nitrite (NO2 (-)) exceeded the guideline value recommended by national or international guidelines in several sampling stations. The spatial distribution pattern was analyzed by Principal Component Analysis and Factor Analysis (PCA/FA) showing well-defined groups of rivers. Both WQI showed good adjustment (R (2) = 0.89) and rated water quality as good or excellent in all sampling sites (WQI > 71). Therefore, this study suggests the use of the WQImin for monitoring water quality in the region and also the water treatment of coliform, total dissolved solids, and turbidity.

Multidimensional correlation among plan complexity, quality and deliverability parameters for volumetric-modulated arc therapy using canonical correlation analysis.

PubMed

Shen, Lanxiao; Chen, Shan; Zhu, Xiaoyang; Han, Ce; Zheng, Xiaomin; Deng, Zhenxiang; Zhou, Yongqiang; Gong, Changfei; Xie, Congying; Jin, Xiance

2018-03-01

A multidimensional exploratory statistical method, canonical correlation analysis (CCA), was applied to evaluate the impact of complexity parameters on the plan quality and deliverability of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and to determine parameters in the generation of an ideal VMAT plan. Canonical correlations among complexity, quality and deliverability parameters of VMAT, as well as the contribution weights of different parameters were investigated with 71 two-arc VMAT nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients, and further verified with 28 one-arc VMAT prostate cancer patients. The average MU and MU per control point (MU/CP) for two-arc VMAT plans were 702.6 ± 55.7 and 3.9 ± 0.3 versus 504.6 ± 99.2 and 5.6 ± 1.1 for one-arc VMAT plans, respectively. The individual volume-based 3D gamma passing rates of clinical target volume (γCTV) and planning target volume (γPTV) for NPC and prostate cancer patients were 85.7% ± 9.0% vs 92.6% ± 7.8%, and 88.0% ± 7.6% vs 91.2% ± 7.7%, respectively. Plan complexity parameters of NPC patients were correlated with plan quality (P = 0.047) and individual volume-based 3D gamma indices γ(IV) (P = 0.01), in which, MU/CP and segment area (SA) per control point (SA/CP) were weighted highly in correlation with γ(IV) , and SA/CP, percentage of CPs with SA < 5 × 5 cm2 (%SA < 5 × 5 cm2) and PTV volume were weighted highly in correlation with plan quality with coefficients of 0.98, 0.68 and -0.99, respectively. Further verification with one-arc VMAT plans demonstrated similar results. In conclusion, MU, SA-related parameters and PTV volume were found to have strong effects on the plan quality and deliverability.

Multidimensional correlation among plan complexity, quality and deliverability parameters for volumetric-modulated arc therapy using canonical correlation analysis

PubMed Central

Shen, Lanxiao; Chen, Shan; Zhu, Xiaoyang; Han, Ce; Zheng, Xiaomin; Deng, Zhenxiang; Zhou, Yongqiang; Gong, Changfei; Jin, Xiance

2018-01-01

Abstract A multidimensional exploratory statistical method, canonical correlation analysis (CCA), was applied to evaluate the impact of complexity parameters on the plan quality and deliverability of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and to determine parameters in the generation of an ideal VMAT plan. Canonical correlations among complexity, quality and deliverability parameters of VMAT, as well as the contribution weights of different parameters were investigated with 71 two-arc VMAT nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients, and further verified with 28 one-arc VMAT prostate cancer patients. The average MU and MU per control point (MU/CP) for two-arc VMAT plans were 702.6 ± 55.7 and 3.9 ± 0.3 versus 504.6 ± 99.2 and 5.6 ± 1.1 for one-arc VMAT plans, respectively. The individual volume-based 3D gamma passing rates of clinical target volume (γCTV) and planning target volume (γPTV) for NPC and prostate cancer patients were 85.7% ± 9.0% vs 92.6% ± 7.8%, and 88.0% ± 7.6% vs 91.2% ± 7.7%, respectively. Plan complexity parameters of NPC patients were correlated with plan quality (P = 0.047) and individual volume-based 3D gamma indices γ(IV) (P = 0.01), in which, MU/CP and segment area (SA) per control point (SA/CP) were weighted highly in correlation with γ(IV) , and SA/CP, percentage of CPs with SA < 5 × 5 cm2 (%SA < 5 × 5 cm2) and PTV volume were weighted highly in correlation with plan quality with coefficients of 0.98, 0.68 and −0.99, respectively. Further verification with one-arc VMAT plans demonstrated similar results. In conclusion, MU, SA-related parameters and PTV volume were found to have strong effects on the plan quality and deliverability. PMID:29415196

Quality indicators in inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Berry, Sameer K; Melmed, Gil Y

2018-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic, debilitating, and expensive condition affecting millions of people globally. There is significant variation in the quality of care for patients with IBD across North America, Europe, and Asia; this variation suggests poor quality of care due to overuse, underuse, or misuse of health services and disparity of outcomes. Several initiatives have been developed to reduce variation in care delivery and improve processes of care, patient outcomes, and reduced healthcare costs. These initiatives include the development of quality indicator sets to standardize care across organizations, and learning health systems to enable data sharing between doctors and patients, and sharing of best practices among providers. These programs have been variably successful in improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare utilization. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the long-term impact and applicability of these efforts in different geographic areas around the world, as regional variations in patient populations, societal preferences, and costs should inform local quality improvement efforts.

First Dutch Consensus of Pain Quality Indicators for Pain Treatment Facilities.

PubMed

de Meij, Nelleke; van Grotel, Marloes; Patijn, Jacob; van der Weijden, Trudy; van Kleef, Maarten

2016-01-01

There is a general consensus about the need to define and improve the quality of pain treatment facilities. Although guidelines and recommendations to improve the quality of pain practice management have been launched, provision of appropriate pain treatment is inconsistent and the quality of facilities varies widely. The aim of the study was to develop an expert-agreed list of quality indicators applicable to pain treatment facilities. The list was also intended to be used as the basis for a set of criteria for registered status of pain treatment facilities. The University Pain Center Maastricht at the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management of the Maastricht University Medical Center conducted a 3-round Delphi study in collaboration with the Board of the Pain Section of the Dutch Society of Anesthesiologists (NVA). Twenty-five quality indicators were selected as relevant to 2 types of pain treatment facilities, pain clinics and pain centers. The final expert-agreed list consisted of 22 quality indicators covering 7 quality domains: supervision, availability of care, staffing level and patient load, quality policy, multidisciplinarity, regionalization, and research and education. This set of quality indicators may facilitate organizational evaluation and improve insight into service quality from the perspectives of patients, pain specialists, and other healthcare professionals. Recommendations for improvements to the current set of quality indicators are made. In 2014 the process of registering pain treatment facilities in the Netherlands started; facilities can register as a pain clinic or pain center. © 2015 World Institute of Pain.

Development of Indicators to Assess Quality of Care for Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Nag, Nupur; Millar, Jeremy; Davis, Ian D; Costello, Shaun; Duthie, James B; Mark, Stephen; Delprado, Warick; Smith, David; Pryor, David; Galvin, David; Sullivan, Frank; Murphy, Áine C; Roder, David; Elsaleh, Hany; Currow, David; White, Craig; Skala, Marketa; Moretti, Kim L; Walker, Tony; De Ieso, Paolo; Brooks, Andrew; Heathcote, Peter; Frydenberg, Mark; Thavaseelan, Jeffery; Evans, Sue M

2016-02-20

The development, monitoring, and reporting of indicator measures that describe standard of care provide the gold standard for assessing quality of care and patient outcomes. Although indicator measures have been reported, little evidence of their use in measuring and benchmarking performance is available. A standard set, defining numerator, denominator, and risk adjustments, will enable global benchmarking of quality of care. To develop a set of indicators to enable assessment and reporting of quality of care for men with localised prostate cancer (PCa). Candidate indicators were identified from the literature. An international panel was invited to participate in a modified Delphi process. Teleconferences were held before and after each voting round to provide instruction and to review results. Panellists were asked to rate each proposed indicator on a Likert scale of 1-9 in a two-round iterative process. Calculations required to report on the endorsed indicators were evaluated and modified to reflect the data capture of the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Australia and New Zealand (PCOR-ANZ). A total of 97 candidate indicators were identified, of which 12 were endorsed. The set includes indicators covering pre-, intra-, and post-treatment of PCa care, within the limits of the data captured by PCOR-ANZ. The 12 endorsed quality measures enable international benchmarking on the quality of care of men with localised PCa. Reporting on these indicators enhances safety and efficacy of treatment, reduces variation in care, and can improve patient outcomes. PCa has the highest incidence of all cancers in men. Early diagnosis and relatively high survival rates mean issues of quality of care and best possible health outcomes for patients are important. This paper identifies 12 important measurable quality indicators in PCa care. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of Important Parameter from Leachate Solid Waste Landfill on Water Quality, Case Study of Pesanggrahan River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanidar, R.; Hartono, D. M.; Moersidik, S. S.

2018-03-01

Cipayung Landfill takes waste generation from Depok City approximately ± 750 tons/day of solid waste. The south and west boundaries of the landfill is Pesanggarahan River which 200m faraway. The objectives of this study are to indicate an important parameter which greatly affects the water quality of Pesanggrahan River and purpose the dynamic model for improving our understanding of the dynamic behavior that captures the interactions and feedbacks important parameter in river in order to identify and assess the effects of the treated leachate from final solid waste disposal activity as it responds to changes over time in the river. The high concentrations of BOD and COD are not the only cause significantly affect the quality of the pesanggrahan water, it also because the river has been contaminated in the upstream area. It need the water quality model to support the effectiveness calculation of activities for preventing a selected the pollutant sources the model should be developed for simulating and predicting the trend of water quality performance in Pesanggrahan River which can potentially be used by policy makers in strategic management to sustain river water quality as raw drinking water.

Quality indicators for hip fracture patients: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Pitzul, Kristen B; Munce, Sarah E P; Perrier, Laure; Beaupre, Lauren; Morin, Suzanne N; McGlasson, Rhona; Jaglal, Susan B

2014-10-21

Hip fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and care of hip fracture patients places a heavy burden on healthcare systems due to prolonged recovery time. Measuring quality of care delivered to hip fracture patients is important to help target efforts to improve care for patients and efficiency of the health system. The purpose of this study is to synthesise the evidence surrounding quality of care indicators for patients who have sustained a hip fracture. Using a scoping review methodology, the research question that will be addressed is: "What patient, institutional, and system-level indicators are currently in use or proposed for measuring quality of care across the continuum for individuals following a hip fracture?". We will employ the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. The synthesis will be limited to quality of care indicators for individuals who suffered low trauma hip fracture. All English peer-reviewed studies published from the year 2000-most recent will be included. Literature search strategies will be developed using medical subject headings and text words related to hip fracture quality indicators and the search will be peer-reviewed. Numerous electronic databases will be searched. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts for inclusion, followed by screening of the full text of potentially relevant articles to determine final inclusion. Abstracted data will include study characteristics and indicator definitions. To improve quality of care for patients and create a more efficient healthcare system, mechanisms for the measurement of quality of care are required. The implementation of quality of care indicators enables stakeholders to target areas for improvement in service delivery. Knowledge translation activities will occur throughout the review with dissemination of the project goals and findings to local, national, and international stakeholders. Published by the BMJ

[Revision of Quality Indicators for the Endoscopy Quality Improvement Program of the National Cancer Screening Program in Korea].

PubMed

Min, Jun Ki; Cha, Jae Myung; Cho, Yu Kyung; Kim, Jie Hyun; Yoon, Soon Man; Im, Jong Pil; Jung, Yunho; Moon, Jeong Seop; Kim, Jin Oh; Jeen, Yoon Tae

2018-05-25

Gastroscopy and colonoscopy are widely used for the early diagnosis of stomach and colorectal cancer. The present revision integrates recent data regarding previous quality indicators and novel indicators suggested for gastroscopy and colonoscopy procedures for the National Cancer Screening Program in Korea. The new indicators, developed by the Quality Improvement Committee of the Korean Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, vary in the level of supporting evidence, and most are based solely on expert opinion. Updated indicators validated by clinical research were prioritized, but were chosen by expert consensus when such studies were absent. The resultant quality indicators were graded according to the levels of consensus and recommendations. The updated indicators will provide a relevant guideline for high-quality endoscopy. The future direction of quality indicator development should include relevant outcome measures and an evidence-based approach to support proposed performance targets.

Combining Archetypes, Ontologies and Formalization Enables Automated Computation of Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Legaz-García, María Del Carmen; Dentler, Kathrin; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás; Cornet, Ronald

2017-01-01

ArchMS is a framework that represents clinical information and knowledge using ontologies in OWL, which facilitates semantic interoperability and thereby the exploitation and secondary use of clinical data. However, it does not yet support the automated assessment of quality of care. CLIF is a stepwise method to formalize quality indicators. The method has been implemented in the CLIF tool which supports its users in generating computable queries based on a patient data model which can be based on archetypes. To enable the automated computation of quality indicators using ontologies and archetypes, we tested whether ArchMS and the CLIF tool can be integrated. We successfully automated the process of generating SPARQL queries from quality indicators that have been formalized with CLIF and integrated them into ArchMS. Hence, ontologies and archetypes can be combined for the execution of formalized quality indicators.

Effects of filtration through Sephadex columns improve overall quality parameters and "in vivo" fertility of subfertile refrigerated boar-semen.

PubMed

Ramió-Lluch, L; Balasch, S; Bonet, S; Briz, M; Pinart, E; Rodríguez-Gil, J E

2009-10-01

This study was performed to test the effects of filtration through several chromatographic resins on the semen quality parameters (percentages of viability, altered acrosomes and morphological abnormalities, motion characteristics and the response to the Osmotic Resistance Test) of boar ejaculates of poor quality. Our results indicate that filtration through a non-ionic Sephadex resin bed (Sephadex G-15), combined with a glasswool subjection bed, induced an overall improvement of semen quality parameters, especially seen in a significant (P<0.05) decrease in the percentages of morphological abnormalities and an increase of several motility parameters related to velocity and linearity. Similar results, although less intense, were observed when the filtration through G-15 resin was accompanied by an ionically neutral polypropylene disk bed instead of glasswool. On the other hand, filtration through two separate ion-exchange Sephadex resins, cationic C-50 and anionic A-50, have less beneficial, and even detrimental, effects on boar-semen quality. In all cases, filtration was accompanied by a significant (P<0.01) decrease in the final concentration of the samples. Ultrastructural and lectin studies showed that the interaction between sperm and chromatographic resins depends on the resin type utilized, and in the case of G-15 it seems that it works by trapping that sperm with not enough strength to overcome the physical resistance associated with chromatographic particles. When semen of poor quality was filtered through G-15 resin and then was utilized for "in vivo" fertility trials, a significant (P<0.05) increase in the percentage of fertility was observed, when compared with the same, but unfiltered, samples. In summary, our results strongly indicate that filtration through ionically inert, Sephadex chromatographic resins could be a very useful and practical method to improve both boar-semen quality and fertilizing ability, especially from mediocre and/or subfertile

Quantification of Water Quality Parameters for the Wabash River Using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, J.; Cherkauer, K. A.; Chaubey, I.

2011-12-01

Increasingly impaired water bodies in the agriculturally dominated Midwestern United States pose a risk to water supplies, aquatic ecology and contribute to the eutrophication of the Gulf of Mexico. Improving regional water quality calls for new techniques for monitoring and managing water quality over large river systems. Optical indicators of water quality enable a timely and cost-effective method for observing and quantifying water quality conditions by remote sensing. Compared to broad spectral sensors such as Landsat, which observe reflectance over limited spectral bands, hyperspectral sensors should have significant advantages in their ability to estimate water quality parameters because they are designed to split the spectral signature into hundreds of very narrow spectral bands increasing their ability to resolve optically sensitive water quality indicators. Two airborne hyperspectral images were acquired over the Wabash River using a ProSpecTIR-VS2 sensor system on May 15th, 2010. These images were analyzed together with concurrent in-stream water quality data collected to assess our ability to extract optically sensitive constituents. Utilizing the correlation between in-stream data and reflectance from the hyperspectral images, models were developed to estimate the concentrations of chlorophyll a, dissolved organic carbon and total suspended solids. Models were developed using the full array of hyperspectral bands, as well as Landsat bands synthesized by averaging hyperspectral bands within the Landsat spectral range. Higher R2 and lower RMSE values were found for the models taking full advantage of the hyperspectral sensor, supporting the conclusion that the hyperspectral sensor was better at predicting the in-stream concentrations of chlorophyll a, dissolved organic carbon and total suspended solids in the Wabash River. Results also suggest that predictive models may not be the same for the Wabash River as for its tributaries.

Use of quality indicators by obstetric caregivers in the Netherlands: A descriptive study.

PubMed

Cellissen, Evelien; Franx, Arie; Roes, Kit C B

2017-04-01

To evaluate the use of quality indicators by obstetric caregivers in hospitals in the Netherlands. An anonymous, self-administered survey was conducted in a convenience sample of obstetricians and clinical midwives in Dutch hospitals. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data, both for all caregivers and stratified by hospital setting and profession (obstetricians and midwives). Differences between strata were tested at a 5% significance level. The response rate to the online questionnaire was 61% (n=171/279). Of all respondents 83% were aware of the quality indicators and 63% contributed to their registration. Caregivers received information about the indicators by mail or in meetings according to 64% (internal indicators) and 48% (external indicators) of the respondents. Of the respondents 56% (internal indicators) and 41% (external indicators) stated to use the results of indicators when designing plans to improve the quality of care. We conclude that obstetric quality indicators are not widely used by obstetricians and midwives in Dutch hospitals to improve quality of care. To improve quality of care and the effective use of quality indicators we suggest to focus first on registering outcome indicators. These indicators should be implemented in quality structures that ensure that action is taken. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality Management and Key Performance Indicators in Oncologic Esophageal Surgery.

PubMed

Gockel, Ines; Ahlbrand, Constantin Johannes; Arras, Michael; Schreiber, Elke Maria; Lang, Hauke

2015-12-01

Ranking systems and comparisons of quality and performance indicators will be of increasing relevance for complex "high-risk" procedures such as esophageal cancer surgery. The identification of evidence-based standards relevant for key performance indicators in esophageal surgery is essential for establishing monitoring systems and furthermore a requirement to enhance treatment quality. In the course of this review, we analyze the key performance indicators case volume, radicality of resection, and postoperative morbidity and mortality, leading to continuous quality improvement. Ranking systems established on this basis will gain increased relevance in highly complex procedures within the national and international comparison and furthermore improve the treatment of patients with esophageal carcinoma.

Influence of meteorological parameters on air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gioda, Adriana; Ventura, Luciana; Lima, Igor; Luna, Aderval

2013-04-01

The physical characterization representative of ambient air particle concentrations is becoming a topic of great interest for urban air quality monitoring and human exposure assessment. Human exposure to particulate matter of less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) can result in a variety of adverse health impacts, including reduced lung function and premature mortality. Numerous studies have shown that fine airborne inhalable particulate matter particles (PM2.5) are more dangerous to human health than coarse particles, e.g. PM10. This study investigates meteorological parameter impacts on PM2.5 concentrations in the atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Samples were collected during 24 h every six days using a high-volume sampler from six sites in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro from January to December 2011. The particles mass was determined by Gravimetry. Meteorological parameters were obtained from automatic stations near the sampling sites. The average PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 9 to 32 µg/m3 for all sites, exceeding the suggested annual limit of WHO (10 µg/m3). The relationship between the effects of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction and particle concentration was examined using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for the different sites and seasons. The results for each sampling point and season presented different principal component numbers, varying from 2 to 4, and extremely different relationships with the parameters. This clearly shows that changes in meteorological conditions exert a marked influence on air quality.

A pilot qualitative study to explore stakeholder opinions regarding prescribing quality indicators

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Information on prescribing quality of diabetes care is required by health care providers, insurance companies, policy makers, and the public. Knowledge regarding the opinions and preferences of all involved parties regarding prescribing quality information is important for effective use of prescribing quality indicators. Methods Between June and December 2009 we conducted semi structured interviews with 16 key-informants representing eight different organizations in the Netherlands involved in healthcare quality measurement and improvement. The interview guide included topics on participants’ opinions and preferences regarding existing types of prescribing quality indicators in relation to their aim of using quality information. Content analysis methods were used to process the resulting transcripts following the framework of predetermined themes. Results Findings from this qualitative study of stakeholder preferences showed that indicators focusing on undertreatment are found important by all participants. Furthermore, health care providers and policy makers valued prescribing safety indicators, insurance companies prioritized indicators focusing on prescribing costs, and patients’ organization representatives valued indicators focusing on interpersonal side of prescribing. Representatives of all stakeholders preferred positive formulation of the indicators to motivate health care providers to participate in health improvement programs. A composite score was found to be most useful by all participants as a starting point of prescribing quality assessment. Lack of information on reasons for deviating from guidelines recommendations appeared to be the most important barrier for using prescribing quality indicators. According to the health care providers, there are many legitimate reasons for not prescribing the recommended treatment and these reasons are not always taken into account by external evaluators. The latter may cause mistrust of health care

The use of TCP based EUD to rank and compare lung radiotherapy plans: in-silico study to evaluate the correlation between TCP with physical quality indices.

PubMed

Chaikh, Abdulhamid; Balosso, Jacques

2017-06-01

To apply the equivalent uniform dose (EUD) radiobiological model to estimate the tumor control probability (TCP) scores for treatment plans using different radiobiological parameter settings, and to evaluate the correlation between TCP and physical quality indices of the treatment plans. Ten radiotherapy treatment plans for lung cancer were generated. The dose distributions were calculated using anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA). Dose parameters and quality indices derived from dose volume histograms (DVH) for target volumes were evaluated. The predicted TCP was computed using EUD model with tissue-specific parameter (a=-10). The assumed radiobiological parameter setting for adjuvant therapy [tumor dose to control 50% of the tumor (TCD 50 ) =36.5 Gy and γ 50 =0.72] and curative intent (TCD 50 =51.24 Gy and γ 50 =0.83) were used. The bootstrap method was used to estimate the 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The coefficients (ρ) from Spearman's rank test were calculated to assess the correlation between quality indices with TCP. Wilcoxon paired test was used to calculate P value. The 95% CI of TCP were 70.6-81.5 and 46.6-64.7, respectively, for adjuvant radiotherapy and curative intent. The TCP outcome showed a positive and good correlation with calculated dose to 95% of the target volume (D95%) and minimum dose (Dmin). Consistently, TCP correlate negatively with heterogeneity indices. This study confirms that more relevant and robust radiobiological parameters setting should be integrated according to cancer type. The positive correlation with quality indices gives chance to improve the clinical out-come by optimizing the treatment plans to maximize the Dmin and D95%. This attempt to increase the TCP should be carried out with the respect of dose constraints for organs at risks. However, the negative correlation with heterogeneity indices shows that the optimization of beam arrangements could be also useful. Attention should be paid to obtain an appropriate

The Indicators of the Quality and Changes of Teachers' Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuzi, Beatrix; Suplicz, Sándor

2016-01-01

We present the indicators chosen for the determination of the quality of teacher's work: their popularity, effectiveness and disposition. As part of an empirical research project, their suitability as indicators was examined. It was discussed if a significant change can occur in the teachers' quality spontaneously or as a result of mentoring. To…

Indicators in Perspective. The Use of Quality Indicators in Vocational Education and Training. CEDEFOP Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van den Berghe, Wouter

Indicators are used in quite different ways in vocational education and training, from control and accountability to performance and quality purposes. A classification model has been proposed in which many indicators can fit. It is based on two important dimensions of indicators: (1) the "message" relating to the information content,…

Uncertainty analyses of the calibrated parameter values of a water quality model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, M.; Suhr, U.; Lindenschmidt, K.-E.

2003-04-01

For river basin management water quality models are increasingly used for the analysis and evaluation of different management measures. However substantial uncertainties exist in parameter values depending on the available calibration data. In this paper an uncertainty analysis for a water quality model is presented, which considers the impact of available model calibration data and the variance of input variables. The investigation was conducted based on four extensive flowtime related longitudinal surveys in the River Elbe in the years 1996 to 1999 with varying discharges and seasonal conditions. For the model calculations the deterministic model QSIM of the BfG (Germany) was used. QSIM is a one dimensional water quality model and uses standard algorithms for hydrodynamics and phytoplankton dynamics in running waters, e.g. Michaelis Menten/Monod kinetics, which are used in a wide range of models. The multi-objective calibration of the model was carried out with the nonlinear parameter estimator PEST. The results show that for individual flow time related measuring surveys very good agreements between model calculation and measured values can be obtained. If these parameters are applied to deviating boundary conditions, substantial errors in model calculation can occur. These uncertainties can be decreased with an increased calibration database. More reliable model parameters can be identified, which supply reasonable results for broader boundary conditions. The extension of the application of the parameter set on a wider range of water quality conditions leads to a slight reduction of the model precision for the specific water quality situation. Moreover the investigations show that highly variable water quality variables like the algal biomass always allow a smaller forecast accuracy than variables with lower coefficients of variation like e.g. nitrate.

Reflections on the Quality Indicator Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, James R.; Taggart, Germaine

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to share a description of the process used by Fort Hays State University (FHSU) as a self-study of the FHSU alternative certification program, known as Transition to Teaching. Team members used the Quality Indicators designed as a part of a Department of Education Transition to Teaching Grant called the KNOTtT Project.…

[Will publication of quality indicators in the health service improve the quality? International experiences and Danish perspectives].

PubMed

Endahl, Lars A; Utzon, Jan

2002-09-16

It is well known that publication of hospital quality indicators may lead to improving of treatments. But the publication can also have some negative side effects: Focus may shift to the evaluated areas at the expense of non-evaluated areas. The most ill patients may be sorted out and high risk patients may be transferred to other hospitals or discharged in order to avoid their dying during hospitalisation and improve statistics. Overestimation of patient risk in order to improve relative treatment outcome. Increasing flow of patients to hospitals with high scores on quality indicators may cause imbalance between activities and budgets and hence longer waiting times and reduced quality of treatment. Negative publicity due to low scores on quality indicators may lead to under-utilisation of hospital capacity, patient and staff insecurity and staff wastage. Thus, publication of quality indicators may improve quality within the health sector, but it is very important to recognise potential pitfalls and negative side effects.

Improvement of a stability-indicating method by Quality-by-Design versus Quality-by-Testing: a case of a learning process.

PubMed

Hubert, C; Lebrun, P; Houari, S; Ziemons, E; Rozet, E; Hubert, Ph

2014-01-01

The understanding of the method is a major concern when developing a stability-indicating method and even more so when dealing with impurity assays from complex matrices. In the presented case study, a Quality-by-Design approach was applied in order to optimize a routinely used method. An analytical issue occurring at the last stage of a long-term stability study involving unexpected impurities perturbing the monitoring of characterized impurities needed to be resolved. A compliant Quality-by-Design (QbD) methodology based on a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach was evaluated within the framework of a Liquid Chromatography (LC) method. This approach allows the investigation of Critical Process Parameters (CPPs), which have an impact on Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) and, consequently, on LC selectivity. Using polynomial regression response modeling as well as Monte Carlo simulations for error propagation, Design Space (DS) was computed in order to determine robust working conditions for the developed stability-indicating method. This QbD compliant development was conducted in two phases allowing the use of the Design Space knowledge acquired during the first phase to define the experimental domain of the second phase, which constitutes a learning process. The selected working condition was then fully validated using accuracy profiles based on statistical tolerance intervals in order to evaluate the reliability of the results generated by this LC/ESI-MS stability-indicating method. A comparison was made between the traditional Quality-by-Testing (QbT) approach and the QbD strategy, highlighting the benefit of this QbD strategy in the case of an unexpected impurities issue. On this basis, the advantages of a systematic use of the QbD methodology were discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Headache service quality: evaluation of quality indicators in 14 specialist-care centres.

PubMed

Schramm, Sara; Uluduz, Derya; Gouveia, Raquel Gil; Jensen, Rigmor; Siva, Aksel; Uygunoglu, Ugur; Gvantsa, Giorgadze; Mania, Maka; Braschinsky, Mark; Filatova, Elena; Latysheva, Nina; Osipova, Vera; Skorobogatykh, Kirill; Azimova, Julia; Straube, Andreas; Eren, Ozan Emre; Martelletti, Paolo; De Angelis, Valerio; Negro, Andrea; Linde, Mattias; Hagen, Knut; Radojicic, Aleksandra; Zidverc-Trajkovic, Jasna; Podgorac, Ana; Paemeleire, Koen; De Pue, Annelien; Lampl, Christian; Steiner, Timothy J; Katsarava, Zaza

2016-12-01

The study was a collaboration between Lifting The Burden (LTB) and the European Headache Federation (EHF). Its aim was to evaluate the implementation of quality indicators for headache care Europe-wide in specialist headache centres (level-3 according to the EHF/LTB standard). Employing previously-developed instruments in 14 such centres, we made enquiries, in each, of health-care providers (doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists) and 50 patients, and analysed the medical records of 50 other patients. Enquiries were in 9 domains: diagnostic accuracy, individualized management, referral pathways, patient's education and reassurance, convenience and comfort, patient's satisfaction, equity and efficiency of the headache care, outcome assessment and safety. Our study showed that highly experienced headache centres treated their patients in general very well. The centres were content with their work and their patients were content with their treatment. Including disability and quality-of-life evaluations in clinical assessments, and protocols regarding safety, proved problematic: better standards for these are needed. Some centres had problems with follow-up: many specialised centres operated in one-touch systems, without possibility of controlling long-term management or the success of treatments dependent on this. This first Europe-wide quality study showed that the quality indicators were workable in specialist care. They demonstrated common trends, producing evidence of what is majority practice. They also uncovered deficits that might be remedied in order to improve quality. They offer the means of setting benchmarks against which service quality may be judged. The next step is to take the evaluation process into non-specialist care (EHF/LTB levels 1 and 2).

The Use of Logistics n the Quality Parameters Control System of Material Flow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpova, Natalia P.; Toymentseva, Irina A.; Shvetsova, Elena V.; Chichkina, Vera D.; Chubarkova, Elena V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the research problem is conditioned on the need to justify the use of the logistics methodologies in the quality parameters control process of material flows. The goal of the article is to develop theoretical principles and practical recommendations for logistical system control in material flows quality parameters. A leading…

Microbial Indicators of Soil Quality under Different Land Use Systems in Subtropical Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maharjan, M.

2016-12-01

Land-use change from native forest to intensive agricultural systems can negatively impact numerous soil parameters. Understanding the effects of forest ecosystem transformations on markers of long-term soil health is particularly important in rapidly developing regions such as Nepal, where unprecedented levels of agriculturally-driven deforestation have occurred in recent decades. However, the effects of widespread land use changes on soil quality in this region have yet to be properly characterized. Microbial indicators (soil microbial biomass, metabolic quotient and enzymes activities) are particularly suited to assessing the consequences of such ecosystem disturbances, as microbial communities are especially sensitive to environmental change. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of land use system; i.e. forest, organic and conventional farming, on soil quality in Chitwan, Nepal using markers of microbial community size and activity. Total organic C and N contents were higher in organic farming compared with conventional farming and forest, suggesting higher nutrient retention and soil preservation with organic farming practices compared to conventional. These differences in soil composition were reflected in the health of the soil microbial communities: Organic farm soil exhibited higher microbial biomass C, elevated β-glucosidase and chitinase activities, and a lower metabolic quotient relative to other soils, indicating a larger, more active, and less stressed microbial community, respectively. These results collectively demonstrate that application of organic fertilizers and organic residues positively influence nutrient availability, with subsequent improvements in soil quality and productivity. Furthermore, the sensitivity of microbial indicators to different management practices demonstrated in this study supports their use as effective markers of ecosystem disturbance in subtropical soils.

Temporal variability in water quality parameters--a case study of drinking water reservoir in Florida, USA.

PubMed

Toor, Gurpal S; Han, Lu; Stanley, Craig D

2013-05-01

Our objective was to evaluate changes in water quality parameters during 1983-2007 in a subtropical drinking water reservoir (area: 7 km(2)) located in Lake Manatee Watershed (area: 338 km(2)) in Florida, USA. Most water quality parameters (color, turbidity, Secchi depth, pH, EC, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, cations, anions, and lead) were below the Florida potable water standards. Concentrations of copper exceeded the potable water standard of <30 μg l(-1) in about half of the samples. About 75 % of total N in lake was organic N (0.93 mg l(-1)) with the remainder (25 %) as inorganic N (NH3-N: 0.19, NO3-N: 0.17 mg l(-1)), while 86 % of total P was orthophosphate. Mean total N/P was <6:1 indicating N limitation in the lake. Mean monthly concentration of chlorophyll-a was much lower than the EPA water quality threshold of 20 μg l(-1). Concentrations of total N showed significant increase from 1983 to 1994 and a decrease from 1997 to 2007. Total P showed significant increase during 1983-2007. Mean concentrations of total N (n = 215; 1.24 mg l(-1)) were lower, and total P (n = 286; 0.26 mg l(-1)) was much higher than the EPA numeric criteria of 1.27 mg total N l(-1) and 0.05 mg total P l(-1) for Florida's colored lakes, respectively. Seasonal trends were observed for many water quality parameters where concentrations were typically elevated during wet months (June-September). Results suggest that reducing transport of organic N may be one potential option to protect water quality in this drinking water reservoir.

Defining quality indicators for best-practice management of inflammatory bowel disease in Canada

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Geoffrey C; Devlin, Shane M; Afif, Waqqas; Bressler, Brian; Gruchy, Steven E; Kaplan, Gilaad G; Oliveira, Liliana; Plamondon, Sophie; Seow, Cynthia H; Williams, Chadwick; Wong, Karen; Yan, Brian M; Jones, Jennifer

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of published data regarding the quality of care of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Canada. Clinical quality indicators are quantitative end points used to guide, monitor and improve the quality of patient care. In Canada, where universal health care can vary significantly among provinces, quality indicators can be used to identify potential gaps in the delivery of IBD care and standardize the approach to interprovincial management. METHODS: The Emerging Practice in IBD Collaborative (EPIC) group generated a shortlist of IBD quality indicators based on a comprehensive literature review. An iterative voting process was used to select quality indicators to take forward. In a face-to-face meeting with the EPIC group, available evidence to support each quality indicator was presented by the EPIC member aligned to it, followed by group discussion to agree on the wording of the statements. The selected quality indicators were then ratified in a final vote by all EPIC members. RESULTS: Eleven quality indicators for the management of IBD within the single-payer health care system of Canada were developed. These focus on accurate diagnosis, appropriate and timely management, disease monitoring, and prevention or treatment of complications of IBD or its therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These quality indicators are measurable, reflective of the evidence base and expert opinion, and define a standard of care that is at least a minimum that should be expected for IBD management in Canada. The next steps for the EPIC group involve conducting research to assess current practice across Canada as it pertains to these quality indicators and to measure the impact of each of these indicators on patient outcomes. PMID:24839622

Scoping review of potential quality indicators for hip fracture patient care

PubMed Central

Pitzul, Kristen B; Munce, Sarah E P; Perrier, Laure; Beaupre, Lauren; Morin, Suzanne N; McGlasson, Rhona; Jaglal, Susan B

2017-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to identify existing or potential quality of care indicators (ie, current indicators as well as process and outcome measures) in the acute or postacute period, or across the continuum of care for older adults with hip fracture. Design Scoping review. Setting All care settings. Search strategy English peer-reviewed studies published from January 2000 to January 2016 were included. Literature search strategies were developed, and the search was peer-reviewed. Two reviewers independently piloted all forms, and all articles were screened in duplicate. Results The search yielded 2729 unique articles, of which 302 articles were included (11.1%). When indicators (eg, in-hospital mortality, acute care length of stay) and potential indicators (eg, comorbidities developed in hospital, walking ability) were grouped by the outcome or process construct they were trying to measure, the most common constructs were measures of mortality (outcome), length of stay (process) and time-sensitive measures (process). There was heterogeneity in definitions within constructs between studies. There was also a paucity of indicators and potential indicators in the postacute period. Conclusions To improve quality of care for patients with hip fracture and create a more efficient healthcare system, mechanisms for the measurement of quality of care across the entire continuum, not just during the acute period, are required. Future research should focus on decreasing the heterogeneity in definitions of quality indicators and the development and implementation of quality indicators for the postacute period. PMID:28325859

Evaluation of seasonal variation of water quality using multivariate statistical analysis and irrigation parameter indices in Ajakanga area, Ibadan, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganiyu, S. A.; Badmus, B. S.; Olurin, O. T.; Ojekunle, Z. O.

2018-03-01

The variation of groundwater quality across different regions is of great importance in the study of groundwater so as to ascertain the sources of contaminants to available water sources. Geochemical assessment of groundwater samples from hand-dug wells were done within the vicinity of Ajakanga dumpsite, Ibadan, Southwestern, Nigeria, with the aim of assessing their suitability for domestic and irrigation purposes. Ten groundwater samples were collected both in dry and wet seasons for analysis of physicochemical parameters such as: pH, EC, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3^{ - } Cl-, SO4^{2 - }, NO3^{2 - } principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to determine probable sources of groundwater contamination. The results of the analyses showed the groundwater samples to be within permissible limits of WHO/NSDWQ, while elevated values of concentrations of most analyzed chemical constituents in water samples were noticed in S1 and S10 due to their nearness to the dumpsite and agricultural overflow, respectively. Groundwater in the study area is of hard, fresh and alkaline nature. There are very strong associations between EC and TDS, HCO3^{ - } and CO3^{2 - } in both seasons. PCA identified five and three major factors accounting for 95.7 and 88.7% of total variation in water quality for dry and wet seasons, respectively. PCA also identified factors influencing water quality as those probably related to mineral dissolution, groundwater-rock interaction, weathering process and anthropogenic activities from the dumpsite. Results of CA show groups based on similar water quality characteristics and on the extent of proximity to the dumpsite. Assessment for irrigation purpose showed that most of the water samples were suitable for agricultural purpose except in a few locations.

Do treatment quality indicators predict cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes?

PubMed

Sidorenkov, Grigory; Voorham, Jaco; de Zeeuw, Dick; Haaijer-Ruskamp, Flora M; Denig, Petra

2013-01-01

Landmark clinical trials have led to optimal treatment recommendations for patients with diabetes. Whether optimal treatment is actually delivered in practice is even more important than the efficacy of the drugs tested in trials. To this end, treatment quality indicators have been developed and tested against intermediate outcomes. No studies have tested whether these treatment quality indicators also predict hard patient outcomes. A cohort study was conducted using data collected from >10.000 diabetes patients in the Groningen Initiative to Analyze Type 2 Treatment (GIANTT) database and Dutch Hospital Data register. Included quality indicators measured glucose-, lipid-, blood pressure- and albuminuria-lowering treatment status and treatment intensification. Hard patient outcome was the composite of cardiovascular events and all-cause death. Associations were tested using Cox regression adjusting for confounding, reporting hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals. Lipid and albuminuria treatment status, but not blood pressure lowering treatment status, were associated with the composite outcome (HR = 0.77, 0.67-0.88; HR = 0.75, 0.59-0.94). Glucose lowering treatment status was associated with the composite outcome only in patients with an elevated HbA1c level (HR = 0.72, 0.56-0.93). Treatment intensification with glucose-lowering but not with lipid-, blood pressure- and albuminuria-lowering drugs was associated with the outcome (HR = 0.73, 0.60-0.89). Treatment quality indicators measuring lipid- and albuminuria-lowering treatment status are valid quality measures, since they predict a lower risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with diabetes. The quality indicators for glucose-lowering treatment should only be used for restricted populations with elevated HbA1c levels. Intriguingly, the tested indicators for blood pressure-lowering treatment did not predict patient outcomes. These results question whether all treatment

[Weight parameters of water quality impact and risk grade determination of water environmental sensitive spots in Jiashan].

PubMed

Xie, Rong-Rong; Pang, Yong; Zhang, Qian; Chen, Ke; Sun, Ming-Yuan

2012-07-01

For the safety of the water environment in Jiashan county in Zhejiang Province, one-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality models are established based on three large-scale monitoring of hydrology and water quality in Jiashan county, three water environmental sensitive spots including Hongqitang dam Chijia hydrological station and Luxie pond are selected to investigate weight parameters of water quality impact and risk grade determination. Results indicate as follows (1) Internal pollution impact in Jiashan areas was greater than the external, the average weight parameters of internal chemical oxygen demand (COD) pollution is 55.3%, internal ammonia nitrogen (NH(4+)-N) is 67.4%, internal total phosphor (TP) is 63.1%. Non-point pollution impact in Jiashan areas was greater than point pollution impact, the average weight parameters of non-point COD pollutions is 53.7%, non-point NH(4+)-N is 65.9%, non-point TP is 57.8%. (2) The risk of Hongqitang dam and Chijia hydrological station are in the middle risk. The risk of Luxie pond is also in the middle risk in August, and in April and December the risk of Luxie pond is low. The strategic decision will be suggested to guarantee water environment security and social and economic security in the study.

Investigation of water quality parameters at selected points on the Tennessee River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The thermal and water quality parameters in the vicinity of widows Creek Steam Generation Plant were investigated. The water quality analysis and temperature profiles are presented for 24 sampling sites.

Deforestation effects on soil quality and water retention curve parameters in eastern Ardabil, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asghari, Sh.; Ahmadnejad, S.; Keivan Behjou, F.

2016-03-01

The land use change from natural to managed ecosystems causes serious soil degradation. The main objective of this research was to assess deforestation effects on soil physical quality attributes and soil water retention curve (SWRC) parameters in the Fandoghlou region of Ardabil province, Iran. Totally 36 surface and subsurface soil samples were taken and soil water contents measured at 13 suctions. Alfa (α) and n parameters in van Genuchten (1980) model were estimated by fitting SWRC data by using RETC software. The slope of SWRC at inflection point (SP) was calculated by Dexter (2004) equation. The results indicated that with changing land use from forest (F) to range land (R) and cultivated land (C), and also with increasing soil depth from 0-25 to 75-100 cm in each land use, organic carbon, micropores, saturated and available water contents decreased and macropores and bulk density increased significantly ( P < 0.05). The position of SWRC shape in F was higher than R and C lands at all soil depths. Changing F to R and C lands and also increasing soil depth in each land use significantly ( P < 0.05) increased α and decreased n and SP. The average values of SP were obtained 0.093, 0.051 and 0.031 for F, R and C, respectively. As a result, deforestation reduced soil physical quality by affecting SWRC parameters.

Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corstanje, Ron; Mercer, Theresa G.; Rickson, Jane R.; Deeks, Lynda K.; Newell-Price, Paul; Holman, Ian; Kechavarsi, Cedric; Waine, Toby W.

2017-09-01

Soil condition or quality determines its ability to deliver a range of functions that support ecosystem services, human health and wellbeing. The increasing policy imperative to implement successful soil monitoring programmes has resulted in the demand for reliable soil quality indicators (SQIs) for physical, biological and chemical soil properties. The selection of these indicators needs to ensure that they are sensitive and responsive to pressure and change, e.g. they change across space and time in relation to natural perturbations and land management practices. Using a logical sieve approach based on key policy-related soil functions, this research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of British soils in terms of their capacity to deliver ecosystem goods and services. The resultant prioritised list of physical SQIs was tested for robustness, spatial and temporal variability, and expected rate of change using statistical analysis and modelling. Seven SQIs were prioritised: soil packing density, soil water retention characteristics, aggregate stability, rate of soil erosion, depth of soil, soil structure (assessed by visual soil evaluation) and soil sealing. These all have direct relevance to current and likely future soil and environmental policy and are appropriate for implementation in soil monitoring programmes.

Indicators for the evaluation of diet quality.

PubMed

Gil, Ángel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio; Olza, Josune

2015-02-26

The role of diet quality and physical activity in reducing the progression of chronic disease is becoming increasingly important. Dietary Quality Indices or Indicators (DQIs) are algorithms aiming to evaluate the overall diet and categorize individuals according to the extent to which their eating behaviour is "healthy". Predefined indexes assess dietary patterns based on current nutrition knowledge and they have been developed primarily for nutritional epidemiology to assess dietary risk factors for non-communicable diseases. There are many different types of DQIs. There are three major categories of DQIs: a) nutrient-based indicators; b) food/food group based indicators; and c) combination indexes, the vast majority of DQIs, which often include a measure of diet variety within and across food groups, a measure of adequacy i.e. nutrients (compared to requirements) or food groups (quantities or servings), a measure of nutrients/foods to consume in moderation, and an overall balance of macronutrients. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI), the Diet Quality Index (DQI), the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) are the four 'original' diet quality scores that have been referred to and validated most extensively. Several indexes have been adapted and modified from those originals. In particular, many variations on the MDS have been proposed, included different alternate MDS and Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Primary data source of DQI's are individual dietary data collection tools, namely 24 h quantitative intake recalls, dietary records and food frequency questionnaires. Nutrients found in many scores are total fat, saturated fatty acids or the ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids or the latter SFA to polyunsaturated fatty acids. Cholesterol, protein content and quality, complex carbohydrates, mono- and disaccharides, dietary fibre and sodium are also found in various scores. All DQIs, except those that

78 FR 13365 - Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: Food Quality Indicators

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

... reacts with the gases released during food decomposition, and changes color. Thus a rapid and informed... Exclusive License: Food Quality Indicators AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS.... No. E-093-1997/0 ``Food Quality Indicator;'' [[Page 13366

Assessing Ecological Impacts of Shrimp and Sewage Effluent: Biological Indicators with Standard Water Quality Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A. B.; O'Donohue, M. J.; Udy, J.; Dennison, W. C.

2001-01-01

Despite evidence linking shrimp farming to several cases of environmental degradation, there remains a lack of ecologically meaningful information about the impacts of effluent on receiving waters. The aim of this study was to determine the biological impact of shrimp farm effluent, and to compare and distinguish its impacts from treated sewage effluent. Analyses included standard water quality/sediment parameters, as well as biological indicators including tissue nitrogen (N) content, stable isotope ratio of nitrogen (δ 15N), and amino acid composition of inhabitant seagrasses, mangroves and macroalgae. The study area consisted of two tidal creeks, one receiving effluent from a sewage treatment plant and the other from an intensive shrimp farm. The creeks discharged into the western side of Moreton Bay, a sub-tropical coastal embayment on the east coast of Australia. Characterization of water quality revealed significant differences between the creeks, and with unimpacted eastern Moreton Bay. The sewage creek had higher concentrations of dissolved nutrients (predominantly NO-3/NO-2 and PO3-4, compared to NH+4 in the shrimp creek). In contrast, the shrimp creek was more turbid and had higher phytoplankton productivity. Beyond 750 m from the creek mouths, water quality parameters were indistinguishable from eastern Moreton Bay values. Biological indicators detected significant impacts up to 4 km beyond the creek mouths (reference site). Elevated plant δ 15N values ranged from 10·4-19·6‰ at the site of sewage discharge to 2·9-4·5‰ at the reference site. The free amino acid concentration and composition of seagrass and macroalgae was used to distinguish between the uptake of sewage and shrimp derived N. Proline (seagrass) and serine (macroalgae) were high in sewage impacted plants and glutamine (seagrass) and alanine (macroalgae) were high in plants impacted by shrimp effluent. The δ 15N isotopic signatures and free amino acid composition of inhabitant

EFFECTS OF AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE ON THE SLEEP QUALITY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF PATIENTS IN A SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.

PubMed

Özlü, Zeynep Karaman; Bilican, Pınar

2017-01-01

Surgical pain is experienced by inpatients with clinical, disease-related concerns, unknown encounters after surgery, quality of sleep, restrictions in position after surgery is known to be serious. The study was conducted to determine the effect of aromatherapy massage on quality of sleep and physiological parameters in surgical intensive care patients. This is an experimental study. The sample of this study consisted of 60 patients who were divided into two groups as experimental group and control group including 30 patients in each one. The participants were postoperative patients, absent complications, who were unconscious and extubated. A data collection form on personal characteristics of the patients, a registration form on their physical parameters and the Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale (RCSQ) were used to collect the data of the study. The Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale indicated that while the experimental group had a mean score of 53.80 ± 13.20, the control group had a mean score of 29.08 ± 9.71 and there was a statistically significant difference between mean scores of the groups. In a comparison of physiologic parameters, only diastolic blood pressure measuring between parameters in favor of an assembly as a statistically significant difference was detected. Results of the study showed that aromatherapy massage enhanced the sleep quality of patients in a surgical intensive care unit and resulted in some positive changes in their physiological parameters.

Benthic Foraminifera as ecological indicators for water quality on the Great Barrier Reef

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uthicke, Sven; Nobes, Kristie

2008-07-01

Benthic foraminifera are established indicators for Water Quality (WQ) in Florida and the Caribbean. However, nearshore coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and other Pacific regions are also subjected to increased nutrient and sediment loads. Here, we investigate the use of benthic foraminifera as indicators to assess status and trends of WQ on GBR reefs. We quantified several sediment parameters and the foraminiferan assemblage composition on 20 reefs in four geographic regions of the GBR, and along a water column nutrient and turbidity gradient. Twenty-seven easily recognisable benthic foraminiferan taxa (>63 μm) were distinguished. All four geographic regions differed significantly ( p < 0.05, ANOSIM) in their assemblage composition, and a redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that sediment parameters only explained a small proportion of the variance in the assemblage composition. On nine reefs along a previously studied water quality gradient, foraminifera showed a distinct shift in assemblage composition towards larger symbiont-bearing taxa from turbid inner shelf towards clearer outer shelf reefs. A RDA separated symbiotic and aposymbiotic (heterotrophic) taxa. In addition, total suspended solid and water column chlorophyll a concentrations were negatively correlated, and optical depth and distance to the mainland were positively correlated, with the abundance of symbiont-bearing taxa. Several large foraminifera were identified as indicators for offshore, clear water conditions. In contrast, heterotrophic rotaliids and a species retaining plastids ( Elphidium sp.) where highly characteristic for low light, higher nutrient conditions. Application of the FORAM index to GBR assemblage composition showed a significant increase in the value of this index with increased distance from the mainland in the Whitsunday region ( r2 = 0.75, p < 0.001), and therefore with increasing light and decreased nutrient availability. We conclude that it will be possible to

Using quality indicators in anaesthesia: feeding back data to improve care.

PubMed

Benn, J; Arnold, G; Wei, I; Riley, C; Aleva, F

2012-07-01

After recent UK policy developments, considerable attention has been focused upon how clinical specialties measure and report on the quality of care delivered to patients. Defining the right indicators alone is insufficient to close the feedback loop. This narrative review aims to describe and synthesize a diverse body of research relevant to the question of how information from quality indicators can be fed back and used effectively to improve care. Anaesthesia poses certain challenges in the identification of valid outcome indicators sensitive to variations in anaesthetic care. Metrics collected during the immediate post-anaesthetic recovery period, such as patient temperature, patient-reported quality of recovery, and pain and nausea, provide potentially useful information for the anaesthetist, yet this information is not routinely fed back. Reviews of the effects of feeding back performance data to healthcare providers suggest that this may result in small to moderate positive effects upon outcomes and professional practice, with stronger effects where feedback is integrated within a broader quality improvement strategy. The dominant model for use of data within quality improvement is based upon the industrial process control approach, in which care processes are monitored continuously for process changes which are rapidly detectable for corrective action. From this review and experience of implementing these principles in practice, effective feedback from quality indicators is timely, credible, confidential, tailored to the recipient, and continuous. Considerable further work is needed to understand how information from quality indicators can be fed back in an effective way to clinicians and clinical units, in order to support revalidation and continuous improvement.

Performance indicators used to assess the quality of primary dental care.

PubMed

González, Grisel Zacca; Klazinga, Niek; ten Asbroek, Guus; Delnoij, Diana M

2006-12-01

An appropriate quality of medical care including dental care should be an objective of every government that aims to improve the oral health of its population. To determine performance indicators that could be used to assess the quality of primary dental care at different levels of a health care system, the sources for data collection and finally, the dimensions of quality measured by these indicators. An explorative study of the international literature was conducted using medical databases, journals and books, and official websites of organisations and associations. This resulted in a set of 57 indicators, which were classified into the following dimensions for each intended user group: For patients: health outcomes and subjective indicators; for professionals: their performance and the rates of success, failure and complications; for health care system managers and policymakers: their resources, finances and health care utilisation. A set of 57 performance indicators were identified to assess the quality of primary dental care at the levels of patients, professionals and the health care system. These indicators could be used by managers and decision-makers at any level of the health care system according to the characteristics of the services.

Transport of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Source-specific Indicator Organisms, and Standard Water Quality Constituents During Storm Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturdevant-Rees, P. L.; Bourdeau, D.; Baker, R.; Long, S. C.; Barten, P. K.

2004-05-01

Microbial and water-quality measurements are collected during storm events under a variety of meteorological and land-use conditions in order to 1) identify risk of Cryptosporidium oocysts, Giardia cysts and other constituents, including microbial indicator organisms, entering surface waters from various land uses during periods of surface runoff; 2) optimize storm sampling procedures for these parameters; and 3) optimize strategies for accurate determination of constituent loads. The investigation is focused on four isolated land uses: forested with free ranging wildlife, beaver influenced forested with free ranging wildlife, residential/commercial, and dairy farm grazing/pastureland using an upstream and downstream sampling strategy. Traditional water-quality analyses include pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl-nitrogen, and ammonia nitrogen, Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts. Total coliforms and fecal coliforms are measured as industry standard microbial analyses. Sorbitol-fermenting Bifidobacteria, Rhodococcus coprophilus, Clostridium perfringens spores, and Somatic and F-specific coliphages are measured at select sites as potential alternative source-specific indicator organisms. Upon completion of the project, the final database will consist of wet weather transport data for a set of parameters during twenty-four distinct storm-events in addition to monthly baseline data. A subset of the results to date will be presented, with focus placed on demonstrating the impact of beaver on constituent loadings over a variety of hydrologic and meteorological conditions.

Systems for monitoring and digitally recording water-quality parameters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smoot, George F.; Blakey, James F.

1966-01-01

Digital recording of water-quality parameters is a link in the automated data collection and processing system of the U.S. Geological Survey. The monitoring and digital recording systems adopted by the Geological Survey, while punching all measurements on a standard paper tape, provide a choice of compatible components to construct a system to meet specific physical problems and data needs. As many as 10 parameters can be recorded by an Instrument, with the only limiting criterion being that measurements are expressed as electrical signals.

Soil management effect on soil quality indicators in vineyards of the Appellation of Origin "Montilla-Moriles" in southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzmán, Gema; Cabezas, José Manuel; Bauer, Thomas; Strauss, Peter; Winter, Silvia; Zaller, Johann; Gómez, José Alfonso

2017-04-01

The effect soil management on several indicators frequently used in the assessment of soil quality it is not always reflected unambiguously when measured at the field although it is normally assumed that this relation is straightforward. Within the European project VineDivers (www.vinedivers.eu), sixteen commercial vineyards belonging to the Appellation of Origin "Montilla-Moriles" (Córdoba) and covering a wide range of textural classes were selected. These farms were classified 'a priori' under two soil management categories: temporal cover crop and bare soil during the whole year. In each of the vineyards one representative inter-row was selected in order to characterise different physical, chemical and biological parameters to evaluate some aspects related to soil quality. Results indicate that the studied indicators respond clearly to soil textural class and vegetation cover biomass. However, there was no clear difference in above-ground biomass of the two management categories (Guzmán et al., 2016). These results suggest that the interpretation and extrapolation of the indicators evaluated should incorporate complementary information to characterise small variations of soil management intensity among vineyards that are apparently managed under the same management category. The communication presents this analysis based on the number and type of soil disturbance events of all vineyards. The high variability found among vineyards under the same management highlights the relevance of measuring these soil parameters used as quality indicators, instead of extrapolating from other vineyards or agricultural systems, and interpreting them according to baseline levels. References: Guzmán G., Cabezas J.M., Gómez J.A. 2016. Evaluación preliminar del efecto del manejo del suelo en indicadores que determinan su calidad en viñedos de la Denominación de Origen Montilla Moriles. II Jornadas de Viticultura SECH. Madrid.

From Computer-interpretable Guidelines to Computer-interpretable Quality Indicators: A Case for an Ontology.

PubMed

White, Pam; Roudsari, Abdul

2014-01-01

In the United Kingdom's National Health Service, quality indicators are generally measured electronically by using queries and data extraction, resulting in overlap and duplication of query components. Electronic measurement of health care quality indicators could be improved through an ontology intended to reduce duplication of effort during healthcare quality monitoring. While much research has been published on ontologies for computer-interpretable guidelines, quality indicators have lagged behind. We aimed to determine progress on the use of ontologies to facilitate computer-interpretable healthcare quality indicators. We assessed potential for improvements to computer-interpretable healthcare quality indicators in England. We concluded that an ontology for a large, diverse set of healthcare quality indicators could benefit the NHS and reduce workload, with potential lessons for other countries.

Quality of remote sensing measurements of cloud physical parameters in the cooperative convective precipitation experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, M.-L.

1985-01-01

In order to develop the remote sensing techniques to infer cloud physical parameters, a multispectral cloud radiometer (MCR) was mounted on a NASA high-altitude aircraft in conjunction with the Cooperative Convective Precipitation Experiment in 1981. The MCR has seven spectral channels, of which three are centered near windows associated with water vapor bands in the near infrared, two are centered near the oxygen A band at 0.76 microns, one is centered at the 1.14-micron water vapor band, and one is centered in the thermal infrared. The reflectance and temperature measured on May 31, 1981, are presented together with theoretical calculations. The results indicate that the MCR produces quality measurements. Therefore several cloud parameters can be derived with good accuracy. The parameters are the cloud-scaled optical thickness, cloud top pressure, volume scattering coefficient, particle thermodynamic phase, effective mean particle size, and cloud-top temperature.

Performance Indicators, Accountability, and Quality: An Analysis of Key Indicators at Two Georgia Postsecondary Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, Minolar T.

2010-01-01

Quality in higher education today is often measured by institutional accountability indicators. The purpose of this study was to examine trends and explore correlational relationships of the performance indicators deemed important to the stakeholders of two postsecondary institutions in the State of Georgia--retention rate, graduation rate, and…

HON label and DISCERN as content quality indicators of health-related websites.

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; Chatton, Anne; Zullino, Daniele; Khan, Riaz

2012-03-01

Content quality indicators are warranted in order to help patients and consumers to judge the content quality of health-related on-line information. The aim of the present study is to evaluate web-based information on health topics and to assess particular content quality indicators like HON (Health on the Net) and DISCERN. The present study is based on the analysis of data issued from six previous studies which assessed with a standardized tool the general and content quality (evidence-based health information) of health-related websites. Keywords related to Social phobia, bipolar disorders, pathological gambling as well as cannabis, alcohol and cocaine addiction were entered into popular World Wide Web search engines. Websites were assessed with a standardized proforma designed to rate sites on the basis of accountability, presentation, interactivity, readability and content quality (evidence-based information). "Health on the Net" (HON) quality label, and DISCERN scale scores were used to verify their efficiency as quality indicators. Of 874 websites identified, 388 were included. Despite an observed association with higher content quality scores, the HON label fails to predict good content quality websites when used in a multiple regression. Sensibility and specificity of a DISCERN score >40 in the detection of good content quality websites were, respectively, 0.45 and 0.96. The DISCERN is a potential quality indicator with a relatively high specificity. Further developments in this domain are warranted in order to facilitate the identification of high-quality information on the web by patients.

Parameters of Higher Education Quality Assessment System at Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savickiene, Izabela

2005-01-01

The article analyses the system of institutional quality assessment at universities and lays foundation to its functional, morphological and processual parameters. It also presents the concept of the system and discusses the distribution of systems into groups, defines information, accountability, improvement and benchmarking functions of higher…

[Study on the optimization of monitoring indicators of drinking water quality during health supervision].

PubMed

Ye, Bixiong; E, Xueli; Zhang, Lan

2015-01-01

To optimize non-regular drinking water quality indices (except Giardia and Cryptosporidium) of urban drinking water. Several methods including drinking water quality exceed the standard, the risk of exceeding standard, the frequency of detecting concentrations below the detection limit, water quality comprehensive index evaluation method, and attribute reduction algorithm of rough set theory were applied, redundancy factor of water quality indicators were eliminated, control factors that play a leading role in drinking water safety were found. Optimization results showed in 62 unconventional water quality monitoring indicators of urban drinking water, 42 water quality indicators could be optimized reduction by comprehensively evaluation combined with attribute reduction of rough set. Optimization of the water quality monitoring indicators and reduction of monitoring indicators and monitoring frequency could ensure the safety of drinking water quality while lowering monitoring costs and reducing monitoring pressure of the sanitation supervision departments.

[Quality indicators in the storage and dispensing process in a Hospital Pharmacy].

PubMed

Rabuñal-Álvarez, M T; Calvin-Lamas, M; Feal-Cortizas, B; Martínez-López, L M; Pedreira-Vázquez, I; Martín-Herranz, M I

2014-01-01

To establish indicators for the evaluation of the quality of the storage and dispensing processes related to semiautomatic vertical (SAVCS) and horizontal (SAHCS) carousel systems. Descriptive observational study conducted between January-December 2012. Definition of quality indicators, a target value is established and an obtained value is calculated for 2012. Five quality indicators in the process of storage and dispensing of drugs were defined and calculated: indicator 1, error filling unidose trolleys: target (<1.67%), obtained (1.03%); indicator 2, filling accuracy unidose trolleys by using an SAVCS: target (<15%), obtained (11.5%); indicator 3, reliability of drug inventory in the process of drug entries using an SAHCS: target (<15%), obtained (6.53%); indicator 4, reliability of drug inventory in the picking process of orders replacement stock of clinical units using an SAHCS: target (<10%), obtained (1.97%); indicator 5, accuracy of the picking process of drug orders using an SAHCS: target (<10%), obtained (10.41%). Establishing indicators has allowed the quality in terms of safety, precision and reliability of semiautomatic systems for storage and dispensing drugs to be assessed. Copyright © 2014 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Dashboard report on performance on select quality indicators to cancer care providers.

PubMed

Stattin, Pär; Sandin, Fredrik; Sandbäck, Torsten; Damber, Jan-Erik; Franck Lissbrant, Ingela; Robinson, David; Bratt, Ola; Lambe, Mats

2016-01-01

Cancer quality registers are attracting increasing attention as important, but still underutilized sources of clinical data. To optimize the use of registers in quality assurance and improvement, data have to be rapidly collected, collated and presented as actionable, at-a-glance information to the reporting departments. This article presents a dashboard performance report on select quality indicators to cancer care providers. Ten quality indicators registered on an individual patient level in the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden and recommended by the National Prostate Cancer Guidelines were selected. Data reported to the National Prostate Cancer Register are uploaded within 24 h to the Information Network for Cancer Care platform. Launched in 2014, "What''s Going On, Prostate Cancer" provides rapid, at-a-glance performance feedback to care providers. The indicators include time to report to the National Prostate Cancer Register, waiting times, designated clinical nurse specialist, multidisciplinary conference, adherence to guidelines for diagnostic work-up and treatment, and documentation and outcome of treatment. For each indicator, three performance levels were defined. What's Going On, a dashboard performance report on 10 selected quality indicators to cancer care providers, provides an example of how data in cancer quality registers can be transformed into condensed, at-a-glance information to be used as actionable metrics for quality assurance and improvement.

EFFECTS OF AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE ON THE SLEEP QUALITY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF PATIENTS IN A SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

PubMed Central

Özlü, Zeynep Karaman; Bilican, Pınar

2017-01-01

Background: Surgical pain is experienced by inpatients with clinical, disease-related concerns, unknown encounters after surgery, quality of sleep, restrictions in position after surgery is known to be serious. The study was conducted to determine the effect of aromatherapy massage on quality of sleep and physiological parameters in surgical intensive care patients. Materials and Methods: This is an experimental study. The sample of this study consisted of 60 patients who were divided into two groups as experimental group and control group including 30 patients in each one. The participants were postoperative patients, absent complications, who were unconscious and extubated. A data collection form on personal characteristics of the patients, a registration form on their physical parameters and the Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale (RCSQ) were used to collect the data of the study. Results: The Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale indicated that while the experimental group had a mean score of 53.80 ± 13.20, the control group had a mean score of 29.08 ± 9.71 and there was a statistically significant difference between mean scores of the groups. In a comparison of physiologic parameters, only diastolic blood pressure measuring between parameters in favor of an assembly as a statistically significant difference was detected. Conclusions: Results of the study showed that aromatherapy massage enhanced the sleep quality of patients in a surgical intensive care unit and resulted in some positive changes in their physiological parameters. PMID:28480419

Visible and near infrared spectroscopy coupled to random forest to quantify some soil quality parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Santana, Felipe Bachion; de Souza, André Marcelo; Poppi, Ronei Jesus

2018-02-01

This study evaluates the use of visible and near infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIRS) combined with multivariate regression based on random forest to quantify some quality soil parameters. The parameters analyzed were soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), sum of exchange bases (SB), organic matter (OM), clay and sand present in the soils of several regions of Brazil. Current methods for evaluating these parameters are laborious, timely and require various wet analytical methods that are not adequate for use in precision agriculture, where faster and automatic responses are required. The random forest regression models were statistically better than PLS regression models for CEC, OM, clay and sand, demonstrating resistance to overfitting, attenuating the effect of outlier samples and indicating the most important variables for the model. The methodology demonstrates the potential of the Vis-NIR as an alternative for determination of CEC, SB, OM, sand and clay, making possible to develop a fast and automatic analytical procedure.

Quality of Life Indicators for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Extending Current Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ivan; Hatton, Chris; Emerson, Eric

2013-01-01

Quality of life is a social construct that is measured by what are considered to be its most appropriate indicators. Quality of life measurement in intellectual disability reflects a variety of indicators, often grouped under life domains. Subjective and objective methods of measuring indicators each have strengths and drawbacks, but it is…

Investigation of water quality parameters at selected points on the Tennessee River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manger, M. C.

1973-01-01

Physical, chemical, and biological water quality parameters have been investigated at the Widow's Creek steam plant. The water quality parameters and field site locations have been selected so as to be compatible with the interests and needs of the Environmental Application Office at Marshall Space Flight Center. All sampling and testing was conducted as directed in the 13th Edition of Standard Methods of Analysis for Water and Waste Water or as suggested by NASA'S Technical Officer. Data is presented in a form compatible with that presently being collected by other agencies.

Quality Improvement in Critical Care: Selection and Development of Quality Indicators

PubMed Central

Martin, Claudio M.; Project, The Quality Improvement in Critical Care

2016-01-01

Background. Caring for critically ill patients is complex and resource intensive. An approach to monitor and compare the function of different intensive care units (ICUs) is needed to optimize outcomes for patients and the health system as a whole. Objective. To develop and implement quality indicators for comparing ICU characteristics and performance within and between ICUs and regions over time. Methods. Canadian jurisdictions with established ICU clinical databases were invited to participate in an iterative series of face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, and web conferences. Eighteen adult intensive care units across 14 hospitals and 5 provinces participated in the process. Results. Six domains of ICU function were identified: safe, timely, efficient, effective, patient/family satisfaction, and staff work life. Detailed operational definitions were developed for 22 quality indicators. The feasibility was demonstrated with the collection of 3.5 years of data. Statistical process control charts and graphs of composite measures were used for data display and comparisons. Medical and nursing leaders as well as administrators found the system to be an improvement over prior methods. Conclusions. Our process resulted in the selection and development of 22 indicators representing 6 domains of ICU function. We have demonstrated the feasibility of such a reporting system. This type of reporting system will demonstrate variation between units and jurisdictions to help identify and prioritize improvement efforts. PMID:27493476

Methods of Statistical Control for Groundwater Quality Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yankovich, E.; Nevidimova, O.; Yankovich, K.

2016-06-01

The article describes the results of conducted groundwater quality control. Controlled quality indicators included the following microelements - barium, manganese, iron, mercury, iodine, chromium, strontium, etc. Quality control charts - X-bar chart and R chart - were built. For the upper and the lower threshold limits, maximum permissible concentration of components in water and the lower limit of their biologically significant concentration, respectively, were selected. The charts analysis has shown that the levels of microelements content in water at the area of study are stable. Most elements in the underground water are contained in concentrations, significant for human organisms consuming the water. For example, such elements as Ba, Mn, Fe have concentrations that exceed maximum permissible levels for drinking water.

Adherence to outpatient epilepsy quality indicators at a tertiary epilepsy center.

PubMed

Pourdeyhimi, R; Wolf, B J; Simpson, A N; Martz, G U

2014-10-01

Quality indicators for the treatment of people with epilepsy were published in 2010. This is the first report of adherence to all measures in routine care of people with epilepsy at a level 4 comprehensive epilepsy center in the US. Two hundred patients with epilepsy were randomly selected from the clinics of our comprehensive epilepsy center, and all visits during 2011 were abstracted for documentation of adherence to the eight quality indicators. Alternative measures were constructed to evaluate failure of adherence. Detailed descriptions of all equations are provided. Objective measures (EEG, imaging) showed higher adherence than counseling measures (safety). Initial visits showed higher adherence. Variations in the interpretation of the quality measure result in different adherence values. Advanced practice providers and physicians had different adherence patterns. No patient-specific patterns of adherence were seen. This is the first report of adherence to all the epilepsy quality indicators for a sample of patients during routine care in a level 4 epilepsy center in the US. Overall adherence was similar to that previously reported on similar measures. Precise definitions of adherence equations are essential for accurate measurement. Complex measures result in lower adherence. Counseling measures showed low adherence, possibly highlighting a difference between practice and documentation. Adherence to the measures as written does not guarantee high quality care. The current quality indicators have value in the process of improving quality of care. Future approaches may be refined to eliminate complex measures and incorporate features linked to outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Instrument Psychometrics: Parental Satisfaction and Quality Indicators of Perinatal Palliative Care.

PubMed

Wool, Charlotte

2015-10-01

Despite a life-limiting fetal diagnosis, prenatal attachment often occurs in varying degrees resulting in role identification by an individual as a parent. Parents recognize quality care and report their satisfaction when interfacing with health care providers. The aim was to test an instrument measuring parental satisfaction and quality indicators with parents electing to continue a pregnancy after learning of a life-limiting fetal diagnosis. A cross sectional survey design gathered data using a computer-mediated platform. Subjects were parents (n=405) who opted to continue a pregnancy affected by a life-limiting diagnosis. Factor analysis using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was used to validate the instrument, evaluate components, and summarize the explained variance achieved among quality indicator items. The Prenatal Scale was reduced to 37 items with a three-component solution explaining 66.19% of the variance and internal consistency reliability of 0.98. The Intrapartum Scale included 37 items with a four-component solution explaining 66.93% of the variance and a Cronbach α of 0.977. The Postnatal Scale was reduced to 44 items with a six-component solution explaining 67.48% of the variance. Internal consistency reliability was 0.975. The Parental Satisfaction and Quality Indicators of Perinatal Palliative Care Instrument is a valid and reliable measure for parent-reported quality care and satisfaction. Use of this instrument will enable clinicians and researchers to measure quality indicators and parental satisfaction. The instrument is useful for assessing, analyzing, and reporting data on quality for care delivered during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods.

Adherence to outpatient epilepsy quality indicators at a tertiary epilepsy center

PubMed Central

Pourdeyhimi, R.; Wolf, B.J.; Simpson, A.N.; Martz, G.U.

2014-01-01

Introduction Quality indicators for the treatment of people with epilepsy were published in 2010. This is the first report of adherence to all measures in routine care of people with epilepsy at a level 4 comprehensive epilepsy center in the US. Methods Two hundred patients with epilepsy were randomly selected from the clinics of our comprehensive epilepsy center, and all visits during 2011 were abstracted for documentation of adherence to the eight quality indicators. Alternative measures were constructed to evaluate failure of adherence. Detailed descriptions of all equations are provided. Results Objective measures (EEG, imaging) showed higher adherence than counseling measures (safety). Initial visits showed higher adherence. Variations in the interpretation of the quality measure result in different adherence values. Advanced practice providers and physicians had different adherence patterns. No patient-specific patterns of adherence were seen. Discussion This is the first report of adherence to all the epilepsy quality indicators for a sample of patients during routine care in a level 4 epilepsy center in the US. Overall adherence was similar to that previously reported on similar measures. Precise definitions of adherence equations are essential for accurate measurement. Complex measures result in lower adherence. Counseling measures showed low adherence, possibly highlighting a difference between practice and documentation. Adherence to the measures as written does not guarantee high quality care. Conclusion The current quality indicators have value in the process of improving quality of care. Future approaches may be refined to eliminate complex measures and incorporate features linked to outcomes. PMID:25171260

Comparative analysis of quality parameters of Italian extra virgin olive oils according to their region of origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mignani, Anna Grazia; García-Allende, Pilar Beatriz; Ciaccheri, Leonardo; Conde, Olga M.; Cimato, Antonio; Attilio, Cristina; Tura, Debora

2008-04-01

Italian extra virgin olive oils from four regions covering different latitudes of the country were considered. They were analyzed by means of absorption spectroscopy in the wide 200-2800 nm spectral range, and multivariate data processing was applied. These spectra were virtually a signature identification from which to extract information on the region of origin and on the most important quality indicators. A classification map was created which was able to group the 80 oils on the basis of their region of origin. Furthermore, a model for the prediction of quality parameters such as oleic acidity, peroxide number, K232, K270 and Delta K, was developed.

Quality parameters and antioxidant and antibacterial properties of some Mexican honeys.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Beatriz A; Mendoza, Sandra; Iturriga, Montserrat H; Castaño-Tostado, Eduardo

2012-01-01

A total of 14 Mexican honeys were screened for quality parameters including color, moisture, proline, and acidity. Antioxidant properties of complete honey and its methanolic extracts were evaluated by the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of complete honeys against Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876, Listeria monocytogenes Scott A, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, and Sthapylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 was determined. Most of honeys analyzed showed values within quality parameters established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2001. Eucalyptus flower honey and orange blossom honey showed the highest phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity. Bell flower, orange blossom, and eucalyptus flower honeys inhibited the growth of the 4 evaluated microorganisms. The remaining honeys affected at least 1 of the estimated growth parameters (increased lag phase, decreased growth rate, and/or maximum population density). Microorganism sensitivity to the antimicrobial activity of honeys followed the order B. cereus > L. monocytogenes > Salmonella Typhimurium > S. aureus. The monofloral honey samples from orange blossoms, and eucalyptus flowers demonstrated to be good sources of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds. All the Mexican honey samples examined proved to be good sources of antioxidants and antimicrobial agents that might serve to maintain health and protect against several diseases. The results of the study showed that Mexican honeys display good quality parameters and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Mexican honey can be used as an additive in the food industry to increase the nutraceutical value of products. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Biological indices of soil quality: an ecosystem case study of their use

Treesearch

Jennifer D. Knoepp; David C. Coleman; D.A. Crossley; James S. Clark

2000-01-01

Soil quality indices can help ensure that site productivity and soil function are maintained. Biological indices yield evidence of how a soil functions and interacts with the plants, animals, and climate that comprise an ecosystem. Soil scientists can identify and quantify both chemical and biological soil-quality indicators for ecosystems with a single main function,...

[Development of quality of care indicators to support chronic disease management].

PubMed

Beaulieu, Marie-dominique; Pomey, Marie-pascale; Del Grande, Claudio; Côté, Brigitte; Tremblay, Éric; Ghorbel, Monia; Hua, Phuong

2015-01-01

This article presents the results of a project conducted by the Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux of Québec to develop quality of care indicators for the management of six chronic illnesses. Indicators were identified through literature searches and analysis of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Interdisciplinary expert panels assessed their validity and the strength of the evidence on which they were based. Representatives of patients (N = 19) and professionals (N = 29) were consulted on their relevance and acceptability. Indicators were categorized according to the Chronic Care Model (CCM). A total of 164 indicators were developed, 126 specific to the illnesses under study and 38 on processes and outcomes generic to the CCM. There was convergence between patients and professionals on the relevance of a majority of indicators. Professionals expressed concerns on the indicators measured by means of patient surveys that they considered to be too subjective. The importance given to CPGs as the main source of indicators resulted in a great number of indicators of the technical quality ofcare. Using the CCM contributed to a broader perspective of quality. The consultation process identified some of the concerns of professionals about indicator measurement, thusguidingfuture implementation initiatives.

Extra-analytical quality indicators and laboratory performances.

PubMed

Sciacovelli, Laura; Aita, Ada; Plebani, Mario

2017-07-01

In the last few years much progress has been made in raising the awareness of laboratory medicine professionals about the effectiveness of quality indicators (QIs) in monitoring, and improving upon, performances in the extra-analytical phases of the Total Testing Process (TTP). An effective system for management of QIs includes the implementation of an internal assessment system and participation in inter-laboratory comparison. A well-designed internal assessment system allows the identification of critical activities and their systematic monitoring. Active participation in inter-laboratory comparison provides information on the performance level of one laboratory with respect to that of other participating laboratories. In order to guarantee the use of appropriate QIs and facilitate their implementation, many laboratories have adopted the Model of Quality Indicators (MQI) proposed by Working Group "Laboratory Errors and Patient Safety" (WG-LEPS) of IFCC, since 2008, which is the result of international consensus and continuous experimentation, and updating to meet new, constantly emerging needs. Data from participating laboratories are collected monthly and reports describing the statistical results and evaluating laboratory data, utilizing the Six Sigma metric, issued regularly. Although the results demonstrate that the processes need to be improved upon, overall the comparison with data collected in 2014 shows a general stability of quality levels and that an improvement has been achieved over time for some activities. The continuous monitoring of QI data allows identification all possible improvements, thus highlighting the value of participation in the inter-laboratory program proposed by WG-LEPS. The active participation of numerous laboratories will guarantee an ever more significant State-of-the-Art, promote the reduction of errors and improve quality of the TTP, thus guaranteeing patient safety. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Indices for the assessment of nutritional quality of meals: a systematic review.

PubMed

Gorgulho, B M; Pot, G K; Sarti, F M; Marchioni, D M

2016-06-01

This systematic review aimed to synthesise information on indices developed to evaluate nutritional quality of meals. A strategy for systematic search of the literature was developed using keywords related to assessment of meal quality. Databases searched included ScienceDirect, PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar. The literature search resulted in seven different meal quality indices. Each article was analysed in order to identify the following items: authors, country, year, study design, population characteristics, type of meal evaluated, dietary assessment method, characteristics evaluated (nutrients or food items), score range, index components, nutritional references, correlations performed, validation and relationship with an outcome (if existing). Two studies developed instruments to assess the quality of breakfast, three analysed lunch, one evaluated dinner and one was applied to all types of meals and snacks. All meal quality indices reviewed were based on the evaluation of presence or absence of food groups and relative contributions of nutrients, according to food-based guidelines or nutrient references, adapting the daily dietary recommendations to one specific meal. Most of the indices included three items as components for meal quality assessment: (I) total fat or some specific type of fat, (II) fruits and vegetables and (III) cereals or whole grains. This systematic review indicates aspects that need further research, particularly the numerous approaches to assessing meals considering different foods and nutrients, and the need for validation studies of meal indices.

Using the Delphi method to develop nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the NICU.

PubMed

Chen, Lin; Huang, Li-Hua; Xing, Mei-Yuan; Feng, Zhi-Xian; Shao, Le-Wen; Zhang, Mei-Yun; Shao, Rong-Ya

2017-02-01

To develop nursing-sensitive quality indicators consistent with current medical practices in Chinese neonatal intensive care units. The development of nursing-sensitive quality indicators has become a top priority in nursing management. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no objective, scientific and sensitive evaluation of the quality of neonatal intensive care unit nursing in China. A modified Delphi technique was used to seek opinions from experts about what should be used and prioritised as indicators of quality care in neonatal intensive care unit nursing. Based on a literature review, we identified 21 indicators of nursing-sensitive quality in the neonatal intensive care unit. Our group of 11 consultants chose 13 indicators to be discussed using the Delphi method. In October and November 2014, 39 neonatal intensive care unit experts in 18 tertiary hospitals spread across six provinces participated in two rounds of Delphi panels. Of the 13 indicators discussed, 11 were identified as indicators of nursing-sensitive quality in the neonatal intensive care unit: rate of nosocomial infections, rate of accidental endotracheal extubation, rate of errors in medication administration, rate of treatment for pain, rate of peripheral venous extravasation, rate of compliance with handwashing techniques, incidence of pressure ulcers, incidence of noise, the bed-to-care ratio, the proportion of nurses with greater than five years neonatal intensive care unit experience and incidence of retinopathy. The 11 neonatal intensive care unit nursing-sensitive indicators identified by the Delphi method integrated with basic Chinese practices provide a basis for nursing management and the monitoring of nursing quality. This study identified nursing-sensitive quality indicators for neonatal intensive care unit care that are suitable for current clinical practice in China. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Association between bibliometric parameters, reporting and methodological quality of randomised controlled trials in vascular and endovascular surgery.

PubMed

Hajibandeh, Shahab; Hajibandeh, Shahin; Antoniou, George A; Green, Patrick A; Maden, Michelle; Torella, Francesco

2017-04-01

Purpose We aimed to investigate association between bibliometric parameters, reporting and methodological quality of vascular and endovascular surgery randomised controlled trials. Methods The most recent 75 and oldest 75 randomised controlled trials published in leading journals over a 10-year period were identified. The reporting quality was analysed using the CONSORT statement, and methodological quality with the Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklist. We used exploratory univariate and multivariable linear regression analysis to investigate associations. Findings Bibliometric parameters such as type of journal, study design reported in title, number of pages; external funding, industry sponsoring and number of citations are associated with reporting quality. Moreover, parameters such as type of journal, subject area and study design reported in title are associated with methodological quality. Conclusions The bibliometric parameters of randomised controlled trials may be independent predictors for their reporting and methodological quality. Moreover, the reporting quality of randomised controlled trials is associated with their methodological quality and vice versa.

Improving the quality of parameter estimates obtained from slug tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Butler, J.J.; McElwee, C.D.; Liu, W.

1996-01-01

The slug test is one of the most commonly used field methods for obtaining in situ estimates of hydraulic conductivity. Despite its prevalence, this method has received criticism from many quarters in the ground-water community. This criticism emphasizes the poor quality of the estimated parameters, a condition that is primarily a product of the somewhat casual approach that is often employed in slug tests. Recently, the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) has pursued research directed it improving methods for the performance and analysis of slug tests. Based on extensive theoretical and field research, a series of guidelines have been proposed that should enable the quality of parameter estimates to be improved. The most significant of these guidelines are: (1) three or more slug tests should be performed at each well during a given test period; (2) two or more different initial displacements (Ho) should be used at each well during a test period; (3) the method used to initiate a test should enable the slug to be introduced in a near-instantaneous manner and should allow a good estimate of Ho to be obtained; (4) data-acquisition equipment that enables a large quantity of high quality data to be collected should be employed; (5) if an estimate of the storage parameter is needed, an observation well other than the test well should be employed; (6) the method chosen for analysis of the slug-test data should be appropriate for site conditions; (7) use of pre- and post-analysis plots should be an integral component of the analysis procedure, and (8) appropriate well construction parameters should be employed. Data from slug tests performed at a number of KGS field sites demonstrate the importance of these guidelines.

Predicting soil quality indices with near infrared analysis in a wildfire chronosequence.

PubMed

Cécillon, Lauric; Cassagne, Nathalie; Czarnes, Sonia; Gros, Raphaël; Vennetier, Michel; Brun, Jean-Jacques

2009-01-15

We investigated the power of near infrared (NIR) analysis for the quantitative assessment of soil quality in a wildfire chronosequence. The effect of wildfire disturbance and soil engineering activity of earthworms on soil organic matter quality was first assessed with principal component analysis of NIR spectra. Three soil quality indices were further calculated using an adaptation of the method proposed by Velasquez et al. [Velasquez, E., Lavelle, P., Andrade, M. GISQ, a multifunctional indicator of soil quality. Soil Biol Biochem 2007; 39: 3066-3080.], each one addressing an ecosystem service provided by soils: organic matter storage, nutrient supply and biological activity. Partial least squares regression models were developed to test the predicting ability of NIR analysis for these soil quality indices. All models reached coefficients of determination above 0.90 and ratios of performance to deviation above 2.8. This finding provides new opportunities for the monitoring of soil quality, using NIR scanning of soil samples.

Assessing the use of treated waste water for irrigation agricultural lands by using soil quality indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcenegui, V.; Morugán, A.; García-Orenes, F.; Zornoza, R.; Mataix-Solera, J.; Navarro, M. A.; Guerrero, C.; Mataix-Beneyto, J.

2009-04-01

The use of treated wastewater for the irrigation of agricultural soils is an alternative to utilizing better-quality water, especially in semiarid regions where water shortage is a very serious problem. However, this practise can modify the soil equilibrium and affect its quality. In this work two soil quality indices (models) are used to evaluate the effects of long-term irrigation with treated wastewater in soil. The models were developed studying different soil properties in undisturbed forest soils in SE Spain, and the relationships between soil parameters were established using multiple linear regressions. Model 1, that explained 92% of the variance in soil organic carbon (SOC) showed that the SOC can be calculated by the linear combination of 6 physical, chemical and biochemical properties (acid phosphatase, water holding capacity (WHC), electrical conductivity (EC), available phosphorus (P), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and aggregate stability (AS)). Model 2 explains 89% of the SOC variance, which can be calculated by means of 7 chemical and biochemical properties (urease, phosphatase, and

Indicators for the automated analysis of drug prescribing quality.

PubMed

Coste, J; Séné, B; Milstein, C; Bouée, S; Venot, A

1998-01-01

Irrational and inconsistent drug prescription has considerable impact on morbidity, mortality, health service utilization, and community burden. However, few studies have addressed the methodology of processing the information contained in these drug orders used to study the quality of drug prescriptions and prescriber behavior. We present a comprehensive set of quantitative indicators for the quality of drug prescriptions which can be derived from a drug order. These indicators were constructed using explicit a priori criteria which were previously validated on the basis of scientific data. Automatic computation is straightforward, using a relational database system, such that large sets of prescriptions can be processed with minimal human effort. We illustrate the feasibility and value of this approach by using a large set of 23,000 prescriptions for several diseases, selected from a nationally representative prescriptions database. Our study may result in direct and wide applications in the epidemiology of medical practice and in quality control procedures.

Beef quality parameters estimation using ultrasound and color images

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Beef quality measurement is a complex task with high economic impact. There is high interest in obtaining an automatic quality parameters estimation in live cattle or post mortem. In this paper we set out to obtain beef quality estimates from the analysis of ultrasound (in vivo) and color images (post mortem), with the measurement of various parameters related to tenderness and amount of meat: rib eye area, percentage of intramuscular fat and backfat thickness or subcutaneous fat. Proposal An algorithm based on curve evolution is implemented to calculate the rib eye area. The backfat thickness is estimated from the profile of distances between two curves that limit the steak and the rib eye, previously detected. A model base in Support Vector Regression (SVR) is trained to estimate the intramuscular fat percentage. A series of features extracted on a region of interest, previously detected in both ultrasound and color images, were proposed. In all cases, a complete evaluation was performed with different databases including: color and ultrasound images acquired by a beef industry expert, intramuscular fat estimation obtained by an expert using a commercial software, and chemical analysis. Conclusions The proposed algorithms show good results to calculate the rib eye area and the backfat thickness measure and profile. They are also promising in predicting the percentage of intramuscular fat. PMID:25734452

Effect of El Nĩno on demographic, morphological, and chemical parameters in turtle-grass (Thalassia testudinum): an unexpected test of indicators.

PubMed

Carlson, Paul R; Yarbro, Laura A; Madley, Kevin; Arnold, Herman; Merello, Manuel; Vanderbloemen, Lisa; McRae, Gil; Durako, Michael J

2003-01-01

We examined the response of demographic, morphological, and chemical parameters of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), to much-higher-than-normal rainfall associated with an El Niño event in the winter of 1997-1998. Up to 20 inches of added rain fell between December 1997 and March 1998. triggering widespread and persistent phytoplankton blooms along the west coast of Florida. Water-column chlorophyll concentrations estimated from serial Sea WiFS imagery were much higher during the El Niño event than in the previous or following years, although the timing and magnitude of phytoplankton blooms varied among sites. Seagrass samples collected in 1997, 1998, and 1999 provided an excellent opportunity to test the responsiveness of Thalassia to decline and subsequent improvement of water quality and clarity in four estuaries. Using a scoring technique based on temporal responsiveness, spatial consistency, and statistical strength of indicators, we found that several morphological parameters (Thalassia shoot density, blade width, blade number, and shoot-specific leaf area) were responsive and consistent measures of light stress. Some morphological parameters, such as rhizome apex density, responded to declines and subsequent improvement in water clarity, but lacked the statistical discriminating power necessary to be useful indicators. However, rhizome sugar, starch, and total carbohydrate concentrations also exhibited spatially and temporally consistent variation as well as statistical strength. Because changes in shoot density, as well as water clarity, affect rhizome carbohydrate levels, a composite metric based on Thalassia shoot density and rhizome carbohydrate levels together is probably more useful than either parameter alone as an indicator of seagrass health.

A Perceptually Weighted Rank Correlation Indicator for Objective Image Quality Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qingbo; Li, Hongliang; Meng, Fanman; Ngan, King N.

2018-05-01

In the field of objective image quality assessment (IQA), the Spearman's $\\rho$ and Kendall's $\\tau$ are two most popular rank correlation indicators, which straightforwardly assign uniform weight to all quality levels and assume each pair of images are sortable. They are successful for measuring the average accuracy of an IQA metric in ranking multiple processed images. However, two important perceptual properties are ignored by them as well. Firstly, the sorting accuracy (SA) of high quality images are usually more important than the poor quality ones in many real world applications, where only the top-ranked images would be pushed to the users. Secondly, due to the subjective uncertainty in making judgement, two perceptually similar images are usually hardly sortable, whose ranks do not contribute to the evaluation of an IQA metric. To more accurately compare different IQA algorithms, we explore a perceptually weighted rank correlation indicator in this paper, which rewards the capability of correctly ranking high quality images, and suppresses the attention towards insensitive rank mistakes. More specifically, we focus on activating `valid' pairwise comparison towards image quality, whose difference exceeds a given sensory threshold (ST). Meanwhile, each image pair is assigned an unique weight, which is determined by both the quality level and rank deviation. By modifying the perception threshold, we can illustrate the sorting accuracy with a more sophisticated SA-ST curve, rather than a single rank correlation coefficient. The proposed indicator offers a new insight for interpreting visual perception behaviors. Furthermore, the applicability of our indicator is validated in recommending robust IQA metrics for both the degraded and enhanced image data.

A strategy for the implementation of a quality indicator system in German primary care.

PubMed

van den Heuvel, Henricus

2011-01-01

The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) has had a major impact on the quality of care in British general practice. It is seen as a major innovation amongst quality indicator systems and as a result various countries are looking at whether such initiatives could be used in their primary care. In Germany also the development of similar schemes has started. To propose a strategy indicating key issues for the implementation of a quality indicator scheme in German primary care. Literature review with a focus on the QOF and German quality indicator literature. There are major differences between the German and British healthcare and primary care systems. The development of quality indicator systems for German general practice is in progress and there is a net force for the implementation of such systems. The following ten key factors are suggested for the successful implementation of such a system in German primary care: involvement of general practitioners (GPs) at all levels of the development, a clear implementation process, investment in practice information technology (IT) systems, an accepted quality indicator set, a quality indicator setting institution and data collection organisation, clear financial and non-financial incentives, a 'practice registration' structure, an exception reporting mechanism, delegation of routine clinical data collection tasks to practice assistants, a stepped implementation approach and adequate evaluation processes. For the successful implementation of a quality indicator system in German primary care a number of key issues, as presented in this article, need to be taken into account.

An Illustration of Determining Quantitatively the Rock Mass Quality Parameters of the Hoek-Brown Failure Criterion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Li; Adoko, Amoussou Coffi; Li, Bo

2018-04-01

In tunneling, determining quantitatively the rock mass strength parameters of the Hoek-Brown (HB) failure criterion is useful since it can improve the reliability of the design of tunnel support systems. In this study, a quantitative method is proposed to determine the rock mass quality parameters of the HB failure criterion, namely the Geological Strength Index (GSI) and the disturbance factor ( D) based on the structure of drilling core and weathering condition of rock mass combined with acoustic wave test to calculate the strength of rock mass. The Rock Mass Structure Index and the Rock Mass Weathering Index are used to quantify the GSI while the longitudinal wave velocity ( V p) is employed to derive the value of D. The DK383+338 tunnel face of Yaojia tunnel of Shanghai-Kunming passenger dedicated line served as illustration of how the methodology is implemented. The values of the GSI and D are obtained using the HB criterion and then using the proposed method. The measured in situ stress is used to evaluate their accuracy. To this end, the major and minor principal stresses are calculated based on the GSI and D given by HB criterion and the proposed method. The results indicated that both methods were close to the field observation which suggests that the proposed method can be used for determining quantitatively the rock quality parameters, as well. However, these results remain valid only for rock mass quality and rock type similar to those of the DK383+338 tunnel face of Yaojia tunnel.

[Water quality and microbiological status of the distribution system: traditional parameters and emerging parameters].

PubMed

Scoglio, M E; Grillo, O C; Munaò, F; Di Pietro, A; Squeri, L

1989-01-01

Most pollution of drinking water is caused by inadequacy of the uptake and distribution systems, by insufficient upkeep of the sewage system and by defects or breaks in the disinfection processes. This may be the cause of waterborne epidemic outbreaks and therefore it is necessary carry out routine controls by simple and rapid tests for the detection of intestinal organisms. In the light of minor hepatitis A epidemics occurred in the town of Messina, we have carried out a study to determine the drinking water quality. To this end, in addition to the traditional tests recommended by CEE and required by the 8/2/1985 DPCM (37 degrees C and 20 degrees C viable count, total and faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci), we have carried out P. aeruginosa, coliphages and gram-negative endotoxins tests, in 74 water samples drawn on way in and way out of the tanks and along the piping system. Only 12.5% of the sixteen water samples drawn on way in (before disinfection system) was in compliance with the law. 75% of these samples showed positivity for faecal streptococci. The water quality was lower in the fourteen water samples drawn on way out of the tanks (7.1% was in compliance with the law). The percent of positivity along the piping system for total and faecal coliforms and for faecal streptococci was 34.1, 15.9 and 59.1 respectively. Coliphages were always absent. P. aeruginosa was almost always present in way in water (93.7%). Moreover this microorganism was recovered in 85.7% of the samples drawn on the way out and in 77.3% along the piping system. In the same drawing places endotoxins were present at high percentage (100%, 85.7% and 90.9%). These values come from high test sensitivity and poor water quality. Finally we have pointed out the importance of all the parameters examined. The significance of coliform bacteria is known, but we consider very important, as organisms indicative of pollution, the enterococci, since they P. aeruginosa may survive long time in

[Practice report: the process-based indicator dashboard. Visualising quality assurance results in standardised processes].

PubMed

Petzold, Thomas; Hertzschuch, Diana; Elchlep, Frank; Eberlein-Gonska, Maria

2014-01-01

Process management (PM) is a valuable method for the systematic analysis and structural optimisation of the quality and safety of clinical treatment. PM requires a high motivation and willingness to implement changes of both employees and management. Definition of quality indicators is required to systematically measure the quality of the specified processes. One way to represent comparable quality results is the use of quality indicators of the external quality assurance in accordance with Sect. 137 SGB V—a method which the Federal Joint Committee (GBA) and the institutions commissioned by the GBA have employed and consistently enhanced for more than ten years. Information on the quality of inpatient treatment is available for 30 defined subjects throughout Germany. The combination of specified processes with quality indicators is beneficial for the information of employees. A process-based indicator dashboard provides essential information about the treatment process. These can be used for process analysis. In a continuous consideration of these indicator results values can be determined and errors will be remedied quickly. If due consideration is given to these indicators, they can be used for benchmarking to identify potential process improvements. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Characterization of chromophoric dissolved organic matter and relationships among PARAFAC components and water quality parameters in Heilongjiang, China.

PubMed

Cui, Hongyang; Shi, Jianhong; Qiu, Linlin; Zhao, Yue; Wei, Zimin; Wang, Xinglei; Jia, Liming; Li, Jiming

2016-05-01

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is an important optically active substance that can transports nutrients and pollutants from terrestrial to aquatic systems. Additionally, it is used as a measure of water quality. To investigate the source and composition of CDOM, we used chemical and fluorescent analyses to characterize CDOM in Heilongjiang. The composition of CDOM can be investigated by excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). PARAFAC identified four individual components that were attributed to microbial humic-like (C1) and terrestrial humic-like (C2-4) in water samples collected from the Heilongjiang River. The relationships between the maximum fluorescence intensities of the four PARAFAC components and the water quality parameters indicate that the dynamic of the four components is related to nutrients in the Heilongjiang River. The relationships between the fluorescence component C3 and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) indicates that component C3 makes a great contribution to BOD5 and it can be used as a carbon source for microbes in the Heilongjiang River. Furthermore, the relationships between component C3, the particulate organic carbon (POC), and the chemical oxygen demand (CODMn) show that component C3 and POC make great contributions to BOD5 and CODMn. The use of these indexes along with PARAFAC results would be of help to characterize the co-variation between the CDOM and water quality parameters in the Heilongjiang River.

Outcome quality of in-patient cardiac rehabilitation in elderly patients--identification of relevant parameters.

PubMed

Salzwedel, Annett; Nosper, Manfred; Röhrig, Bernd; Linck-Eleftheriadis, Sigrid; Strandt, Gert; Völler, Heinz

2014-02-01

Outcome quality management requires the consecutive registration of defined variables. The aim was to identify relevant parameters in order to objectively assess the in-patient rehabilitation outcome. From February 2009 to June 2010 1253 patients (70.9 ± 7.0 years, 78.1% men) at 12 rehabilitation clinics were enrolled. Items concerning sociodemographic data, the impairment group (surgery, conservative/interventional treatment), cardiovascular risk factors, structural and functional parameters and subjective health were tested in respect of their measurability, sensitivity to change and their propensity to be influenced by rehabilitation. The majority of patients (61.1%) were referred for rehabilitation after cardiac surgery, 38.9% after conservative or interventional treatment for an acute coronary syndrome. Functionally relevant comorbidities were seen in 49.2% (diabetes mellitus, stroke, peripheral artery disease, chronic obstructive lung disease). In three key areas 13 parameters were identified as being sensitive to change and subject to modification by rehabilitation: cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides), exercise capacity (resting heart rate, maximal exercise capacity, maximal walking distance, heart failure, angina pectoris) and subjective health (IRES-24 (indicators of rehabilitation status): pain, somatic health, psychological well-being and depression as well as anxiety on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The outcome of in-patient rehabilitation in elderly patients can be comprehensively assessed by the identification of appropriate key areas, that is, cardiovascular risk factors, exercise capacity and subjective health. This may well serve as a benchmark for internal and external quality management.

Developing a framework of, and quality indicators for, general practice management in Europe.

PubMed

Engels, Yvonne; Campbell, Stephen; Dautzenberg, Maaike; van den Hombergh, Pieter; Brinkmann, Henrik; Szécsényi, Joachim; Falcoff, Hector; Seuntjens, Luc; Kuenzi, Beat; Grol, Richard

2005-04-01

To develop a framework for general practice management made up of quality indicators shared by six European countries. Two-round postal Delphi questionnaire in the setting of general practice in Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Six national expert panels, each consisting of 10 members, primarily primary care practitioners and experts in the field of quality in primary care participated in the study. The main outcome measures were: (a) a European framework with indicators for the organization of primary care; and (b) ratings of the face validity of the usefulness of the indicators by expert panels in six countries. Agreement was reached about a definition of practice management across five domains (infrastructure, staff, information, finance, and quality and safety), and a common set of indicators for the organization of general practice. The panellist response rate was 95%. Sixty-two indicators (37%) were rated face valid by all six panels. Examples include out of hours service, accessibility, the content of doctors' bags and staff involvement in quality improvement. No indicators were rated invalid by all six panels. It proved to be possible to develop a European set of indicators for assessing the quality of practice management, despite the differences in health care systems and cultures in the six different countries. These indicators will now be used in a quality assessment procedure of practice management in nine European countries. While organizational indicators are part of the new GMS contract in the UK, this research shows that many practice management issues within primary care are also of relevance in other European countries.

Canadian Association of Gastroenterology consensus guidelines on safety and quality indicators in endoscopy

PubMed Central

Armstrong, David; Barkun, Alan; Bridges, Ron; Carter, Rose; de Gara, Chris; Dubé, Catherine; Enns, Robert; Hollingworth, Roger; MacIntosh, Donald; Borgaonkar, Mark; Forget, Sylviane; Leontiadis, Grigorios; Meddings, Jonathan; Cotton, Peter; Kuipers, Ernst J; Valori, Roland

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Increasing use of gastrointestinal endoscopy, particularly for colorectal cancer screening, and increasing emphasis on health care quality, highlight the need for clearly defined, evidence-based processes to support quality improvement in endoscopy. OBJECTIVE: To identify processes and indicators of quality and safety relevant to high-quality endoscopy service delivery. METHODS: A multidisciplinary group of 35 voting participants developed recommendation statements and performance indicators. Systematic literature searches generated 50 initial statements that were revised iteratively following a modified Delphi approach using a web-based evaluation and voting tool. Statement development and evidence evaluation followed the AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines, REsearch and Evaluation) and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) guidelines. At the consensus conference, participants voted anonymously on all statements using a 6-point scale. Subsequent web-based voting evaluated recommendations for specific, individual quality indicators, safety indicators and mandatory endoscopy reporting fields. Consensus was defined a priori as agreement by 80% of participants. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on 23 recommendation statements addressing the following: ethics (statement 1: agreement 100%), facility standards and policies (statements 2 to 9: 90% to 100%), quality assurance (statements 10 to 13: 94% to 100%), training, education, competency and privileges (statements 14 to 19: 97% to 100%), endoscopy reporting standards (statements 20 and 21: 97% to 100%) and patient perceptions (statements 22 and 23: 100%). Additionally, 18 quality indicators (agreement 83% to 100%), 20 safety indicators (agreement 77% to 100%) and 23 recommended endoscopy-reporting elements (agreement 91% to 100%) were identified. DISCUSSION: The consensus process identified a clear need for high-quality clinical and outcomes research to support quality

A 2-1-1 research collaboration: participant accrual and service quality indicators.

PubMed

Eddens, Katherine S; Alcaraz, Kassandra I; Kreuter, Matthew W; Rath, Suchitra; Greer, Regina

2012-12-01

In times of crises, 2-1-1 serves as a lifeline in many ways. These crises often cause a spike in call volume that can challenge 2-1-1's ability to meet its service quality standards. For researchers gathering data through 2-1-1s, a sudden increase in call volume might reduce accrual as 2-1-1 has less time to administer study protocols. Research activities imbedded in 2-1-1 systems may affect directly 2-1-1 service quality indicators. Using data from a 2-1-1 research collaboration, this paper examines the impact of crises on call volume to 2-1-1, how call volume affects research participant accrual through 2-1-1, and how research recruitment efforts affect 2-1-1 service quality indicators. t-tests were used to examine the effect of call volume on research participant accrual. Linear and logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of research participant accrual on 2-1-1 service quality indicators. Data were collected June 2010-December 2011; data were analyzed in 2012. Findings from this collaboration suggest that crises causing spikes in call volume adversely affect 2-1-1 service quality indicators as well as accrual of research participants. Administering a brief (2-3 minute) health risk assessment did not affect service quality negatively, but administering a longer (15-18 minute) survey had a modest adverse effect on these indicators. In 2-1-1 research collaborations, both partners need to understand the dynamic relationship among call volume, research accrual, and service quality and adjust expectations accordingly. If research goals include administering a longer survey, increased staffing of 2-1-1 call centers may be needed to avoid compromising service quality. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Aquatic Insects as Indicators of Water Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyche, Steven E.

1977-01-01

Described is a science field activity that studies the presence of certain aquatic insects, like stoneflies, as indicators of water quality. Equipment, materials, and methods are listed in detail, including suggestions for building certain supplies. Results of previous studies on the Yellowstone River are included. (MA)

Quality indicators in laboratory medicine: a fundamental tool for quality and patient safety.

PubMed

Plebani, Mario; Sciacovelli, Laura; Marinova, Mariela; Marcuccitti, Jessica; Chiozza, Maria Laura

2013-09-01

The identification of reliable quality indicators (QIs) is a crucial step in enabling users to quantify the quality of laboratory services. The current lack of attention to extra-laboratory factors is in stark contrast with the body of evidence pointing to the multitude of errors that continue to occur in the pre- and post-analytical phases. Different QIs and terminologies are currently used and, therefore, there is the need to harmonize proposed QIs. A model of quality indicators (MQI) has been consensually developed by a group of clinical laboratories according to a project launched by a working group of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC). The model includes 57 QIs related to key processes (35 pre-, 7 intra- and 15 post-analytical phases) and 3 to support processes. The developed MQI and the data collected provide evidence of the feasibility of the project to harmonize currently available QIs, but further efforts should be done to involve more clinical laboratories and to collect a more consistent amount of data. Copyright © 2012 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Indicators Research and Health-Related Quality of Life Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michalos, Alex C.

2004-01-01

The aim of this essay is to build a bridge between two intersecting areas of research, social indicators research on the one hand and health-related quality of life research on the other. The first substantive section of the paper introduces key concepts and definitions in the social indicators research tradition, e.g., social indicators,…

Quality indicators for Transfusion Medicine in Spain: a survey among hospital transfusion services.

PubMed

Romon, Iñigo; Lozano, Miguel

2017-05-01

Transfusion services in the European Union must implement quality management systems to improve quality. Quality indicators (QI) play a key role in quality management because they can supply important information about the performance of the transfusion service, which can then be used for benchmarking. However, little is known about the actual use of QI in hospitals. We tried to ascertain the use and characteristics of QI in Spanish hospital transfusion services. We performed a survey among transfusion services in order to learn which QI they use. We classified indicators into categories and concepts, according to the steps of the transfusion process or the activities the indicators referred to. Seventy-six hospitals (17.9% of the hospitals actively transfusing in the country) reported 731 QI. Twenty-two of them (29%) were tertiary level hospitals. The number of indicators per hospital and by activity varied greatly. QI were assigned to some basic categories: transfusion process (23% of indicators), transfusion activity and stock management (22%), haemovigilance (20%), stem cell transplantation (9%), transfusion laboratory (9%), quality management system (8%), blood donation (3.4%), apheresis and therapeutic activities (2.5%) and immunohaematology of pregnancy (2%). Although most hospitals use QI in their quality management system and share a core group of indicators, we found a great dispersion in the number and characteristics of the indicators used. The use of a commonly agreed set of QI could be an aid to benchmarking among hospitals and to improving the transfusion process.

An examination of water quality indicators in swim sites located in the upper Los Angeles River Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, C. M.; Morris, K.; Fingland, N. K.; Johnstone, K.; Pendleton, L.; Ponce, A.; Tang, C.; Griffith, J. F.; Steele, N. L.

2013-12-01

Multiple sites in the upper Los Angeles River watershed were sampled during summer 2012 and measured for Escherichia coli, enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens (vegetative cells and spores) using culture-based analyses and preserved for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. The objective of this work includes the characterization of how well indicators correlated with each other, with respect to background levels and to 'spikes' from background, possibly indicative of a pollution input, environmental/physicochemical parameters, as well as in the context of recreational water quality standards. The 2nd objective of this work was to evaluate the economic impact of implementing qPCR at our study sites for rapid water quality monitoring. None of the species of indicators correlated well with each other (R2 < 0.1) across sites and dates when the sample set was examined in its entirety, though C. perfringens vegetative cells and spores were moderately correlated (R2 = 0.31, p = 0.07). The observation of concentration 'spikes' against background levels, suggesting a potential input of contamination, were observed on holiday sampling days and will be examined further. In general, the number of swimmers present was not linked with indicator concentrations; however, incidence of water quality exceedances (for E. coli 235 CFU or MPN/100 mL sample) were more likely to occur on the weekend or holidays (for E. coli, , suggesting that the presence/absence of swimmers may be an important variable at our sites. Clostridium perfringens may be a useful indicator at our study sites, as a comparison of vegetative to endospore forms of this organism may be used to understand how recently a contamination event or input occurred.

Developing quality indicators for older adults: transfer from the USA to the UK is feasible.

PubMed

Steel, N; Melzer, D; Shekelle, P G; Wenger, N S; Forsyth, D; McWilliams, B C

2004-08-01

Measurement of the quality of health care is essential for quality improvement, and patients are an underused source of data about quality of care. We describe the adaptation of a set of USA quality indicators for use in patient interview surveys in England, to measure the extent to which older patients receive a broad range of effective health care interventions in both primary and secondary care. One hundred and nineteen quality indicators covering 16 clinical areas, based on a set of indicators for the care of vulnerable elderly patients in the USA, were reviewed by a panel of 10 clinical experts in England. A modified version of the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used and panel members were supplied with literature reviews summarising the evidence base for each quality indicator. The indicators were sent for comment before the panel meeting to UK charitable organisations for older people. The panel rated 102 of the 119 indicators (86%) as valid for use in England; 17 (14%) were rejected as invalid. All 58 indicators about treatment or continuity and follow up were rated as valid compared with just over half (13 of 24) of the indicators about screening. These 102 indicators are suitable for use in patient interview surveys, including the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). The systematic measurement of quality of care at the population level and identification of gaps in quality is essential for quality improvement. There is potential for transfer of quality indicators between countries, at least for the health care of older people.

An empirical comparison of key statistical attributes among potential ICU quality indicators.

PubMed

Brown, Sydney E S; Ratcliffe, Sarah J; Halpern, Scott D

2014-08-01

Good quality indicators should have face validity, relevance to patients, and be able to be measured reliably. Beyond these general requirements, good quality indicators should also have certain statistical properties, including sufficient variability to identify poor performers, relative insensitivity to severity adjustment, and the ability to capture what providers do rather than patients' characteristics. We assessed the performance of candidate indicators of ICU quality on these criteria. Indicators included ICU readmission, mortality, several length of stay outcomes, and the processes of venous-thromboembolism and stress ulcer prophylaxis provision. Retrospective cohort study. One hundred thirty-eight U.S. ICUs from 2001-2008 in the Project IMPACT database. Two hundred sixty-eight thousand eight hundred twenty-four patients discharged from U.S. ICUs. None. We assessed indicators' (1) variability across ICU-years; (2) degree of influence by patient vs. ICU and hospital characteristics using the Omega statistic; (3) sensitivity to severity adjustment by comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) between models including vs. excluding patient variables, and (4) correlation between risk adjusted quality indicators using a Spearman correlation. Large ranges of among-ICU variability were noted for all quality indicators, particularly for prolonged length of stay (4.7-71.3%) and the proportion of patients discharged home (30.6-82.0%), and ICU and hospital characteristics outweighed patient characteristics for stress ulcer prophylaxis (ω, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.34-0.54), venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (ω, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.53-0.61), and ICU readmissions (ω, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52-0.90). Mortality measures were the most sensitive to severity adjustment (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve % difference, 29.6%); process measures were the least sensitive (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve % differences

Soil Water Retention as Indicator for Soil Physical Quality - Examples from Two SoilTrEC European Critical Zone Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousseva, Svetla; Kercheva, Milena; Shishkov, Toma; Dimitrov, Emil; Nenov, Martin; Lair, Georg J.; Moraetis, Daniel

2014-05-01

Soil water retention is of primary importance for majority of soil functions. The characteristics derived from Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC) are directly related to soil structure and soil water regime and can be used as indicators for soil physical quality. The aim of this study is to present some parameters and relationships based on the SWRC data from the soil profiles characterising the European SoilTrEC Critical Zone Observatories Fuchsenbigl and Koiliaris. The studied soils are representative for highly productive soils managed as arable land in the frame of soil formation chronosequence at "Marchfeld" (Fuchsenbigl CZO), Austria and heavily impacted soils during centuries through intensive grazing and farming, under severe risk of desertification in context of climatic and lithological gradient at Koiliaris, Crete, Greece. Soil water retention at pF ≤ 2.52 was determined using the undisturbed soil cores (100 cm3 and 50 cm3) by a suction plate method. Water retention at pF = 4.2 was determined by a membrane press method and at pF ≥ 5.6 - by adsorption of water vapour at controlled relative humidity, both using ground soil samples. The soil physical quality parameter (S-parameter) was defined as the slope of the water retention curve at its inflection point (Dexter, 2006), determined with the obtained parameters of van Genuhten (1980) water retention equation. The S-parameter values were categorised to assess soil physical quality as follows: S < 0.020 very poor, 0.020 ≤ S < 0.035 poor, 0.035 ≤ S < 0.050 good, S ≥ 0.050 very good (Dexter, 2004). The results showed that most of the studied topsoil horizons have good physical quality according to both the S-parameter and the Plant-Available Water content (PAW), with the exception of the soils from croplands at CZO Fuxenbigl (F4, F5) which are with poor soil structure. The link between the S-parameter and the indicator of soil structure stability (water stable soil aggregates with size 1-3 mm) is not

Changes in quality and biochemical parameters in 'Idared' apples during prolonged shelf life and 1-MCP treatment.

PubMed

Bizjak, Jan; Slatnar, Ana; Stampar, Franci; Veberic, Robert

2012-12-01

In this study, changes in quality and various biochemical parameters of 'Idared' apples during prolonged shelf life period after ultra-low oxygen (ULO) storage were investigated. Additionally, the impact of the postharvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on different parameters was evaluated. After the harvest, apples were stored in the ULO storage for 6 months and then exposed to room temperature. Fruit firmness, peel color, and changes in sugars, organic acids and phenolics were monitored during the 3 weeks of shelf life. Malic acid, sugars and firmness decreased at room temperature. However, the color of the apples remained unchanged. The level of citric and ascorbic acid remained constant. Levels of phenolics in the peel increased significantly, whereas remained constant in the pulp of apples. 1-MCP treatment resulted in higher amounts of fructose and glucose, malic acid and greater firmness of apples. However, 1-MCP did not influence the phenolic content, ascorbic acid or color. The results obtained indicate that the content of different health-promoting compounds of apples does not change dramatically at room temperature. At the same time these results suggest that 1-MCP could be useful for maintaining certain quality and biochemical parameters and might extend the shelf life of apples.

40 CFR 141.87 - Monitoring requirements for water quality parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (c) Monitoring after installation of corrosion control. Any large system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment pursuant to § 141.81(d)(4) shall measure the water quality parameters at the...)(i). Any small or medium-size system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment shall conduct...

40 CFR 141.87 - Monitoring requirements for water quality parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (c) Monitoring after installation of corrosion control. Any large system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment pursuant to § 141.81(d)(4) shall measure the water quality parameters at the...)(i). Any small or medium-size system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment shall conduct...

40 CFR 141.87 - Monitoring requirements for water quality parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... (c) Monitoring after installation of corrosion control. Any large system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment pursuant to § 141.81(d)(4) shall measure the water quality parameters at the...)(i). Any small or medium-size system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment shall conduct...

40 CFR 141.87 - Monitoring requirements for water quality parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... (c) Monitoring after installation of corrosion control. Any large system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment pursuant to § 141.81(d)(4) shall measure the water quality parameters at the...)(i). Any small or medium-size system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment shall conduct...

40 CFR 141.87 - Monitoring requirements for water quality parameters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... (c) Monitoring after installation of corrosion control. Any large system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment pursuant to § 141.81(d)(4) shall measure the water quality parameters at the...)(i). Any small or medium-size system which installs optimal corrosion control treatment shall conduct...

Verification of quality parameters for portal images in radiotherapy.

PubMed

Pesznyák, Csilla; Polgár, István; Weisz, Csaba; Király, Réka; Zaránd, Pál

2011-03-01

The purpose of the study was to verify different values of quality parameters of portal images in radiotherapy. We investigated image qualities of different field verification systems. Four EPIDs (Siemens OptiVue500aSi(®), Siemens BeamView Plus(®), Elekta iView(®) and Varian PortalVision™) were investigated with the PTW EPID QC PHANTOM(®) and compared with two portal film systems (Kodak X-OMAT(®) cassette with Kodak X-OMAT V(®) film and Kodak EC-L Lightweight(®) cassette with Kodak Portal Localisation ReadyPack(®) film). A comparison of the f50 and f25 values of the modulation transfer functions (MTFs) belonging to each of the systems revealed that the amorphous silicon EPIDs provided a slightly better high contrast resolution than the Kodak Portal Localisation ReadyPack(®) film with the EC-L Lightweight(®) cassette. The Kodak X-OMAT V(®) film gave a poor low contrast resolution: from the existing 27 holes only 9 were detectable. On the base of physical characteristics, measured in this work, the authors suggest the use of amorphous-silicon EPIDs producing the best image quality. Parameters of the EPIDs with scanning liquid ionisation chamber (SLIC) were very stable. The disadvantage of older versions of EPIDs like SLIC and VEPID is a poor DICOM implementation, and the modulation transfer function (MTF) values (f50 and f25) are less than that of aSi detectors.

Quality indicators for pharmaceutical care: a comprehensive set with national scores for Dutch community pharmacies.

PubMed

Teichert, Martina; Schoenmakers, Tim; Kylstra, Nico; Mosk, Berend; Bouvy, Marcel L; van de Vaart, Frans; De Smet, Peter A G M; Wensing, Michel

2016-08-01

Background The quality of pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies in the Netherlands has been assessed annually since 2008. The initial set has been further developed with pharmacists and patient organizations, the healthcare inspectorate, the government and health insurance companies. The set over 2012 was the first set of quality indicators for community pharmacies which was validated and supported by all major stakeholders. The aims of this study were to describe the validated set of quality indicators for community pharmacies and to report their scores over 2012. In subanalyses the score development over 5 years was described for those indicators, that have been surveyed before and remained unchanged. Methods Community pharmacists in the Netherlands were invited in 2013 to provide information for the set of 2012. Quality indicators were mapped by categories relevant for pharmaceutical care and defined for structures, processes and dispensing outcomes. Scores for categorically-measured quality indicators were presented as the percentage of pharmacies reporting the presence of a quality aspect. For numerical quality indicators, the mean of all reported scores was expressed. In subanalyses for those indicators that had been questioned previously, scores were collected from earlier measurements for pharmacies providing their scores in 2012. Multilevel analysis was used to assess the consistency of scores within one pharmacy over time by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results For the set in 2012, 1739 Dutch community pharmacies (88 % of the total) provided information for 66 quality indicators in 10 categories. Indicator scores on the presence of quality structures showed relatively high quality levels. Scores for processes and dispensing outcomes were lower. Subanalyses showed that overall indicators scores improved within pharmacies, but this development differed between pharmacies. Conclusions A set of validated quality indicators provided

[Assessing the balance of quality indicator sets of external quality assurance according to SGB V section 136].

PubMed

Doebler, Klaus; Geraedts, Max

2017-12-20

The value and usefulness of the results of indicator-based performance measurement in healthcare for different purposes do not only depend on the methodological quality of the individual indicators but also on the composition of the indicator sets. So far, the balance of the currently used indicator sets of the German mandatory national performance measurement system for hospitals has not been systematically analyzed. Due to the lack of a methodological gold standard for the assessment of balance and orientation of indicator sets we adapted the OECD concept of quality dimensions and defined four categories: 1) "Achieving primary goals of treatment", 2) "Avoiding adverse events", 3) "Indication" and 4) "Patient-centeredness". We defined rules for the assignment to the categories and analyzed the distribution of the 239 indicators from 29 medical areas in relation to these categories. 63 indicators (26.4 %) were assigned to the category "Achieving primary goals of treatment", 153 (64.0 %) to the category "Avoiding adverse events", 18 (7.5 %) to the category "Indication", one indicator (0.4 %) to the category "Patient-centeredness". Four indicators (1.7 %) addressed documentation quality. 12 of the 29 indicator sets only covered one OECD quality dimension by at least one indicator. The current indicator sets seem to be unbalanced with a strong focus on the category "Avoiding adverse events". As regards the goal of monitoring the compliance with minimal safety standards and performing improvement interventions, the direction of the indicator sets seems to be appropriate. With respect to other goals, such as for example the identification of "excellence", further development efforts are required. One relevant reason for the dominant focus on the category "Avoiding adverse events" seems to be that data sources for a follow-up and for the inclusion of the patient perspective have not been available until recently. There is a strong demand for the consequent use of

Physicochemical parameters affecting the perception of borehole water quality in Ghana.

PubMed

Kulinkina, Alexandra V; Plummer, Jeanine D; Chui, Kenneth K H; Kosinski, Karen C; Adomako-Adjei, Theodora; Egorov, Andrey I; Naumova, Elena N

2017-08-01

Rural Ghanaian communities continue using microbiologically contaminated surface water sources due in part to undesirable organoleptic characteristics of groundwater from boreholes. Our objective was to identify thresholds of physical and chemical parameters associated with consumer complaints related to groundwater. Water samples from 94 boreholes in the dry season and 68 boreholes in the rainy season were analyzed for 18 parameters. Interviews of consumers were conducted at each borehole regarding five commonly expressed water quality problems (salty taste, presence of particles, unfavorable scent, oily sheen formation on the water surface, and staining of starchy foods during cooking). Threshold levels of water quality parameters predictive of complaints were determined using the Youden index maximizing the sum of sensitivity and specificity. The probability of complaints at various parameter concentrations was estimated using logistic regression. Exceedances of WHO guidelines were detected for pH, turbidity, chloride, iron, and manganese. Concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS) above 172mg/L were associated with salty taste complaints. Although the WHO guideline is 1000mg/L, even at half the guideline, the likelihood of salty taste complaint was 75%. Iron concentrations above 0.11, 0.14 and 0.43mg/L (WHO guideline value 0.3mg/L) were associated with complaints of unfavorable scent, oily sheen, and food staining, respectively. Iron and TDS concentrations exhibited strong spatial clustering associated with specific geological formations. Improved groundwater sources in rural African communities that technically meet WHO water quality guidelines may be underutilized in preference of unimproved sources for drinking and domestic uses, compromising human health and sustainability of improved water infrastructure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

[Quality management in a clinical research facility: Evaluation of changes in quality in-house figures and the appraisal of in-house quality indicators].

PubMed

Aden, Bile; Allekotte, Silke; Mösges, Ralph

2016-12-01

For long-term maintenance and improvement of quality within a clinical research institute, the implementation and certification of a quality management system is suitable. Due to the implemented quality management system according to the still valid DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 desired quality objectives are achieved effectively. The evaluation of quality scores and the appraisal of in-house quality indicators make an important contribution in this regard. In order to achieve this and draw quality assurance conclusions, quality indicators as sensible and sensitive as possible are developed. For this, own key objectives, the retrospective evaluation of quality scores, a prospective follow-up and also discussions establish the basis. In the in-house clinical research institute the measures introduced by the quality management led to higher efficiency in work processes, improved staff skills, higher customer satisfaction and overall to more successful outcomes in relation to the self-defined key objectives. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

DRAINMOD-GIS: a lumped parameter watershed scale drainage and water quality model

Treesearch

G.P. Fernandez; G.M. Chescheir; R.W. Skaggs; D.M. Amatya

2006-01-01

A watershed scale lumped parameter hydrology and water quality model that includes an uncertainty analysis component was developed and tested on a lower coastal plain watershed in North Carolina. Uncertainty analysis was used to determine the impacts of uncertainty in field and network parameters of the model on the predicted outflows and nitrate-nitrogen loads at the...

Potential palliative care quality indicators in heart disease patients: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Mizuno, Atsushi; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Hayashi, Akitoshi; Kawai, Fujimi; Niwa, Koichiro; Utsunomiya, Akemi; Kohsaka, Shun; Kohno, Takashi; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Takayama, Morimasa; Anzai, Toshihisa

2017-10-01

In spite of the increasing interest in palliative care for heart disease, data on the detailed methods of palliative care and its efficacy specifically in heart disease are still lacking. A structured PubMed literature review revealed no quality indicators of palliative care in heart disease. Therefore, we performed a narrative overview of the potential quality indicators in heart disease by reviewing previous literature concerning quality indicators in cancer patients. We summarize seven potential categories of quality indicators in heart disease: (1) presence and availability of a palliative care unit, palliative care team, and outpatient palliative care; (2) human resources such as number of skilled staff; (3) infrastructure; (4) presence and frequency of documentation or family survey; (5) patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) data and disease-specific patient quality of life such as The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ); (6) questionnaires and interviews about the quality of palliative care after death, including bereaved family surveys; and (7) admission-related outcomes such as place of death and intensive care unit length of stay. Although detailed measurements of palliative care quality have not been validated in heart disease, many indicators developed in cancer patients might also be applicable to heart disease. This new categorization might be useful to determine quality indicators in heart disease patients. Copyright © 2017 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental quality indicators and financial development in Malaysia: unity in diversity.

PubMed

Alam, Arif; Azam, Muhammad; Abdullah, Alias Bin; Malik, Ihtisham Abdul; Khan, Anwar; Hamzah, Tengku Adeline Adura Tengku; Faridullah; Khan, Muhammad Mushtaq; Zahoor, Hina; Zaman, Khalid

2015-06-01

Environmental quality indicators are crucial for responsive and cost-effective policies. The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between environmental quality indicators and financial development in Malaysia. For this purpose, the number of environmental quality indicators has been used, i.e., air pollution measured by carbon dioxide emissions, population density per square kilometer of land area, agricultural production measured by cereal production and livestock production, and energy resources considered by energy use and fossil fuel energy consumption, which placed an impact on the financial development of the country. The study used four main financial indicators, i.e., broad money supply (M2), domestic credit provided by the financial sector (DCFS), domestic credit to the private sector (DCPC), and inflation (CPI), which each financial indicator separately estimated with the environmental quality indicators, over a period of 1975-2013. The study used the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique to minimize the simultaneity from the model. The results show that carbon dioxide emissions exert the positive correlation with the M2, DCFC, and DCPC, while there is a negative correlation with the CPI. However, these results have been evaporated from the GMM estimates, where carbon emissions have no significant relationship with any of the four financial indicators in Malaysia. The GMM results show that population density has a negative relationship with the all four financial indicators; however, in case of M2, this relationship is insignificant to explain their result. Cereal production has a positive relationship with the DCPC, while there is a negative relationship with the CPI. Livestock production exerts the positive relationship with the all four financial indicators; however, this relationship with the CPI has a more elastic relationship, while the remaining relationship is less elastic with the three financial indicators in a country

Quality Assessment Parameters for Student Support at Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sajiene, Laima; Tamuliene, Rasa

2012-01-01

The research presented in this article aims to validate quality assessment parameters for student support at higher education institutions. Student support is discussed as the system of services provided by a higher education institution which helps to develop student-centred curriculum and fulfils students' emotional, academic, social needs, and…

Impact of initial surface parameters on the final quality of laser micro-polished surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Michael; Bordatchev, Evgueni V.; Knopf, George K.

2012-03-01

Laser micro-polishing (LμP) is a new laser-based microfabrication technology for improving surface quality during a finishing operation and for producing parts and surfaces with near-optical surface quality. The LμP process uses low power laser energy to melt a thin layer of material on the previously machined surface. The polishing effect is achieved as the molten material in the laser-material interaction zone flows from the elevated regions to the local minimum due to surface tension. This flow of molten material then forms a thin ultra-smooth layer on the top surface. The LμP is a complex thermo-dynamic process where the melting, flow and redistribution of molten material is significantly influenced by a variety of process parameters related to the laser, the travel motions and the material. The goal of this study is to analyze the impact of initial surface parameters on the final surface quality. Ball-end micromilling was used for preparing initial surface of samples from H13 tool steel that were polished using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The height and width of micromilled scallops (waviness) were identified as dominant parameter affecting the quality of the LμPed surface. By adjusting process parameters, the Ra value of a surface, having a waviness period of 33 μm and a peak-to-valley value of 5.9 μm, was reduced from 499 nm to 301 nm, improving the final surface quality by 39.7%.

A test of vegetation-related indicators of wetland quality in the prairie pothole region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kantrud, H.A.; Newton, W.E.

1996-01-01

This study was part of an effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to quantitatively assess the environmental quality or 'health' of wetland resources on regional and national scales. During a two-year pilot study, we tested selected indicators of wetland quality in the U.S. portion of the prairie pothole region (PPR). We assumed that the amount of cropland versus non-cropland (mostly grassland) in the plots containing these basins was a proxy for their quality. We then tested indicators by their ability to discriminate between wetlands at the extremes of that proxy. Amounts of standing dead vegetation were greater in zones of greater water permanence. Depth of litter was greater in zones of greater water permanence and in zones of basins in poor-quality watersheds. Amounts of unvegetated bottom were greater in basins in poor-quality watersheds; lesser amounts occurred in all wetlands during a wetter year. Greater amounts of open water occurred during a wetter year and in zones of greater water permanence. When unadjusted for areas (ha) of communities, plant taxon richness was higher in wet-meadow and shallow-marsh zones in good-quality watersheds than in similar zones in poor-quality watersheds. Wet-meadow zones in good-quality watersheds had greater numbers of native perennials than those in poor-quality watersheds. This relation held when we eliminated all communities in good-quality watersheds larger than the largest communities in poor-quality watersheds from the data set. We conclude that although amounts of unvegetated bottom and plant taxon richness in wet-meadow zones were useful indicators of wetland quality during our study, the search for additional such indicators should continue. The value of these indicators may change with the notoriously unstable hydrological conditions in the PPR. Most valuable would be indicators that could be photographed or otherwise remotely sensed and would remain relatively stable under various hydrological

Home Care Quality Indicators (HCQIS) Based on the MDS-HC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirdes, John P.; Fries, Brant E.; Morris, John N.; Ikegami, Naoki; Zimmerman, David; Dalby, Dawn M.; Aliaga, Pablo; Hammer, Suzanne; Jones, Richard

2004-01-01

Purpose: This study aimed to develop home care quality indicators (HCQIs) to be used by a variety of audiences including consumers, agencies, regulators, and policy makers to support evidence-based decision making related to the quality of home care services. Design and Methods: Data from 3,041 Canadian and 11,252 U.S. home care clients assessed…

Are hospital process quality indicators influenced by socio-demographic health determinants.

PubMed

Buja, Alessandra; Canavese, Daniel; Furlan, Patrizia; Lago, Laura; Saia, Mario; Baldo, Vincenzo

2015-10-01

This population-level health service study aimed to address whether hospitals assure the same quality of care to people in equal need, i.e. to see if any associations exist between social determinants and adherence to four hospital process indicators clearly identified as being linked to better health outcomes for patients. This was a retrospective cohort study based on administrative data collected in the Veneto Region (northeast Italy). We included residents of the Veneto Region hospitalized for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), hip fracture, or cholecystitis, and women giving birth, who were discharged from any hospital operating under the Veneto Regional Health Service between January 2012 and December 2012. The following quality indicator rates were calculated: patients with STEMI-AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, elderly patients with hip fractures who underwent surgery within 48 h of admission, laparoscopic cholecystectomies and women who underwent cesarean section. A multilevel, multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to test the association between age, gender, formal education or citizenship and the quality of hospital care processes. All the inpatient hospital care process quality indicators measured were associated with an undesirable number of disparities concerning the social determinants. Monitoring the evidence-based hospital health care process indicators reveals undesirable disparities. Administrative data sets are of considerable practical value in broad-based quality assessments and as a screening tool, also in the health disparities domain. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Development of colour and firmness in strawberry crops is UV light sensitive, but colour is not a good predictor of several quality parameters.

PubMed

Ordidge, Matthew; García-Macías, Paulina; Battey, Nicholas H; Gordon, Michael H; John, Philip; Lovegrove, Julie A; Vysini, Eleni; Wagstaffe, Alexandra; Hadley, Paul

2012-06-01

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne var. Elsanta) plants were grown in polytunnels covered with three polythene films that transmitted varying levels of ultraviolet (UV) light. Fruit were harvested under near-commercial conditions and quality and yield were measured. During ripening, changes in the colour parameters of individual fruit were monitored, and the accuracy of using surface colour to predict other quality parameters was determined by analysing the correlation between colour and quality parameters within UV treatments. Higher exposure to UV during growth resulted in the fruit becoming darker at harvest and developing surface colour more quickly; fruit were also firmer at harvest, but shelf life was not consistently affected by the UV regime. Surface colour measurements were poorly correlated to firmness, shelf life or total phenolics, anthocyanins and ellagic acid contents. Although surface colour of strawberry fruits was affected by the UV regime during growth, and this parameter is an important factor in consumer perception, we concluded that the surface colour at the time of harvest was, contrary to consumer expectations, a poor indicator of firmness, potential shelf life or anthocyanin content. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identifying unintended consequences of quality indicators: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Lester, Helen E; Hannon, Kerin L; Campbell, Stephen M

2011-12-01

For the first 5 years of the UK primary care pay for performance scheme, the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), quality indicators were introduced without piloting. However, in 2009, potential new indicators were piloted in a nationally representative sample of practices. This paper describes an in-depth exploration of family physician, nurse and other primary-care practice staff views of the value of piloting with a particular focus on unintended consequences of 13 potential new QOF indicators. Fifty-seven family-practice professionals were interviewed in 24 representative practices across England. Almost all interviewees emphasised the value of piloting in terms of an opportunity to identify unintended consequences of potential QOF indicators in 'real world' settings with staff who deliver day-to-day care to patients. Four particular types of unintended consequences were identified: measure fixation, tunnel vision, misinterpretation and potential gaming. 'Measure fixation,' an inappropriate attention on isolated aspects of care, appeared to be the key unintended consequence. In particular, if the palliative care indicator had been introduced without piloting, this might have incentivised poorer care in a minority of practices with potential harm to vulnerable patients. It is important to identify concerns and experiences about unintended consequences of indicators at an early stage when there is time to remove or adapt problem indicators. Since the UK government currently spends over £1 billion each year on QOF, the £150,000 spent on each piloting cohort (0.0005% of the total QOF budget) appears to be good value for money.

Assessment and modeling of the groundwater hydrogeochemical quality parameters via geostatistical approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karami, Shawgar; Madani, Hassan; Katibeh, Homayoon; Fatehi Marj, Ahmad

2018-03-01

Geostatistical methods are one of the advanced techniques used for interpolation of groundwater quality data. The results obtained from geostatistics will be useful for decision makers to adopt suitable remedial measures to protect the quality of groundwater sources. Data used in this study were collected from 78 wells in Varamin plain aquifer located in southeast of Tehran, Iran, in 2013. Ordinary kriging method was used in this study to evaluate groundwater quality parameters. According to what has been mentioned in this paper, seven main quality parameters (i.e. total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium (Na+), total hardness (TH), chloride (Cl-) and sulfate (SO4 2-)), have been analyzed and interpreted by statistical and geostatistical methods. After data normalization by Nscore method in WinGslib software, variography as a geostatistical tool to define spatial regression was compiled and experimental variograms were plotted by GS+ software. Then, the best theoretical model was fitted to each variogram based on the minimum RSS. Cross validation method was used to determine the accuracy of the estimated data. Eventually, estimation maps of groundwater quality were prepared in WinGslib software and estimation variance map and estimation error map were presented to evaluate the quality of estimation in each estimated point. Results showed that kriging method is more accurate than the traditional interpolation methods.

Improving HIV outcomes in resource-limited countries: the importance of quality indicators.

PubMed

Ahonkhai, Aima A; Bassett, Ingrid V; Ferris, Timothy G; Freedberg, Kenneth A

2012-11-24

Resource-limited countries increasingly depend on quality indicators to improve outcomes within HIV treatment programs, but indicators of program performance suitable for use at the local program level remain underdeveloped. Using the existing literature as a guide, we applied standard quality improvement (QI) concepts to the continuum of HIV care from HIV diagnosis, to enrollment and retention in care, and highlighted critical service delivery process steps to identify opportunities for performance indicator development. We then identified existing indicators to measure program performance, citing examples used by pivotal donor agencies, and assessed their feasibility for use in surveying local program performance. Clinical delivery steps without existing performance measures were identified as opportunities for measure development. Using National Quality Forum (NQF) criteria as a guide, we developed measurement concepts suitable for use at the local program level that address existing gaps in program performance assessment. This analysis of the HIV continuum of care identified seven critical process steps providing numerous opportunities for performance measurement. Analysis of care delivery process steps and the application of NQF criteria identified 24 new measure concepts that are potentially useful for improving operational performance in HIV care at the local level. An evidence-based set of program-level quality indicators is critical for the improvement of HIV care in resource-limited settings. These performance indicators should be utilized as treatment programs continue to grow.

Faculty Perceptions of Online Teaching Effectiveness and Indicators of Quality.

PubMed

Frazer, Christine; Sullivan, Debra Henline; Weatherspoon, Deborah; Hussey, Leslie

2017-01-01

Online education programs in nursing are increasing rapidly. Faculty need to be competent in their role and possess the skills necessary to positively impact student outcomes. Existing research offers effective teaching strategies for online education; however, there may be some disconnect in the application of these strategies and faculty perceptions of associated outcomes. Focus groups were formed to uncover how nursing faculty in an online program define and describe teaching effectiveness and quality indicators in an asynchronous online environment. A semistructured interview format guided group discussion. Participants ( n = 11) included nurse educators from an online university with an average of 15 years of experience teaching in nursing academia and 6 years in an online environment. Teaching effectiveness, indicators of quality, and student success were three categories that emerged from the analysis of data. What materialized from the analysis was an overarching concept of a "dance" that occurs in the online environment. Effective online teachers facilitate, connect, lead, and work in synchrony with students to obtain indicators of quality such as student success, student improvement over time, and student application of knowledge to the professional role.

Faculty Perceptions of Online Teaching Effectiveness and Indicators of Quality

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Debra Henline; Weatherspoon, Deborah; Hussey, Leslie

2017-01-01

Online education programs in nursing are increasing rapidly. Faculty need to be competent in their role and possess the skills necessary to positively impact student outcomes. Existing research offers effective teaching strategies for online education; however, there may be some disconnect in the application of these strategies and faculty perceptions of associated outcomes. Focus groups were formed to uncover how nursing faculty in an online program define and describe teaching effectiveness and quality indicators in an asynchronous online environment. A semistructured interview format guided group discussion. Participants (n = 11) included nurse educators from an online university with an average of 15 years of experience teaching in nursing academia and 6 years in an online environment. Teaching effectiveness, indicators of quality, and student success were three categories that emerged from the analysis of data. What materialized from the analysis was an overarching concept of a “dance” that occurs in the online environment. Effective online teachers facilitate, connect, lead, and work in synchrony with students to obtain indicators of quality such as student success, student improvement over time, and student application of knowledge to the professional role. PMID:28326195

Taguchi's off line method and Multivariate loss function approach for quality management and optimization of process parameters -A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharti, P. K.; Khan, M. I.; Singh, Harbinder

2010-10-01

Off-line quality control is considered to be an effective approach to improve product quality at a relatively low cost. The Taguchi method is one of the conventional approaches for this purpose. Through this approach, engineers can determine a feasible combination of design parameters such that the variability of a product's response can be reduced and the mean is close to the desired target. The traditional Taguchi method was focused on ensuring good performance at the parameter design stage with one quality characteristic, but most products and processes have multiple quality characteristics. The optimal parameter design minimizes the total quality loss for multiple quality characteristics. Several studies have presented approaches addressing multiple quality characteristics. Most of these papers were concerned with maximizing the parameter combination of signal to noise (SN) ratios. The results reveal the advantages of this approach are that the optimal parameter design is the same as the traditional Taguchi method for the single quality characteristic; the optimal design maximizes the amount of reduction of total quality loss for multiple quality characteristics. This paper presents a literature review on solving multi-response problems in the Taguchi method and its successful implementation in various industries.

The Global Streamflow Indices and Metadata Archive (GSIM) - Part 2: Quality control, time-series indices and homogeneity assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gudmundsson, Lukas; Do, Hong Xuan; Leonard, Michael; Westra, Seth

2018-04-01

This is Part 2 of a two-paper series presenting the Global Streamflow Indices and Metadata Archive (GSIM), which is a collection of daily streamflow observations at more than 30 000 stations around the world. While Part 1 (Do et al., 2018a) describes the data collection process as well as the generation of auxiliary catchment data (e.g. catchment boundary, land cover, mean climate), Part 2 introduces a set of quality controlled time-series indices representing (i) the water balance, (ii) the seasonal cycle, (iii) low flows and (iv) floods. To this end we first consider the quality of individual daily records using a combination of quality flags from data providers and automated screening methods. Subsequently, streamflow time-series indices are computed for yearly, seasonal and monthly resolution. The paper provides a generalized assessment of the homogeneity of all generated streamflow time-series indices, which can be used to select time series that are suitable for a specific task. The newly generated global set of streamflow time-series indices is made freely available with an digital object identifier at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.887470 and is expected to foster global freshwater research, by acting as a ground truth for model validation or as a basis for assessing the role of human impacts on the terrestrial water cycle. It is hoped that a renewed interest in streamflow data at the global scale will foster efforts in the systematic assessment of data quality and provide momentum to overcome administrative barriers that lead to inconsistencies in global collections of relevant hydrological observations.

Genetic parameters of product quality and hepatic metabolism in fattened mule ducks.

PubMed

Marie-Etancelin, C; Basso, B; Davail, S; Gontier, K; Fernandez, X; Vitezica, Z G; Bastianelli, D; Baéza, E; Bernadet, M-D; Guy, G; Brun, J-M; Legarra, A

2011-03-01

Genetic parameters of traits related to hepatic lipid metabolism, carcass composition, and product quality of overfed mule ducks were estimated on both parental lines of this hybrid: the common duck line for the maternal side and the Muscovy line for the paternal side. The originality of the statistical model was to include simultaneously the additive genetic effect of the common ducks and that of the Muscovy ducks, revealing a greater genetic determinism in common than in Muscovy. Plasma metabolic indicators (glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol contents) were heritable, in particular at the end of the overfeeding period, and heritabilities increased with the overfeeding stage. Carcass composition traits were highly heritable in the common line, with values ranging from 0.15 for liver weight, 0.21 for carcass weight, and 0.25 for abdominal fat weight to 0.32 for breast muscle weight. Heritabilities of technological outputs were greater for the fatty liver (0.19 and 0.08, respectively, on common and Muscovy sides for liver melting rate) than for the pectoralis major muscle (between 0.02 and 0.05 on both parental sides for cooking losses). Fortunately, the processing industry is mainly facing problems in liver quality, such as too high of a melting rate, than in meat quality. The meat quality appraisal criteria (such as texture and cooking losses), usually dependent on pH and the rate of decline of pH, were also very lowly heritable. This study demonstrated that genetic determinism of meat quality and ability of overfeeding is not similar in the common population and in the Muscovy population; traits related to fattening, muscle development, and BW have heritability values from 2 to 4 times greater on the common line than on the Muscovy line, which is relevant for considering different selection strategies.

Monitoring green leaf tea quality parameters of different TV clones grown in northeast India using satellite data.

PubMed

Dutta, Rishiraj

2013-08-15

This study tries to quantify the effects of green leaf tea parameters that influence tea quality in Northeast India. The study is to identify the different parameters that have a significant influence on tea quality through the use of remote sensing. It investigates the methods for estimating tea quality based on remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. Attention focused on high yielding TV clones (TV1, TV18, TV22, TV23, TV25 and TV26). NDVI was obtained from ASTER images. Statistical analysis shows that NDVI has a strong significant effect on the caffeine content followed by epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC) and to some extent in other chemical parameters. Relationships therefore exist between quality parameters and remote sensing in particular for the TV clones. This leads to the conclusion that NDVI has a large potential to be used for monitoring tea quality of individual cultivars in the future. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality assessment and artificial neural networks modeling for characterization of chemical and physical parameters of potable water.

PubMed

Salari, Marjan; Salami Shahid, Esmaeel; Afzali, Seied Hosein; Ehteshami, Majid; Conti, Gea Oliveri; Derakhshan, Zahra; Sheibani, Solmaz Nikbakht

2018-04-22

Today, due to the increase in the population, the growth of industry and the variety of chemical compounds, the quality of drinking water has decreased. Five important river water quality properties such as: dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), alkalinity (ALK) and turbidity (TU) were estimated by parameters such as: electric conductivity (EC), temperature (T), and pH that could be measured easily with almost no costs. Simulate water quality parameters were examined with two methods of modeling include mathematical and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Mathematical methods are based on polynomial fitting with least square method and ANN modeling algorithms are feed-forward networks. All conditions/circumstances covered by neural network modeling were tested for all parameters in this study, except for Alkalinity. All optimum ANN models developed to simulate water quality parameters had precision value as R-value close to 0.99. The ANN model extended to simulate alkalinity with R-value equals to 0.82. Moreover, Surface fitting techniques were used to refine data sets. Presented models and equations are reliable/useable tools for studying water quality parameters at similar rivers, as a proper replacement for traditional water quality measuring equipment's. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of diet quality indices in relation to obesity.

PubMed

Asghari, Golaleh; Mirmiran, Parvin; Yuzbashian, Emad; Azizi, Fereidoun

2017-04-01

Tools, called 'diet/dietary quality indices', evaluate the level of adherence to a specified pattern or a set of recommendations in populations. Yet, there are no review studies providing unanimous comprehensive results of dietary indices on obesity. We reviewed observational studies, focusing on the association of diet quality indices with general obesity or abdominal obesity in adults. We systematically conducted a search in all English language publications available on MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science and Embase between January 1990 and January 2016. Among the wide variety of indices and weight-derived variables, studies with dietary-guideline-based indices and mean changes for weight gain or OR for general obesity and abdominal obesity were selected. From a total of 479 articles, thirty-four studies were selected for the current review, ten of which had prospective designs and twenty-six had cross-sectional designs. Associations of weight status with the original Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and other versions of the HEI including alternative HEI, HEI-2005 and HEI-05 were examined in thirteen studies, with ten studies revealing significant associations. The HEI was a better general obesity predictor in men than in women. Diet scores lacked efficacy in assessing overall diet quality and demonstrated no significant findings in developing countries, in comparison with US populations. In addition, indices based on dietary diversity scores were directly associated with weight gain. Despite the insufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions about the relation between dietary indices and obesity, HEI was found to be inversely associated with obesity and diversity-based indices were positively associated with obesity.

Correlations of water quality parameters with mutagenicity of chlorinated drinking water samples.

PubMed

Schenck, Kathleen M; Sivaganesan, Mano; Rice, Glenn E

2009-01-01

Adverse health effects that may result from chronic exposure to mixtures of disinfection by-products (DBPs) present in drinking waters may be linked to both the types and concentrations of DBPs present. Depending on the characteristics of the source water and treatment processes used, both types and concentrations of DBPs found in drinking waters vary substantially. The composition of a drinking-water mixture also may change during distribution. This study evaluated the relationships between mutagenicity, using the Ames assay, and water quality parameters. The study included information on treatment, mutagenicity data, and water quality data for source waters, finished waters, and distribution samples collected from five full-scale drinking water treatment plants, which used chlorine exclusively for disinfection. Four of the plants used surface water sources and the fifth plant used groundwater. Correlations between mutagenicity and water quality parameters are presented. The highest correlation was observed between mutagenicity and the total organic halide concentrations in the treated samples.

Development of wavelet-ANN models to predict water quality parameters in Hilo Bay, Pacific Ocean.

PubMed

Alizadeh, Mohamad Javad; Kavianpour, Mohamad Reza

2015-09-15

The main objective of this study is to apply artificial neural network (ANN) and wavelet-neural network (WNN) models for predicting a variety of ocean water quality parameters. In this regard, several water quality parameters in Hilo Bay, Pacific Ocean, are taken under consideration. Different combinations of water quality parameters are applied as input variables to predict daily values of salinity, temperature and DO as well as hourly values of DO. The results demonstrate that the WNN models are superior to the ANN models. Also, the hourly models developed for DO prediction outperform the daily models of DO. For the daily models, the most accurate model has R equal to 0.96, while for the hourly model it reaches up to 0.98. Overall, the results show the ability of the model to monitor the ocean parameters, in condition with missing data, or when regular measurement and monitoring are impossible. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parameter Search Algorithms for Microwave Radar-Based Breast Imaging: Focal Quality Metrics as Fitness Functions.

PubMed

O'Loughlin, Declan; Oliveira, Bárbara L; Elahi, Muhammad Adnan; Glavin, Martin; Jones, Edward; Popović, Milica; O'Halloran, Martin

2017-12-06

Inaccurate estimation of average dielectric properties can have a tangible impact on microwave radar-based breast images. Despite this, recent patient imaging studies have used a fixed estimate although this is known to vary from patient to patient. Parameter search algorithms are a promising technique for estimating the average dielectric properties from the reconstructed microwave images themselves without additional hardware. In this work, qualities of accurately reconstructed images are identified from point spread functions. As the qualities of accurately reconstructed microwave images are similar to the qualities of focused microscopic and photographic images, this work proposes the use of focal quality metrics for average dielectric property estimation. The robustness of the parameter search is evaluated using experimental dielectrically heterogeneous phantoms on the three-dimensional volumetric image. Based on a very broad initial estimate of the average dielectric properties, this paper shows how these metrics can be used as suitable fitness functions in parameter search algorithms to reconstruct clear and focused microwave radar images.

Marital-role quality and stress-related psychobiological indicators.

PubMed

Barnett, Rosalind Chait; Steptoe, Andrew; Gareis, Karen C

2005-08-01

The quality of one's marital relationship is gaining recognition as a potential stressor associated with negative health outcomes. In this study, we estimated the relationship between marital-role quality and three psychobiological stress indicators (self-reported stress, cortisol levels, and ambulatory blood pressure). Participants were 105 middle-age adults (67 men, 38 women) who had previously taken part in the Whitehall psychobiology study. Ambulatory monitoring and saliva sampling were carried out over a working day, and marital relationships were assessed with the Marital/Partner Role Quality scales. We found that marital-role concerns (but not marital-role rewards) were related to all three psychobiological stress indicators; results did not vary by gender. Specifically, participants with more marital concerns reported greater stress throughout the day (p=.014), showed an attenuated cortisol increase following waking (p=.042) and a flatter cortisol slope over the day (p=.010), and had elevated ambulatory diastolic blood pressure over the middle of the workday (p=.004), with a similar trend in systolic pressure (p=.069). The results suggest that in addition to the carryover of work stress into domestic life that has been evident for many years, there are also influences of domestic strain on biological function over the working day and evening. Previous research suggests that a possible mechanism linking troubled marriages to health outcomes is depressed immune functioning. This study suggests a second mechanism-poorer stress-related biological response.

Monitoring grass nutrients and biomass as indicators of rangeland quality and quantity using random forest modelling and WorldView-2 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramoelo, Abel; Cho, M. A.; Mathieu, R.; Madonsela, S.; van de Kerchove, R.; Kaszta, Z.; Wolff, E.

2015-12-01

Land use and climate change could have huge impacts on food security and the health of various ecosystems. Leaf nitrogen (N) and above-ground biomass are some of the key factors limiting agricultural production and ecosystem functioning. Leaf N and biomass can be used as indicators of rangeland quality and quantity. Conventional methods for assessing these vegetation parameters at landscape scale level are time consuming and tedious. Remote sensing provides a bird-eye view of the landscape, which creates an opportunity to assess these vegetation parameters over wider rangeland areas. Estimation of leaf N has been successful during peak productivity or high biomass and limited studies estimated leaf N in dry season. The estimation of above-ground biomass has been hindered by the signal saturation problems using conventional vegetation indices. The objective of this study is to monitor leaf N and above-ground biomass as an indicator of rangeland quality and quantity using WorldView-2 satellite images and random forest technique in the north-eastern part of South Africa. Series of field work to collect samples for leaf N and biomass were undertaken in March 2013, April or May 2012 (end of wet season) and July 2012 (dry season). Several conventional and red edge based vegetation indices were computed. Overall results indicate that random forest and vegetation indices explained over 89% of leaf N concentrations for grass and trees, and less than 89% for all the years of assessment. The red edge based vegetation indices were among the important variables for predicting leaf N. For the biomass, random forest model explained over 84% of biomass variation in all years, and visible bands including red edge based vegetation indices were found to be important. The study demonstrated that leaf N could be monitored using high spatial resolution with the red edge band capability, and is important for rangeland assessment and monitoring.

Quality-of-care indicators among remote-dwelling hemodialysis patients: a cohort study.

PubMed

Thompson, Stephanie; Bello, Aminu; Wiebe, Natasha; Manns, Braden; Hemmelgarn, Brenda; Klarenbach, Scott; Pelletier, Rick; Tonelli, Marcello

2013-08-01

We hypothesized that the higher mortality for hemodialysis patients who live farther from the closest attending nephrologist compared with patients living closer might be due to lower quality of care. Population-based longitudinal study. All adult maintenance hemodialysis patients with measurements of quality-of-care indicators initiating hemodialysis therapy between January 2001 and June 2010 in Northern Alberta, Canada. Hemodialysis patients were classified into categories based on the distance by road from their residence to the closest nephrologist: ≤50 (referent), 50.1-150, 150.1-300, and >300 km. Quality-of-care indicators were based on published guidelines. Quality-of-care indicators at 90 days following initiation of hemodialysis therapy and, in a secondary analysis, at 1 year. Measurements were available for 1,784 patients. At baseline, the proportions of patients residing in each category were 69% for ≤50 km to closest nephrologist; 17%, 50.1-150 km; 7%, 150.1-300 km; and 7%, >300 km. Those who lived farther away from the closest nephrologist were less likely to have seen a nephrologist 90 days prior to the initiation of hemodialysis therapy (P for trend = 0.008) and were less likely to receive Kt/V of 1.2 (adjusted OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30-0.84; P for trend = 0.01). Remote location also was associated with suboptimal levels of phosphate control (P for trend = 0.005). There were no differences in the prevalence of arteriovenous fistulas or grafts or hemoglobin levels across distance categories. Registry data with limited data for non-guideline-based quality indicators. Although several quality-of-care indicators were less common in remote-dwelling hemodialysis patients, these differences do not appear sufficient to explain the previously noted disparities in clinical outcomes by residence location. Copyright © 2013 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Serengeti real estate: density vs. fitness-based indicators of lion habitat quality.

PubMed

Mosser, Anna; Fryxell, John M; Eberly, Lynn; Packer, Craig

2009-10-01

Habitat quality is typically inferred by assuming a direct relationship between consumer density and resource abundance, although it has been suggested that consumer fitness may be a more accurate measure of habitat quality. We examined density vs. fitness-based measures of habitat quality for lions in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. A 40-year average of female reproductive success (yearling cubs per female) was best explained by proximity to river confluences, whereas patterns of productivity (yearling cubs per km(2)) and adult female density (individuals per km(2)) were associated with more general measures of habitat quality and areas of shelter in poor habitat. This suggests that density may not accurately distinguish between high-quality 'source' areas and low-quality sites that merely provide refuges for effectively non-reproductive individuals. Our results indicate that density may be a misleading indicator of real estate value, particularly for populations that do not conform to an ideal free distribution.

Are performance indicators used for hospital quality management: a qualitative interview study amongst health professionals and quality managers in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Botje, Daan; Ten Asbroek, Guus; Plochg, Thomas; Anema, Helen; Kringos, Dionne S; Fischer, Claudia; Wagner, Cordula; Klazinga, Niek S

2016-10-13

Hospitals are under increasing pressure to share indicator-based performance information. These indicators can also serve as a means to promote quality improvement and boost hospital performance. Our aim was to explore hospitals' use of performance indicators for internal quality management activities. We conducted a qualitative interview study among 72 health professionals and quality managers in 14 acute care hospitals in The Netherlands. Concentrating on orthopaedic and oncology departments, our goal was to gain insight into data collection and use of performance indicators for two conditions: knee and hip replacement surgery and breast cancer surgery. The semi-structured interviews were recorded and summarised. Based on the data, themes were synthesised and the analyses were executed systematically by two analysts independently. The findings were validated through comparison. The hospitals we investigated collect data for performance indicators in different ways. Similarly, these hospitals have different ways of using such data to support their quality management, while some do not seem to use the data for this purpose at all. Factors like 'linking pin champions', pro-active quality managers and engaged medical specialists seem to make a difference. In addition, a comprehensive hospital data infrastructure with electronic patient records and robust data collection software appears to be a prerequisite to produce reliable external performance indicators for internal quality improvement. Hospitals often fail to use performance indicators as a means to support internal quality management. Such data, then, are not used to its full potential. Hospitals are recommended to focus their human resource policy on 'linking pin champions', the engagement of professionals and a pro-active quality manager, and to invest in a comprehensive data infrastructure. Furthermore, the differences in data collection processes between Dutch hospitals make it difficult to draw

Meat quality parameters of descendants by grading hybridization of Boer goat and Guanzhong Dairy goat.

PubMed

Ding, W; Kou, L; Cao, B; Wei, Y

2010-03-01

Chemical composition, cholesterol levels, fatty acid profile, meat taste, and quality parameters were evaluated in 48 buck kids from goats of the Guanzhong Dairy breed (Group G) and their crosses (Group F1: 1/2 Boermale symbolx1/2 Guanzhong Dairyfemale symbol; Group F2: 3/4 Boermale symbolx1/4 Guanzhong Dairyfemale symbol; Group F3: 7/8 Boermale symbolx1/8 Guanzhong Dairyfemale symbol) at different ages of slaughter (6, 8 and 10 months). Results indicated that grading hybridization (P<0.05) affected meat nutritive value. The muscle of hybrid goats had lower crude fat and cholesterol, higher crude protein, and greater proportion of C18:2 and C18:3 than that of Group G at each age. Group F1 goats had better (P<0.05) desirable fatty acid (DFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) to saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratios and greater (C18:0+C18:1/C16:0) ratios (P<0.01) than those of the other genotypes. Furthermore, the muscles of hybrid goats were tenderer and juicier compared to Group G. In all four groups, cholesterol levels increased (P<0.01), muscle color became redder (P<0.05) and tenderness decreased (P<0.05) with increasing age. The low level of lipids and cholesterol, good meat quality, and the higher ratio of unsaturated to SFA in Group F1 indicate better quality for human consumption. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Developing Quality Indicators for Family Support Services in Community Team-Based Mental Health Care

PubMed Central

Olin, S. Serene; Kutash, Krista; Pollock, Michele; Burns, Barbara J.; Kuppinger, Anne; Craig, Nancy; Purdy, Frances; Armusewicz, Kelsey; Wisdom, Jennifer; Hoagwood, Kimberly E.

2013-01-01

Quality indicators for programs integrating parent-delivered family support services for children’s mental health have not been systematically developed. Increasing emphasis on accountability under the Affordable Care Act highlights the importance of quality-benchmarking efforts. Using a modified Delphi approach, quality indicators were developed for both program level and family support specialist level practices. These indicators were pilot tested with 21 community-based mental health programs. Psychometric properties of these indicators are reported; variations in program and family support specialist performance suggest the utility of these indicators as tools to guide policies and practices in organizations that integrate parent-delivered family support service components. PMID:23709287

Effect of mechanical extraction parameters on the yield and quality of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed oil.

PubMed

Sannino, M; Del Piano, L; Abet, Massimo; Baiano, S; Crimaldi, M; Modestia, F; Raimo, F; Ricciardiello, G; Faugno, S

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how the combination of extraction parameters, such as extraction temperature seeds preheating and screw rotation speed, influenced the yield and chemical quality of tobacco seed oil (TSO). For its peculiar properties, TSO can be used for several purposes, as raw material in the manufacturing of soap, paints, resins, lubricants, biofuels and also as edible oil. TSO was obtained using a mechanical screw press and the quality of the oil was evaluated by monitoring the free fatty acids (FFA), the peroxide value (PV), the spectroscopic indices K 232 , K 270 and ΔK and the fatty acid composition. The maximum extraction yield, expressed as percent of oil mechanically extracted respect to the oil content in the seeds, determined by solvent extraction, was obtained with the combination of the highest extraction temperature, the slowest screw rotation speed and seeds preheating. Under these conditions yield was 80.28 ± 0.33% (w/w), 25% higher than the lowest yield obtained among investigated conditions. The extraction temperature and seed preheating showed a significant effect on FFA, on spectroscopic indices K 232 , K 270 and ΔK values. The average values of these parameters slightly increased rising the temperature and in presence of preheating, the screw rotation speed did not affect the chemical characteristic tested. In the extraction conditions investigated no significant changes in PV and fatty acids composition of oil were observed.

Seasonal variability of stream water quality response to storm events captured using high-frequency and multi-parameter data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fovet, O.; Humbert, G.; Dupas, R.; Gascuel-Odoux, C.; Gruau, G.; Jaffrezic, A.; Thelusma, G.; Faucheux, M.; Gilliet, N.; Hamon, Y.; Grimaldi, C.

2018-04-01

The response of stream chemistry to storm is of major interest for understanding the export of dissolved and particulate species from catchments. The related challenge is the identification of active hydrological flow paths during these events and of the sources of chemical elements for which these events are hot moments of exports. An original four-year data set that combines high frequency records of stream flow, turbidity, nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations, and piezometric levels was used to characterize storm responses in a headwater agricultural catchment. The data set was used to test to which extend the shallow groundwater was impacting the variability of storm responses. A total of 177 events were described using a set of quantitative and functional descriptors related to precipitation, stream and groundwater pre-event status and event dynamics, and to the relative dynamics between water quality parameters and flow via hysteresis indices. This approach led to identify different types of response for each water quality parameter which occurrence can be quantified and related to the seasonal functioning of the catchment. This study demonstrates that high-frequency records of water quality are precious tools to study/unique in their ability to emphasize the variability of catchment storm responses.

Using and Reporting the Delphi Method for Selecting Healthcare Quality Indicators: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Boulkedid, Rym; Abdoul, Hendy; Loustau, Marine; Sibony, Olivier; Alberti, Corinne

2011-01-01

Objective Delphi technique is a structured process commonly used to developed healthcare quality indicators, but there is a little recommendation for researchers who wish to use it. This study aimed 1) to describe reporting of the Delphi method to develop quality indicators, 2) to discuss specific methodological skills for quality indicators selection 3) to give guidance about this practice. Methodology and Main Finding Three electronic data bases were searched over a 30 years period (1978–2009). All articles that used the Delphi method to select quality indicators were identified. A standardized data extraction form was developed. Four domains (questionnaire preparation, expert panel, progress of the survey and Delphi results) were assessed. Of 80 included studies, quality of reporting varied significantly between items (9% for year's number of experience of the experts to 98% for the type of Delphi used). Reporting of methodological aspects needed to evaluate the reliability of the survey was insufficient: only 39% (31/80) of studies reported response rates for all rounds, 60% (48/80) that feedback was given between rounds, 77% (62/80) the method used to achieve consensus and 57% (48/80) listed quality indicators selected at the end of the survey. A modified Delphi procedure was used in 49/78 (63%) with a physical meeting of the panel members, usually between Delphi rounds. Median number of panel members was 17(Q1:11; Q3:31). In 40/70 (57%) studies, the panel included multiple stakeholders, who were healthcare professionals in 95% (38/40) of cases. Among 75 studies describing criteria to select quality indicators, 28 (37%) used validity and 17(23%) feasibility. Conclusion The use and reporting of the Delphi method for quality indicators selection need to be improved. We provide some guidance to the investigators to improve the using and reporting of the method in future surveys. PMID:21694759

Using and reporting the Delphi method for selecting healthcare quality indicators: a systematic review.

PubMed

Boulkedid, Rym; Abdoul, Hendy; Loustau, Marine; Sibony, Olivier; Alberti, Corinne

2011-01-01

Delphi technique is a structured process commonly used to developed healthcare quality indicators, but there is a little recommendation for researchers who wish to use it. This study aimed 1) to describe reporting of the Delphi method to develop quality indicators, 2) to discuss specific methodological skills for quality indicators selection 3) to give guidance about this practice. Three electronic data bases were searched over a 30 years period (1978-2009). All articles that used the Delphi method to select quality indicators were identified. A standardized data extraction form was developed. Four domains (questionnaire preparation, expert panel, progress of the survey and Delphi results) were assessed. Of 80 included studies, quality of reporting varied significantly between items (9% for year's number of experience of the experts to 98% for the type of Delphi used). Reporting of methodological aspects needed to evaluate the reliability of the survey was insufficient: only 39% (31/80) of studies reported response rates for all rounds, 60% (48/80) that feedback was given between rounds, 77% (62/80) the method used to achieve consensus and 57% (48/80) listed quality indicators selected at the end of the survey. A modified Delphi procedure was used in 49/78 (63%) with a physical meeting of the panel members, usually between Delphi rounds. Median number of panel members was 17(Q1:11; Q3:31). In 40/70 (57%) studies, the panel included multiple stakeholders, who were healthcare professionals in 95% (38/40) of cases. Among 75 studies describing criteria to select quality indicators, 28 (37%) used validity and 17(23%) feasibility. The use and reporting of the Delphi method for quality indicators selection need to be improved. We provide some guidance to the investigators to improve the using and reporting of the method in future surveys.

Relationship between changes in vasomotor symptoms and changes in menopause-specific quality of life and sleep parameters.

PubMed

Pinkerton, JoAnn V; Abraham, Lucy; Bushmakin, Andrew G; Cappelleri, Joseph C; Komm, Barry S

2016-10-01

This study characterizes and quantifies the relationship of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopause with menopause-specific quality of life (MSQOL) and sleep parameters to help predict treatment outcomes and inform treatment decision-making. Data were derived from a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial that evaluated effects of two doses of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene on VMS in nonhysterectomized postmenopausal women (N = 318, mean age = 53.39) experiencing at least seven moderate to severe hot flushes (HFs) per day or at least 50 per week. Repeated measures models were used to determine relationships between HF frequency and severity and outcomes on the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire and the Medical Outcomes Study sleep scale. Sensitivity analyses were performed to check assumptions of linearity between VMS and outcomes. Frequency and severity of HFs showed approximately linear relationships with MSQOL and sleep parameters. Sensitivity analyses supported assumptions of linearity. The largest changes associated with a reduction of five HFs and a 0.5-point decrease in severity occurred in the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life vasomotor functioning domain (0.78 for number of HFs and 0.98 for severity) and the Medical Outcomes Study sleep disturbance (7.38 and 4.86) and sleep adequacy (-5.60 and -4.66) domains and the two overall sleep problems indices (SPI: 5.17 and 3.63; SPII: 5.82 and 3.83). Frequency and severity of HFs have an approximately linear relationship with MSQOL and sleep parameters-that is, improvements in HFs are associated with improvements in MSQOL and sleep. Such relationships may enable clinicians to predict changes in sleep and MSQOL expected from various VMS treatments.

Standards of care and quality indicators for multidisciplinary care models for psoriatic arthritis in Spain.

PubMed

Gratacós, Jordi; Luelmo, Jesús; Rodríguez, Jesús; Notario, Jaume; Marco, Teresa Navío; de la Cueva, Pablo; Busquets, Manel Pujol; Font, Mercè García; Joven, Beatriz; Rivera, Raquel; Vega, Jose Luis Alvarez; Álvarez, Antonio Javier Chaves; Parera, Ricardo Sánchez; Carrascosa, Jose Carlos Ruiz; Martínez, Fernando José Rodríguez; Sánchez, José Pardo; Olmos, Carlos Feced; Pujol, Conrad; Galindez, Eva; Barrio, Silvia Pérez; Arana, Ana Urruticoechea; Hergueta, Mercedes; Coto, Pablo; Queiro, Rubén

2018-06-01

To define and give priority to standards of care and quality indicators of multidisciplinary care for patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). A systematic literature review on PsA standards of care and quality indicators was performed. An expert panel of rheumatologists and dermatologists who provide multidisciplinary care was established. In a consensus meeting group, the experts discussed and developed the standards of care and quality indicators and graded their priority, agreement and also the feasibility (only for quality indicators) following qualitative methodology and a Delphi process. Afterwards, these results were discussed with 2 focus groups, 1 with patients, another with health managers. A descriptive analysis is presented. We obtained 25 standards of care (9 of structure, 9 of process, 7 of results) and 24 quality indicators (2 of structure, 5 of process, 17 of results). Standards of care include relevant aspects in the multidisciplinary care of PsA patients like an appropriate physical infrastructure and technical equipment, the access to nursing care, labs and imaging techniques, other health professionals and treatments, or the development of care plans. Regarding quality indicators, the definition of multidisciplinary care model objectives and referral criteria, the establishment of responsibilities and coordination among professionals and the active evaluation of patients and data collection were given a high priority. Patients considered all of them as important. This set of standards of care and quality indicators for the multidisciplinary care of patients with PsA should help improve quality of care in these patients.

A literature review of quantitative indicators to measure the quality of labor and delivery care.

PubMed

Tripathi, Vandana

2016-02-01

Strengthening measurement of the quality of labor and delivery (L&D) care in low-resource countries requires an understanding of existing approaches. To identify quantitative indicators of L&D care quality and assess gaps in indicators. PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and Embase databases were searched for research published in English between January 1, 1990, and October 31, 2013, using structured terms. Studies describing indicators for L&D care quality assessment were included. Those whose abstracts contained inclusion criteria underwent full-text review. Study characteristics, including indicator selection and data sources, were extracted via a standard spreadsheet. The structured search identified 1224 studies. After abstract and full-text review, 477 were included in the analysis. Most studies selected indicators by using literature review, clinical guidelines, or expert panels. Few indicators were empirically validated; most studies relied on medical record review to measure indicators. Many quantitative indicators have been used to measure L&D care quality, but few have been validated beyond expert opinion. There has been limited use of clinical observation in quality assessment of care processes. The findings suggest the need for validated, efficient consensus indicators of the quality of L&D care processes, particularly in low-resource countries. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing quality indicators for general practice care for vulnerable elders; transfer from US to The Netherlands.

PubMed

van der Ploeg, E; Depla, M F I A; Shekelle, P; Rigter, H; Mackenbach, J P

2008-08-01

Measurement of the quality of healthcare is a first step for quality improvement. To measure quality of healthcare, a set of quality indicators is needed. We describe the adaptation of a set of systematically developed US quality indicators for healthcare for vulnerable elders in The Netherlands. We also compare the US and the Dutch set to see if quality indicators can be transferred between countries, as has been done in two studies in the UK, with mixed results. 108 US quality indicators on GP care for vulnerable elders, covering eight conditions, were assessed by a panel of nine clinical experts in The Netherlands. A modified version of the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used. The panel members received US literature reviews, extended with more recent and Dutch literature, summarising the evidence for each quality indicator. 72 indicators (67% of US set) were (nearly) identical in the Dutch and US sets. For some conditions, this percentage was much lower. For undernutrition, only half of the US indicators were included in the Dutch set. For depression, many indicators were discarded or changed in a significant way, with the result that only five of the original 17 indicators (29%) are the same in the Dutch and the US set. Quality indicators can be transferred between countries, but with caution, because in two of the three studies on transferring indicators between the US and Europe, 33-44% of the indicators were discarded. For some conditions in the current study, this percentage is much higher. For undernutrition, there is hardly any evidence, and differences between the indicator sets can be attributed to differences in expert opinion between the countries. For depression, it seems that different evidence is considered important in the US and in The Netherlands, of which the Dutch body of knowledge is not known in the US.

Characterization of Italian honeys (Marche Region) on the basis of their mineral content and some typical quality parameters

PubMed Central

Conti, Marcelo Enrique; Stripeikis, Jorge; Campanella, Luigi; Cucina, Domenico; Tudino, Mabel Beatriz

2007-01-01

Background The characterization of three types of Marche (Italy) honeys (Acacia, Multifloral, Honeydew) was carried out on the basis of the their quality parameters (pH, sugar content, humidity) and mineral content (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, and Mn). Pattern recognition methods such as principal components analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed in order to classify honey samples whose botanical origins were different, and identify the most discriminant parameters. Lastly, using ANOVA and correlations for all parameters, significant differences between diverse types of honey were examined. Results Most of the samples' water content showed good maturity (98%) whilst pH values were in the range 3.50 – 4.21 confirming the good quality of the honeys analysed. Potassium was quantitatively the most relevant mineral (mean = 643 ppm), accounting for 79% of the total mineral content. The Ca, Na and Mg contents account for 14, 3 and 3% of the total mineral content respectively, while other minerals (Cu, Mn, Fe) were present at very low levels. PCA explained 75% or more of the variance with the first two PC variables. The variables with higher discrimination power according to the multivariate statistical procedure were Mg and pH. On the other hand, all samples of acacia and honeydew, and more than 90% of samples of multifloral type have been correctly classified using the LDA. ANOVA shows significant differences between diverse floral origins for all variables except sugar, moisture and Fe. Conclusion In general, the analytical results obtained for the Marche honeys indicate the products' high quality. The determination of physicochemical parameters and mineral content in combination with modern statistical techniques can be a useful tool for honey classification. PMID:17880749

An evaluation of the quality of obstetric morbidity coding using an objective assessment tool, the Performance Indicators For Coding Quality (PICQ).

PubMed

Lamb, Mary K; Innes, Kerry; Saad, Patricia; Rust, Julie; Dimitropoulos, Vera; Cumerlato, Megan

The Performance Indicators for Coding Quality (PICQ) is a data quality assessment tool developed by Australia's National Centre for Classification in Health (NCCH). PICQ consists of a number of indicators covering all ICD-10-AM disease chapters, some procedure chapters from the Australian Classification of Health Intervention (ACHI) and some Australian Coding Standards (ACS). The indicators can be used to assess the coding quality of hospital morbidity data by monitoring compliance of coding conventions and ACS; this enables the identification of particular records that may be incorrectly coded, thus providing a measure of data quality. There are 31 obstetric indicators available for the ICD-10-AM Fourth Edition. Twenty of these 31 indicators were classified as Fatal, nine as Warning and two Relative. These indicators were used to examine coding quality of obstetric records in the 2004-2005 financial year Australian national hospital morbidity dataset. Records with obstetric disease or procedure codes listed anywhere in the code string were extracted and exported from the SPSS source file. Data were then imported into a Microsoft Access database table as per PICQ instructions, and run against all Fatal and Warning and Relative (N=31) obstetric PICQ 2006 Fourth Edition Indicators v.5 for the ICD-10- AM Fourth Edition. There were 689,905 gynaecological and obstetric records in the 2004-2005 financial year, of which 1.14% were found to have triggered Fatal degree errors, 3.78% Warning degree errors and 8.35% Relative degree errors. The types of errors include completeness, redundancy, specificity and sequencing problems. It was found that PICQ is a useful initial screening tool for the assessment of ICD-10-AM/ACHI coding quality. The overall quality of codes assigned to obstetric records in the 2004- 2005 Australian national morbidity dataset is of fair quality.

Effectiveness of benthic foraminiferal and coral assemblages as water quality indicators on inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uthicke, S.; Thompson, A.; Schaffelke, B.

2010-03-01

Although the debate about coral reef decline focuses on global disturbances (e.g., increasing temperatures and acidification), local stressors (nutrient runoff and overfishing) continue to affect reef health and resilience. The effectiveness of foraminiferal and hard-coral assemblages as indicators of changes in water quality was assessed on 27 inshore reefs along the Great Barrier Reef. Environmental variables (i.e., several water quality and sediment parameters) and the composition of both benthic foraminiferal and hard-coral assemblages differed significantly between four regions (Whitsunday, Burdekin, Fitzroy, and the Wet Tropics). Grain size and organic carbon and nitrogen content of sediments, and a composite water column parameter (based on turbidity and concentrations of particulate matter) explained a significant amount of variation in the data (tested by redundancy analyses) in both assemblages. Heterotrophic species of foraminifera were dominant in sediments with high organic content and in localities with low light availability, whereas symbiont-bearing mixotrophic species were dominant elsewhere. A similar suite of parameters explained 89% of the variation in the FORAM index (a Caribbean coral reef health indicator) and 61% in foraminiferal species richness. Coral richness was not related to environmental setting. Coral assemblages varied in response to environmental variables, but were strongly shaped by acute disturbances (e.g., cyclones, Acanthaster planci outbreaks, and bleaching), thus different coral assemblages may be found at sites with the same environmental conditions. Disturbances also affect foraminiferal assemblages, but they appeared to recover more rapidly than corals. Foraminiferal assemblages are effective bioindicators of turbidity/light regimes and organic enrichment of sediments on coral reefs.

Beyond the false negative rate: development of quality indicators for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer.

PubMed

Quan, May Lynn; Wells, Bryan J; McCready, David; Wright, Frances C; Fraser, Novlette; Gagliardi, Anna R

2010-02-01

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNLB) has been adopted as the standard method of axillary staging for women with clinically node-negative early-stage breast cancer. The false negative rate as a quality indicator is impractical given the need for a completion axillary dissection to calculate. The objective of this study was to develop practical quality indicators for SLNB using an expert consensus method and to determine if they were feasible to measure. We used a modified Delphi consensus process to develop quality indicators for SLNB. A multidisciplinary expert panel reviewed potential indicators extracted from the medical literature to select quality indicators that were relevant and measurable. Feasibility was determined by abstracting the quality indicator variables from a retrospective chart review. The expert panel prioritized 11 quality indicators as benchmarks for assessing the quality of surgical care in SNLB. Nine of the indicators were measurable at the chart or institutional level. A systematic evidence- and consensus-based approach was used to develop measurable quality indicators that could be used by practicing surgeons and administrators to evaluate performance of SLNB in breast cancer.

Indicators to support the dynamic evaluation of air quality models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thunis, P.; Clappier, A.

2014-12-01

Air quality models are useful tools for the assessment and forecast of pollutant concentrations in the atmosphere. Most of the evaluation process relies on the “operational phase” or in other words the comparison of model results with available measurements which provides insight on the model capability to reproduce measured concentrations for a given application. But one of the key advantages of air quality models lies in their ability to assess the impact of precursor emission reductions on air quality levels. Models are then used in a dynamic mode (i.e. response to a change in a given model input data) for which evaluation of the model performances becomes a challenge. The objective of this work is to propose common indicators and diagrams to facilitate the understanding of model responses to emission changes when models are to be used for policy support. These indicators are shown to be useful to retrieve information on the magnitude of the locally produced impacts of emission reductions on concentrations with respect to the “external to the domain” contribution but also to identify, distinguish and quantify impacts arising from different factors (different precursors). In addition information about the robustness of the model results is provided. As such these indicators might reveal useful as first screening methodology to identify the feasibility of a given action as well as to prioritize the factors on which to act for an increased efficiency. Finally all indicators are made dimensionless to facilitate the comparison of results obtained with different models, different resolutions, or on different geographical areas.

GAMA/H-ATLAS: common star formation rate indicators and their dependence on galaxy physical parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Norberg, P.; Gunawardhana, M. L. P.; Heinis, S.; Baldry, I. K.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Bourne, N.; Brough, S.; Brown, M. J. I.; Cluver, M. E.; Cooray, A.; da Cunha, E.; Driver, S. P.; Dunne, L.; Dye, S.; Eales, S.; Grootes, M. W.; Holwerda, B. W.; Hopkins, A. M.; Ibar, E.; Ivison, R.; Lacey, C.; Lara-Lopez, M. A.; Loveday, J.; Maddox, S. J.; Michałowski, M. J.; Oteo, I.; Owers, M. S.; Popescu, C. C.; Smith, D. J. B.; Taylor, E. N.; Tuffs, R. J.; van der Werf, P.

2016-09-01

We compare common star formation rate (SFR) indicators in the local Universe in the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) equatorial fields (˜160 deg2), using ultraviolet (UV) photometry from GALEX, far-infrared and sub-millimetre (sub-mm) photometry from Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey, and Hα spectroscopy from the GAMA survey. With a high-quality sample of 745 galaxies (median redshift = 0.08), we consider three SFR tracers: UV luminosity corrected for dust attenuation using the UV spectral slope β (SFRUV, corr), Hα line luminosity corrected for dust using the Balmer decrement (BD) (SFRH α, corr), and the combination of UV and infrared (IR) emission (SFRUV + IR). We demonstrate that SFRUV, corr can be reconciled with the other two tracers after applying attenuation corrections by calibrating Infrared excess (IRX; I.e. the IR to UV luminosity ratio) and attenuation in the Hα (derived from BD) against β. However, β, on its own, is very unlikely to be a reliable attenuation indicator. We find that attenuation correction factors depend on parameters such as stellar mass (M*), z and dust temperature (Tdust), but not on Hα equivalent width or Sérsic index. Due to the large scatter in the IRX versus β correlation, when compared to SFRUV + IR, the β-corrected SFRUV, corr exhibits systematic deviations as a function of IRX, BD and Tdust.

Variability of Remote Sensing Spectral Indices in Boreal Lake Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakala, T.; Pölönen, I.; Honkavaara, E.; Näsi, R.; Hakala, T.; Lindfors, A.

2018-05-01

Remotely sensed hyperspectral data has widely been used to determine water quality parameters in oceanic waters. However in freshwater basins the dependence between the hyperspectral data and the parameters is more complicated. In this work some ideas are presented concerning the study of this dependence. The data used in this study were collected from the lake Hiidenvesi in southern Finland. The hyperspectral data consists of reflectances in 36 bands in the wavelength area 508…878 nm and the separately measured water quality parameters are turbidity, blue-green algae, chlorophyll, pH and dissolved oxygen. Hyperspectral data was used as bare band reflectances, but also in the form of two simple spectral indices: ratio A / B and difference A - B, where A and B go through all the bands. The correlations of the indices with the parameters were presented visually as 1- or 2-dimensional arrays. To examine the significance on the results of different variables, the data was classified in two different ways: the natural basins and the values of the water quality parameters. It was noticed that the variability of the correlation arrays was particularly strong among different basins in both the magnitude of correlation and the best performing indices. Further studies are needed to clarify which features of the basins are of most importance in predicting the shapes of the correlation arrays.

Characterization of Argentine honeys on the basis of their mineral content and some typical quality parameters

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The levels of 19 elements (As, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Tl, U, V, Zn) from sixteen different Argentine production sites of unifloral [eucalyptus (Eucaliptus rostrata), chilca (Baccharis salicifolia), Algarrobo (Prosopis sp.), mistol (Ziziphus mistol) and citric] and multifloral honeys were measured with the aim to test the quality of the selected samples. Typical quality parameters of honeys were also determined (pH, sugar content, moisture). Mineral elements were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS DRC). We also evaluated the suitability of honey as a possible biomonitor of environmental pollution. Thus, the sites were classified through cluster analysis (CA) and then pattern recognition methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) were applied. Results Mean values for quality parameters were: pH, 4.12 and 3.81; sugar 82.1 and 82.0 °brix; moisture, 16.90 and 17.00% for unifloral and multifloral honeys respectively. The water content showed good maturity. Likewise, the other parameters confirmed the good quality of the honeys analysed. Potassium was quantitatively the most abundant metal, accounting for 92,5% of the total metal contents with an average concentration of 832.0 and 816.2 μg g-1 for unifloral and multifloral honeys respectively. Sodium was the second most abundant major metal in honeys with a mean value of 32.16 and 33.19 μg g-1 for unifloral and multifloral honeys respectively. Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were present at low-intermediate concentrations. For the other 11 trace elements determined in this study (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, Tl, U and V), the mean concentrations were very low or below of the LODs. The sites were classified through CA by using elements’ and physicochemical parameters data, then DA on the PCA factors was applied. Dendrograms identified three main groups. PCA explained 52.03% of the total variability

Gaussian content as a laser beam quality parameter.

PubMed

Ruschin, Shlomo; Yaakobi, Elad; Shekel, Eyal

2011-08-01

We propose the Gaussian content (GC) as an optional quality parameter for the characterization of laser beams. It is defined as the overlap integral of a given field with an optimally defined Gaussian. The definition is especially suited for applications where coherence properties are targeted. Mathematical definitions and basic calculation procedures are given along with results for basic beam profiles. The coherent combination of an array of laser beams and the optimal coupling between a diode laser and a single-mode fiber are elaborated as application examples. The measurement of the GC and its conservation upon propagation are experimentally confirmed.

A Multilevel System of Quality Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Nancy; Niederhauser, Dale S.; Christensen, Rhonda; Shear, Linda

2016-01-01

In this paper we elaborate and extend the work of the EDUsummIT 2015 Thematic Working Group 7 (TWG7) by proposing a set of indicators on quality Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching (TEL&T). These indicators are intended as one component of a set of global indicators that could be used to monitor implementation of the Education 2030…

Quality control of CT systems by automated monitoring of key performance indicators: a two‐year study

PubMed Central

Bujila, Robert; Poludniowski, Gavin; Fransson, Annette

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a method of performing routine periodical quality controls (QC) of CT systems by automatically analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs), obtainable from images of manufacturers' quality assurance (QA) phantoms. A KPI pertains to a measurable or determinable QC parameter that is influenced by other underlying fundamental QC parameters. The established KPIs are based on relationships between existing QC parameters used in the annual testing program of CT scanners at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. The KPIs include positioning, image noise, uniformity, homogeneity, the CT number of water, and the CT number of air. An application (MonitorCT) was developed to automatically evaluate phantom images in terms of the established KPIs. The developed methodology has been used for two years in clinical routine, where CT technologists perform daily scans of the manufacturer's QA phantom and automatically send the images to MonitorCT for KPI evaluation. In the cases where results were out of tolerance, actions could be initiated in less than 10 min. 900 QC scans from two CT scanners have been collected and analyzed over the two‐year period that MonitorCT has been active. Two types of errors have been registered in this period: a ring artifact was discovered with the image noise test, and a calibration error was detected multiple times with the CT number test. In both cases, results were outside the tolerances defined for MonitorCT, as well as by the vendor. Automated monitoring of KPIs is a powerful tool that can be used to supplement established QC methodologies. Medical physicists and other professionals concerned with the performance of a CT system will, using such methods, have access to comprehensive data on the current and historical (trend) status of the system such that swift actions can be taken in order to ensure the quality of the CT examinations, patient safety, and minimal disruption of service

Quality control of CT systems by automated monitoring of key performance indicators: a two-year study.

PubMed

Nowik, Patrik; Bujila, Robert; Poludniowski, Gavin; Fransson, Annette

2015-07-08

The purpose of this study was to develop a method of performing routine periodical quality controls (QC) of CT systems by automatically analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs), obtainable from images of manufacturers' quality assurance (QA) phantoms. A KPI pertains to a measurable or determinable QC parameter that is influenced by other underlying fundamental QC parameters. The established KPIs are based on relationships between existing QC parameters used in the annual testing program of CT scanners at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. The KPIs include positioning, image noise, uniformity, homogeneity, the CT number of water, and the CT number of air. An application (MonitorCT) was developed to automatically evaluate phantom images in terms of the established KPIs. The developed methodology has been used for two years in clinical routine, where CT technologists perform daily scans of the manufacturer's QA phantom and automatically send the images to MonitorCT for KPI evaluation. In the cases where results were out of tolerance, actions could be initiated in less than 10 min. 900 QC scans from two CT scanners have been collected and analyzed over the two-year period that MonitorCT has been active. Two types of errors have been registered in this period: a ring artifact was discovered with the image noise test, and a calibration error was detected multiple times with the CT number test. In both cases, results were outside the tolerances defined for MonitorCT, as well as by the vendor. Automated monitoring of KPIs is a powerful tool that can be used to supplement established QC methodologies. Medical physicists and other professionals concerned with the performance of a CT system will, using such methods, have access to comprehensive data on the current and historical (trend) status of the system such that swift actions can be taken in order to ensure the quality of the CT examinations, patient safety, and minimal disruption of service.

Influence of extrusion-cooking parameters on some quality aspects of precooked pasta-like products.

PubMed

Wójtowicz, A; Mościcki, L

2009-06-01

The present article aims to evaluate some quality parameters and texture characteristics of precooked wheat pasta-like products. Using the methods for pasta and instant noodles the tested parameters were water absorption, starch gelatinization degree, cooking losses, and hardness. The texture profile was characterized using Zwick apparatus by cutting test with the head speed of 10 mm/min and expressed as hardness and firmness of hydrated products. SEM pictures were used to illustrate the internal structure of dry and cooked pasta-like products. Dough moisture content and process conditions influenced all tested quality parameters of the pasta-like products processed on a modified single screw extrusion-cooker TS-45 with L: D = 16: 1. Good organoleptical quality (notes higher than 4 in a 5-point scale) and firm texture were observed for common wheat flour pasta processed at 30% m.c. Hardness and firmness of hydrated products lowered with a longer hydration time in hot water. The firmest texture and low stickiness was observed for products with a highest starch gelatinization degree.

Analysis of Quality-Related Parameters in Mature Kernels of Polygalacturonase Inhibiting Protein (PGIP) Transgenic Bread Wheat Infected with Fusarium graminearum.

PubMed

Masci, Stefania; Laino, Paolo; Janni, Michela; Botticella, Ermelinda; Di Carli, Mariasole; Benvenuto, Eugenio; Danieli, Pier Paolo; Lilley, Kathryn S; Lafiandra, Domenico; D'Ovidio, Renato

2015-04-22

Fusarium head blight, caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum, has a detrimental effect on both productivity and qualitative properties of wheat. To evaluate its impact on wheat flour, we compared its effect on quality-related parameters between a transgenic bread wheat line expressing a bean polygalacturonase inhibiting protein (PGIP) and its control line. We have compared metabolic proteins, the amounts of gluten proteins and their relative ratios, starch content, yield, extent of pathogen contamination, and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation. These comparisons showed that Fusarium significantly decreases the amount of starch in infected control plants, but not in infected PGIP plants. The flour of PGIP plants contained also a lower amount of pathogen biomass and DON accumulation. Conversely, both gluten and metabolic proteins were not significantly influenced either by the transgene or by fungal infection. These results indicate that the transgenic PGIP expression reduces the level of infection, without changing significantly the wheat seed proteome and other quality-related parameters.

Sound quality characteristics of refrigerator noise in real living environments with relation to psychoacoustical and autocorrelation function parameters.

PubMed

Sato, Shin-ichi; You, Jin; Jeon, Jin Yong

2007-07-01

Psychoacoustical and autocorrelation function (ACF) parameters were employed to describe the temporal fluctuations of refrigerator noise during starting, transition into/from the stationary phase and termination of operation. The temporal fluctuations of refrigerator noise include a click at start-up, followed by a rapid increase in volume, a change of pitch, and termination of the operation. Subjective evaluations of the noise of 24 different refrigerators were conducted in a real living environment. The relationship between objective measures and perceived noisiness was examined by multiple regression analysis. Sound quality indices were developed based on psychoacoustical and ACF parameters. The psychoacoustical parameters found to be important for evaluating noisiness in the stationary phase were loudness and roughness. The relationship between noisiness and ACF parameters shows that sound energy and its fluctuations are important for evaluating noisiness. Also, refrigerator sounds that had a fluctuation of pitch were rated as more annoying. The tolerance level for the starting phase of refrigerator noise was found to be 33 dBA, which is the level where 65% of the participants in the subjective tests were satisfied.

[Validation and adhesion to GESIDA quality indicators in patients with HIV infection].

PubMed

Riera, Melchor; Esteban, Herminia; Suarez, Ignacio; Palacios, Rosario; Lozano, Fernando; Blanco, Jose R; Valencia, Eulalia; Ocampo, Antonio; Amador, Concha; Frontera, Guillem; vonWichmann-de Miguel, Miguel Angel

2016-01-01

The objective of the study is to validate the relevant GESIDA quality indicators for HIV infection, assessing the reliability, feasibility and adherence to them. The reliability was evaluated using the reproducibility of 6 indicators in peer review, with the second observer being an outsider. The feasibility and measurement of the level of adherence to the 22 indicators was conducted with annual fragmented retrospective collection of information from specific databases or the clinical charts of the nine participating hospitals. Reliability was very high, with interobserver agreement levels higher than 95% in 5 of the 6 indicators. The median time to achieve the indicators ranged between 5 and 600minutes, but could be achieved progressively from specific databases, enabling obtaining them automatically. As regards adherence to the indicators related with the initial evaluation of the patients, instructions and suitability of the guidelines for ART, adherence to ART, follow-up in clinics, and achieve an undetectable HIV by PCR at week 48 of the ART. Indicators of quality related to the prevention of opportunistic infections and control of comorbidities, the standards set were not achieved, and significant heterogeneity was observed between hospitals. The GESIDA quality indicators of HIV infection enabled the relevant indicators to be feasibly and reliably measured, and should be collected in all the units that care for patients with HIV infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Genetic parameters for meat quality traits of Australian lamb meat.

PubMed

Mortimer, S I; van der Werf, J H J; Jacob, R H; Hopkins, D L; Pannier, L; Pearce, K L; Gardner, G E; Warner, R D; Geesink, G H; Edwards, J E Hocking; Ponnampalam, E N; Ball, A J; Gilmour, A R; Pethick, D W

2014-02-01

Genetic parameters were estimated for a range of meat quality traits recorded on Australian lamb meat. Data were collected from Merino and crossbred progeny of Merino, terminal and maternal meat breed sires of the Information Nucleus programme. Lambs born between 2007 and 2010 (n=8968) were slaughtered, these being the progeny of 372 sires and 5309 dams. Meat quality traits were found generally to be of moderate heritability (estimates between 0.15 and 0.30 for measures of meat tenderness, meat colour, polyunsaturated fat content, mineral content and muscle oxidative capacity), with notable exceptions of intramuscular fat (0.48), ultimate pH (0.08) and fresh meat colour a* (0.08) and b* (0.10) values. Genetic correlations between hot carcass weight and the meat quality traits were low. The genetic correlation between intramuscular fat and shear force was high (-0.62). Several measures of meat quality (fresh meat redness, retail meat redness, retail oxy/met value and iron content) appear to have potential for inclusion in meat sheep breeding objectives. © 2013.

Application of Time-series Model to Predict Groundwater Quality Parameters for Agriculture: (Plain Mehran Case Study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrdad Mirsanjari, Mir; Mohammadyari, Fatemeh

2018-03-01

Underground water is regarded as considerable water source which is mainly available in arid and semi arid with deficient surface water source. Forecasting of hydrological variables are suitable tools in water resources management. On the other hand, time series concepts is considered efficient means in forecasting process of water management. In this study the data including qualitative parameters (electrical conductivity and sodium adsorption ratio) of 17 underground water wells in Mehran Plain has been used to model the trend of parameters change over time. Using determined model, the qualitative parameters of groundwater is predicted for the next seven years. Data from 2003 to 2016 has been collected and were fitted by AR, MA, ARMA, ARIMA and SARIMA models. Afterward, the best model is determined using information criterion or Akaike (AIC) and correlation coefficient. After modeling parameters, the map of agricultural land use in 2016 and 2023 were generated and the changes between these years were studied. Based on the results, the average of predicted SAR (Sodium Adsorption Rate) in all wells in the year 2023 will increase compared to 2016. EC (Electrical Conductivity) average in the ninth and fifteenth holes and decreases in other wells will be increased. The results indicate that the quality of groundwater for Agriculture Plain Mehran will decline in seven years.

Quality improvement of interdisciplinary rounds by leadership training based on essential quality indicators of the Interdisciplinary Rounds Assessment Scale.

PubMed

Ten Have, Elsbeth C M; Nap, Raoul E; Tulleken, Jaap E

2013-10-01

The implementation of interdisciplinary teams in the intensive care unit (ICU) has focused attention on leadership behavior. Daily interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs) in ICUs integrate leadership behavior and interdisciplinary teamwork. The purpose of this intervention study was to measure the effect of leadership training on the quality of IDRs in the ICU. A nonrandomized intervention study was conducted in four ICUs for adults. The intervention was a 1-day training session in a simulation environment and workplace-based feedback sessions. Measurement included 28 videotaped IDRs (total, 297 patient presentations) that were assessed with 10 essential quality indicators of the validated IDR Assessment Scale. Participants were 19 intensivists who previously had no formal training in leading IDRs. They were subdivided by cluster sampling into a control group (ten experienced intensivists) and intervention group (nine intensive care fellows). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare results between control and intervention groups. Baseline measurements of control and intervention groups revealed two indicators that differed significantly. The frequency of yes ratings for the intervention group significantly increased for seven of the ten indicators from before to after intervention. The frequency of yes ratings after training was significantly greater in the intervention than control groups for eight of the ten essential quality indicators. The leadership training improved the quality of the IDRs performed in the ICUs. This may improve quality and safety of patient care.

Multivariate analysis of drinking water quality parameters in Bhopal, India.

PubMed

Parashar, Charu; Verma, Neelam; Dixit, Savita; Shrivastava, Rajneesh

2008-05-01

Pollution of water bodies is one of the areas of major concern to environmentalists. Water quality is an index of health and well being of a society. Industrialization, urbanization and modern agriculture practices have direct impact on the water resources. These factors influence the water resources quantitatively and qualitatively. The study area selected were the Upper lake and Kolar reservoir of Bhopal, the state capital of Madhya Pradesh, India. The Upper lake and Kolar reservoir both are the important sources of potable water supply for the Bhopal city. The physico-chemical parameters like temperature, pH, turbidity, total hardness, alkalinity, BOD, COD, Chloride, nitrate and phosphate were studied to ascertain the drinking water quality.

Quality indicators and specifications for strategic and support processes in laboratory medicine.

PubMed

Ricós, Carmen; Biosca, Carme; Ibarz, Mercè; Minchinela, Joana; Llopis, Maantonia; Perich, Carmen; Alsina, Jesus; Alvarez, Virtudes; Doménech, Vicenta; Pastor, Rosa Ma; Sansalvador, Mireia; Isern, Gloria Trujillo; Navarro, Conrad Vilanova

2008-01-01

This work is the second part of a study regarding indicators and quality specifications for the non-analytical processes in laboratory medicine. Five primary care and five hospital laboratories agreed on the indicators for two strategic processes (quality planning and project development) and various support processes (client relationships, instrument and infrastructure maintenance, safety and risk prevention, purchases and storage, personnel training). In the majority of cases, the median values recorded over 1 year is considered to be the state-of-the-art in our setting and proposed as the quality specification for the indicators stated. Values have been stratified according to primary care and hospital laboratory for referred tests and group of personnel for training. In some cases, the specifications have been set equal to zero events, such as serious incidents in the infrastructure maintenance process and number of work accidents in the safety and risk prevention process. In light of this study, an effort is needed to optimize decisions regarding corrective actions and to move from a subjective individual criterion to systematic and comparative management. This preliminary study provides a comprehensive vision of a subject that could motivate further research and advances in the quality of laboratory services.

Evaluation of soil quality indicators in paddy soils under different crop rotation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadimi-Goki, Mandana; Bini, Claudio; Haefele, Stephan; Abooei, Monireh

2013-04-01

Evaluation of soil quality indicators in paddy soils under different crop rotation systems Soil quality, by definition, reflects the capacity to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health. Soil quality assessment is an essential issue in soil management for agriculture and natural resource protection. This study was conducted to detect the effects of four crop rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) on soil quality indicators (soil moisture, porosity, bulk density, water-filled pore space, pH, extractable P, CEC, OC, OM, microbial respiration, active carbon) in paddy soils of Verona area, Northern Italy. Four adjacent plots which managed almost similarly, over five years were selected. Surface soil samples were collected from each four rotation systems in four times, during growing season. Each soil sample was a composite of sub-samples taken from 3 points within 350 m2 of agricultural land. A total of 48 samples were air-dried and passed through 2mm sieve, for some chemical, biological, and physical measurements. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Statistical results revealed that frequency distribution of most data was normal. The lowest CV% was related to pH. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and comparison test showed that there are significant differences in soil quality indicators among crop rotation systems and sampling times. Results of multivariable regression analysis revealed that soil respiration had positively correlation coefficient with soil organic matter, soil moisture and cation exchange capacity. Overall results indicated that the rice rotation with legumes such as bean and soybean improved soil quality over a long time in comparison to rice-fallow rotation, and this is reflected in rice yield. Keywords: Soil quality, Crop Rotation System, Paddy Soils, Italy

Nursing students' evaluation of quality indicators during learning in clinical practice.

PubMed

Jansson, Inger; Ene, Kerstin W

2016-09-01

A supportive clinical learning environment is important for nursing students' learning. In this study, a contract between a county and a university involving a preceptor model of clinical education for nursing students is described. The aim of this study was to describe nursing students' clinical education based on quality indicators and to describe the students' experiences of what facilitated or hindered the learning process during their clinical practice. During autumn 2012 and spring 2013, 269 student evaluations with quantitative and qualitative answers were filled out anonymously. Quantitative data from the questionnaires concerning the quality indicators: Administration/information, Assessments/examinations and Reflection were processed to generate descriptive statistics that revealed gaps in what the preceptor model demands and what the students reported. The answers from the qualitative questions concerning the quality indicator Learning were analysed using content analysis. Four categories emerged: Independence and responsibility, continuity of learning, time, and the competence and attitudes of the staff. The study underlines that reflection, continuity, communication and feedback were important for the students' learning process, whereas heavy workload among staff and being supervised by many different preceptors were experienced as stressful and hindering by students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Quant efficiency of the detection as a quality parameter of the visualization equipment].

PubMed

Morgun, O N; Nemchenko, K E; Rogov, Iu V

2003-01-01

The critical parameter of notion "quant efficiency of detection" is defined in the paper. Different methods of specifying the detection quant efficiency (DQE) are under discussion. Thus, techniques of DQE determination for a whole unit and means of DQE finding at terminal space frequency are addressed. The notion of DQE at zero frequency is in the focus of attention. Finally, difficulties occurring in determining the above parameter as well as its disadvantages (as a parameter characterizing the quality of X-ray irradiation visualizing systems) are also discussed.

Adaptive quantization-parameter clip scheme for smooth quality in H.264/AVC.

PubMed

Hu, Sudeng; Wang, Hanli; Kwong, Sam

2012-04-01

In this paper, we investigate the issues over the smooth quality and the smooth bit rate during rate control (RC) in H.264/AVC. An adaptive quantization-parameter (Q(p)) clip scheme is proposed to optimize the quality smoothness while keeping the bit-rate fluctuation at an acceptable level. First, the frame complexity variation is studied by defining a complexity ratio between two nearby frames. Second, the range of the generated bits is analyzed to prevent the encoder buffer from overflow and underflow. Third, based on the safe range of the generated bits, an optimal Q(p) clip range is developed to reduce the quality fluctuation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed Q(p) clip scheme can achieve excellent performance in quality smoothness and buffer regulation.

Supplier selection based on complex indicator of finished products quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernikova, Anna; Golovkina, Svetlana; Kuzmina, Svetlana; Demenchenok, Tatiana

2017-10-01

In the article the authors consider possible directions of solving problems when selecting a supplier for deliveries of raw materials and materials of an industrial enterprise, possible difficulties are analyzed and ways of their solution are suggested. Various methods are considered to improve the efficiency of the supplier selection process based on the analysis of the paper bags supplier selection process for the needs of the construction company. In the article the calculation of generalized indicators and complex indicator, which should include single indicators, formed in groups that reflect different aspects of quality, is presented.

[The Development of Quality Indicators for Management of Patients with ADHD in Social Paediatrics].

PubMed

Skrundz, M; Borusiak, P; Hameister, K A; Geraedts, M

2015-12-01

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with an estimated prevalence of 5% and its increased risk for comorbidities is of significant relevance for the health care system and is as well of socio-political significance. There is a lack of established methods for the evaluation of the diagnostic and therapeutic treatment of the patients. In this study, we have developed a set of evidence- and consensus-based meaningful indicators for the treatment of children with ADHD. Following a thorough examination of the literature and published Guidelines, a first set of 90 quality indicators was created after redundancy reduction and addition of newly developed indicators. The further development of the indicator set was based on a modified version of the 2-step RAND/UCLA expert evaluation method. After assessment in 2 rounds of ratings, a set of 39 homogeneously positively rated indicators was established. 28 indicators apply to the quality of the diagnostic and therapeutic process, 4 to structural conditions and 3 rely on outcome. This is the first study covering the aspect of quality measurement in children with developmental disorders, especially ADHD. For the next step a pilot evaluation is necessary to complete the evaluation of the quality indicators. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Quality indicators for learner-centered postgraduate medical e-learning

PubMed Central

Westerman, Michiel; Scheele, Fedde

2017-01-01

Objectives The objectives of this study were to identify the needs and expectations of learners and educational experts in postgraduate medical e-learning, and to contribute to the current literature. Methods We performed four focus-group discussions with e-learning end-users (learners) and didactic experts. The participants were postgraduate learners with varying levels of experience, educational experts from a Dutch e-learning task group, and commercial experts from a Dutch e-learning company. Verbatim transcribed interview recordings were analyzed using King’s template analysis. The initial template was created with reference to recent literature on postgraduate medical e-learning quality indicators. The transcripts were coded, after which the emerging differences in template interpretation were discussed until a consensus was reached within the team. Results The final template consisted of three domains of positive e-learning influencers (motivators, learning enhancers, and real-world translation) and three domains of negatively influential parameters (barriers, learning discouragers, and poor preparation). The interpretation of the final template showed three subjects which form the basis of e-learning, namely, Motivate, Learn and Apply. Conclusions This study forms a basis for learning in general and could be applied to many educational instruments. Individual characteristics should be adapted to the target audience. Three subjects form the basis of, and six themes cover all items needed for, good (enough) postgraduate e-learning. Further research should be carried out with learners and real-world e-learning to validate this template. PMID:28456781

Quality indicators for learner-centered postgraduate medical e-learning.

PubMed

de Leeuw, Robert A; Westerman, Michiel; Scheele, Fedde

2017-04-27

The objectives of this study were to identify the needs and expectations of learners and educational experts in postgraduate medical e-learning, and to contribute to the current literature. We performed four focus-group discussions with e-learning end-users (learners) and didactic experts. The participants were postgraduate learners with varying levels of experience, educational experts from a Dutch e-learning task group, and commercial experts from a Dutch e-learning company. Verbatim transcribed interview recordings were analyzed using King's template analysis. The initial template was created with reference to recent literature on postgraduate medical e-learning quality indicators. The transcripts were coded, after which the emerging differences in template interpretation were discussed until a consensus was reached within the team. The final template consisted of three domains of positive e-learning influencers (motivators, learning enhancers, and real-world translation) and three domains of negatively influential parameters (barriers, learning discouragers, and poor preparation). The interpretation of the final template showed three subjects which form the basis of e-learning, namely, Motivate, Learn and Apply. This study forms a basis for learning in general and could be applied to many educational instruments. Individual characteristics should be adapted to the target audience. Three subjects form the basis of, and six themes cover all items needed for, good (enough) postgraduate e-learning. Further research should be carried out with learners and real-world e-learning to validate this template.

Pursuing Quality Evidence: Applying Single-Subject Quality Indicators to Non-Experimental Qualitative Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stodden, Robert A.; Yamamoto, Kathryn K.; Folk, Eric; Kong, Eran; Otsuji, Derek N.

2013-01-01

The need for quality evidence in support of strategies used while working with persons with autism and intellectual disability (ID) has been long been recognized by researchers and practitioners. The authors reviewed and applied a number of evidence-based indicators, developed through the "What Works Clearinghouse" (WWC), to the conduct…

Do quality indicators for general practice teaching practices predict good outcomes for students?

PubMed

Bartlett, Maggie; Potts, Jessica; McKinley, Bob

2016-07-01

Keele medical students spend 113 days in general practices over our five-year programme. We collect practice data thought to indicate good quality teaching. We explored the relationships between these data and two outcomes for students; Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores and feedback regarding the placements. Though both are surrogate markers of good teaching, they are widely used. We collated practice and outcome data for one academic year. Two separate statistical analyses were carried out: (1) to determine how much of the variation seen in the OSCE scores was due to the effect of the practice and how much to the individual student. (2) to identify practice characteristics with a relationship to student feedback scores. (1) OSCE performance: 268 students in 90 practices: six quality indicators independently influenced the OSCE score, though without linear relationships and not to statistical significance. (2) Student satisfaction: 144 students in 69 practices: student feedback scores are not influenced by practice characteristics. The relationships between the quality indicators we collect for practices and outcomes for students are not clear. It may be that neither the quality indicators nor the outcome measures are reliable enough to inform decisions about practices' suitability for teaching.

Key performance indicators score (KPIs-score) based on clinical and laboratorial parameters can establish benchmarks for internal quality control in an ART program.

PubMed

Franco, José G; Petersen, Claudia G; Mauri, Ana L; Vagnini, Laura D; Renzi, Adriana; Petersen, Bruna; Mattila, M C; Comar, Vanessa A; Ricci, Juliana; Dieamant, Felipe; Oliveira, João Batista A; Baruffi, Ricardo L R

2017-06-01

KPIs have been employed for internal quality control (IQC) in ART. However, clinical KPIs (C-KPIs) such as age, AMH and number of oocytes collected are never added to laboratory KPIs (L-KPIs), such as fertilization rate and morphological quality of the embryos for analysis, even though the final endpoint is the evaluation of clinical pregnancy rates. This paper analyzed if a KPIs-score strategy with clinical and laboratorial parameters could be used to establish benchmarks for IQC in ART cycles. In this prospective cohort study, 280 patients (36.4±4.3years) underwent ART. The total KPIs-score was obtained by the analysis of age, AMH (AMH Gen II ELISA/pre-mixing modified, Beckman Coulter Inc.), number of metaphase-II oocytes, fertilization rates and morphological quality of the embryonic lot. The total KPIs-score (C-KPIs+L-KPIs) was correlated with the presence or absence of clinical pregnancy. The relationship between the C-KPIs and L-KPIs scores was analyzed to establish quality standards, to increase the performance of clinical and laboratorial processes in ART. The logistic regression model (LRM), with respect to pregnancy and total KPIs-score (280 patients/102 clinical pregnancies), yielded an odds ratio of 1.24 (95%CI = 1.16-1.32). There was also a significant difference (p<0.0001) with respect to the total KPIs-score mean value between the group of patients with clinical pregnancies (total KPIs-score=20.4±3.7) and the group without clinical pregnancies (total KPIs-score=15.9±5). Clinical pregnancy probabilities (CPP) can be obtained using the LRM (prediction key) with the total KPIs-score as a predictor variable. The mean C-KPIs and L-KPIs scores obtained in the pregnancy group were 11.9±2.9 and 8.5±1.7, respectively. Routinely, in all cases where the C-KPIs score was ≥9, after the procedure, the L-KPIs score obtained was ≤6, a revision of the laboratory procedure was performed to assess quality standards. This total KPIs-score could set up

A Measure of Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Science and Technology, 1976

1976-01-01

Recent national surveys conducted by the Council on Environmental Quality and others uncovered inconsistencies and confusion in the manner environmental quality parameters were used and reported. A standard air pollution index, comparative guide to water quality indicators and biological monitoring information are being developed. (BT)

Cesarean section indications and anthropometric parameters in Rwandan nulliparae: preliminary results from a longitudinal survey.

PubMed

Kakoma, Jean-Baptiste

2016-01-01

Maternal anthropometric parameters as risk factors for cesarean section have always been a matter of interest and concern for obstetricians. Some of these parameters have been shown to be predictors of dystocia. This study aims at showing the relationship between cesarean section indications and anthropometric parameters sizes in Rwandan nulliparae for the purpose of comparison and appropriate recommendations. A cross-sectional and analytical study was made on data collected from 32 operated patients among 152 nulliparae with singleton pregnancy at term and vertex presentation. Concerned anthropometric parameters were height, weight and six pelvic distances. Fisher exact and Student's tests were used to compare observed proportions and mean values, respectively. Findings were as follows: 1) the overall cesarean section rate was 21.05%; 2) acute fetal distress (31.3 %), generally contracted pelvis (28.1 %), and engagement failure (25%) were the most frequent indications of cesarean section; 3) all patients ≤ 145 cm tall were operated on for general pelvis contraction whose proportion was significantly higher in them than in the others (p < 0.01); 4) more than half of pelvis contraction cases were observed in patients weighing ≤ 50 kg, but the difference with other weight categories was not significant; 5) considered external pelvic diameters but the Biiliac Diameter displayed average measurements smaller in clinically contracted pelvis than in other CS indications. External pelvimetry associated with specific other anthropometric parameters could be helpful in the screening of generally contracted pelves, and consequently pregnancies at high risk of cephalopelvic disproportion in nulliparous women, particularly in developing countries with limited resources. Further investigations are requested to deal with this topic in depth.

Performance Indicators and the Management of Quality in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuttance, Peter

Issues that affect the use of performance indicators in managing educational quality are discussed in this paper. Recent changes in public-sector organizational management include the development of strategies for the management of change itself and the changing role of the public sector. A trend within the public sector is an increase in the…

Environmental parameters of the Tennessee River in Alabama. 2: Physical, chemical, and biological parameters. [biological and chemical effects of thermal pollution from nuclear power plants on water quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosing, L. M.

1976-01-01

Physical, chemical and biological water quality data from five sites in the Tennessee River, two in Guntersville Reservoir and three in Wheeler Reservoir were correlated with climatological data for three annual cycles. Two of the annual cycles are for the years prior to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant operations and one is for the first 14 months of Plant operations. A comparison of the results of the annual cycles indicates that two distinct physical conditions in the reservoirs occur, one during the warm months when the reservoirs are at capacity and one during the colder winter months when the reservoirs have been drawn-down for water storage during the rainy months and for weed control. The wide variations of physical and chemical parameters to which the biological organisms are subjected on an annual basis control the biological organisms and their population levels. A comparison of the parameters of the site below the Power plant indicates that the heated effluent from the plant operating with two of the three reactors has not had any effect on the organisms at this site. Recommendations given include the development of prediction mathematical models (statistical analysis) for the physical and chemical parameters under specific climatological conditions which affect biological organisms. Tabulated data of chemical analysis of water and organism populations studied is given.

Filtering high resolution hyperspectral imagery and analyzing it for quantification of water quality parameters and aquatic vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pande-Chhetri, Roshan

High resolution hyperspectral imagery (airborne or ground-based) is gaining momentum as a useful analytical tool in various fields including agriculture and aquatic systems. These images are often contaminated with stripes and noise resulting in lower signal-to-noise ratio, especially in aquatic regions where signal is naturally low. This research investigates effective methods for filtering high spatial resolution hyperspectral imagery and use of the imagery in water quality parameter estimation and aquatic vegetation classification. The striping pattern of the hyperspectral imagery is non-parametric and difficult to filter. In this research, a de-striping algorithm based on wavelet analysis and adaptive Fourier domain normalization was examined. The result of this algorithm was found superior to other available algorithms and yielded highest Peak Signal to Noise Ratio improvement. The algorithm was implemented on individual image bands and on selected bands of the Maximum Noise Fraction (MNF) transformed images. The results showed that image filtering in the MNF domain was efficient and produced best results. The study investigated methods of analyzing hyperspectral imagery to estimate water quality parameters and to map aquatic vegetation in case-2 waters. Ground-based hyperspectral imagery was analyzed to determine chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations in aquaculture ponds. Two-band and three-band indices were implemented and the effect of using submerged reflectance targets was evaluated. Laboratory measured values were found to be in strong correlation with two-band and three-band spectral indices computed from the hyperspectral image. Coefficients of determination (R2) values were found to be 0.833 and 0.862 without submerged targets and stronger values of 0.975 and 0.982 were obtained using submerged targets. Airborne hyperspectral images were used to detect and classify aquatic vegetation in a black river estuarine system. Image normalization for water

Water and sediment quality parameters in the Chalan Beel, the largest wetland of Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayeed, Md. Abu; Hossain, Mostafa Ali Reza; Wahab, Md. Abdul; Hasan, Md. Tawheed; Simon, Kumar Das; Mazumder, Sabuj Kanti

2015-07-01

A study was conducted to investigate the status of the water and sediment quality in the Chalan Beel-a major fresh water fish reservoir of the country for a period of one year from July 2007 to June 2008. The mean values of water quality parameters (depth: 214.73±152.22 cm, temperature 27.68±4.26°C, transparency 123±82 cm, pH 9.7±0.47, total alkalinity 137±42 mg/L, conductivity 307±147 μs/cm, total dissolved solids 183±89 mg/L, ammonia-N 0.27±0.39 mg/L, nitrate-N 0.09±0.07 mg/L, phosphate-P 2.01±2.53 mg/L) and sediment quality parameters (pH 7.21±0.35, organic matter 2.59±0.52%, total nitrogen 0.09±0.04%, available phosphorus 5.4±3.6 Meq./100 g and exchangeable potassium 0.43±0.14 Meq./100 g) were within the range recommended for most of the inland fishes of Bangladesh. Although the water and sediment quality parameters except ammonia and phosphate are in the suitable range, the overall results suggest that better management techniques should be practiced in order to overcome the declining trend of associated aquatic life (fauna and flora) of this important fresh water body of Bangladesh.

Evidence-based practice: a quality indicator analysis of peer-tutoring in adapted physical education.

PubMed

Kalef, Laura; Reid, Greg; Macdonald, Cathy

2013-09-01

The purpose of the research was to conduct a quality indicator analysis of studies investigating peer-tutoring for students with a disability in adapted physical education. An electronic search was conducted among English journals published from 1960 to November 2012. Databases included ERIC, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus. Fifteen research studies employing group-experimental (Gersten et al., 2005) or single-subject designs (Horner et al., 2005) met inclusion criteria. Each study was assessed for the presence and clarity of quality indicators. Group designs met an average of 62.5% essential and 69% desirable indicators. An average of 80% of indicators was present for single-subject designs. Results suggest claims of peer-tutoring being an evidence-based practice are premature. Recommendations for clarifying and applying the quality indicators are offered. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adult Basic and Literacy Education Program: Revised Indicators of Program Quality, Fiscal Year 2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

This document lists the Ohio Department of Education's Adult Basic and Literacy Education revised indicators of program quality. A chart details the measures and performance standards for the following quality indicators: (1) students demonstrate progress toward attainment of literacy skills at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the…

Classifying indicators of quality: a collaboration between Dutch and English regulators.

PubMed

Mears, Alex; Vesseur, Jan; Hamblin, Richard; Long, Paul; Den Ouden, Lya

2011-12-01

Many approaches to measuring quality in healthcare exist, generally employing indicators or metrics. While there are important differences, most of these approaches share three key areas of measurement: safety, effectiveness and patient experience. The European Partnership for Supervisory Organisations in Health Services and Social Care (EPSO) exists as a working group and discussion forum for European regulators. This group undertook to identify a common framework within which European approaches to indicators could be compared. A framework was developed to classify indicators, using four sets of criteria: conceptualization of quality, Donabedian definition (structure, process, outcome), data type (derivable, collectable from routine sources, special collections, samples) and data use (judgement (singular or part of framework) benchmarking, risk assessment). Indicators from English and Dutch hospital measurement programmes were put into the framework, showing areas of agreement and levels of comparability. In the first instance, results are only illustrative. The EPSO has been a powerful driver for undertaking cross-European research, and this project is the first of many to take advantage of the access to international expertize. It has shown that through development of a framework that deconstructs national indicators, commonalities can be identified. Future work will attempt to incorporate other nations' indicators, and attempt cross-national comparison.

Evaluation of Measurements Collected with Multi-Parameter Continuous Water-Quality Monitors in Selected Illinois Streams, 2001-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groschen, George E.; King, Robin B.

2005-01-01

Eight streams, representing a wide range of environmental and water-quality conditions across Illinois, were monitored from July 2001 to October 2003 for five water-quality parameters as part of a pilot study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Continuous recording multi-parameter water-quality monitors were installed to collect data on water temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentrations, specific conductivity, pH, and turbidity. The monitors were near USGS streamflow-gaging stations where stage and streamflow are continuously recorded. During the study period, the data collected for these five parameters generally met the data-quality objectives established by the USGS and IEPA at all eight stations. A similar pilot study during this period for measurement of chlorophyll concentrations failed to achieve the data-quality objectives. Of all the sensors used, the temperature sensors provided the most accurate and reliable measurements (generally within ?5 percent of a calibrated thermometer reading). Signal adjustments and calibration of all other sensors are dependent upon an accurate and precise temperature measurement. The dissolved-oxygen sensors were the next most reliable during the study and were responsive to changing conditions and accurate at all eight stations. Specific conductivity was the third most accurate and reliable measurement collected from the multi-parameter monitors. Specific conductivity at the eight stations varied widely-from less than 40 microsiemens (?S) at Rayse Creek near Waltonville to greater than 3,500 ?S at Salt Creek at Western Springs. In individual streams, specific conductivity often changed quickly (greater than 25 percent in less than 3 hours) and the sensors generally provided good to excellent record of these variations at all stations. The widest range of specific-conductivity measurements was in Salt Creek at Western Springs in the Greater Chicago

[A measure of the efficiency of primary care in Barcelona (Spain) incorporating quality indicators].

PubMed

Romano, José; Choi, Álvaro

2016-01-01

To demonstrate the impact of the incorporation of quality indicators in assessing the technical efficiency of primary healthcare teams. The processes through which primary healthcare resources have been allocated since the onset of the financial crisis in 2008 have focussed on quantitative rather than qualitative indicators. This study applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques to 58 primary healthcare teams from three different primary healthcare services from the province of Barcelona (Spain). We combine publicly available information from the regional government of Catalonia with data requested from the Catalan Health System Observatory. The analysis compares the results of three models, thereby allowing shifts in the efficiency of primary healthcare teams to be identified in terms of the (lack of) consideration for healthcare quality indicators. Only 16% of the primary healthcare teams were found to be efficient according to the baseline models, which only incorporated input and output quantity indicators. However, once proxies for healthcare quality are included in the analysis, this percentage increases to 58.6%. No meaningful differences in primary healthcare team efficiency were found between public and privately owned centres, between regional primary care services and organisational models, or between rural and urban teams. The results suggest the need to incorporate healthcare quality indicators as outputs when considering criteria for the streamlining of primary healthcare services. Failure to incorporate quality indicators is associated with various primary healthcare concepts. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

River Quality Investigations, Part 1: Some Diversity and Biotic Indices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, G.

1991-01-01

The following indices for assessing river water quality are described: Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index, Sorenson Quotient of Similarity, Czekanowski's Index of Similarity, Trent Biotic Index, Chandler Score, and Biological Monitoring Working Party Score. Their advantages and disadvantages are outlined. (Author)

Novel indicators of recreational water quality and swimming-associated illness

EPA Science Inventory

In the United States and elsewhere, recreational water quality is monitored for fecal indicator bacteria to help prevent swimming-associated illnesses. Standard methods to measure these bacteria take at least 24 hours to obtain results. Molecular approaches such as quantitative p...

Quality indicators to compare accredited independent pharmacies and accredited chain pharmacies in Thailand.

PubMed

Arkaravichien, Wiwat; Wongpratat, Apichaya; Lertsinudom, Sunee

2016-08-01

Background Quality indicators determine the quality of actual practice in reference to standard criteria. The Community Pharmacy Association (Thailand), with technical support from the International Pharmaceutical Federation, developed a tool for quality assessment and quality improvement at community pharmacies. This tool has passed validity and reliability tests, but has not yet had feasibility testing. Objective (1) To test whether this quality tool could be used in routine settings. (2) To compare quality scores between accredited independent and accredited chain pharmacies. Setting Accredited independent pharmacies and accredited chain pharmacies in the north eastern region of Thailand. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted in 34 accredited independent pharmacies and accredited chain pharmacies. Quality scores were assessed by observation and by interviewing the responsible pharmacists. Data were collected and analyzed by independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U test as appropriate. Results were plotted by histogram and spider chart. Main outcome measure Domain's assessable scores, possible maximum scores, mean and median of measured scores. Results Domain's assessable scores were close to domain's possible maximum scores. This meant that most indicators could be assessed in most pharmacies. The spider chart revealed that measured scores in the personnel, drug inventory and stocking, and patient satisfaction and health promotion domains of chain pharmacies were significantly higher than those of independent pharmacies (p < 0.05). There was no statistical difference between independent pharmacies and chain pharmacies in the premise and facility or dispensing and patient care domains. Conclusion Quality indicators developed by the Community Pharmacy Association (Thailand) could be used to assess quality of practice in pharmacies in routine settings. It is revealed that the quality scores of chain pharmacies were higher than those of independent pharmacies.

Improving outcomes using German Inpatient Quality Indicators in conjunction with peer review procedures.

PubMed

Mansky, Thomas; Völzke, Tatjana; Nimptsch, Ulrike

2015-01-01

Some hospital comparisons seem to generate confusion because different methods of outcome comparisons lead to different results in hospital rankings. This article questions the concept of overall comparisons of hospitals, which are multiproduct enterprises and may have specialties that provide good results in some areas despite having worse outcomes in others. Therefore, the authors argue for a disease specific view of outcome measurement. The concept of the German Inpatient Quality Indicators is explained. These indicators cover volume, mortality, and other information by a disease specific approach, which includes information for potential patients as well as specific feedback to the physicians responsible for the respective specialty. This article focuses on the feedback to the hospitals and explains how these indicators can be used for improvement in conjunction with a peer review process. The indicators provide information to the hospitals regarding their relative position because German reference values are available for all indicators. Thus, the indicators can serve as a trigger instrument for identifying possible quality problems. Based on these indications, peer review can be used to analyze the treatment processes and to eventually verify weaknesses and define actions for improvement. The first studies indicate that the use of this approach within hospital quality management can largely improve hospital outcomes in hospitals with subpar results compared to the German average. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Trail Creek I: Assessing the Water Quality of Streams using Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Microbial Source Tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saintil, T.; Radcliffe, D. E.; Rasmussen, T. C.; Kannan, A.

2017-12-01

Fecal coliforms are indicators for disease-causing pathogens. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US. EPA) recommends the use of E. coli and Enterococci because they are highly correlated with pathogenic organisms in recreational waters. This standard method helps to determine the overall water quality and the potential health risks. Studies have shown that it is difficult to estimate the exact sources of fecal contamination because both human and certain animal species contain E. coli and Enterococci in their waste. Certain strains of E. coli and Enterococci are also able to survive outside of their hosts, which should not be the case for an appropriate fecal indicator. As a result, microbial source tracking (MST) studies use gene specific markers to identify the possible contributors to water pollution whether human or animal. Trail Creek is a second-order stream located in Athens-Clarke County, GA. The 33-km2 watershed is approximately 64% forests, 18% pastures and 16% residential communities. Trail Creek is on the TMDL list and an extended study on the relationships between the different factors causing elevated fecal bacteria is needed. Synoptic sampling events were conducted during baseflow conditions at six locations. Storm sampling events (> 8 mm) were captured using automated samplers at two locations. These samplers were equipped with pressure transducers which record stage at 30-minute intervals. The samples were analyzed for fecal coliform, E. Coli and Enterococci. Water quality parameters including temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity were also recorded. Relationships between the parameters and fecal indicator bacteria show inconsistent patterns and high variability. Using quantitative PCR and MST techniques, the human specific marker (HF183) and ruminant marker (Rum2Bac) were used to identify the fecal sources in both baseflow and storm samples. The presence and abundance of the different markers at

Quality assessment of pollution indicators in marine water at critical locations of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Tuticorin.

PubMed

Rajendran, Viji; Nirmaladevi D, Shrinithivihahshini; Srinivasan, Balakrishnan; Rengaraj, Chithradevi; Mariyaselvam, Sheelamary

2018-01-01

The present study focused on the shoreline environment of urban and industrial areas, and the aim of this study was to assess the coastal water quality in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. Water samples were collected from five different coastal sites during the premonsoon and monsoon seasons. The samples were analyzed following the standard methods. The results showed that the levels of microbiological indicators in the samples highly exceeded the regional and national standard seawater permissible limits, and environmental parameters such as the total suspended solid and dissolved oxygen were affected significantly (p<0.05). To identify frequent pollution indicators, their levels should be estimated to determine possible pollution in coastal ecosystems due to human interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of irradiation on the parameters that influence quality characteristics of raw turkey breast meat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xi; Moon, Sun Hee; Lee, Hyun Yong; Ahn, Dong Uk

2017-01-01

This study was designed to elucidate the mechanisms of quality changes in raw turkey breast meat by irradiation. Raw turkey breast meat was irradiated at 0 kGy, 1.5 kGy, 3.0 kGy and 4.5 kGy, and changes in quality parameters including color, lipid and protein oxidation, and off-odor volatiles were determined. Irradiation accelerated lipid and protein oxidation, and increased redness in raw turkey breast meat. However, irradiation had less effect on the volatile profiles of salt-soluble muscle extract than water-soluble muscle extract because the primary radiolytic product from water (hydroxyl radical) had higher chances to react with the water-soluble molecules nearby. The radiolytic degradation products from sulfur-containing amino acids and aldehydes from lipid oxidation were two major volatile compounds responsible for the off-odor of irradiated raw turkey breast meat. Dimethyl disulfide was found only in irradiated raw turkey breast meat, and the amount of dimethyl disulfide linearly increased as the irradiation dose increased, indicating that this compound can be used as a marker for irradiate meat.

International validation of quality indicators for evaluating priority setting in low income countries: process and key lessons.

PubMed

Kapiriri, Lydia

2017-06-19

While there have been efforts to develop frameworks to guide healthcare priority setting; there has been limited focus on evaluation frameworks. Moreover, while the few frameworks identify quality indicators for successful priority setting, they do not provide the users with strategies to verify these indicators. Kapiriri and Martin (Health Care Anal 18:129-147, 2010) developed a framework for evaluating priority setting in low and middle income countries. This framework provides BOTH parameters for successful priority setting and proposes means of their verification. Before its use in real life contexts, this paper presents results from a validation process of the framework. The framework validation involved 53 policy makers and priority setting researchers at the global, national and sub-national levels (in Uganda). They were requested to indicate the relative importance of the proposed parameters as well as the feasibility of obtaining the related information. We also pilot tested the proposed means of verification. Almost all the respondents evaluated all the parameters, including the contextual factors, as 'very important'. However, some respondents at the global level thought 'presence of incentives to comply', 'reduced disagreements', 'increased public understanding,' 'improved institutional accountability' and 'meeting the ministry of health objectives', which could be a reflection of their levels of decision making. All the proposed means of verification were assessed as feasible with the exception of meeting observations which would require an insider. These findings results were consistent with those obtained from the pilot testing. These findings are relevant to policy makers and researchers involved in priority setting in low and middle income countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few initiatives that has involved potential users of a framework (at the global and in a Low Income Country) in its validation. The favorable validation

European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC): quality indicators for outpatient antibiotic use in Europe

PubMed Central

Coenen, Samuel; Ferech, Matus; Haaijer‐Ruskamp, Flora M; Butler, Chris C; Stichele, Robert H Vander; Verheij, Theo J M; Monnet, Dominique L; Little, Paul; Goossens, Herman

2007-01-01

Background and objective Indicators to measure the quality of healthcare are increasingly used by healthcare professionals and policy makers. In the context of increasing antimicrobial resistance, this study aimed to develop valid drug‐specific quality indicators for outpatient antibiotic use in Europe, derived from European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC) data. Methods 27 experts (15 countries), in a European Science Foundation workshop, built on the expertise within the European Drug Utilisation Research Group, the General Practice Respiratory Infections Network, the ESCMID Study Group on Primary Care Topics, the Belgian Antibiotic Policy Coordination Committee, the World Health Organization, ESAC, and other experts. A set of proposed indicators was developed using 1997–2003 ESAC data. Participants scored the relevance of each indicator to reducing antimicrobial resistance, patient health benefit, cost effectiveness and public health policy makers (scale: 1 (completely disagree) to 9 (completely agree)). The scores were processed according to the UCLA‐RAND appropriateness method. Indicators were judged relevant if the median score was not in the 1–6 interval and if there was consensus (number of scores within the 1–3 interval was fewer than one third of the panel). From the relevant indicators providing overlapping information, the one with the highest scores was selected for the final set of quality indicators—values were updated with 2004 ESAC data. Results 22 participants (12 countries) completed scoring of a set of 22 proposed indicators. Nine were rated as relevant antibiotic prescribing indicators on all four dimensions; five were rated as relevant if only relevance to reducing antimicrobial resistance and public health policy makers was taken into account. A final set of 12 indicators was selected. Conclusion 12 of the proposed ESAC‐based quality indicators for outpatient antibiotic use in Europe have face validity and are

Usability Evaluation and Implementation of a Health Information Technology Dashboard of Evidence-Based Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Schall, Mark Christopher; Cullen, Laura; Pennathur, Priyadarshini; Chen, Howard; Burrell, Keith; Matthews, Grace

2017-06-01

Health information technology dashboards that integrate evidence-based quality indicators can efficiently and accurately display patient risk information to promote early intervention and improve overall quality of patient care. We describe the process of developing, evaluating, and implementing a dashboard designed to promote quality care through display of evidence-based quality indicators within an electronic health record. Clinician feedback was sought throughout the process. Usability evaluations were provided by three nurse pairs and one physician from medical-surgical areas. Task completion times, error rates, and ratings of system usability were collected to compare the use of quality indicators displayed on the dashboard to the indicators displayed in a conventional electronic health record across eight experimental scenarios. Participants rated the dashboard as "highly usable" following System Usability Scale (mean, 87.5 [SD, 9.6]) and Poststudy System Usability Questionnaire (mean, 1.7 [SD, 0.5]) criteria. Use of the dashboard led to reduced task completion times and error rates in comparison to the conventional electronic health record for quality indicator-related tasks. Clinician responses to the dashboard display capabilities were positive, and a multifaceted implementation plan has been used. Results suggest application of the dashboard in the care environment may lead to improved patient care.

Establishing nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the operating room: A cross-sectional Delphi survey conducted in China.

PubMed

Wu, Qi; Huang, Li-Hua; Xing, Mei-Yuan; Feng, Zhi-Xian; Shao, Le-Wen; Zhang, Mei-Yun; Shao, Rong-Ya

2017-01-01

Nursing-sensitive quality indicators comprise principles, procedures, and assessments to quantify the level of nursing quality in hospital departments. Although studies have demonstrated that quality indicators are essential for monitoring nursing practice in the operating room (OR), nursing quality in China is highly subjective and localised OR nursing-sensitive quality indicators are lacking. This study aimed to establish scientific, objective and comprehensive nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the OR to evaluate and monitor OR nursing care quality in China. Literature search for relevant evidence-based studies was performed using Cochrane, Medline, PubMed, Embase, and other databases, followed by literature review and group discussion by the expert panel. Two successive rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted using questionnaires completed by the expert panel to reach consensus and define nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the OR. Two rounds of Delphi surveys each had 100% questionnaire retrieval rate, with Kendall W coordination coefficients ranging from 0.096 to 0.263 (P<0.001). In round 1 of expert evaluation of 26 indicators, Kendall's W was 0.263 for importance, 0.126 for rationality, and 0.125 for feasibility of data collection (all P<0.001). After round 2, 23 items were established as OR nursing-sensitive quality indicators, including rates of work time wastage, surgery start-time delay, OR turnover time between surgeries, same-day surgery cancellation, and number of monthly surgeries in each OR; checking surgical patients, surgery site marking, allergy history, and antibiotics use 60min before incision; and also assessing expected surgical time, sterilisation indicator results, availability of surgical instruments and materials, and instrument count. Scientific, practical, and reliable OR nursing-sensitive quality indicators can be established based on evidence-based studies and expert consensus using the Delphi method. The quality

[The design and experiment of multi-parameter water quality monitoring microsystem based on MOEMS microspectrometer].

PubMed

Wei, Kang-Lin; Wen, Zhi-Yu; Guo, Jian; Chen, Song-Bo

2012-07-01

Aiming at the monitoring and protecting of water resource environment, a multi-parameter water quality monitoring microsystem based on microspectrometer was put forward in the present paper. The microsystem is mainly composed of MOEMS microspectrometer, flow paths system and embedded measuring & controlling system. It has the functions of self-injecting samples and detection regents, automatic constant temperature, self -stirring, self- cleaning and samples' spectrum detection. The principle prototype machine of the microsystem was developed, and its structure principle was introduced in the paper. Through experiment research, it was proved that the principle prototype machine can rapidly detect quite a few water quality parameters and can meet the demands of on-line water quality monitoring, moreover, the principle prototype machine has strong function expansibility.

A low free-parameter stochastic model of daily Forbush decrease indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patra, Sankar Narayan; Bhattacharya, Gautam; Panja, Subhash Chandra; Ghosh, Koushik

2014-01-01

Forbush decrease is a rapid decrease in the observed galactic cosmic ray intensity pattern occurring after a coronal mass ejection. In the present paper we have analyzed the daily Forbush decrease indices from January, 1967 to December, 2003 generated in IZMIRAN, Russia. First the entire indices have been smoothened and next we have made an attempt to fit a suitable stochastic model for the present time series by means of a necessary number of process parameters. The study reveals that the present time series is governed by a stationary autoregressive process of order 2 with a trace of white noise. Under the consideration of the present model we have shown that chaos is not expected in the present time series which opens up the possibility of validation of its forecasting (both short-term and long-term) as well as its multi-periodic behavior.

Estimation of distributional parameters for censored trace level water quality data: 2. Verification and applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helsel, Dennis R.; Gilliom, Robert J.

1986-01-01

Estimates of distributional parameters (mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range) are often desired for data sets containing censored observations. Eight methods for estimating these parameters have been evaluated by R. J. Gilliom and D. R. Helsel (this issue) using Monte Carlo simulations. To verify those findings, the same methods are now applied to actual water quality data. The best method (lowest root-mean-squared error (rmse)) over all parameters, sample sizes, and censoring levels is log probability regression (LR), the method found best in the Monte Carlo simulations. Best methods for estimating moment or percentile parameters separately are also identical to the simulations. Reliability of these estimates can be expressed as confidence intervals using rmse and bias values taken from the simulation results. Finally, a new simulation study shows that best methods for estimating uncensored sample statistics from censored data sets are identical to those for estimating population parameters. Thus this study and the companion study by Gilliom and Helsel form the basis for making the best possible estimates of either population parameters or sample statistics from censored water quality data, and for assessments of their reliability.

Association between quality management and performance indicators in Dutch diabetes care groups: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Campmans-Kuijpers, Marjo J E; Baan, Caroline A; Lemmens, Lidwien C; Klomp, Maarten L H; Romeijnders, Arnold C M; Rutten, Guy E H M

2015-01-01

Objectives To enhance the quality of diabetes care in the Netherlands, so-called care groups with three to 250 general practitioners emerged to organise and coordinate diabetes care. This introduced a new quality management level in addition to the quality management of separate general practices. We hypothesised that this new level of quality management might be associated with the aggregate performance indicators on the patient level. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between quality management at the care group level and its aggregate performance indicators. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting All Dutch care groups (n=97). Participants 23 care groups provided aggregate register-based performance indicators of all their practices as well as data on quality management measured with a questionnaire filled out by 1 or 2 of their quality managers. Primary outcomes The association between quality management, overall and in 6 domains (‘organisation of care’, ‘multidisciplinary teamwork’, ‘patient centredness’, ‘performance management’, ‘quality improvement policy’ and ‘management strategies’) on the one hand and 3 process indicators (the percentages of patients with at least 1 measurement of glycated haemoglobin, lipid profile and systolic blood pressure), and 3 intermediate outcome indicators (the percentages of patients with glycated haemoglobin below 53 mmol/mol (7%); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol below 2.5 mmol/L; and systolic blood pressure below 140 mm Hg) by weighted univariable linear regression. Results The domain ‘management strategies’ was significantly associated with the percentage of patients with a glycated haemoglobin <53 mmol/mol (β 0.28 (0.09; 0.46) p=0.01) after correction for multiple testing. The other domains as well as overall quality management were not associated with aggregate process or outcome indicators. Conclusions This first exploratory study on quality management showed weak

Association between quality management and performance indicators in Dutch diabetes care groups: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Campmans-Kuijpers, Marjo J E; Baan, Caroline A; Lemmens, Lidwien C; Klomp, Maarten L H; Romeijnders, Arnold C M; Rutten, Guy E H M

2015-05-11

To enhance the quality of diabetes care in the Netherlands, so-called care groups with three to 250 general practitioners emerged to organise and coordinate diabetes care. This introduced a new quality management level in addition to the quality management of separate general practices. We hypothesised that this new level of quality management might be associated with the aggregate performance indicators on the patient level. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between quality management at the care group level and its aggregate performance indicators. A cross-sectional study. All Dutch care groups (n=97). 23 care groups provided aggregate register-based performance indicators of all their practices as well as data on quality management measured with a questionnaire filled out by 1 or 2 of their quality managers. The association between quality management, overall and in 6 domains ('organisation of care', 'multidisciplinary teamwork', 'patient centredness', 'performance management', 'quality improvement policy' and 'management strategies') on the one hand and 3 process indicators (the percentages of patients with at least 1 measurement of glycated haemoglobin, lipid profile and systolic blood pressure), and 3 intermediate outcome indicators (the percentages of patients with glycated haemoglobin below 53 mmol/mol (7%); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol below 2.5 mmol/L; and systolic blood pressure below 140 mm Hg) by weighted univariable linear regression. The domain 'management strategies' was significantly associated with the percentage of patients with a glycated haemoglobin <53 mmol/mol (β 0.28 (0.09; 0.46) p=0.01) after correction for multiple testing. The other domains as well as overall quality management were not associated with aggregate process or outcome indicators. This first exploratory study on quality management showed weak or no associations between quality management of diabetes care groups and their performance. It remains

The potential use of fauna and bacteria as ecological indicators for the assessment of groundwater quality.

PubMed

Stein, Heide; Kellermann, Claudia; Schmidt, Susanne I; Brielmann, Heike; Steube, Christian; Berkhoff, Sven E; Fuchs, Andreas; Hahn, Hans Jürgen; Thulin, Barbara; Griebler, Christian

2010-01-01

The use of ecological criteria for the assessment of aquatic ecosystem status is routine for surface waters. So far no ecological parameters are considered for the assessment and monitoring of groundwater quality. It has been well known for decades that aquifers are ecosystems harbouring a vast diversity of invertebrates and microorganisms. The growing knowledge on groundwater microbial and faunal communities as well as the molecular and statistical tools available form a solid ground for the development of first ecologically sound assessment schemes. The sensitivity of groundwater communities towards impacts from land use and surface waters is exemplarily demonstrated by a data set of two geologically similar but hydrologically partially separated aquifer systems. Subgroups of the fauna in groundwater (stygobites vs. stygophiles and stygoxenes) successfully indicated elevated nitrate impacts linked to land use activities. Within the microbial communities, impacts from land use are mirrored by high bacterial biodiversity values atypical for pristine groundwater of comparable systems. The data show that there is legitimate hope for the application of ecological criteria for groundwater quality assessment in the future.

Quality parameters analysis of optical imaging systems with enhanced focal depth using the Wigner distribution function

PubMed

Zalvidea; Colautti; Sicre

2000-05-01

An analysis of the Strehl ratio and the optical transfer function as imaging quality parameters of optical elements with enhanced focal length is carried out by employing the Wigner distribution function. To this end, we use four different pupil functions: a full circular aperture, a hyper-Gaussian aperture, a quartic phase plate, and a logarithmic phase mask. A comparison is performed between the quality parameters and test images formed by these pupil functions at different defocus distances.

GROWTH, SURVIVAL AND MOVEMENT OF JUVENILE SALMONIDS AS INDICATORS OF HABITAT QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

Fish-habitat relationships have often relied on measures of fish abundance as indices of habitat quality. Indices based on abundance measures may be misleading, however, due to high turnover rates in suboptimal habitats, seasonality of habitat use, or lagged responses to habitat...

[Correlation between anthropometric indicators and sleep quality among Brazilian university students].

PubMed

de Vasconcelos, Hérica Cristina Alves; Fragoso, Luciana Vládia Carvalhêdo; Marinho, Niciane Bandeira Pessoa; de Araújo, Márcio Flávio Moura; de Freitas, Roberto Wagner Júnior Freire; Zanetti, Maria Lúcia; Damasceno, Marta Maria Coelho

2013-08-01

The current study investigated the correlation between anthropometric indicators and sleep quality among Brazilian university students using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. A cross-sectional assessment with 702 university students was conducted between March 2010 and June 2011. Results showed that cases of obesity were more frequent among students who were good sleepers. On the other hand, overweight and high cervical and abdominal circumference was most prominent among poor sleepers. Thus, apart from the damage caused by sleep disorders alone, additional risks due to the association between poor sleep quality and being overweight, central obesity, and increased cervical perimeter are highlighted.

Developing quality indicators and auditing protocols from formal guideline models: knowledge representation and transformations.

PubMed

Advani, Aneel; Goldstein, Mary; Shahar, Yuval; Musen, Mark A

2003-01-01

Automated quality assessment of clinician actions and patient outcomes is a central problem in guideline- or standards-based medical care. In this paper we describe a model representation and algorithm for deriving structured quality indicators and auditing protocols from formalized specifications of guidelines used in decision support systems. We apply the model and algorithm to the assessment of physician concordance with a guideline knowledge model for hypertension used in a decision-support system. The properties of our solution include the ability to derive automatically context-specific and case-mix-adjusted quality indicators that can model global or local levels of detail about the guideline parameterized by defining the reliability of each indicator or element of the guideline.

Measuring Healthcare Providers' Performances Within Managed Competition Using Multidimensional Quality and Cost Indicators.

PubMed

Portrait, France R M; van der Galiën, Onno; Van den Berg, Bernard

2016-04-01

The Dutch healthcare system is in transition towards managed competition. In theory, a system of managed competition involves incentives for quality and efficiency of provided care. This is mainly because health insurers contract on behalf of their clients with healthcare providers on, potentially, quality and costs. The paper develops a strategy to comprehensively analyse available multidimensional data on quality and costs to assess and report on the relative performance of healthcare providers within managed competition. We had access to individual information on 2409 clients of 19 Dutch diabetes care groups on a broad range of (outcome and process related) quality and cost indicators. We carried out a cost-consequences analysis and corrected for differences in case mix to reduce incentives for risk selection by healthcare providers. There is substantial heterogeneity between diabetes care groups' performances as measured using multidimensional indicators on quality and costs. Better quality diabetes care can be achieved with lower or higher costs. Routine monitoring using multidimensional data on quality and costs merged at the individual level would allow a systematic and comprehensive analysis of healthcare providers' performances within managed competition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sound quality indicators for urban places in Paris cross-validated by Milan data.

PubMed

Ricciardi, Paola; Delaitre, Pauline; Lavandier, Catherine; Torchia, Francesca; Aumond, Pierre

2015-10-01

A specific smartphone application was developed to collect perceptive and acoustic data in Paris. About 3400 questionnaires were analyzed, regarding the global sound environment characterization, the perceived loudness of some emergent sources and the presence time ratio of sources that do not emerge from the background. Sound pressure level was recorded each second from the mobile phone's microphone during a 10-min period. The aim of this study is to propose indicators of urban sound quality based on linear regressions with perceptive variables. A cross validation of the quality models extracted from Paris data was carried out by conducting the same survey in Milan. The proposed sound quality general model is correlated with the real perceived sound quality (72%). Another model without visual amenity and familiarity is 58% correlated with perceived sound quality. In order to improve the sound quality indicator, a site classification was performed by Kohonen's Artificial Neural Network algorithm, and seven specific class models were developed. These specific models attribute more importance on source events and are slightly closer to the individual data than the global model. In general, the Parisian models underestimate the sound quality of Milan environments assessed by Italian people.

Accurate Atmospheric Parameters at Moderate Resolution Using Spectral Indices: Preliminary Application to the MARVELS Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghezzi, Luan; Dutra-Ferreira, Letícia; Lorenzo-Oliveira, Diego; Porto de Mello, Gustavo F.; Santiago, Basílio X.; De Lee, Nathan; Lee, Brian L.; da Costa, Luiz N.; Maia, Marcio A. G.; Ogando, Ricardo L. C.; Wisniewski, John P.; González Hernández, Jonay I.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Fleming, Scott W.; Schneider, Donald P.; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Cargile, Phillip; Ge, Jian; Pepper, Joshua; Wang, Ji; Paegert, Martin

2014-12-01

Studies of Galactic chemical, and dynamical evolution in the solar neighborhood depend on the availability of precise atmospheric parameters (effective temperature T eff, metallicity [Fe/H], and surface gravity log g) for solar-type stars. Many large-scale spectroscopic surveys operate at low to moderate spectral resolution for efficiency in observing large samples, which makes the stellar characterization difficult due to the high degree of blending of spectral features. Therefore, most surveys employ spectral synthesis, which is a powerful technique, but relies heavily on the completeness and accuracy of atomic line databases and can yield possibly correlated atmospheric parameters. In this work, we use an alternative method based on spectral indices to determine the atmospheric parameters of a sample of nearby FGK dwarfs and subgiants observed by the MARVELS survey at moderate resolving power (R ~ 12,000). To avoid a time-consuming manual analysis, we have developed three codes to automatically normalize the observed spectra, measure the equivalent widths of the indices, and, through a comparison of those with values calculated with predetermined calibrations, estimate the atmospheric parameters of the stars. The calibrations were derived using a sample of 309 stars with precise stellar parameters obtained from the analysis of high-resolution FEROS spectra, permitting the low-resolution equivalent widths to be directly related to the stellar parameters. A validation test of the method was conducted with a sample of 30 MARVELS targets that also have reliable atmospheric parameters derived from the high-resolution spectra and spectroscopic analysis based on the excitation and ionization equilibria method. Our approach was able to recover the parameters within 80 K for T eff, 0.05 dex for [Fe/H], and 0.15 dex for log g, values that are lower than or equal to the typical external uncertainties found between different high-resolution analyses. An additional test was

Florida Initiative for Quality Cancer Care: improvements on colorectal cancer quality of care indicators during a 3-year interval.

PubMed

Siegel, Erin M; Jacobsen, Paul B; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Malafa, Mokenge; Fulp, William; Fletcher, Michelle; Smith, Jesusa Corazon R; Brown, Richard; Levine, Richard; Cartwright, Thomas; Abesada-Terk, Guillermo; Kim, George; Alemany, Carlos; Faig, Douglas; Sharp, Philip; Markham, Merry-Jennifer; Shibata, David

2014-01-01

The quality of cancer care has become a national priority; however, there are few ongoing efforts to assist medical oncology practices in identifying areas for improvement. The Florida Initiative for Quality Cancer Care is a consortium of 11 medical oncology practices that evaluates the quality of cancer care across Florida. Within this practice-based system of self-assessment, we determined adherence to colorectal cancer quality of care indicators (QCIs) in 2006, disseminated results to each practice and reassessed adherence in 2009. The current report focuses on evaluating the direction and magnitude of change in adherence to QCIs for colorectal cancer patients between the 2 assessments. Medical records were reviewed for all colorectal cancer patients seen by a medical oncologist in 2006 (n = 489) and 2009 (n = 511) at 10 participating practices. Thirty-five indicators were evaluated individually and changes in QCI adherence over time and by site were examined. Significant improvements were noted from 2006 to 2009, with large gains in surgical/pathological QCIs (eg, documenting rectal radial margin status, lymphovascular invasion, and the review of ≥ 12 lymph nodes) and medical oncology QCIs (documenting planned treatment regimen and providing recommended neoadjuvant regimens). Documentation of perineural invasion and radial margins significantly improved; however, adherence remained low (47% and 71%, respectively). There was significant variability in adherence for some QCIs across institutions at follow-up. The Florida Initiative for Quality Cancer Care practices conducted self-directed quality-improvement efforts during a 3-year interval and overall adherence to QCIs improved. However, adherence remained low for several indicators, suggesting that organized improvement efforts might be needed for QCIs that remained consistently low over time. Findings demonstrate how efforts such as the Florida Initiative for Quality Cancer Care are useful for evaluating and

Protocol for a scoping review study to identify and classify patient-centred quality indicators.

PubMed

Jolley, Rachel J; Lorenzetti, Diane L; Manalili, Kimberly; Lu, Mingshan; Quan, Hude; Santana, Maria J

2017-01-05

The concept of patient-centred care (PCC) is changing the way healthcare is understood, accepted and delivered. The Institute of Medicine has defined PCC as 1 of its 6 aims to improve healthcare quality. However, in Canada, there are currently no nationwide standards in place for measuring and evaluating healthcare from a patient-centred approach. In this paper, we outline our scoping review protocol to systematically review published and unpublished literature specific to patient-centred quality indicators that have been implemented and evaluated across various care settings. Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review methodology framework will guide the conduct of this scoping review. We will search electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts), grey literature sources and the reference lists of key studies to identify studies appropriate for inclusion. 2 reviewers will independently screen all abstracts and full-text studies for inclusion. We will include any study which focuses on quality indicators in the context of PCC. All bibliographic data, study characteristics and indicators will be collected and analysed using a tool developed through an iterative process by the research team. Indicators will be classified according to a predefined conceptual framework and categorised and described using qualitative content analysis. The scoping review will synthesise patient-centred quality indicators and their characteristics as described in the literature. This review will be the first step to formally identify what quality indicators have been used to evaluate PCC across the healthcare continuum, and will be used to inform a stakeholder consensus process exploring the development of a generic set of patient-centred quality indicators applicable to multiple care settings. The results will be disseminated through a peer

Methodology for developing quality indicators for the care of older people in the Emergency Department

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Compared with younger people, older people have a higher risk of adverse health outcomes when presenting to emergency departments. As the population ages, older people will make up an increasing proportion of the emergency department population. Therefore it is timely that consideration be given to the quality of care received by older persons in emergency departments, and to consideration of those older people with special needs. Particular attention will be focused on important groups of older people, such as patients with cognitive impairment, residents of long term care and patients with palliative care needs. This project will develop a suite of quality indicators focused on the care of older persons in the emergency department. Methods/design Following input from an expert panel, an initial set of structural, process, and outcome indicators will be developed based on thorough systematic search in the scientific literature. All initial indicators will be tested in eight emergency departments for their validity and feasibility. Results of the data from the field studies will be presented to the expert panel at a second meeting. A suite of Quality Indicators for the older emergency department population will be finalised following a formal voting process. Discussion The predicted burgeoning in the number of older persons presenting to emergency departments combined with the recognised quality deficiencies in emergency department care delivery to this population, highlight the need for a quality framework for the care of older persons in emergency departments. Additionally, high quality of care is associated with improved survival & health outcomes of elderly patients. The development of well-selected, validated and economical quality indicators will allow appropriate targeting of resources (financial, education or quality management) to improve quality in areas with maximum potential for improvement. PMID:24314126

A potential to monitor nutrients as an indicator of rangeland quality using space borne remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramoelo, A.; Cho, M. A.; Madonsela, S.; Mathieu, R.; van der Korchove, R.; Kaszta, Z.; Wolf, E.

2014-02-01

Global change consisting of land use and climate change could have huge impacts on food security and the health of various ecosystems. Leaf nitrogen (N) is one of the key factors limiting agricultural production and ecosystem functioning. Leaf N can be used as an indicator of rangeland quality which could provide information for the farmers, decision makers, land planners and managers. Leaf N plays a crucial role in understanding the feeding patterns and distribution of wildlife and livestock. Assessment of this vegetation parameter using conventional methods at landscape scale level is time consuming and tedious. Remote sensing provides a synoptic view of the landscape, which engenders an opportunity to assess leaf N over wider rangeland areas from protected to communal areas. Estimation of leaf N has been successful during peak productivity or high biomass and limited studies estimated leaf N in dry season. The objective of this study is to monitor leaf N as an indicator of rangeland quality using WorldView 2 satellite images in the north-eastern part of South Africa. Series of field work to collect samples for leaf N were undertaken in the beginning of May (end of wet season) and July (dry season). Several conventional and red edge based vegetation indices were computed. Simple regression was used to develop prediction model for leaf N. Using bootstrapping, indicator of precision and accuracy were analyzed to select a best model for the combined data sets (May and July). The may model for red edge based simple ratio explained over 90% of leaf N variations. The model developed from the combined data sets with normalized difference vegetation index explained 62% of leaf N variation, and this is a model used to estimate and map leaf N for two seasons. The study demonstrated that leaf N could be monitored using high spatial resolution with the red edge band capability.

[Assessment of quality indicators in pediatric poisoning in an emergency service].

PubMed

Giménez Roca, C; Martínez Sánchez, L; Calzada Baños, Y; Trenchs Sainz de la Maza, V; Quintilla Martínez, J M; Luaces Cubells, C

2014-01-01

Assessment of quality indicators allows clinicians to evaluate clinical assistance with a standard, to detect deficiencies and to improve medical assistance. Patients who came to emergency services of a tertiary level hospital for suspicion of poisoning from January 2011 to June 2012 were assessed using 20 quality indicators of pediatric poisoning. Data collection was performed by retrospective review of clinical reports. A total of 393 patients were admitted for suspicion of poisoning (0.3% of all admissions).The standard was reached in 11 indicators and not reached in 6: administration of activated charcoal within 2hours of poison ingestion (standard=90%, result=83.5%); attention within the first 15minutes of arriving in the emergency service (standard=90%, result=60.4%); start of gastrointestinal decontamination within 20minutes of arrival in emergency services (standard=90%, result=29.7%); performing of electrocardiogram on the patients poisoned with cardiotoxic substances (standard=95%, result=87%); judicial communication of cases of poisoning that could conceal a crime (standard=95%, result=31.3%), and collection of the minimal set of information of poisoned patients (standard=90%, result=1.9%). Three indicators could not be evaluated as a consequence of the limited number of cases where they could be applied (<5). The main deficiencies are related to delay in assistance, collection of information and completion of judicial reports. Giving these patients priority, designing a checklist to collect the main points of their management, and creating obligatory fields for data in computerized medical records, are the main actions available to achieve pediatric poisoning quality indicators in this emergency service. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

[Quality of care indicators for benign prostatic hyperplasia. A qualitative study].

PubMed

Navarro-Pérez, Jorge; Peiró, Salvador; Brotons-Muntó, Francisco; López-Alcina, Emilio; Real-Romaguera, Arcadio

2014-05-01

To assess quality of care indicators for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses for incorporation into health information systems. Structured expert meeting, using procedures adapted from the nominal group techniques and the Rand consensus method. Valencian School of Health Studies. Forty panellists (74% doctors, 70% from primary care settings) with experience in the management of BPH from 15 departments of the Valencia Health Agency. Three workshops were held simultaneously (examination and diagnosis, drug therapy, and appropriateness and results), and the 15 quality indicators selected by the coordination group were assessed. Eleven of the 15 indicators scored in the range of high relevance. The 5 best rated were: the use of alpha-blockers + 5-alpha reductase inhibitor from certain severity level, digital rectal examination in the initial assessment, follow-up with the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), the rate of urgent catheterization in Hospital Accident & Emergency Units, initial assessment with the IPSS and the use of alpha-blockers prior to catheter removal for acute retention of urine. Some of the assessed indicators can be useful for incorporation into health information systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Quality Indicators for Evaluating Prehospital Emergency Care: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Howard, Ian; Cameron, Peter; Wallis, Lee; Castren, Maaret; Lindstrom, Veronica

2018-02-01

Introduction Historically, the quality and performance of prehospital emergency care (PEC) has been assessed largely based on surrogate, non-clinical endpoints such as response time intervals or other crude measures of care (eg, stakeholder satisfaction). However, advances in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems and services world-wide have seen their scope and reach continue to expand. This has dictated that novel measures of performance be implemented to compliment this growth. Significant progress has been made in this area, largely in the form of the development of evidence-informed quality indicators (QIs) of PEC. Problem Quality indicators represent an increasingly popular component of health care quality and performance measurement. However, little is known about the development of QIs in the PEC environment. The purpose of this study was to assess the development and characteristics of PEC-specific QIs in the literature. A scoping review was conducted through a search of PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, Maryland USA); EMBase (Elsevier; Amsterdam, Netherlands); CINAHL (EBSCO Information Services; Ipswich, Massachusetts USA); Web of Science (Thomson Reuters; New York, New York USA); and the Cochrane Library (The Cochrane Collaboration; Oxford, United Kingdom). To increase the sensitivity of the literature, a search of the grey literature and review of select websites was additionally conducted. Articles were selected that proposed at least one PEC QI and whose aim was to discuss, analyze, or promote quality measurement in the PEC environment. The majority of research (n=25 articles) was published within the last decade (68.0%) and largely originated within the USA (68.0%). Delphi and observational methodologies were the most commonly employed for QI development (28.0%). A total of 331 QIs were identified via the article review, with an additional 15 QIs identified via the website review. Of

Study on Quality Indicator System of Rhythmic Gymnasts in Analytic Hierarchy Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Lin

2017-08-01

The rhythmic gymnastics (RG) is a sport item with the direct aim of winning as well as a good ornamental value. The scientific selection by the rhythmic gymnasts is necessary for the success, and also the beginning for the scientific training of the gymnasts in their special training stage. According to RG characteristics and the physical characteristics of the gymnasts, also in combination with the investigations & interviews to the coaches who have years of training experience in RG, the experts & scholars on RG study & teaching in universities, and by referring to relevant documents, this paper established the quality indicator system in analytic hierarchy process (AHP). We summarized and selected several indicators obviously influencing the RG training and divided them into the three types of factors: physical factors, flexibility & strength factors, and speed & dexterity factors, according to which 12 specific indicators, their weights and comprehensive evaluation coefficients. Based on these indicators, we established the quality indicator system of the gymnasts, and developed corresponding software system, providing scientific theoretical basis & practical application basis for the selection & evaluation of the gymnasts.

[Structure Parameters and Quality Outcomes of Ambulant Home-care].

PubMed

Suhr, Ralf; Raeder, Kathrin; Kuntz, Simone; Strube-Lahmann, Sandra; Latendorf, Antje; Klingelhöfer-Noe, Jürgen; Lahmann, Nils

2018-05-14

So far, there are few data available on the changes of ambulant home-care in Germany over the last decades. Therefore, the aim of this research was to provide structure data on nursing personnel, funding, size, regional differences, and training needs of ambulant home-care services in Germany. In addition, a possible association between structure parameters and quality outcomes for pressure ulcer and malnutrition was investigated. In 2015, a multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in home-care services in Germany. Structure data from 99 randomly selected home-care services as well as data on pressure ulcers and malnutrition of 903 care-dependent clients were analyzed. The median (<98 clients) was used as a cut-off to differentiate between small and large home-care services. From a cut-off of 20,000 inhabitants, a region was considered urban. The average prevalence for decubitus and malnutrition (BMI<20 Kg/m2) were determined for each home-care service, and possible associations with structure parameters were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model. The proportion of registered nurses in non-private (private) home-care services was 60.6% (52.3%). The proportion of employees with a 200- h basic qualification in nursing was higher in private (12.5 vs. 4.7%), small home-care services (14.0 vs. 5.8%) and in urban regions (11.5 vs 5.7%). In average, registered nurses working in small home-care services spent significantly more time per client than the ones working in large services (3.8 vs. 2.9 h/week). The highest need for further training was shown on the subjects of pain, medication and cognitive impairment. No statistically significant correlation could be found between the average decubitus prevalence and structure parameters. Only the association between malnutrition prevalence and the proportion of registered nurses was statistically significant. The present representative study provides structure data on nursing personnel, funding, size

[Potential for the survey of quality indicators based on a national emergency department registry : A systematic literature search].

PubMed

Hörster, A C; Kulla, M; Brammen, D; Lefering, R

2018-06-01

Emergency department processes are often key for successful treatment. Therefore, collection of quality indicators is demanded. A basis for the collection is systematic, electronic documentation. The development of paper-based documentation into an electronic and interoperable national emergency registry is-besides the establishment of quality management for emergency departments-a target of the AKTIN project. The objective of this research is identification of internationally applied quality indicators. For the investigation of the current status of quality management in emergency departments based on quality indicators, a systematic literature search of the database PubMed, the Cochrane Library and the internet was performed. Of the 170 internationally applied quality indicators, 25 with at least two references are identified. A total of 10 quality indicators are ascertainable by the data set. An enlargement of the data set will enable the collection of seven further quality indicators. The implementation of data of care behind the emergency processes will provide eight additional quality indicators. This work was able to show that the potential of a national emergency registry for the establishment of quality indicators corresponds with the international systems taken into consideration and could provide a comparable collection of quality indicators.

Genetic parameters of egg quality traits in long-term pedigree recorded Japanese quail.

PubMed

Sari, M; Tilki, M; Saatci, M

2016-08-01

This study was conducted to determine the genetic parameters of internal and external quality traits of Japanese quail eggs. Two statistical models were used in the calculation of genetic parameters and variance components. While 286 eggs were used based on model 1, 1,524 eggs were used based on model 2. Genetic parameters of the first eggs were calculated with direct genetic effect included in the analysis as random factors by using model 1. Model 2 was used for all eggs (5 to 6 eggs from each hen for six rearing groups). As different from model 1, their permanent environmental effects were also included in the model 2. Heritability of egg weight, egg length, egg width, shape index, shell weight, shell thickness, and shell ratio among the external quality traits of the eggs was respectively found to be 0.44, 0.53, 0.51, 0.70, 0.19, 0.16, and 0.05, respectively, according to model 1. These values were found to be 0.46, 0.40, 0.74, 0.48, 0.60, 0.28, and 0.21, respectively, according to model 2. Yolk weight, yolk diameter, yolk height, yolk index, yolk ratio, albumen weight, albumen height, albumen ratio, and Haugh unit values among the internal quality traits of the egg were found to be 0.22, 0.32, 0.02, 0.16, 0.19, 0.34, 0.19, 0.17, and 0.17, respectively, according to model 1. These internal quality traits were found to be 0.27, 0.18, 0.38, 0.06, 0.20, 0.41, 0.15, 0.15, and 0.12, respectively, according to model 2. Consequently, in this study, strong genetic correlations were detected between albumen height and Haugh unit, and also between albumen height and albumen weight. Additionally, a high and positive correlation was observed between some yolk traits (yolk weight and diameter) and albumen traits (weight and height). All these genetic correlations can be used to improve egg quality with a selection according to albumen weight. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

UK key performance indicators and quality assurance standards for colonoscopy.

PubMed

Rees, Colin J; Thomas Gibson, Siwan; Rutter, Matt D; Baragwanath, Phil; Pullan, Rupert; Feeney, Mark; Haslam, Neil

2016-12-01

Colonoscopy should be delivered by endoscopists performing high quality procedures. The British Society of Gastroenterology, the UK Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy, and the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland have developed quality assurance measures and key performance indicators for the delivery of colonoscopy within the UK. This document sets minimal standards for delivery of procedures along with aspirational targets that all endoscopists should aim for. 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/.

Monitoring water stress and fruit quality in an orange orchard under regulated deficit irrigation using narrow-band structural and physiological remote sensing indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stagakis, S.; González-Dugo, V.; Cid, P.; Guillén-Climent, M. L.; Zarco-Tejada, P. J.

2012-07-01

altered canopy structure. In such cases, PRI570 was more affected than PRI515 by the structural changes caused by sustained water stress throughout the season. Both PRI formulations were proven to serve as pre-visual water stress indicators linked to fruit quality TSS and TA parameters (r2 = 0.69 for PRI515 vs TSS; r2 = 0.58 vs TA). In contrast, the chlorophyll (R700/R670) and structural indices (NDVI, RDVI, MTVI) showed poor relationships with fruit quality and water status levels (r2 = 0.04 for NDVI vs TSS; r2 = 0.19 vs TA). The two PRI formulations showed strong relationships with the field-measured fruit quality parameters in September, the beginning of stage III, which appeared to be the period most sensitive to water stress and the most critical for assessing fruit quality in citrus. Both PRI515 and PRI570 showed similar performance for the two scales assessed (sunlit crown and entire crown), demonstrating that within-crown component separation is not needed in citrus tree crowns where the shaded vegetation component is small. However, the simulation conducted through spatial resampling on tree + soil aggregated pixels revealed that the physiological indices were highly affected by soil reflectance and between-tree shadows, showing that for TSS vs PRI515 the relationship dropped from r2 = 0.69 to r2 = 0.38 when aggregating soil + crown components. This work confirms a previous study that demonstrated the link between PRI570, water stress, and fruit quality, while also making progress in assessing the new PRI formulation (PRI515), the within-crown shadow effects on the physiological indices, and the need for high resolution imagery to target individual tree crowns for the purpose of evaluating the effects of water stress on fruit quality in citrus.

Quality Indicators for the Total Testing Process.

PubMed

Plebani, Mario; Sciacovelli, Laura; Aita, Ada

2017-03-01

ISO 15189:2012 requires the use of quality indicators (QIs) to monitor and evaluate all steps of the total testing process, but several difficulties dissuade laboratories from effective and continuous use of QIs in routine practice. An International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine working group addressed this problem and implemented a project to develop a model of QIs to be used in clinical laboratories worldwide to monitor and evaluate all steps of the total testing process, and decrease error rates and improve patient services in laboratory testing. All laboratories are invited, at no cost, to enroll in the project and contribute to harmonized management at the international level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing Quality Indicators and Auditing Protocols from Formal Guideline Models: Knowledge Representation and Transformations

PubMed Central

Advani, Aneel; Goldstein, Mary; Shahar, Yuval; Musen, Mark A.

2003-01-01

Automated quality assessment of clinician actions and patient outcomes is a central problem in guideline- or standards-based medical care. In this paper we describe a model representation and algorithm for deriving structured quality indicators and auditing protocols from formalized specifications of guidelines used in decision support systems. We apply the model and algorithm to the assessment of physician concordance with a guideline knowledge model for hypertension used in a decision-support system. The properties of our solution include the ability to derive automatically (1) context-specific and (2) case-mix-adjusted quality indicators that (3) can model global or local levels of detail about the guideline (4) parameterized by defining the reliability of each indicator or element of the guideline. PMID:14728124

Assessment of the quality of fall detection and management in primary care in the Netherlands based on the ACOVE quality indicators.

PubMed

Askari, M; Eslami, S; van Rijn, M; Medlock, S; Moll van Charante, E P; van der Velde, N; de Rooij, S E; Abu-Hanna, A

2016-02-01

We determined adherence to nine fall-related ACOVE quality indicators to investigate the quality of management of falls in the elderly population by general practitioners in the Netherlands. Our findings demonstrate overall low adherence to these indicators, possibly indicating insufficiency in the quality of fall management. Most indicators showed a positive association between increased risk for functional decline and adherence, four of which with statistical significance. This study aims to investigate the quality of detection and management of falls in the elderly population by general practitioners in the Netherlands, using the Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE) quality indicators. Community-dwelling persons aged 70 years or above, registered in participating general practices, were asked to fill in a questionnaire designed to determine general practitioner (GP) adherence to fall-related indicators. We used logistic regression to estimate the association between increased risk for functional decline-quantified by the Identification of Seniors At Risk for Primary Care score-and adherence. We then cross-validated the self-reported falls with medical records. Of the 950 elders responding to our questionnaire, only 10.6 % reported that their GP proactively asked them about falls. Of the 160 patients who reported two or more falls, or one fall for which they visited the GP, only 23.1 % had fall documentation in their records. Adherence ranged between 13.6 and 48.6 %. There was a significant positive association between the ISAR-PC scores and adherence in four QIs. Documentation of falls was highest (36.7 %) in patients whom the GP had proactively asked about falls. Based on patient self-reports, adherence to the ACOVE fall-related indicators was poor, suggesting that the quality of evaluation and management of falls in community-dwelling older persons in the Netherlands is poor. The documentation of falls and fall-related risk factors was also poor

Soil quality indicator responses to row crop, grazed pasture, and agroforestry buffer management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Incorporation of trees and establishment of grass buffers within agroecosystems are management practices shown to enhance soil quality. Soil enzyme activities and water stable aggregates (WSA) have been identified as sensitive soil quality indicators to evaluate early responses to soil management. ...

[Qualitative analysis of the evaluation indicators and their related parameters of ametropic state].

PubMed

Ren, Zeqin

2016-01-01

To investigate the theoretical basis and practical limitations of the existing calculation formulas in the evaluation of ametropic state. The evaluation indicators and their calculation parameters of ametropia were analyzed by using the reduced schematic model eye, the paraxial imaging principle, and the dimension laws. The existing formulas resulted from the reduced object vergence of object distance and image distance relation. Regarding the two measurement indicators of the existing formulas, diopter was misused for refractive power. "Ametropia degree" was a non-standard diction. Both of them were not suitable as the evaluation indicators. The outcomes of the existing formulas and their related plus or minus sign rules showed refractive corrections instead of refractive errors proper. For refractive errors, there was no suitable evaluation indicator. In the evaluation of ametropic state, there are fundamental problems in the existing formulas resulting from the reduced object vergence. The measurement indicators and their dimensional units are confused and misused. The calculation results refer to the refractive corrections only. The evaluation indicators for ametropia need to be further discussed.

Effect of participating in Taiwan Quality Indicator Project on hospital efficiency in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chu, Hsuan-Lien; Wang, Chen-Chin; Shiu, Shu Fen

2009-01-01

To examine the effect of participating in Taiwan Quality Indicator Project (TQIP) on hospital efficiency and investigate why hospitals participate in TQIP. Our sample consists of 417 private not-for-profit hospitals in Taiwan during the 2001-2007 period. A simultaneous-equation model was performed to examine if hospitals that participated in TQIP were more efficient than hospitals that did not and investigate which variables affected the probabilities of hospitals' participation in the project. Our findings indicate that participating hospitals are more efficient than hospitals not participating in TQIP. In addition, hospital efficiency, hospital size, teaching status, and hospital age are positively related to participation in the project. These empirical results can be used as supporting evidence of success in improving performance through creating quality for hospitals that have participated in the project and offer insights into the value and strengths of the project. In addition, in recent years, reimbursement systems worldwide have partly moved payment methods to a pay-for-performance mechanism. In an attempt to control costs and improve quality, the policy makers should consider participating in Quality Indicator Project (QIP) as being one of the criteria to be reimbursed for performance.

Standardization and quality control parameters for Muktā Bhasma (calcined pearl)

PubMed Central

Joshi, Namrata; Sharma, Khemchand; Peter, Hema; Dash, Manoj Kumar

2015-01-01

Background: Muktā Bhasma (MB) is a traditional Ayurvedic preparation for cough, breathlessness, and eye disorders and is a powerful cardiac tonic, mood elevator, and known to promote strength, intellect, and semen production. Objectives: The present research work was conducted to generate fingerprint for raw and processed MB for quality assessment and standardization using classical and other techniques. Setting and Design: Three samples of MB were prepared by purification (śodhana) of Muktā (pearl) followed by repeated calcinations (Māraṇa). Resultant product was subjected to organoleptic tests and Ayurvedic tests for quality control such as rekhāpūrṇatā, vāritaratva, and nirdhūmatva. Materials and Methods: For quality control, physicochemical parameters such as loss on drying, total ash value, acid insoluble ash, specific gravity, pH value, and other tests using techniques such as elemental analysis with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Structural study with powder X-ray diffraction, particle size with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were carried out on raw Muktā, Śodhita Muktā, and triplicate batches of MB. Results: The study showed that the raw material Muktā was calcium carbonate in aragonite form, which on repeated calcinations was converted into a more stable calcite form. SEM studies revealed that in raw and purified materials the particles were found scattered and unevenly arranged in the range of 718.7–214.7 nm while in final product, uniformly arranged, stable, rod-shaped, and rounded particles with more agglomerates were observed in the range of 279.2–79.93 nm. EDAX analysis revealed calcium as a major ingredient in MB (average 46.32%) which increased gradually in the stages of processing (raw 34.11%, Śodhita 37.5%). Conclusion: Quality control parameters have been quantified for fingerprinting of MB prepared using a particular method. PMID:26600667

[Simulation of vegetation indices optimizing under retrieval of vegetation biochemical parameters based on PROSPECT + SAIL model].

PubMed

Wu, Ling; Liu, Xiang-Nan; Zhou, Bo-Tian; Liu, Chuan-Hao; Li, Lu-Feng

2012-12-01

This study analyzed the sensitivities of three vegetation biochemical parameters [chlorophyll content (Cab), leaf water content (Cw), and leaf area index (LAI)] to the changes of canopy reflectance, with the effects of each parameter on the wavelength regions of canopy reflectance considered, and selected three vegetation indices as the optimization comparison targets of cost function. Then, the Cab, Cw, and LAI were estimated, based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm and PROSPECT + SAIL model. The results showed that retrieval efficiency with vegetation indices as the optimization comparison targets of cost function was better than that with all spectral reflectance. The correlation coefficients (R2) between the measured and estimated values of Cab, Cw, and LAI were 90.8%, 95.7%, and 99.7%, and the root mean square errors of Cab, Cw, and LAI were 4.73 microg x cm(-2), 0.001 g x cm(-2), and 0.08, respectively. It was suggested that to adopt vegetation indices as the optimization comparison targets of cost function could effectively improve the efficiency and precision of the retrieval of biochemical parameters based on PROSPECT + SAIL model.

Effect of starch-beeswax coatings on quality parameters of blackberries (Rubus spp.).

PubMed

Pérez-Gallardo, Alfonso; García-Almendárez, Blanca; Barbosa-Cánovas, Gustavo; Pimentel-González, Diana; Reyes-González, L R; Regalado, Carlos

2015-09-01

There is increased interest in berry fruits due to health benefits, and maintenance of fruit quality for longer periods of time has been a priority. We previously found that starch based coatings applied on raspberries was associated to volatile compounds production due to anoxic conditions. The objective of this work was to design more hydrophobic coatings with reduced thickness. A starch-beeswax dispersion containing 2 % (w/v) modified tapioca starch added with either 0.5 or 1.0 % (w/v) beeswax microparticles was produced, and used for spray coating freshly harvested blackberries (Rubus spp.). Coatings were air dried, packed in plastic trays and stored up to 16 days at 4 °C and 88 % relative humidity. Storage quality parameters such as hardness, respiration rate, anthocyanins content, total phenols, color changes and weight loss were evaluated. We did not find Interactions among coating ingredients, and incorporation of beeswax reduced moisture transfer rate. Coatings did not occlude the stomata and apparently did not over-hydrate the cuticle. This characteristic allowed appropriate gas exchange (O2 and CO2), and reduced accumulation of volatile compounds associated to fermentative metabolism. Respiration rates were 4.207 ± 0.157, 4.557 ± 0.220 and 4.780 ± 0.050 mmol CO2 kg(-1) h(-1) for control, 0.5 and 1 % of wax content in coatings, respectively. However, ethylene production increased throughout storage time along with beeswax concentration, indicating stressful conditions for the fruit. This trend appears to be related with changes in total phenols and anthocyanins during storage. Edible coatings based on starch and hydrophobic particles should be reformulated to maintain quality of stored berry fruits.

[Evaluation method with radiographic image quality indicator for internal defects of dental casting metallic restoration].

PubMed

Li, Y; Zheng, G; Lin, H

2014-12-18

To develop a new kind of dental radiographic image quality indicator (IQI) for internal quality of casting metallic restoration to influence on its usage life. Radiographic image quality indicator method was used to evaluate the depth of the defects region and internal quality of 127 casting metallic restoration and the accuracy was compared with that of conventional callipers method. In the 127 cases of casting metallic restoration, 9 were found the thickness less than 0.7 mm and the thinnest thickness only 0.2 mm in 26 casting metallic crowns or bridges' occlusal defects region. The data measured by image quality indicator were consistent with those measured by conventional gauging. Two metal inner crowns were found the thickness less than 0.3 mm in 56 porcelain crowns or bridges. The thickness of casting removable partial denture was more than 1.0 mm, but thinner regions were not found. It was found that in a titanium partial denture, the X-ray image of clasp was not uniform and there were internal porosity defects in the clasp. Special dental image quality indicator can solve the visual error problems caused by different observing backgrounds and estimate the depth of the defects region in the casting.

Main Parameters of Soil Quality and it's Management Under Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

László Phd, M., ,, Dr.

2009-04-01

0-5 cm zone, penetration resistance of 0 to 20 and 20 to 40 cm zones and topsoil thickness as physical determinants of soil quality. Letey (1994) suggests that structure, texture, bulk density, and profile characteristics affect management practices in agriculture but are not directly related to plant productivity. He proposes that water potential, oxygen diffusion rate, temperature, and mechanical resistance directly affect plant growth, and thus are the best indicators of the physical quality of a soil for production. Soil tilth, a poorly defined term that describes the physical condition of soil, also may be an indicator of a soil's ability to support crops. Farmers may assess soil tilth by kicking a soil clod. More formal measurements to describe soil ti]th include bulk density, porosity, structure, roughness and aggregate characteristics (Karlen et al., 1992). Many of the processes that contribute to soil structure, aggregate stability, bulk density and porosity are not well understood, making soil tilth a difficult parameter to quantify. Soil depth is an easily measured and independent property that provides direct information about a soil's ability to support plants. Effective soil depth is the depth available for roots to explore for water and nutrients. Layers that restrict root growth or water movement include hard rock, naturally dense soil layers such as fragipans, petrocalcic and, petroferric horizons, duripans, and human-induced layers of high bulk density such as plow pans and traffic pans. Effective soil depth is a problem for agricultural use of over 50% of soils in Africa (Eswaran et al., 1997). Soil depth requirements vary with crop or species. Many vegetable crops, for example, are notably shallow rooted while grain crops and some legumes like alfalfa are deep rooted. Variation will be even greater in unmanaged, natural systems. Wheat yield in Colorado was shown to decrease from 2,700 to 1,150 kg ha' over a 60-yr period of cultivation primarily

Effect of intense short rainfall events on coastal water quality parameters from remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbari, Chiara; Lassini, Fabio; Mancini, Marco

2016-07-01

Strong rainfall events, especially during summer, in small river basins cause spills in the sea that often compromise the quality of coastal waters. The goal of this paper is then to study the changes of coastal waters quality as a result of intense rainfall events during the bathing season through the use of remote sensing data. These analyses are performed at the outlets of small watersheds which are not usually affected by high sediment transport as in the case of large basins which are persistently affected by intense solid transport which does not allow retrieving a reliable correlation between rainfall events and water quality parameters. Four small watersheds in different Italian regions on the Mediterranean Sea are selected for this study. The remotely sensed parameters of turbidity, total suspend solids and secchi disk depth, are retrieved from MODIS data. Secchi disk depths are also compared to available ground data during the summer seasons between 2003 and 2006 showing good correlations. Then the spatial and temporal changes of these parameters are analyzed after intense short storm events. Increases of turbidity and total suspend solids are found to be around 35 NTU and 20 mg L-1 respectively depending on the intensity of the rainfall event and on the distance from the shoreline. Moreover the recovery of water quality after the rain event is reached after two or three days.

A systematic approach towards the development of quality indicators for postnatal care after discharge in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Helsloot, Kaat; Walraevens, Mieke; Besauw, Saskia Van; Van Parys, An-Sofie; Devos, Hanne; Holsbeeck, Ann Van; Roelens, Kristien

2017-05-01

to develop a set of quality indicators for postnatal care after discharge from the hospital, using a systematic approach. key elements of qualitative postnatal care were defined by performing a systematic review and the literature was searched for potential indicators (step 1). The potential indicators were evaluated by five criteria (validity, reliability, sensitivity, feasibility and acceptability) and by making use of the 'Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation', the AIRE-instrument (step 2). In a modified Delphi-survey, the quality indicators were presented to a panel of experts in the field of postnatal care using an online tool (step 3). The final results led to a Flemish model of postnatal care (step 4). Flanders, Belgium PARTICIPANTS: health care professionals, representatives of health care organisations and policy makers with expertise in the field of postnatal care. after analysis 57 research articles, 10 reviews, one book and eight other documents resulted in 150 potential quality indicators in seven critical care domains. Quality assessment of the indicators resulted in 58 concept quality indicators which were presented to an expert-panel of health care professionals. After two Delphi-rounds, 30 quality indicators (six structure, 17 process, and seven outcome indicators) were found appropriate to monitor and improve the quality of postnatal care after discharge from the hospital. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: the quality indicators resulted in a Flemish model of qualitative postnatal care that was implemented by health authorities as a minimum standard in the context of shortened length of stay. Postnatal care should be adjusted to a flexible length of stay and start in pregnancy with an individualised care plan that follows mother and new-born throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period. Criteria for discharge and local protocols about the organisation and content of care are essential to facilitate

[A set of quality and safety indicators for hospitals of the "Agencia Valenciana de Salud"].

PubMed

Nebot-Marzal, C M; Mira-Solves, J J; Guilabert-Mora, M; Pérez-Jover, V; Pablo-Comeche, D; Quirós-Morató, T; Cuesta Peredo, D

2014-01-01

To prepare a set of quality and safety indicators for Hospitals of the «Agencia Valenciana de Salud». The qualitative technique Metaplan® was applied in order to gather proposals on sustainability and nursing. The catalogue of the «Spanish Society of Quality in Healthcare» was adopted as a starting point for clinical indicators. Using the Delphi technique, 207 professionals were invited to participate in the selecting the most reliable and feasible indicators. Lastly, the resulting proposal was validated with the managers of 12 hospitals, taking into account the variability, objectivity, feasibility, reliability and sensitivity, of the indicators. Participation rates varied between 66.67% and 80.71%. Of the 159 initial indicators, 68 were prioritized and selected (21 economic or management indicators, 22 nursing indicators, and 25 clinical or hospital indicators). Three of them were common to all three categories and two did not match the specified criteria during the validation phase, thus obtaining a final catalogue of 63 indicators. A set of quality and safety indicators for Hospitals was prepared. They are currently being monitored using the hospital information systems. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Identifying individual changes in performance with composite quality indicators while accounting for regression to the mean.

PubMed

Gajewski, Byron J; Dunton, Nancy

2013-04-01

Almost a decade ago Morton and Torgerson indicated that perceived medical benefits could be due to "regression to the mean." Despite this caution, the regression to the mean "effects on the identification of changes in institutional performance do not seem to have been considered previously in any depth" (Jones and Spiegelhalter). As a response, Jones and Spiegelhalter provide a methodology to adjust for regression to the mean when modeling recent changes in institutional performance for one-variable quality indicators. Therefore, in our view, Jones and Spiegelhalter provide a breakthrough methodology for performance measures. At the same time, in the interests of parsimony, it is useful to aggregate individual quality indicators into a composite score. Our question is, can we develop and demonstrate a methodology that extends the "regression to the mean" literature to allow for composite quality indicators? Using a latent variable modeling approach, we extend the methodology to the composite indicator case. We demonstrate the approach on 4 indicators collected by the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. A simulation study further demonstrates its "proof of concept."

Quality of care in European home care programs using the second generation interRAI Home Care Quality Indicators (HCQIs).

PubMed

Foebel, Andrea D; van Hout, Hein P; van der Roest, Henriëtte G; Topinkova, Eva; Garms-Homolova, Vjenka; Frijters, Dinnus; Finne-Soveri, Harriet; Jónsson, Pálmi V; Hirdes, John P; Bernabei, Roberto; Onder, Graziano

2015-11-14

Evaluating the quality of care provided to older individuals is a key step to ensure that needs are being met and to target interventions to improve care. To this aim, interRAI's second-generation home care quality indicators (HCQIs) were developed in 2013. This study assesses the quality of home care services in six European countries using these HCQIs as well as the two derived summary scales. Data for this study were derived from the Aged in Home Care (AdHOC) study - a cohort study that examined different models of community care in European countries. The current study selected a sub-sample of the AdHOC cohort from six countries whose follow-up data were complete (Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands). Data were collected from the interRAI Home Care instrument (RAI-HC) between 2000 and 2002. The 23 HCQIs of interest were determined according to previously established methodology, including risk adjustment. Two summary measures, the Clinical Balance Scale and Independence Quality Scale were also determined using established methodology. A total of 1,354 individuals from the AdHOC study were included in these analyses. Of the 23 HCQIs that were measured, the highest proportion of individuals experienced declines in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) (48.4 %). Of the clinical quality indicators, mood decline was the most prevalent (30.0 %), while no flu vaccination and being alone and distressed were the most prevalent procedural and social quality indicators, respectively (33.4 and 12.8 %). Scores on the two summary scales varied by country, but were concentrated around the median mark. The interRAI HCQIs can be used to determine the quality of home care services in Europe and identify areas for improvement. Our results suggest functional declines may prove the most beneficial targets for interventions.

Prognostic Value of National Comprehensive Cancer Network Lung Cancer Resection Quality Parameters

PubMed Central

Osarogiagbon, Raymond U.; Ray, Meredith A.; Faris, Nicholas R.; Div, M.; Smeltzer, Matthew P.; Stat, M.; Fehnel, Carrie; Houston-Harris, Cheryl; Signore, Raymond S.; McHugh, Laura M.; Levy, Paul; Wiggins, Lynn; Sachdev, Vishal; Robbins, Edward T.

2017-01-01

Background The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) surgical resection guidelines for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) recommend anatomic resection, negative margins, examination of hilar/intrapulmonary lymph nodes, and examination of 3 or more mediastinal nodal stations. We examined the survival impact of these guidelines. Methods Population-based observational study using patient-level data from all curative-intent NSCLC resections from 2004–2013 at 11 institutions in 4 contiguous Dartmouth Hospital Referral Regions in 3 US states. We used an adjusted Cox proportional hazards model to assess the overall survival impact of attaining NCCN guidelines. Results Of 2,429 eligible resections,91% were anatomic, 94% had negative margins, 51% sampled hilar nodes, and 26% examined three or more mediastinal nodal stations. Only 17% of resections met all four criteria, however there was a significant increasing trend from 2% in 2004 to 39% in 2013 (p<0.001). Compared to patients whose surgery missed one or more parameters, the hazard ratio for patients whose surgery met all four criteria was 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.59–0.86, p<0.001). Margin status and the nodal staging parameters were most strongly linked with survival. Conclusions Attainment of NCCN surgical quality guidelines was low, but improving, over the past decade in this cohort from a high lung cancer mortality region of the US. The NCCN quality criteria, especially the nodal examination criteria, were strongly associated with survival. The quality of nodal examination should be a focus of quality improvement in NSCLC care. PMID:28366464

A Case Study Showing Parameters Affecting the Quality of Education: Faculty Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumari, Neeraj

2014-01-01

The study aims to examine the faculty members' perspective (age Wise, Gender Wise and Work Experience wise) of parameters affecting the quality of education in an affiliated Undergraduate Engineering Institution in Haryana. It is a descriptive type of research. The data has been collected with the help of 'Questionnaire Based Survey'. The sample…

Stagnant surface water bodies (SSWBs) as an alternative water resource for the Chittagong metropolitan area of Bangladesh: physicochemical characterization in terms of water quality indices.

PubMed

Rahman, Ismail Md Mofizur; Islam, M Monirul; Hossain, M Mosharraf; Hossain, M Shahadat; Begum, Zinnat A; Chowdhury, Didarul A; Chakraborty, Milan K; Rahman, M Azizur; Nazimuddin, M; Hasegawa, Hiroshi

2011-02-01

The concern over ensuing freshwater scarcity has forced the developing countries to delve for alternative water resources. In this study, we examined the potential of stagnant surface water bodies (SSWBs) as alternative freshwater resources in the densely populated Chittagong metropolitan area (CMPA) of Bangladesh--where there is an acute shortage of urban freshwater supply. Water samples were collected at 1-month intervals for a period of 1 year from 12 stations distributed over the whole metropolis. Samples were analyzed for pH, water temperature (WTemp), turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids, total solids, total hardness, dissolved oxygen (DO), chloride, orthophosphates, ammonia, total coliforms (TC), and trace metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, As, and Fe) concentrations. Based on these parameters, different types of water quality indices (WQIs) were deduced. WQIs showed most of CMPA-SSWBs as good or medium quality water bodies, while none were categorized as bad. Moreover, it was observed that the minimal water quality index (WQIm), computed using five parameters: WTemp, pH, DO, EC, and turbidity, gave a reliable estimate of water quality. The WQIm gave similar results in 72% of the cases compared with other WQIs that were based on larger set of parameters. Based on our finding, we suggest the wider use WQIm in developing countries for assessing health of SSWBs, as it will minimize the analytical cost to overcome the budget constraints involved in this kind of evaluations. It was observed that except turbidity and TC content, all other quality parameters fluctuated within the limit of the World Health Organization suggested standards for drinking water. From our findings, we concluded that if the turbidity and TC content of water from SSWBs in CMPA are taken care of, they will become good candidates as alternative water resources all round the year.

Effects of Grazing and Fire Frequency on Floristic Quality and its Relationship to Indicators of Soil Quality in Tallgrass Prairie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, George C.; Baer, Sara G.; Blair, John M.

2017-12-01

Fire and grazing are widely used to manage grasslands for conservation purposes, but few studies have evaluated the effects of these drivers on the conservation value of plant communities measured by the floristic quality index (FQI). Further, the influence of fire and grazing on soil properties and functions are difficult for land managers and restoration practitioners to assess. The objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the independent and interactive effects of grazing and fire frequency on floristic quality in native tallgrass prairie to provide potential benchmarks for community assessment, and (2) to explore whether floristic quality can serve as an indicator of soil structure and function for more holistic ecosystem assessments. A factorial combination of fire frequencies (1-2, 4, and 20 years return intervals) and grazing (by bison or ungrazed) treatments were sampled for plant species composition, and for several indicators of soil quality in lowland tallgrass prairie. Floristic quality, diversity, and richness were higher in grazed than ungrazed prairie over all fire frequencies ( P < 0.05). Available inorganic N, microbial biomass N, total N, and soil bulk density were also higher in grazed prairie soil over all fire frequencies ( P < 0.05). Microbial biomass C, total organic C, and total soil N were positively correlated with FQI ( P < 0.05). This study shows that floristic quality and soil N pools are more strongly influenced by grazing than fire and that floristic quality can be an indicator of total soil C and N stocks in never cultivated lowland prairie.

Effects of Grazing and Fire Frequency on Floristic Quality and its Relationship to Indicators of Soil Quality in Tallgrass Prairie.

PubMed

Manning, George C; Baer, Sara G; Blair, John M

2017-12-01

Fire and grazing are widely used to manage grasslands for conservation purposes, but few studies have evaluated the effects of these drivers on the conservation value of plant communities measured by the floristic quality index (FQI). Further, the influence of fire and grazing on soil properties and functions are difficult for land managers and restoration practitioners to assess. The objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the independent and interactive effects of grazing and fire frequency on floristic quality in native tallgrass prairie to provide potential benchmarks for community assessment, and (2) to explore whether floristic quality can serve as an indicator of soil structure and function for more holistic ecosystem assessments. A factorial combination of fire frequencies (1-2, 4, and 20 years return intervals) and grazing (by bison or ungrazed) treatments were sampled for plant species composition, and for several indicators of soil quality in lowland tallgrass prairie. Floristic quality, diversity, and richness were higher in grazed than ungrazed prairie over all fire frequencies (P < 0.05). Available inorganic N, microbial biomass N, total N, and soil bulk density were also higher in grazed prairie soil over all fire frequencies (P < 0.05). Microbial biomass C, total organic C, and total soil N were positively correlated with FQI (P < 0.05). This study shows that floristic quality and soil N pools are more strongly influenced by grazing than fire and that floristic quality can be an indicator of total soil C and N stocks in never cultivated lowland prairie.

An Evaluation of the Technical Adequacy of a Revised Measure of Quality Indicators of Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morningstar, Mary E.; Lee, Hyunjoo; Lattin, Dana L.; Murray, Angela K.

2016-01-01

This study confirmed the reliability and validity of the Quality Indicators of Exemplary Transition Programs Needs Assessment-2 (QI-2). Quality transition program indicators were identified through a systematic synthesis of transition research, policies, and program evaluation measures. To verify reliability and validity of the QI-2, we…

Sperm quality biomarkers complement reproductive and endocrine parameters in investigating environmental contaminants in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkins, Jill A.; Rosen, Michael R.; Dale, Rassa O.; Echols, Kathy R.; Torres, Leticia; Wieser, Carla M.; Kersten, Constance A.; Goodbred, Steven L.

2018-01-01

Lake Mead National Recreational Area (LMNRA) serves as critical habitat for several federally listed species and supplies water for municipal, domestic, and agricultural use in the Southwestern U.S. Contaminant sources and concentrations vary among the sub-basins within LMNRA. To investigate whether exposure to environmental contaminants is associated with alterations in male common carp (Cyprinus carpio) gamete quality and endocrine- and reproductive parameters, data were collected among sub-basins over 7 years (1999–2006). Endpoints included sperm quality parameters of motility, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, count, morphology, and DNA fragmentation; plasma components were vitellogenin (VTG), 17ß-estradiol, 11-keto-testosterone, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine. Fish condition factor, gonadosomatic index, and gonadal histology parameters were also measured. Diminished biomarker effects were noted in 2006, and sub-basin differences were indicated by the irregular occurrences of contaminants and by several associations between chemicals (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, galaxolide, and methyl triclosan) and biomarkers (e.g., plasma thyroxine, sperm motility and DNA fragmentation). By 2006, sex steroid hormone and VTG levels decreased with subsequent reduced endocrine disrupting effects. The sperm quality bioassays developed and applied with carp complemented endocrine and reproductive data, and can be adapted for use with other species.

Sperm quality biomarkers complement reproductive and endocrine parameters in investigating environmental contaminants in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

PubMed

Jenkins, Jill A; Rosen, Michael R; Draugelis-Dale, Rassa O; Echols, Kathy R; Torres, Leticia; Wieser, Carla M; Kersten, Constance A; Goodbred, Steven L

2018-05-01

Lake Mead National Recreational Area (LMNRA) serves as critical habitat for several federally listed species and supplies water for municipal, domestic, and agricultural use in the Southwestern U.S. Contaminant sources and concentrations vary among the sub-basins within LMNRA. To investigate whether exposure to environmental contaminants is associated with alterations in male common carp (Cyprinus carpio) gamete quality and endocrine- and reproductive parameters, data were collected among sub-basins over 7 years (1999-2006). Endpoints included sperm quality parameters of motility, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, count, morphology, and DNA fragmentation; plasma components were vitellogenin (VTG), 17ß-estradiol, 11-keto-testosterone, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine. Fish condition factor, gonadosomatic index, and gonadal histology parameters were also measured. Diminished biomarker effects were noted in 2006, and sub-basin differences were indicated by the irregular occurrences of contaminants and by several associations between chemicals (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, galaxolide, and methyl triclosan) and biomarkers (e.g., plasma thyroxine, sperm motility and DNA fragmentation). By 2006, sex steroid hormone and VTG levels decreased with subsequent reduced endocrine disrupting effects. The sperm quality bioassays developed and applied with carp complemented endocrine and reproductive data, and can be adapted for use with other species. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Development of a Quality of Meals and Meal Service Set of Indicators for Residential Facilities for Elderly.

PubMed

Van Damme, N; Buijck, B; Van Hecke, A; Verhaeghe, S; Goossens, E; Beeckman, D

2016-01-01

To develop a content validated set of indicators to evaluate the quality of meals and meal service in residential facilities for elderly. Inadequate food intake is an important risk factor for malnutrition in residential facilities for elderly. Through better meeting the needs and preferences of residents and optimization of meals and meal service, residents' food intake can improve. No indicators were available which could help to guide strategies to improve the quality of meals and meal service. The indicator set was developed according to the Indicator Development Manual of the Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement (CBO). The working group consisted of three nurse researchers and one expert in gastrology and had expertise in elderly care, malnutrition, indicator development, and food quality. A preliminary list of potential indicators was compiled using the literature and the working group's expertise. Criteria necessary to measure the indicator in practice were developed for each potential indicator. In a double Delphi procedure, the list of potential indicators and respective criteria were analyzed for content validity, using a multidisciplinary expert panel of 11 experts in elderly meal care. A preliminary list of 20 quality indicators, including 45 criteria, was submitted to the expert panel in a double Delphi procedure. After the second Delphi round, 13 indicators and 25 criteria were accepted as having content validity. The content validity index (CVI) ranged from 0.83 to 1. The indicator set consisted of six structural, four result, and three outcome indicators covering the quality domains food, service and choice, as well as nutritional screening. The criteria measure diverse aspects of meal care which are part of the responsibility of kitchen staff and health care professionals. The 'quality of meals and meal service' set of indicators is a resource to map meal quality in residential facilities for elderly. As soon as feasibility tests in practice

Comparing Effects of Forestland conversion to Tea Farming on Soil Quality Indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gholoubi, A.; Emami, H.; Alizadeh, A.; Jones, S. B.

2017-12-01

The effect of land use type on soil function within an ecosystem can be assessed and monitored using soil quality indices. The research examined effects of land use change from natural forest to tea farming (with the same physiography and parent materials) on soil properties in different regions of the Guilan province, northern Iran. Two universally-accepted methods of soil quality evaluation were used to understand soil conditions in these two land uses. Thirty-six soil samples (0 -30 cm) were randomly collected from six sites with 3 replications. The soil quality of forestland and tea farms was determined using the cumulative rating (CR) index and the Cornell Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) scoring functions. Effects of Land use change on soil quality or health were significant (P <0.01) using both methods. In the CR method, a relative weighting factor (RWF) from 1 to 5 was assigned each key soil property. The results of both methods for all regions showed that the forestland use was more sustainable (lower CR and higher CASH score) than tea farm soils. forestland use affected most soil properties and thus their scores in both evaluation methods. Soil organic carbon and pH were the most important indicators reduced by land use change at all locations. There were significant correlations between these indicators and other soil chemical, physical and biological factors affected by changing forestland use.