Sample records for quality internal consistency

  1. The Consumer Quality Index in an accident and emergency department: internal consistency, validity and discriminative capacity.

    PubMed

    Bos, Nanne; Sturms, Leontien M; Stellato, Rebecca K; Schrijvers, Augustinus J P; van Stel, Henk F

    2015-10-01

    Patients' experiences are an indicator of health-care performance in the accident and emergency department (A&E). The Consumer Quality Index for the Accident and Emergency department (CQI A&E), a questionnaire to assess the quality of care as experienced by patients, was investigated. The internal consistency, construct validity and discriminative capacity of the questionnaire were examined. In the Netherlands, twenty-one A&Es participated in a cross-sectional survey, covering 4883 patients. The questionnaire consisted of 78 questions. Principal components analysis determined underlying domains. Internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficients, construct validity by Pearson's correlation coefficients and the discriminative capacity by intraclass correlation coefficients and reliability of A&E-level mean scores (G-coefficient). Seven quality domains emerged from the principal components analysis: information before treatment, timeliness, attitude of health-care professionals, professionalism of received care, information during treatment, environment and facilities, and discharge management. Domains were internally consistent (range: 0.67-0.84). Five domains and the 'global quality rating' had the capacity to discriminate among A&Es (significant intraclass correlation coefficient). Four domains and the 'global quality rating' were close to or above the threshold for reliably demonstrating differences among A&Es. The patients' experiences score on the domain timeliness showed the largest range between the worst- and best-performing A&E. The CQI A&E is a validated survey to measure health-care performance in the A&E from patients' perspective. Five domains regarding quality of care aspects and the 'global quality rating' had the capacity to discriminate among A&Es. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. [Reproducibility, internal consistency, and construct validity of KIDSCREEN-27 in Brazilian adolescents].

    PubMed

    Farias, José Cazuza de; Loch, Mathias Roberto; Lima, Antônio José de; Sales, Joana Marcela; Ferreira, Flávia Emília Leite de Lima

    2017-09-28

    : The objective of this two-part study was to estimate the reproducibility, internal consistency, and construct validity of KIDSCREEN-27, a questionnaire to measure health-related quality of life, in Brazilian adolescents. One study component estimated reproducibility (176 adolescents, 59.7% females, 64.7% 10 to 12 years of age), and another estimated internal consistency and validity (1,321 adolescents, 53.7% females, 56.9% 10 to 12 years of age). The studies were conducted with adolescents of both sexes in public schools in the municipality of João Pessoa, Paraíba State, Brazil. KIDSCREEN-27 consists of 27 items distributed across five domains (physical well-being, 5 items; psychological well-being, 7 items; parents and social support, 7 items; autonomy and relationship with parents, 4 items; school environment, 4 items). Reproducibility was estimated by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess construct validity, and composite reliability index (CRI) was used to verify the questionnaire's internal consistency. ICCs were greater than or equal to 0.70 (0.70 to 0.96). Factor loads were greater than 0.40, except for five items (0.28 to 0.39). The model's goodness-of-fit indices were adequate (χ2/df = 2.79; RMR = 0.035; RMSEA = 0.037; GFI = 0.951; AGFI = 0.941; CFI = 0.908; TLI = 0.901). CRI varied from 0.65 to 0.70 in the domains and was 0.90 for the questionnaire. KIDSCREEN-27 reached satisfactory levels of reproducibility, internal consistency, and construct validity and can be used to assess health-related quality of life in Brazilian adolescents 10 to 15 years of age.

  3. [Estimators of internal consistency in health research: the use of the alpha coefficient].

    PubMed

    da Silva, Franciele Cascaes; Gonçalves, Elizandra; Arancibia, Beatriz Angélica Valdivia; Bento, Gisele Graziele; Castro, Thiago Luis da Silva; Hernandez, Salma Stephany Soleman; da Silva, Rudney

    2015-01-01

    Academic production has increased in the area of health, increasingly demanding high quality in publications of great impact. One of the ways to consider quality is through methods that increase the consistency of data analysis, such as reliability which, depending on the type of data, can be evaluated by different coefficients, especially the alpha coefficient. Based on this, the present review systematically gathers scientific articles produced in the last five years, which in a methodological manner gave the α coefficient psychometric use as an estimator of internal consistency and reliability in the processes of construction, adaptation and validation of instruments. The identification of the studies was conducted systematically in the databases BioMed Central Journals, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, Medline, SciELO, Scopus, Journals@Ovid, BMJ and Springer, using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data analyses were performed by means of triangulation, content analysis and descriptive analysis. It was found that most studies were conducted in Iran (f=3), Spain (f=2) and Brazil (f=2). These studies aimed to test the psychometric properties of instruments, with eight studies using the α coefficient to assess reliability and nine for assessing internal consistency. All studies were classified as methodological research when their objectives were analyzed. In addition, four studies were also classified as correlational and one as descriptive-correlational. It can be concluded that though the α coefficient is widely used as one of the main parameters for assessing internal consistency of questionnaires in health sciences, its use as an estimator of trust of the methodology used and internal consistency has some critiques that should be considered.

  4. Strategies for ensuring global consistency/comparability of water-quality data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Klein, J.M.

    1999-01-01

    In the past 20 years the water quality of the United States has improved remarkably-the waters are safer for drinking, swimming, and fishing. However, despite many accomplishments, it is still difficult to answer such basic questions as: 'How clean is the water?' and 'How is it changing over time?' These same questions exist on a global scale as well. In order to focus water-data issues in the United States, a national Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM) was initiated for public and private organizations, whereby key elements involved in data collection, analysis, storage, and management could be made consistent and comparable. The ITFM recommended and its members are implementing a nationwide strategy to improve water-quality monitoring, assessment, and reporting activities. The intent of this paper is to suggest that a voluntary effort be initiated to ensure the comparability and utility of hydrological data on a global basis. Consistent, long-term data sets that are comparable are necessary in order to formulate ideas regarding regional and global trends in water quantity and quality. The author recommends that a voluntary effort similar to the ITFM effort be utilized. The strategy proposed would involve voluntary representation from countries and international organizations (e.g. World Health Organization) involved in drinking-water assessments and/or ambient water-quality monitoring. Voluntary partnerships such as this will improve curability to reduce health risks and achieve a better return on public and private investments in monitoring, environmental protection, and natural resource management, and result in a collaborative process that will save millions of dollars.In this work it is suggested that a voluntary effort be initiated to ensure the comparability and utility of hydrological data on a global basis. The strategy proposed would involve voluntary representation from countries and international organizations involved in

  5. Construct validity and internal consistency in the Leisure Practices Scale (EPL) for adults.

    PubMed

    Andrade, Rubian Diego; Schwartz, Gisele Maria; Tavares, Giselle Helena; Pelegrini, Andreia; Teixeira, Clarissa Stefani; Felden, Érico Pereira Gomes

    2018-02-01

    This study proposes and analyzes the construct validity and internal consistency of the Leisure Practices Scale (EPL). This survey seeks to identify the preferences and involvement in in different leisure practices in adults. The instrument was formed based on the cultural leisure content (artistic, manual, physical, sports, intellectual, social, tourist, virtual and contemplation/leisure). The validation process was conducted with: a) content analysis by leisure experts, who evaluated the instrument for clarity of language and practical relevance, which allowed the calculation of the content validity coefficient (CVC); b) reproducibility test-retest with 51 subjects to calculate the temporal variation coefficient; c) internal consistency analysis with 885 participants. The evaluation presented appropriate coefficients, both with respect to language clarity (CVCt = 0.883) and practical relevance (CVCt = 0.879). The reproducibility coefficients were moderate to excellent. The scale showed adequate internal consistency (0.72). The EPL has psychometric quality and acceptable values in its structure, and can be used to investigate adult involvement in leisure activities.

  6. Relationship between Internal Quality Audit and Quality Culture toward Implementation Consistency of ISO 9000 in Private College of Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mail, Abdul; Pratikto; Suparman, Sudjito; Purnomo; Santoso, Budi

    2014-01-01

    The study aims to find out the influence of internal quality process on the growth of quality culture in private college. This study is treated toward 178 lecturers of 25 private colleges in Sulawesi, Indonesia by means of questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis applied to assess the reliability of validity and measurement model. Relationship…

  7. Delimiting Coefficient a from Internal Consistency and Unidimensionality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sijtsma, Klaas

    2015-01-01

    I discuss the contribution by Davenport, Davison, Liou, & Love (2015) in which they relate reliability represented by coefficient a to formal definitions of internal consistency and unidimensionality, both proposed by Cronbach (1951). I argue that coefficient a is a lower bound to reliability and that concepts of internal consistency and…

  8. Internal Consistency, Retest Reliability, and their Implications For Personality Scale Validity

    PubMed Central

    McCrae, Robert R.; Kurtz, John E.; Yamagata, Shinji; Terracciano, Antonio

    2010-01-01

    We examined data (N = 34,108) on the differential reliability and validity of facet scales from the NEO Inventories. We evaluated the extent to which (a) psychometric properties of facet scales are generalizable across ages, cultures, and methods of measurement; and (b) validity criteria are associated with different forms of reliability. Composite estimates of facet scale stability, heritability, and cross-observer validity were broadly generalizable. Two estimates of retest reliability were independent predictors of the three validity criteria; none of three estimates of internal consistency was. Available evidence suggests the same pattern of results for other personality inventories. Internal consistency of scales can be useful as a check on data quality, but appears to be of limited utility for evaluating the potential validity of developed scales, and it should not be used as a substitute for retest reliability. Further research on the nature and determinants of retest reliability is needed. PMID:20435807

  9. The internal consistency of the North Sea carbonate system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salt, Lesley A.; Thomas, Helmuth; Bozec, Yann; Borges, Alberto V.; de Baar, Hein J. W.

    2016-05-01

    In 2002 (February) and 2005 (August), the full suite of carbonate system parameters (total alkalinity (AT), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), pH, and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) were measured on two re-occupations of the entire North Sea basin, with three parameters (AT, DIC, pCO2) measured on four additional re-occupations, covering all four seasons, allowing an assessment of the internal consistency of the carbonate system. For most of the year, there is a similar level of internal consistency, with AT being calculated to within ± 6 μmol kg- 1 using DIC and pH, DIC to ± 6 μmol kg- 1 using AT and pH, pH to ± 0.008 using AT and pCO2, and pCO2 to ± 8 μatm using DIC and pH, with the dissociation constants of Millero et al. (2006). In spring, however, we observe a significant decline in the ability to accurately calculate the carbonate system. Lower consistency is observed with an increasing fraction of Baltic Sea water, caused by the high contribution of organic alkalinity in this water mass, not accounted for in the carbonate system calculations. Attempts to improve the internal consistency by accounting for the unconventional salinity-borate relationships in freshwater and the Baltic Sea, and through application of the new North Atlantic salinity-boron relationship (Lee et al., 2010), resulted in no significant difference in the internal consistency.

  10. Analysis of the Internal Consistency of Three Autism Scales. Brief Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sturmey, Peter; And Others

    1992-01-01

    Analyses of the internal consistency of three autism scales--the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Real Life Rating Scale (RLRS), and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)--were conducted with 34 children with pervasive developmental disabilities. Good internal consistency was found for the CARS. Adequate full-scale consistency was found for…

  11. Internal consistency of the self-reporting questionnaire-20 in occupational groups

    PubMed Central

    Santos, Kionna Oliveira Bernardes; Carvalho, Fernando Martins; de Araújo, Tânia Maria

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the internal consistency of the measurements of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) in different occupational groups. METHODS A validation study was conducted with data from four surveys with groups of workers, using similar methods. A total of 9,959 workers were studied. In all surveys, the common mental disorders were assessed via SRQ-20. The internal consistency considered the items belonging to dimensions extracted by tetrachoric factor analysis for each study. Item homogeneity assessment compared estimates of Cronbach’s alpha (KD-20), the alpha applied to a tetrachoric correlation matrix and stratified Cronbach’s alpha. RESULTS The SRQ-20 dimensions showed adequate values, considering the reference parameters. The internal consistency of the instrument items, assessed by stratified Cronbach’s alpha, was high (> 0.80) in the four studies. CONCLUSIONS The SRQ-20 showed good internal consistency in the professional categories evaluated. However, there is still a need for studies using alternative methods and additional information able to refine the accuracy of latent variable measurement instruments, as in the case of common mental disorders. PMID:27007682

  12. The Growth of the International Baccalaureate[R] Diploma Program: Concerns about the Consistency and Reliability of the Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bunnell, Tristan

    2011-01-01

    The International Baccalaureate[R] (IB) world, known as "the IB World," is doubling in size every five years. The IB has become a complex educational product, but offers high levels of consistency and reliability in terms of delivery and assessment. However, since late 2008, a number of concerns have been raised about the quality and manageability…

  13. International standards for monoclonal antibodies to support pre- and post-marketing product consistency: Evaluation of a candidate international standard for the bioactivities of rituximab.

    PubMed

    Prior, Sandra; Hufton, Simon E; Fox, Bernard; Dougall, Thomas; Rigsby, Peter; Bristow, Adrian

    2018-01-01

    The intrinsic complexity and heterogeneity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is built into the biosimilarity paradigm where critical quality attributes are controlled in exhaustive comparability studies with the reference medicinal product. The long-term success of biosimilars will depend on reassuring healthcare professionals and patients of consistent product quality, safety and efficacy. With this aim, the World Health Organization has endorsed the need for public bioactivity standards for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in support of current controls. We have developed a candidate international potency standard for rituximab that was evaluated in a multi-center collaborative study using participants' own qualified Fc-effector function and cell-based binding bioassays. Dose-response curve model parameters were shown to reflect similar behavior amongst rituximab preparations, albeit with some differences in potency. In the absence of a common reference standard, potency estimates were in poor agreement amongst laboratories, but the use of the candidate preparation significantly reduced this variability. Our results suggest that the candidate rituximab standard can support bioassay performance and improve data harmonization, which when implemented will promote consistency of rituximab products over their life-cycles. This data provides the first scientific evidence that a classical standardization exercise allowing traceability of bioassay data to an international standard is also applicable to rituximab. However, we submit that this new type of international standard needs to be used appropriately and its role not to be mistaken with that of the reference medicinal product.

  14. International standards for monoclonal antibodies to support pre- and post-marketing product consistency: Evaluation of a candidate international standard for the bioactivities of rituximab

    PubMed Central

    Prior, Sandra; Hufton, Simon E.; Dougall, Thomas; Rigsby, Peter; Bristow, Adrian

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT The intrinsic complexity and heterogeneity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is built into the biosimilarity paradigm where critical quality attributes are controlled in exhaustive comparability studies with the reference medicinal product. The long-term success of biosimilars will depend on reassuring healthcare professionals and patients of consistent product quality, safety and efficacy. With this aim, the World Health Organization has endorsed the need for public bioactivity standards for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in support of current controls. We have developed a candidate international potency standard for rituximab that was evaluated in a multi-center collaborative study using participants' own qualified Fc-effector function and cell-based binding bioassays. Dose-response curve model parameters were shown to reflect similar behavior amongst rituximab preparations, albeit with some differences in potency. In the absence of a common reference standard, potency estimates were in poor agreement amongst laboratories, but the use of the candidate preparation significantly reduced this variability. Our results suggest that the candidate rituximab standard can support bioassay performance and improve data harmonization, which when implemented will promote consistency of rituximab products over their life-cycles. This data provides the first scientific evidence that a classical standardization exercise allowing traceability of bioassay data to an international standard is also applicable to rituximab. However, we submit that this new type of international standard needs to be used appropriately and its role not to be mistaken with that of the reference medicinal product. PMID:28985159

  15. MODELING CONSISTENCY, MODEL QUALITY, AND FOSTERING CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    We believe that most contributors to and participants of the International Conference, Marine Waste Water Discharges 2000, "MWWD 2000," could agree that the overarching dream of the conference might be to chart a path the will lead to the best, long-term, applicable water quality...

  16. Estimates of the Internal Consistency of a Factorially Complex Composite.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benito, Juana Gomez

    1989-01-01

    This study of 852 subjects in Barcelona (Spain) between 4 and 9 years old estimated the degree of consistency among elements of the Borelli-Oleron Performance Scale by taking into account item clusters and subtest clusters. The internal consistency of the subtests rose when all ages were analyzed jointly. (SLD)

  17. 7 CFR 51.485 - Good internal quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good internal quality. 51.485 Section 51.485... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Cantaloups 1 Definitions § 51.485 Good internal quality. Good internal quality means that the combined juice from the edible portion of a sample of cantaloups...

  18. [Discomfort associated with dental extraction surgery and development of a questionnaire (QCirDental). Part I: Impacts and internal consistency].

    PubMed

    Bortoluzzi, Marcelo Carlos; Martins, Luciana Dorochenko; Takahashi, André; Ribeiro, Bianca; Martins, Ligiane; Pinto, Marcia Helena Baldani

    2018-01-01

    The scope of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire (QCirDental) to measure the impacts associated with dental extraction surgery. The QCirDental questionnaire was developed in two steps; (1) question and item generation and selection, and (2) pretest of the questionnaire with evaluation of the its measurement properties (internal consistency and responsiveness). The sample was composed of 123 patients. None of the patients had any difficulty in understanding the QCirDental. The instrument was found to have excellent internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.83. The principal component analysis (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy 0,72 and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity with p < 0.001) showed six (6) dimensions explaining 67.5% of the variance. The QCirDental presented excellent internal consistency, being a questionnaire that is easy to read and understand with adequate semantic and content validity. More than 80% of the patients who underwent dental extraction reported some degree of discomfort within the perioperative period which highlights the necessity to assess the quality of care and impacts of dental extraction surgery.

  19. Psychometrics and the neuroscience of individual differences: Internal consistency limits between-subjects effects.

    PubMed

    Hajcak, Greg; Meyer, Alexandria; Kotov, Roman

    2017-08-01

    In the clinical neuroscience literature, between-subjects differences in neural activity are presumed to reflect reliable measures-even though the psychometric properties of neural measures are almost never reported. The current article focuses on the critical importance of assessing and reporting internal consistency reliability-the homogeneity of "items" that comprise a neural "score." We demonstrate how variability in the internal consistency of neural measures limits between-subjects (i.e., individual differences) effects. To this end, we utilize error-related brain activity (i.e., the error-related negativity or ERN) in both healthy and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participants to demonstrate options for psychometric analyses of neural measures; we examine between-groups differences in internal consistency, between-groups effect sizes, and between-groups discriminability (i.e., ROC analyses)-all as a function of increasing items (i.e., number of trials). Overall, internal consistency should be used to inform experimental design and the choice of neural measures in individual differences research. The internal consistency of neural measures is necessary for interpreting results and guiding progress in clinical neuroscience-and should be routinely reported in all individual differences studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. HLA class I molecules consistently present internal influenza epitopes.

    PubMed

    Wahl, Angela; Schafer, Fredda; Bardet, Wilfried; Buchli, Rico; Air, Gillian M; Hildebrand, William H

    2009-01-13

    Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) limit influenza virus replication and prevent morbidity and mortality upon recognition of HLA class I presented epitopes on the surface of virus infected cells, yet the number and origin of the viral epitopes that decorate the infected cell are unknown. To understand the presentation of influenza virus ligands by human MHC class I molecules, HLA-B*0702-presented viral peptides were directly identified following influenza infection. After transfection with soluble class I molecules, peptide ligands unique to infected cells were eluted from isolated MHC molecules and identified by comparative mass spectrometry (MS). Then CTL were gathered following infection with influenza and viral peptides were tested for immune recognition. We found that the class I molecule B*0702 presents 3-6 viral ligands following infection with different strains of influenza. Peptide ligands derived from the internal viral nucleoprotein (NP(418-426) and NP(473-481)) and from the internal viral polymerase subunit PB1 (PB1(329-337)) were presented by B*0702 following infection with each of 3 different influenza strains; ligands NP(418-426), NP(473-481), and PB1(329-337) derived from internal viral proteins were consistently revealed by class I HLA. In contrast, ligands derived from hemagglutinin (HA) and matrix protein (M1) were presented intermittently on a strain-by-strain basis. When tested for immune recognition, HLA-B*0702 transgenic mice responded to NP(418-426) and PB1(329-337) consistently and NP(473-481) intermittently while ligands from HA and M1 were not recognized. These data demonstrate an emerging pattern whereby class I HLA reveal a handful of internal viral ligands and whereby CTL recognize consistently presented influenza ligands.

  1. HLA class I molecules consistently present internal influenza epitopes

    PubMed Central

    Wahl, Angela; Schafer, Fredda; Bardet, Wilfried; Buchli, Rico; Air, Gillian M.; Hildebrand, William H.

    2009-01-01

    Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) limit influenza virus replication and prevent morbidity and mortality upon recognition of HLA class I presented epitopes on the surface of virus infected cells, yet the number and origin of the viral epitopes that decorate the infected cell are unknown. To understand the presentation of influenza virus ligands by human MHC class I molecules, HLA-B*0702-presented viral peptides were directly identified following influenza infection. After transfection with soluble class I molecules, peptide ligands unique to infected cells were eluted from isolated MHC molecules and identified by comparative mass spectrometry (MS). Then CTL were gathered following infection with influenza and viral peptides were tested for immune recognition. We found that the class I molecule B*0702 presents 3–6 viral ligands following infection with different strains of influenza. Peptide ligands derived from the internal viral nucleoprotein (NP418–426 and NP473–481) and from the internal viral polymerase subunit PB1 (PB1329–337) were presented by B*0702 following infection with each of 3 different influenza strains; ligands NP418–426, NP473–481, and PB1329–337 derived from internal viral proteins were consistently revealed by class I HLA. In contrast, ligands derived from hemagglutinin (HA) and matrix protein (M1) were presented intermittently on a strain-by-strain basis. When tested for immune recognition, HLA-B*0702 transgenic mice responded to NP418–426 and PB1329–337 consistently and NP473–481 intermittently while ligands from HA and M1 were not recognized. These data demonstrate an emerging pattern whereby class I HLA reveal a handful of internal viral ligands and whereby CTL recognize consistently presented influenza ligands. PMID:19122146

  2. Human visual system consistent quality assessment for remote sensing image fusion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jun; Huang, Junyi; Liu, Shuguang; Li, Huali; Zhou, Qiming; Liu, Junchen

    2015-07-01

    Quality assessment for image fusion is essential for remote sensing application. Generally used indices require a high spatial resolution multispectral (MS) image for reference, which is not always readily available. Meanwhile, the fusion quality assessments using these indices may not be consistent with the Human Visual System (HVS). As an attempt to overcome this requirement and inconsistency, this paper proposes an HVS-consistent image fusion quality assessment index at the highest resolution without a reference MS image using Gaussian Scale Space (GSS) technology that could simulate the HVS. The spatial details and spectral information of original and fused images are first separated in GSS, and the qualities are evaluated using the proposed spatial and spectral quality index respectively. The overall quality is determined without a reference MS image by a combination of the proposed two indices. Experimental results on various remote sensing images indicate that the proposed index is more consistent with HVS evaluation compared with other widely used indices that may or may not require reference images.

  3. Internal vibrations of a molecule consisting of rigid segments. I - Non-interacting internal vibrations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    He, X. M.; Craven, B. M.

    1993-01-01

    For molecular crystals, a procedure is proposed for interpreting experimentally determined atomic mean square anisotropic displacement parameters (ADPs) in terms of the overall molecular vibration together with internal vibrations with the assumption that the molecule consists of a set of linked rigid segments. The internal librations (molecular torsional or bending modes) are described using the variable internal coordinates of the segmented body. With this procedure, the experimental ADPs obtained from crystal structure determinations involving six small molecules (sym-trinitrobenzene, adenosine, tetra-cyanoquinodimethane, benzamide, alpha-cyanoacetic acid hydrazide and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan methylamide) have been analyzed. As a consequence, vibrational corrections to the bond lengths and angles of the molecule are calculated as well as the frequencies and force constants for each internal torsional or bending vibration.

  4. Internal consistency and validity of a new physical workload questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    Bot, S; Terwee, C; van der Windt, D A W M; Feleus, A; Bierma-Zeinstra, S; Knol, D; Bouter, L; Dekker, J

    2004-01-01

    Aims: To examine the dimensionality, internal consistency, and construct validity of a new physical workload questionnaire in employees with musculoskeletal complaints. Methods: Factor analysis was applied to the responses in three study populations with musculoskeletal disorders (n = 406, 300, and 557) on 26 items related to physical workload. The internal consistency of the resulting subscales was examined. It was hypothesised that physical workload would vary among different occupational groups. The occupations of all subjects were classified into four groups on the basis of expected workload (heavy physical load; long lasting postures and repetitive movements; both; no physical load). Construct validity of the subscales created was tested by comparing the subscale scores among these occupational groups. Results: The pattern of the factor loadings of items was almost identical for the three study populations. Two interpretable factors were found: items related to heavy physical workload loaded highly on the first factor, and items related to static postures or repetitive work loaded highly on the second factor. The first constructed subscale "heavy physical work" had a Cronbach's α of 0.92 to 0.93 and the second subscale "long lasting postures and repetitive movements", of 0.86 to 0.87. Six of eight hypotheses regarding the construct validity of the subscales were confirmed. Conclusions: The results support the internal structure, internal consistency, and validity of the new physical workload questionnaire. Testing this questionnaire in non-symptomatic employees and comparing its performance with objective assessments of physical workload are important next steps in the validation process. PMID:15550603

  5. International Business Research: Coauthorship Patterns and Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Kam C; Fung, Hung-Gay; Leung, Wai K.

    2008-01-01

    The authors investigate published international business research in four international business journals over a 10-year period, 1995-2004: (a) patterns of coauthorship across regions, and (b) the relation between coauthorship patterns and the quality of international business (IB) articles. A cross-region coauthorship enhances the quality of an…

  6. Assessing the internal consistency of the event-related potential: An example analysis.

    PubMed

    Thigpen, Nina N; Kappenman, Emily S; Keil, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    ERPs are widely and increasingly used to address questions in psychophysiological research. As discussed in this special issue, a renewed focus on questions of reliability and stability marks the need for intuitive, quantitative descriptors that allow researchers to communicate the robustness of ERP measures used in a given study. This report argues that well-established indices of internal consistency and effect size meet this need and can be easily extracted from most ERP datasets, as demonstrated with example analyses using a representative dataset from a feature-based visual selective attention task. We demonstrate how to measure the internal consistency of three aspects commonly considered in ERP studies: voltage measurements for specific time ranges at selected sensors, voltage dynamics across all time points of the ERP waveform, and the distribution of voltages across the scalp. We illustrate methods for quantifying the robustness of experimental condition differences, by calculating effect size for different indices derived from the ERP. The number of trials contributing to the ERP waveform was manipulated to examine the relationship between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), internal consistency, and effect size. In the present example dataset, satisfactory consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7) of individual voltage measurements was reached at lower trial counts than were required to reach satisfactory effect sizes for differences between experimental conditions. Comparing different metrics of robustness, we conclude that the internal consistency and effect size of ERP findings greatly depend on the quantification strategy, the comparisons and analyses performed, and the SNR. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  7. Assessing the internal consistency of the event-related potential: An example analysis

    PubMed Central

    Thigpen, Nina; Kappenman, Emily; Keil, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    Event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely and increasingly used to address questions in Psychophysiological research. As discussed in this special issue, a renewed focus on questions of reliability and stability marks the need for intuitive, quantitative descriptors that allow researchers to communicate the robustness of ERP measures used in a given study. This report argues that well-established indices of internal consistency and effect size meet this need and can be easily extracted from most ERP data sets, as demonstrated with example analyses using a representative data set from a feature-based visual selective attention task. We demonstrate how to measure the internal consistency of three aspects commonly considered in ERP studies: Voltage measurements for specific time ranges at selected sensors, voltage dynamics across all time points of the ERP waveform, and the distribution of voltages across the scalp. We illustrate methods for quantifying the robustness of experimental condition differences, by calculating effect size for different indices derived from the ERP. The number of trials contributing to the ERP waveform was manipulated to examine the relationship between signal-to-noise ratio, internal consistency, and effect size. In the present example data set, satisfactory consistency (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.7) of individual voltage measurements was reached at lower trial counts than were required to reach satisfactory effect sizes for differences between experimental conditions. Comparing different metrics of robustness, we conclude that the SNR, internal consistency, and effect size of ERP findings greatly depend on the quantification strategy, the comparisons and analyses performed, and the signal-to-noise ratio. PMID:28000264

  8. International drug price comparisons: quality assessment.

    PubMed

    Machado, Márcio; O'Brodovich, Ryan; Krahn, Murray; Einarson, Thomas R

    2011-01-01

    To quantitatively summarize results (i.e., prices and affordability) reported from international drug price comparison studies and assess their methodological quality. A systematic search of the most relevant databases-Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA), and Scopus, from their inception to May 2009-was conducted to identify original research comparing international drug prices. International drug price information was extracted and recorded from accepted papers. Affordability was reported as drug prices adjusted for income. Study quality was assessed using six criteria: use of similar countries, use of a representative sample of drugs, selection of specific types of prices, identification of drug packaging, different weights on price indices, and the type of currency conversion used. Of the 1 828 studies identified, 21 were included. Only one study adequately addressed all quality issues. A large variation in study quality was observed due to the many methods used to conduct the drug price comparisons, such as different indices, economic parameters, price types, basket of drugs, and more. Thus, the quality of published studies was considered poor. Results varied across studies, but generally, higher income countries had higher drug prices. However, after adjusting drug prices for affordability, higher income countries had more affordable prices than lower income countries. Differences between drug prices and affordability in different countries were found. Low income countries reported less affordability of drugs, leaving room for potential problems with drug access, and consequently, a negative impact on health. The quality of the literature on this topic needs improvement.

  9. Are Informant Reports of Personality More Internally Consistent Than Self Reports of Personality?

    PubMed

    Balsis, Steve; Cooper, Luke D; Oltmanns, Thomas F

    2015-08-01

    The present study examined whether informant-reported personality was more or less internally consistent than self-reported personality in an epidemiological community sample (n = 1,449). Results indicated that across the 5 NEO (Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness) personality factors and the 10 personality disorder trait dimensions, informant reports tended to be more internally consistent than self reports, as indicated by equal or higher Cronbach's alpha scores and higher average interitem correlations. In addition, the informant reports collectively outperformed the self reports for predicting responses on a global measure of health, indicating that the informant reports are not only more reliable than self reports, but they can also be useful in predicting an external criterion. Collectively these findings indicate that informant reports tend to have greater internal consistency than self reports. © The Author(s) 2014.

  10. Concurrent Validity of the International Family Quality of Life Survey.

    PubMed

    Samuel, Preethy S; Pociask, Fredrick D; DiZazzo-Miller, Rosanne; Carrellas, Ann; LeRoy, Barbara W

    2016-01-01

    The measurement of the social construct of Family Quality of Life (FQOL) is a parsimonious alternative to the current approach of measuring familial outcomes using a battery of tools related to individual-level outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the International FQOL Survey (FQOLS-2006), using cross-sectional data collected from 65 family caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. It shows a moderate correlation between the total FQOL scores of the FQOLS-2006 and the Beach Center's FQOL scale. The validity of five FQOLS-2006 domains was supported by the correlations between conceptually related domains.

  11. Quality Matters in International Vocational Education and Training. IVETA Conference Proceedings (Ankara, Turkey, August 31-September 2, 1998).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gurbuz, Riza, Ed.

    These proceedings consist of 62 papers in English and 11 in Turkish. Selected papers are as follows: "Achieving Quality through Transnational Co-operation" (Carpanter); "Improving the Quality of Vocational Education through International Collaboration and Comparisons" (Lasonen); "In Pursuit of Quality Vocational Education and Training [VET]"…

  12. The CIQG International Quality Principles: Toward a Shared Understanding of Quality. CIQG Publication Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uvalic-Trumbic, Stamenka

    2016-01-01

    The idea of developing International Quality Principles emerged from a dialogue and debate among colleagues from many countries at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) International Quality Group (CIQG) 2014 Annual Meeting. The discussion focused on whether a single set of international standards for academic quality in higher…

  13. Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing Quality Culture. ENQA Workshop Report 16

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), 2010

    2010-01-01

    The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, UK), organised a seminar on theme "Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing quality culture" which was held on 8-9 June, 2010 in London, United Kingdom. The seminar marked the fourth annual meeting of the ENQA…

  14. 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop |

    Science.gov Websites

    Photovoltaic Research | NREL International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Chairs : Tony Sample and Masaaki Yamamichi The 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT

  15. [Factor analysis and internal consistency of pedagogical practices questionnaire among health care teachers].

    PubMed

    Pérez V, Cristhian; Vaccarezza G, Giulietta; Aguilar A, César; Coloma N, Katherine; Salgado F, Horacio; Baquedano R, Marjorie; Chavarría R, Carla; Bastías V, Nancy

    2016-06-01

    Teaching practice is one of the most complex topics of the training process in medicine and other health care careers. The Teaching Practices Questionnaire (TPQ) evaluates teaching skills. To assess the factor structure and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the TPP among health care teachers. The TPQ was answered by 315 university teachers from 13 of the 15 administrative Chilean regions, who were selected through a non-probabilistic volunteer sampling. The internal consistency of TPP factors was calculated and the correlation between them was analyzed. Six factors were identified: Student-centered teaching, Teaching planning, Assessment process, Dialogue relationship, Teacher-centered teaching and Use of technological resources. They had Cronbach alphas ranging from 0.60 to 0.85. The factorial structure of TPQ differentiates the most important functions of teaching. It also shows a theoretical consistency and a practical relevance to perform a diagnosis and continuous evaluation of teaching practices. Additionally, it has an adequate internal consistency. Thus, TPQ is valid and reliable to evaluate pedagogical practices in health care careers.

  16. 7 CFR 51.481 - Very good internal quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Very good internal quality. 51.481 Section 51.481 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... quality. Very good internal quality means that the combined juice from the edible portion of a sample of...

  17. Internal Consistencies of the Original and Revised Beck Depression Inventory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beck, Aaron, T.; Steer, Robert A.

    1984-01-01

    Compared versions of the Beck Depression Inventory in psychiatric patients. The alpha coefficient for 598 inpatients and outpatients on the 1961 version was .88, and the alpha coefficient for 248 outpatients on the 1978 version was .86. Concluded that the internal consistencies of both versions were comparable. (JAC)

  18. The consistency approach for quality control of vaccines - a strategy to improve quality control and implement 3Rs.

    PubMed

    De Mattia, Fabrizio; Chapsal, Jean-Michel; Descamps, Johan; Halder, Marlies; Jarrett, Nicholas; Kross, Imke; Mortiaux, Frederic; Ponsar, Cecile; Redhead, Keith; McKelvie, Jo; Hendriksen, Coenraad

    2011-01-01

    Current batch release testing of established vaccines emphasizes quality control of the final product and is often characterized by extensive use of animals. This report summarises the discussions of a joint ECVAM/EPAA workshop on the applicability of the consistency approach for routine release of human and veterinary vaccines and its potential to reduce animal use. The consistency approach is based upon thorough characterization of the vaccine during development and the principle that the quality of subsequent batches is the consequence of the strict application of a quality system and of a consistent production of batches. The concept of consistency of production is state-of-the-art for new-generation vaccines, where batch release is mainly based on non-animal methods. There is now the opportunity to introduce the approach into established vaccine production, where it has the potential to replace in vivo tests with non-animal tests designed to demonstrate batch quality while maintaining the highest quality standards. The report indicates how this approach may be further developed for application to established human and veterinary vaccines and emphasizes the continuing need for co-ordination and harmonization. It also gives recommendations for work to be undertaken in order to encourage acceptance and implementation of the consistency approach. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. [Validity and internal consistency of the Maslach Burnout Inventory in Dental Students from Cartagena, Colombia].

    PubMed

    Simancas-Pallares, Miguel Angel; Fortich Mesa, Natalia; González Martínez, Farith Damián

    To determine the internal consistency and content validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) in dental students from Cartagena, Colombia. Scale validation study in 886 dental students from Cartagena, Colombia. Factor structure was determined through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency was measured using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Analyses were performed using the Stata v.13.2 for Windows (Statacorp., USA) and Mplus v.7.31 for Windows (Muthén & Muthén, USA) software. Internal consistency was α=.806. The factor structure showed three that accounted for the 56.6% of the variance. CFA revealed: χ 2 =926.036; df=85; RMSEA=.106 (90%CI, .100-.112); CFI=.947; TLI=.934. The MBI showed an adequate internal consistency and a factor structure being consistent with the original proposed structure with a poor fit, which does not reflect adequate content validity in this sample. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  20. Self-consciousness, friendship quality, and adolescent internalizing problems

    PubMed Central

    Bowker, Julie C.; Rubin, Kenneth H.

    2013-01-01

    The correlates between public and private self-consciousness and internalizing difficulties were examined during early adolescence. Friendship quality was assessed as a possible moderator of the relation between self-consciousness and maladjustment. One hundred and thirty-seven young adolescents (N = 87 girls; M age = 13.98 years) reported on their self-consciousness, internalizing problems, and the quality of their best friendship. Results indicated stronger associations between private self-consciousness and internalizing correlates than between public self-consciousness and internalizing problems, suggesting that private self-consciousness may be a stronger risk factor during adolescence. Contrary to expectations, evidence revealed that positive friendship quality may exacerbate some difficulties associated with self-consciousness. Results pertaining to friendship quality add to the growing literature on the ways in which friendships can contribute to adjustment difficulties. PMID:19998530

  1. Systematic Review of International Colposcopy Quality Improvement Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Mayeaux, Edward J; Novetsky, Akiva P; Chelmow, David; Choma, Kim; Garcia, Francisco; Liu, Angela H; Papasozomenos, Theognosia; Einstein, Mark H

    2017-10-01

    The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Colposcopy Standards Committee organized multiple working groups to draft colposcopy standards for the United States. As part of this project, international quality assurance and improvement measures were examined. The quality improvement working group performed a systematic review of the literature to collate international guidelines related to quality improvement. Source guidelines were collected using searches in Medline, Google Scholar, the International Federation of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy Web site, other regional colposcopy group's Web sites, and communications with International Federation of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy board of directors' members and other expert members of various national groups. Once identified, the sources were reviewed by multiple workgroup members for potential guideline materials. Fifty-six unique documents were identified, of which 18 met inclusion criteria and contributed data to the analysis. Information was abstracted and grouped by related subject. Wide variation exists in colposcopy guidance and quality indicators from regional and national colposcopy societies. Abstracted international guidelines are presented.

  2. Internal quality control: best practice.

    PubMed

    Kinns, Helen; Pitkin, Sarah; Housley, David; Freedman, Danielle B

    2013-12-01

    There is a wide variation in laboratory practice with regard to implementation and review of internal quality control (IQC). A poor approach can lead to a spectrum of scenarios from validation of incorrect patient results to over investigation of falsely rejected analytical runs. This article will provide a practical approach for the routine clinical biochemistry laboratory to introduce an efficient quality control system that will optimise error detection and reduce the rate of false rejection. Each stage of the IQC system is considered, from selection of IQC material to selection of IQC rules, and finally the appropriate action to follow when a rejection signal has been obtained. The main objective of IQC is to ensure day-to-day consistency of an analytical process and thus help to determine whether patient results are reliable enough to be released. The required quality and assay performance varies between analytes as does the definition of a clinically significant error. Unfortunately many laboratories currently decide what is clinically significant at the troubleshooting stage. Assay-specific IQC systems will reduce the number of inappropriate sample-run rejections compared with the blanket use of one IQC rule. In practice, only three or four different IQC rules are required for the whole of the routine biochemistry repertoire as assays are assigned into groups based on performance. The tools to categorise performance and assign IQC rules based on that performance are presented. Although significant investment of time and education is required prior to implementation, laboratories have shown that such systems achieve considerable reductions in cost and labour.

  3. Evaluation of Dimensionality in the Assessment of Internal Consistency Reliability: Coefficient Alpha and Omega Coefficients

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Samuel B.; Yang, Yanyun

    2015-01-01

    In the lead article, Davenport, Davison, Liou, & Love demonstrate the relationship among homogeneity, internal consistency, and coefficient alpha, and also distinguish among them. These distinctions are important because too often coefficient alpha--a reliability coefficient--is interpreted as an index of homogeneity or internal consistency.…

  4. International Conference on Harmonisation; guidance on Q9 Quality Risk Management; availability. Notice.

    PubMed

    2006-06-02

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance entitled "Q9 Quality Risk Management."' The guidance was prepared under the auspices of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The guidance provides principles and examples of tools for quality risk management that can be applied to all aspects of pharmaceutical quality throughout the lifecycle of drug substances, drug products, and biological and biotechnological products. The guidance is intended to enable regulators and industry to make more effective and consistent risk-based decisions.

  5. DairyBeef: maximizing quality and profits--a consistent food safety message.

    PubMed

    Moore, D A; Kirk, J H; Klingborg, D J; Garry, F; Wailes, W; Dalton, J; Busboom, J; Sams, R W; Poe, M; Payne, M; Marchello, J; Looper, M; Falk, D; Wright, T

    2004-01-01

    To respond to meat safety and quality issues in dairy market cattle, a collaborative project team for 7 western states was established to develop educational resources providing a consistent meat safety and quality message to dairy producers, farm advisors, and veterinarians. The team produced an educational website and CD-ROM course that included videos, narrated slide sets, and on-farm tools. The objectives of this course were: 1) to help producers and their advisors understand market cattle food safety and quality issues, 2) help maintain markets for these cows, and 3) help producers identify ways to improve the quality of dairy cattle going to slaughter. DairyBeef. Maximizing Quality & Profits consists of 6 sections, including 4 core segments. Successful completion of quizzes following each core segment is required for participants to receive a certificate of completion. A formative evaluation of the program revealed the necessity for minor content and technological changes with the web-based course. All evaluators considered the materials relevant to dairy producers. After editing, course availability was enabled in February, 2003. Between February and May, 2003, 21 individuals received certificates of completion.

  6. Online self-report questionnaire on computer work-related exposure (OSCWE): validity and internal consistency.

    PubMed

    Mekhora, Keerin; Jalayondeja, Wattana; Jalayondeja, Chutima; Bhuanantanondh, Petcharatana; Dusadiisariyavong, Asadang; Upiriyasakul, Rujiret; Anuraktam, Khajornyod

    2014-07-01

    To develop an online, self-report questionnaire on computer work-related exposure (OSCWE) and to determine the internal consistency, face and content validity of the questionnaire. The online, self-report questionnaire was developed to determine the risk factors related to musculoskeletal disorders in computer users. It comprised five domains: personal, work-related, work environment, physical health and psychosocial factors. The questionnaire's content was validated by an occupational medical doctor and three physical therapy lecturers involved in ergonomic teaching. Twenty-five lay people examined the feasibility of computer-administered and the user-friendly language. The item correlation in each domain was analyzed by the internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha; alpha). The content of the questionnaire was considered congruent with the testing purposes. Eight hundred and thirty-five computer users at the PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited registered to the online self-report questionnaire. The internal consistency of the five domains was: personal (alpha = 0.58), work-related (alpha = 0.348), work environment (alpha = 0.72), physical health (alpha = 0.68) and psychosocial factor (alpha = 0.93). The findings suggested that the OSCWE had acceptable internal consistency for work environment and psychosocial factors. The OSCWE is available to use in population-based survey research among computer office workers.

  7. Using internal marketing to improve organizational commitment and service quality.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Yafang; Wu, Shih-Wang

    2011-12-01

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

  8. Are nutrition messages lost in transmission? Assessing the quality and consistency of diabetes guideline recommendations on the delivery of nutrition therapy.

    PubMed

    Hale, Kelli; Capra, Sandra; Bauer, Judy

    2016-12-01

    To provide an overview of (1) the consistency of Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Practice Guidelines recommendations on the delivery of nutrition therapy and (2) Clinical Practice Guideline quality. Large international clinical practice guideline repositories, diabetes organisation websites, and electronic databases (Pubmed, Scopus), were searched to identify Clinical Practice Guidelines for adults with type 2 diabetes published 2005 to August 2014. Recommendations on the delivery of nutrition therapy were extracted and inductive content analysis was used to analyse consistency. Two researchers independently assessed guideline quality using the AGREE II tool. Nine topics were identified from the recommendations. Overall the consistency of the recommendations was related to guideline type. Compared with nutrition-specific guidelines, the broad ones had a broader focus and included more patient-focused recommendations. The ten Clinical Practice Guidelines assessed included six broad guidelines and four nutrition specific guidelines. Based on AGREE II analysis, the broad guidelines were higher quality than nutrition-specific ones. Broad Clinical Practice Guidelines were higher quality and included more patient-focused recommendations than nutrition-specific ones. Our findings suggest a need for nutrition-specific guidelines to be modified to include greater patient-focus, or for practitioners delivering nutrition therapy to adopt broad Clinical Practice Guidelines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Reliability, Dimensionality, and Internal Consistency as Defined by Cronbach: Distinct Albeit Related Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davenport, Ernest C.; Davison, Mark L.; Liou, Pey-Yan; Love, Quintin U.

    2015-01-01

    This article uses definitions provided by Cronbach in his seminal paper for coefficient a to show the concepts of reliability, dimensionality, and internal consistency are distinct but interrelated. The article begins with a critique of the definition of reliability and then explores mathematical properties of Cronbach's a. Internal consistency…

  10. Internal Consistency Reliability of the Self-Report Antisocial Process Screening Device

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Poythress, Norman G.; Douglas, Kevin S.; Falkenbach, Diana; Cruise, Keith; Lee, Zina; Murrie, Daniel C.; Vitacco, Michael

    2006-01-01

    The self-report version of the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) has become a popular measure for assessing psychopathic features in justice-involved adolescents. However, the internal consistency reliability of its component scales (Narcissism, Callous-Unemotional, and Impulsivity) has been questioned in several studies. This study…

  11. [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.

  12. Thoughts on Internal and External Quality Assurance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Jianxin

    2012-01-01

    Quality assurance of higher education is made up of two parts: internal quality assurance (IQA) and external quality assurance (EQA). Both belong to a union of the coexistence and balance of yin and yang. But in reality there exists a paradox of "confusion of quality assurance (QA) subject consciousness, singularity of social QA and lack of QA…

  13. [Report of Internal Consistency of the Scales in Research Published in the Colombian Journal of Psychiatry].

    PubMed

    Campo-Arias, Adalberto

    2013-03-01

    Establishment of the frequency of reporting internal consistency of the scales in research published in the Colombian Journal of Psychiatry (CJP) between 2006 and 2010. A descriptive study was carried out which computes the report of internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) of scales in research published as original papers in the CJP. Validation studies were excluded. A total of 114 articles were published and 30 of them were included in the analysis. Researchers applied 67 scales for measuring some variables and Cronbach alpha of 20 (29.8%) scales was reported in the participating population. In the CJP, few published studies that apply measuring scales for variables report internal consistency in the analyzed sample. It is necessary for authors to report the internal consistency of used scales in the study population to guarantee the validity of conclusions. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  14. Internal Quality Assurance Benchmarking. ENQA Workshop Report 20

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackstock, Douglas; Burquel, Nadine; Comet, Nuria; Kajaste, Matti; dos Santos, Sergio Machado; Marcos, Sandra; Moser, Marion; Ponds, Henri; Scheuthle, Harald; Sixto, Luis Carlos Velon

    2012-01-01

    The Internal Quality Assurance group of ENQA (IQA Group) has been organising a yearly seminar for its members since 2007. The main objective is to share experiences concerning the internal quality assurance of work processes in the participating agencies. The overarching theme of the 2011 seminar was how to use benchmarking as a tool for…

  15. The immunization data quality audit: verifying the quality and consistency of immunization monitoring systems.

    PubMed Central

    Ronveaux, O.; Rickert, D.; Hadler, S.; Groom, H.; Lloyd, J.; Bchir, A.; Birmingham, M.

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the consistency and quality of immunization monitoring systems in 27 countries during 2002-03 using standardized data quality audits (DQAs) that had been launched within the framework of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. METHODS: The consistency of reporting systems was estimated by determining the proportion of third doses of diphtheria-tetanuspertussis (DTP-3) vaccine reported as being administered that could be verified by written documentation at health facilities and districts. The quality of monitoring systems was measured using quality indices for different components of the monitoring systems. These indices were applied to each level of the health service (health unit, district and national). FINDINGS: The proportion of verified DTP-3 doses was lower than 85% in 16 countries. Difficulties in verifying the doses administered often arose at the peripheral level of the health service, usually as the result of discrepancies in information between health units and their corresponding districts or because completed recording forms were not available from health units. All countries had weaknesses in their monitoring systems; these included the inconsistent use of monitoring charts; inadequate monitoring of vaccine stocks, injection supplies and adverse events; unsafe computer practices; and poor monitoring of completeness and timeliness of reporting. CONCLUSION: Inconsistencies in immunization data occur in many countries, hampering their ability to manage their immunization programmes. Countries should use these findings to strengthen monitoring systems so that data can reliably guide programme activities. The DQA is an innovative tool that provides a way to independently assess the quality of immunization monitoring systems at all levels of a health service and serves as a point of entry to make improvements. It provides a useful example for other global health initiatives. PMID:16175824

  16. International assessment on quality and content of internet information on osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Varady, N H; Dee, E C; Katz, J N

    2018-05-23

    Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of global disability. Numerous studies have assessed the quality and content of online health information; however, how information content varies between multiple countries remains unknown. The primary objective of this study was to examine how the quality and content of online health information on osteoarthritis compares on an international scale. Internet searches for the equivalent of "knee osteoarthritis treatment" were performed in ten countries around the world. For each country, the first ten websites were evaluated using a custom scoring form examining: website type; quality and reliability using the DISCERN and Health-on-the-Net (HON) frameworks; and treatment content based on three international osteoarthritis treatment guidelines. Consistency of search results between countries speaking the same language was also assessed. Significant differences in all scoring metrics existed between countries speaking different languages. Western countries scored higher than more eastern countries, there were no differences between the United States and Mexico in any of the scoring metrics, and HON certified websites were of higher quality and reliability. Searches in different countries speaking the same language had at least 70% overlap. The quality of online health information on knee osteoarthritis varies significantly between countries speaking different languages. Differential access to quality, accurate, and safe health information online may represent a novel but important health inequality. Future efforts are needed to translate online health resources into additional languages. In the interim, patients may seek websites that display the HON seal. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Internal quality control in serological tests for syphilis.

    PubMed Central

    Wasley, G D

    1985-01-01

    The importance of syphilis serological tests demands that laboratory reports are reliable. Internal quality control applied to the organisation of a syphilis serology service improves laboratory bench performance and reporting. Described here are internal quality control procedures of a department that serves a genitourinary medicine clinic and conducts 70 000 tests a year to investigate for syphilis. PMID:3884487

  18. An Experimental Study of the Internal Consistency of Judgments Made in Bookmark Standard Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clauser, Brian E.; Baldwin, Peter; Margolis, Melissa J.; Mee, Janet; Winward, Marcia

    2017-01-01

    Validating performance standards is challenging and complex. Because of the difficulties associated with collecting evidence related to external criteria, validity arguments rely heavily on evidence related to internal criteria--especially evidence that expert judgments are internally consistent. Given its importance, it is somewhat surprising…

  19. The internal consistency of the standard gamble: tests after adjusting for prospect theory.

    PubMed

    Oliver, Adam

    2003-07-01

    This article reports a study that tests whether the internal consistency of the standard gamble can be improved upon by incorporating loss weighting and probability transformation parameters in the standard gamble valuation procedure. Five alternatives to the standard EU formulation are considered: (1) probability transformation within an EU framework; and, within a prospect theory framework, (2) loss weighting and full probability transformation, (3) no loss weighting and full probability transformation, (4) loss weighting and no probability transformation, and (5) loss weighting and partial probability transformation. Of the five alternatives, only the prospect theory formulation with loss weighting and no probability transformation offers an improvement in internal consistency over the standard EU valuation procedure.

  20. A "good practice" approach to the quality and consistency of morphological examination of the internal head structures of the term rabbit fetus.

    PubMed

    French, Julian M

    2014-07-01

    Variation in the interpretation of the regulatory guidelines has resulted in a diversity of techniques employed to examine the internal structures of the foetal rabbit head. Examination of the foetal rabbit brain, using a single transverse section as the sole technique, is considered not to be sufficiently thorough to be regarded as an adequate examination method. It is not compliant with published EPA and OECD guidelines covering required examination of the internal head structures, nor is it considered to conform to the spirit of the safety assessment required by the ICH guideline. Fixation of approximately half of the heads in each litter to allow the examination of multiple transverse sections enables the major structures within the head to be assessed effectively. This method is compliant with current guidelines, represents "good practice" and should be consistently adopted for the examination of the internal head structures of the term rabbit foetus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Assessing motivation for work environment improvements: internal consistency, reliability and factorial structure.

    PubMed

    Hedlund, Ann; Ateg, Mattias; Andersson, Ing-Marie; Rosén, Gunnar

    2010-04-01

    Workers' motivation to actively take part in improvements to the work environment is assumed to be important for the efficiency of investments for that purpose. That gives rise to the need for a tool to measure this motivation. A questionnaire to measure motivation for improvements to the work environment has been designed. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the domains of the questionnaire have been measured, and the factorial structure has been explored, from the answers of 113 employees. The internal consistency is high (0.94), as well as the correlation for the total score (0.84). Three factors are identified accounting for 61.6% of the total variance. The questionnaire can be a useful tool in improving intervention methods. The expectation is that the tool can be useful, particularly with the aim of improving efficiency of companies' investments for work environment improvements. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. MATERNAL INTERACTION QUALITY MODERATES EFFECTS OF PRENATAL MATERNAL EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS ON GIRLS' INTERNALIZING PROBLEMS.

    PubMed

    Endendijk, Joyce J; De Bruijn, Anouk T C E; Van Bakel, Hedwig J A; Wijnen, Hennie A A; Pop, Victor J M; Van Baar, Anneloes L

    2017-09-01

    The role of mother-infant interaction quality is studied in the relation between prenatal maternal emotional symptoms and child behavioral problems. Healthy pregnant, Dutch women (N = 96, M = 31.6, SD = 3.3) were allocated to the "exposed group" (n = 46), consisting of mothers with high levels of prenatal feelings of anxiety and depression, or the "low-exposed group" (n = 50), consisting of mothers with normal levels of depressive or anxious symptoms during pregnancy. When the children (49 girls, 47 boys) were 23 to 60 months of age (M = 39.0, SD = 9.6), parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (T.M. Achenbach & L.A. Rescorla, ), and mother-child interaction quality during a home visit was rated using the Emotional Availability Scales. There were no differences in mother-child interaction quality between the prenatally exposed and low-exposed groups. Girls exposed to high prenatal emotional symptoms showed more internalizing problems, if maternal interaction quality was less optimal. No significant effects were found for boys. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  3. Internal consistency of the CHAMPS physical activity questionnaire for Spanish speaking older adults.

    PubMed

    Rosario, Martín G; Vázquez, Jenniffer M; Cruz, Wanda I; Ortiz, Alexis

    2008-09-01

    The Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) is a physical activity monitoring questionnaire for people between 65 to 90 years old. This questionnaire has been previously translated to Spanish to be used in the Latin American population. To adapt the Spanish version of the CHAMPS questionnaire to Puerto Rico and assess its internal consistency. An external review committee adapted the existent Spanish version of the CHAMPS to be used in the Puerto Rican population. Three older adults participated in a second phase with the purpose of training the research team. After the second phase, 35 older adults participated in a third content adaptation phase. During the third phase, the preliminary Spanish version for Puerto Rico of the CHAMPS was given to the 35 participants to assess for clarity, vocabulary and understandability. Interviews to each participant in the third phase were carried out to obtain feedback and create a final Spanish version of the CHAMPS for Puerto Rico. After analyses of this phase, the external review committee prepared a final Spanish version of the CHAMPS for Puerto Rico. The final version was administered to 15 older adults (76 +/- 6.5 years) to assess the internal consistency by using Cronbach's Alpha analysis. The questionnaire showed a strong internal consistency of 0.76. The total time to answer the questionnaire was 17.4 minutes. The Spanish version of the CHAMPS questionnaire for Puerto Rico suggested being an easy to administer and consistent measurement tool to assess physical activity in older adults.

  4. The memory failures of everyday questionnaire (MFE): internal consistency and reliability.

    PubMed

    Montejo Carrasco, Pedro; Montenegro, Peña Mercedes; Sueiro, Manuel J

    2012-07-01

    The Memory Failures of Everyday Questionnaire (MFE) is one of the most widely-used instruments to assess memory failures in daily life. The original scale has nine response options, making it difficult to apply; we created a three-point scale (0-1-2) with response choices that make it easier to administer. We examined the two versions' equivalence in a sample of 193 participants between 19 and 64 years of age. The test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the version we propose were also computed in a sample of 113 people. Several indicators attest to the two forms' equivalence: the correlation between the items' means (r = .94; p < .001) and the order of the items' frequencies (r = .92; p < .001). However, the correlation between global scores on the two forms was not very high (r = .67; p < .001). The results indicate this new version has adequate reliability and internal consistency (r(xx) = .83; p < .001; alpha = .83; p < .001) equivalent to those of the MFE 1-9. The MFE 0-2 provides a brief, simple evaluation, so we recommend it for use in clinical practice as well as research.

  5. Evaluation of air quality indicators in Alberta, Canada - An international perspective.

    PubMed

    Bari, Md Aynul; Kindzierski, Warren B

    2016-01-01

    There has been an increase in oil sands development in northern Alberta, Canada and an overall increase in economic activity in the province in recent years. An evaluation of the state of air quality was conducted in four Alberta locations - urban centers of Calgary and Edmonton, and smaller communities of Fort McKay and Fort McMurray in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR). Concentration trends, diurnal hourly and monthly average concentration profiles, and exceedances of provincial, national and international air quality guidelines were assessed for several criteria air pollutants over the period 1998 to 2014. Two methods were used to evaluate trends. Parametric analysis of annual median 1h concentrations and non-parametric analysis of annual geometric mean 1h concentrations showed consistent decreasing trends for NO2 and SO2 (<1ppb per year), CO (<0.1ppm per year) at all stations, decreasing for THC (<0.1ppm per year) and increasing for O3 (≤0.52ppb per year) at most stations and unchanged for PM2.5 at all stations in Edmonton and Calgary over a 17-year period. Little consistency in trends was observed among the methods for the same air pollutants other than for THC (increasing in Fort McKay <0.1ppm per year and no trend in Fort McMurray), PM2.5 in Fort McKay and Fort McMurray (no trend) and CO (decreasing <0.1ppm per year in Fort McMurray) over the same period. Levels of air quality indicators at the four locations were compared with other Canadian and international urban areas to judge the current state of air quality. Median and annual average concentrations for Alberta locations tended to be the smallest in Fort McKay and Fort McMurray. Other than for PM2.5, Calgary and Edmonton tended to have median and annual average concentrations comparable to and/or below that of larger populated Canadian and U.S. cities, depending upon the air pollutant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Internal consistency and stability of the CANTAB neuropsychological test battery in children.

    PubMed

    Syväoja, Heidi J; Tammelin, Tuija H; Ahonen, Timo; Räsänen, Pekka; Tolvanen, Asko; Kankaanpää, Anna; Kantomaa, Marko T

    2015-06-01

    The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is a computer-assessed test battery widely use in different populations. The internal consistency and 1-year stability of CANTAB tests were examined in school-age children. Two hundred-thirty children (57% girls) from five schools in the Jyväskylä school district in Finland participated in the study in spring 2011. The children completed the following CANTAB tests: (a) visual memory (pattern recognition memory [PRM] and spatial recognition memory [SRM]), (b) executive function (spatial span [SSP], Stockings of Cambridge [SOC], and intra-extra dimensional set shift [IED]), and (c) attention (reaction time [RTI] and rapid visual information processing [RVP]). Seventy-four children participated in the follow-up measurements (64% girls) in spring 2012. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was used to estimate the internal consistency of the nonhampering test, and structural equation models were applied to examine the stability of these tests. The reliability and the stability could not be determined for IED or SSP because of the nature of these tests. The internal consistency was acceptable only in the RTI task. The 1-year stability was moderate-to-good for the PRM, RTI, and RVP. The SSP and IED showed a moderate correlation between the two measurement points. The SRM and the SOC tasks were not reliable or stable measures in this study population. For research purposes, we recommend using structural equation modeling to improve reliability. The results suggest that the reliability and the stability of computer-based test batteries should be confirmed in the target population before using them for clinical or research purposes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. Quality and Consistency of the NASA Ocean Color Data Record

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Franz, Bryan A.

    2012-01-01

    The NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) recently reprocessed the multimission ocean color time-series from SeaWiFS, MODIS-Aqua, and MODIS-Terra using common algorithms and improved instrument calibration knowledge. Here we present an analysis of the quality and consistency of the resulting ocean color retrievals, including spectral water-leaving reflectance, chlorophyll a concentration, and diffuse attenuation. Statistical analysis of satellite retrievals relative to in situ measurements will be presented for each sensor, as well as an assessment of consistency in the global time-series for the overlapping periods of the missions. Results will show that the satellite retrievals are in good agreement with in situ measurements, and that the sensor ocean color data records are highly consistent over the common mission lifespan for the global deep oceans, but with degraded agreement in higher productivity, higher complexity coastal regions.

  8. Development and validation of an international appraisal instrument for assessing the quality of clinical practice guidelines: the AGREE project.

    PubMed

    2003-02-01

    International interest in clinical practice guidelines has never been greater but many published guidelines do not meet the basic quality requirements. There have been renewed calls for validated criteria to assess the quality of guidelines. To develop and validate an international instrument for assessing the quality of the process and reporting of clinical practice guideline development. The instrument was developed through a multi-staged process of item generation, selection and scaling, field testing, and refinement procedures. 100 guidelines selected from 11 participating countries were evaluated independently by 194 appraisers with the instrument. Following refinement the instrument was further field tested on three guidelines per country by a new set of 70 appraisers. The final version of the instrument contained 23 items grouped into six quality domains with a 4 point Likert scale to score each item (scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigour of development, clarity and presentation, applicability, editorial independence). 95% of appraisers found the instrument useful for assessing guidelines. Reliability was acceptable for most domains (Cronbach's alpha 0.64-0.88). Guidelines produced as part of an established guideline programme had significantly higher scores on editorial independence and, after the publication of a national policy, had significantly higher quality scores on rigour of development (p<0.005). Guidelines with technical documentation had higher scores on that domain (p<0.0001). This is the first time an appraisal instrument for clinical practice guidelines has been developed and tested internationally. The instrument is sensitive to differences in important aspects of guidelines and can be used consistently and easily by a wide range of professionals from different backgrounds. The adoption of common standards should improve the consistency and quality of the reporting of guideline development worldwide and provide a framework to

  9. Ensuring Quality in Online Courses: Applying the AACSB International's Distance Learning Quality Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaytan, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the Distance Learning Quality Issues published by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB-International) to document the various characteristics that high-quality online courses must possess. A content analysis methodology was employed to examine the seven…

  10. Assuring fish safety and quality in international fish trade.

    PubMed

    Ababouch, Lahsen

    2006-01-01

    International trade in fishery commodities reached US 58.2 billion dollars in 2002, a 5% improvement relative to 2000 and a 45% increase over 1992 levels. Within this global trade, developing countries registered a net trade surplus of US 17.4 billion dollars in 2002 and accounted for almost 50% by value and 55% of fish exports by volume. This globalization of fish trade, coupled with technological developments in food production, handling, processing and distribution, and the increasing awareness and demand of consumers for safe and high quality food have put food safety and quality assurance high in public awareness and a priority for many governments. Consequently, many countries have tightened food safety controls, imposing additional costs and requirements on imports. As early as 1980, there was an international drive towards adopting preventative HACCP-based safety and quality systems. More recently, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to food safety and quality throughout the entire food chain. Implementation of this approach requires an enabling policy and regulatory environment at national and international levels with clearly defined rules and standards, establishment of appropriate food control systems and programmes at national and local levels, and provision of appropriate training and capacity building. This paper discusses the international framework for fish safety and quality, with particular emphasis on the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization's (FAO) strategy to promote international harmonization and capacity building.

  11. Factor structure and internal consistency of the Greek version of the Flow State Scale.

    PubMed

    Doganis, G; Iosifidou, P; Vlachopoulos, S

    2000-12-01

    The present study tested the internal consistency and the factor struc ture of a translated version of the Flow State Scale with Greek sport participants. Sport psychology literature is not conclusive regarding sex differences and the type of sport in flow. The sample was comprised of 144 women from interactive sports (volleyball and handball) who were drawn from the second division of the first national category. Athletes completed the scale immediately after a game. Values of Cronbach alpha were used to estimate the internal consistency of the scale and confirmatory factor analysis to examine the model. The results showed acceptable psychometric prop erties of the scale and suggest a need for improvement of the problematic items.

  12. 42 CFR 460.136 - Internal quality assessment and performance improvement activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Internal quality assessment and performance improvement activities. 460.136 Section 460.136 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES....136 Internal quality assessment and performance improvement activities. (a) Quality assessment and...

  13. Expanding the Reach of Participatory Risk Management: Testing an Online Decision-Aiding Framework for Informing Internally Consistent Choices.

    PubMed

    Bessette, Douglas L; Campbell-Arvai, Victoria; Arvai, Joseph

    2016-05-01

    This article presents research aimed at developing and testing an online, multistakeholder decision-aiding framework for informing multiattribute risk management choices associated with energy development and climate change. The framework was designed to provide necessary background information and facilitate internally consistent choices, or choices that are in line with users' prioritized objectives. In order to test different components of the decision-aiding framework, a six-part, 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted, yielding eight treatment scenarios. The three factors included: (1) whether or not users could construct their own alternatives; (2) the level of detail regarding the composition of alternatives users would evaluate; and (3) the way in which a final choice between users' own constructed (or highest-ranked) portfolio and an internally consistent portfolio was presented. Participants' self-reports revealed the framework was easy to use and providing an opportunity to develop one's own risk-management alternatives (Factor 1) led to the highest knowledge gains. Empirical measures showed the internal consistency of users' decisions across all treatments to be lower than expected and confirmed that providing information about alternatives' composition (Factor 2) resulted in the least internally consistent choices. At the same time, those users who did not develop their own alternatives and were not shown detailed information about the composition of alternatives believed their choices to be the most internally consistent. These results raise concerns about how the amount of information provided and the ability to construct alternatives may inversely affect users' real and perceived internal consistency. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

  14. Manufacturing history of etanercept (Enbrel®): Consistency of product quality through major process revisions.

    PubMed

    Hassett, Brian; Singh, Ena; Mahgoub, Ehab; O'Brien, Julie; Vicik, Steven M; Fitzpatrick, Brian

    2018-01-01

    Etanercept (ETN) (Enbrel®) is a soluble protein that binds to, and specifically inhibits, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine. ETN is synthesized in Chinese hamster ovary cells by recombinant DNA technology as a fusion protein, with a fully human TNFRII ectodomain linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1. Successful manufacture of biologics, such as ETN, requires sophisticated process and product understanding, as well as meticulous control of operations to maintain product consistency. The objective of this evaluation was to show that the product profile of ETN drug substance (DS) has been consistent over the course of production. Multiple orthogonal biochemical analyses, which included evaluation of attributes indicative of product purity, potency, and quality, were assessed on >2,000 batches of ETN from three sites of DS manufacture, during the period 1998-2015. Based on the key quality attributes of product purity (assessed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography HPLC), binding activity (to TNF by ELISA), potency (inhibition of TNF-induced apoptosis by cell-based bioassay) and quality (N-linked oligosaccharide map), we show that the integrity of ETN DS has remained consistent over time. This consistency was maintained through three major enhancements to the initial process of manufacturing that were supported by detailed comparability assessments, and approved by the European Medicines Agency. Examination of results for all major quality attributes for ETN DS indicates a highly consistent process for over 18 years and throughout changes to the manufacturing process, without affecting safety and efficacy, as demonstrated across a wide range of clinical trials of ETN in multiple inflammatory diseases.

  15. Use of Internal Consistency Coefficients for Estimating Reliability of Experimental Tasks Scores

    PubMed Central

    Green, Samuel B.; Yang, Yanyun; Alt, Mary; Brinkley, Shara; Gray, Shelley; Hogan, Tiffany; Cowan, Nelson

    2017-01-01

    Reliabilities of scores for experimental tasks are likely to differ from one study to another to the extent that the task stimuli change, the number of trials varies, the type of individuals taking the task changes, the administration conditions are altered, or the focal task variable differs. Given reliabilities vary as a function of the design of these tasks and the characteristics of the individuals taking them, making inferences about the reliability of scores in an ongoing study based on reliability estimates from prior studies is precarious. Thus, it would be advantageous to estimate reliability based on data from the ongoing study. We argue that internal consistency estimates of reliability are underutilized for experimental task data and in many applications could provide this information using a single administration of a task. We discuss different methods for computing internal consistency estimates with a generalized coefficient alpha and the conditions under which these estimates are accurate. We illustrate use of these coefficients using data for three different tasks. PMID:26546100

  16. Male great bowerbirds create forced perspective illusions with consistently different individual quality

    PubMed Central

    Kelley, Laura A.; Endler, John A.

    2012-01-01

    Males often produce elaborate displays that increase their attractiveness to females, and some species extend their displays to include structures or objects that are not part of their body. Such “extended phenotypes” may communicate information that cannot be transmitted by bodily signals or may provide a more reliable signal than bodily signals. However, it is unclear whether these signals are individually distinct and whether they are consistent over long periods of time. Male bowerbirds construct and decorate bowers that function in mate choice. Bower display courts constructed by male great bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis) induce a visual illusion known as forced perspective for the female viewing the male’s display over the court, and the quality of illusion is associated with mating success. We improved the quality of the forced perspective to determine whether males maintained it at the new higher level, decreased the perspective quality back to its original value, or allowed it to decay at random over time. We found that the original perspective quality was actively recovered to individual original values within 3 d. We measured forced perspective over the course of one breeding season and compared the forced perspective of individual males between two successive breeding seasons. We found that differences in the quality of visual illusion among males were consistent within and between two breeding seasons. This suggests that forced perspective is actively and strongly maintained at a different level by each individual male. PMID:23213203

  17. Internal quality assurance in a clinical virology laboratory. II. Internal quality control.

    PubMed Central

    Gray, J J; Wreghitt, T G; McKee, T A; McIntyre, P; Roth, C E; Smith, D J; Sutehall, G; Higgins, G; Geraghty, R; Whetstone, R

    1995-01-01

    AIMS--In April 1991 additional quality control procedures were introduced into the virology section of the Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory, Cambridge. Internal quality control (IQC) samples were gradually included in the serological assays performed in the laboratory and supplemented kit controls and standard sera. METHODS--From April 1991 to December 1993, 2421 IQC procedures were carried out with reference sera. RESULTS--The IQC samples were evaluated according to the Westgard rules. Violations were recorded in 60 of 1808 (3.3%) controls and were highest in the IQC samples of complement fixation tests (25/312 (8%) of controls submitted for complement fixation tests). CONCLUSIONS--The inclusion of IQC samples in the serological assays performed in the laboratory has highlighted batch to batch variation in commercial assays. The setting of acceptable limits for the IQC samples has increased confidence in the validity of assay results. PMID:7730475

  18. Factorial validity and internal consistency of the motivational climate in physical education scale.

    PubMed

    Soini, Markus; Liukkonen, Jarmo; Watt, Anthony; Yli-Piipari, Sami; Jaakkola, Timo

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the study was to examine the construct validity and internal consistency of the Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale (MCPES). A key element of the development process of the scale was establishing a theoretical framework that integrated the dimensions of task- and ego involving climates in conjunction with autonomy, and social relatedness supporting climates. These constructs were adopted from the self-determination and achievement goal theories. A sample of Finnish Grade 9 students, comprising 2,594 girls and 1,803 boys, completed the 18-item MCPES during one physical education class. The results of the study demonstrated that participants had highest mean in task-involving climate and the lowest in autonomy climate and ego-involving climate. Additionally, autonomy, social relatedness, and task- involving climates were significantly and strongly correlated with each other, whereas the ego- involving climate had low or negligible correlations with the other climate dimensions.The construct validity of the MCPES was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The statistical fit of the four-factor model consisting of motivational climate factors supporting perceived autonomy, social relatedness, task-involvement, and ego-involvement was satisfactory. The results of the reliability analysis showed acceptable internal consistencies for all four dimensions. The Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale can be considered as psychometrically valid tool to measure motivational climate in Finnish Grade 9 students. Key PointsThis study developed Motivational Climate in School Physical Education Scale (MCPES). During the development process of the scale, the theoretical framework using dimensions of task- and ego involving as well as autonomy, and social relatedness supporting climates was constructed. These constructs were adopted from the self-determination and achievement goal theories.The statistical fit of the four-factor model of the

  19. Factorial Validity and Internal Consistency of the Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale

    PubMed Central

    Soini, Markus; Liukkonen, Jarmo; Watt, Anthony; Yli-Piipari, Sami; Jaakkola, Timo

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the study was to examine the construct validity and internal consistency of the Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale (MCPES). A key element of the development process of the scale was establishing a theoretical framework that integrated the dimensions of task- and ego involving climates in conjunction with autonomy, and social relatedness supporting climates. These constructs were adopted from the self-determination and achievement goal theories. A sample of Finnish Grade 9 students, comprising 2,594 girls and 1,803 boys, completed the 18-item MCPES during one physical education class. The results of the study demonstrated that participants had highest mean in task-involving climate and the lowest in autonomy climate and ego-involving climate. Additionally, autonomy, social relatedness, and task- involving climates were significantly and strongly correlated with each other, whereas the ego- involving climate had low or negligible correlations with the other climate dimensions.The construct validity of the MCPES was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The statistical fit of the four-factor model consisting of motivational climate factors supporting perceived autonomy, social relatedness, task-involvement, and ego-involvement was satisfactory. The results of the reliability analysis showed acceptable internal consistencies for all four dimensions. The Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale can be considered as psychometrically valid tool to measure motivational climate in Finnish Grade 9 students. Key Points This study developed Motivational Climate in School Physical Education Scale (MCPES). During the development process of the scale, the theoretical framework using dimensions of task- and ego involving as well as autonomy, and social relatedness supporting climates was constructed. These constructs were adopted from the self-determination and achievement goal theories. The statistical fit of the four-factor model of the

  20. WOrk-Related Questionnaire for UPper extremity disorders (WORQ-UP): Factor Analysis and Internal Consistency.

    PubMed

    Aerts, Bas R; Kuijer, P Paul; Beumer, Annechien; Eygendaal, Denise; Frings-Dresen, Monique H

    2018-04-17

    To test a 17-item questionnaire, the WOrk-Related Questionnaire for UPper extremity disorders (WORQ-UP), for dimensionality of the items (factor analysis) and internal consistency. Cross-sectional study. Outpatient clinic. A consecutive sample of patients (N=150) consisting of all new referral patients (either from a general physician or other hospital) who visited the orthopedic outpatient clinic because of an upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder. Not applicable. Number and dimensionality of the factors in the WORQ-UP. Four factors with eigenvalues (EVs) >1.0 were found. The factors were named exertion, dexterity, tools & equipment, and mobility. The EVs of the factors were, respectively, 5.78, 2.38, 1.81, and 1.24. The factors together explained 65.9% of the variance. The Cronbach alpha values for these factors were, respectively, .88, .74, .87, and .66. The 17 items of the WORQ-UP resemble 4 factors-exertion, dexterity, tools & equipment, and mobility-with a good internal consistency. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Improving consistency and quality of service delivery: implications for the addiction treatment field.

    PubMed

    Knott, Anne Marie; Corredoira, Rafael; Kimberly, John

    2008-09-01

    Addiction treatment providers face serious problems in delivering consistent, high-quality services over time. Among those providers with multiple treatment sites, there is also intersite variability. This is a serious problem in the addiction field, likely to be made worse as new technologies are introduced and/or as there is industry consolidation (Corredoira, R., Kimberly, J. (2006) Industry evolution through consolidation: Implications for addiction treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 31, 255-265.). Although serious, these problems in managing and monitoring to assure consistent service quality have been faced by many other industries. Here, we review evidence from research in other industries regarding three different forms of management (vertical integration, franchising, and licensing) across a chain of individual service providers. We show how each management form affects the level, consistency, and improvement of service delivery over time. In addition, we discuss how such performance advantages affect customer demand as well as regulatory endorsement of the consolidated firm and its approach.

  2. Quality of life: international and domestic students studying medicine in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Henning, Marcus A; Krägeloh, Christian; Moir, Fiona; Doherty, Iain; Hawken, Susan J

    2012-08-01

    International students form a significant proportion of students studying within universities in Western countries. The quality of life perceptions of international medical students in comparison with domestic medical students has not been well documented. There is some evidence to suggest that international medical students may have different educational and social experiences in relation to their domestic peers. This study investigates the levels of quality of life experienced by international and domestic students studying medicine. A total of 548 medical students completed the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. The focus of the analysis was to evaluate differences between international and domestic students in their early clinical years. The responses were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance methods. International medical students are experiencing lower social and environmental quality of life compared with domestic peers. International medical students in New Zealand have expressed quality of life concerns, which likely have an impact on their academic achievement, feelings of wellness, acculturation, and social adaptation. The findings reinforce the need for creating stronger social networks and accessible accommodation, as well as developing systems to ensure safety, peer mentorship and student support.

  3. The Internal Consistency and Validity of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale: A Replication Study.

    PubMed

    Wood, Louise; Smith, Michael; Miller, Christopher B; O'Carroll, Ronan E

    2018-06-19

    Vaccinations are important preventative health behaviors. The recently developed Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to measure the reasons behind refusal/hesitancy regarding vaccinations. The aim of this replication study is to conduct an independent test of the newly developed VAX Scale in the UK. We tested (a) internal consistency (Cronbach's α); (b) convergent validity by assessing its relationships with beliefs about medication, medical mistrust, and perceived sensitivity to medicines; and (c) construct validity by testing how well the VAX Scale discriminated between vaccinators and nonvaccinators. A sample of 243 UK adults completed the VAX Scale, the Beliefs About Medicines Questionnaire, the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines Scale, and the Medical Mistrust Index, in addition to demographics of age, gender, education levels, and social deprivation. Participants were asked (a) whether they received an influenza vaccination in the past year and (b) if they had a young child, whether they had vaccinated the young child against influenza in the past year. The VAX (a) demonstrated high internal consistency (α = .92); (b) was positively correlated with medical mistrust and beliefs about medicines, and less strongly correlated with perceived sensitivity to medicines; and (c) successfully differentiated parental influenza vaccinators from nonvaccinators. The VAX demonstrated good internal consistency, convergent validity, and construct validity in an independent UK sample. It appears to be a useful measure to help us understand the health beliefs that promote or deter vaccination behavior.

  4. Audit and internal quality control in immunohistochemistry

    PubMed Central

    Maxwell, P; McCluggage, W

    2000-01-01

    Aims—Although positive and negative controls are performed and checked in surgical pathology cases undergoing immunohistochemistry, internal quality control procedures for immunohistochemistry are not well described. This study, comprising a retrospective audit, aims to describe a method of internal quality control for immunohistochemistry. A scoring system that allows comparison between cases is described. Methods—Two positive tissue controls for each month over a three year period (1996–1998) of the 10 antibodies used most frequently were evaluated. All test cases undergoing immunohistochemistry in the months of April in this three year period were also studied. When the test case was completely negative for a given antibody, the corresponding positive tissue control from that day was examined. A marking system was devised whereby each immunohistochemical slide was assessed out of a possible score of 8 to take account of staining intensity, uniformity, specificity, background, and counterstaining. Using this scoring system, cases were classified as showing optimal (7–8), borderline (5–6), or unacceptable (0–4) staining. Results—Most positive tissue controls showed either optimal or borderline staining with the exception of neurone specific enolase (NSE), where most slides were unacceptable or borderline as a result of a combination of low intensity, poor specificity, and excessive background staining. All test cases showed either optimal or borderline staining with the exception of a single case stained for NSE, which was unacceptable. Conclusions—This retrospective audit shows that immunohistochemically stained slides can be assessed using this scoring system. With most antibodies, acceptable staining was achieved in most cases. However, there were problems with staining for NSE, which needs to be reviewed. Laboratories should use a system such as this to evaluate which antibodies regularly result in poor staining so that they can be excluded

  5. Stepfamily Relationship Quality and Children's Internalizing and Externalizing Problems.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Todd M; Lippold, Melissa A; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Fosco, Gregory M

    2017-03-07

    The stepfamily literature is replete with between-group analyses by which youth residing in stepfamilies are compared to youth in other family structures across indicators of adjustment and well-being. Few longitudinal studies examine variation in stepfamily functioning to identify factors that promote the positive adjustment of stepchildren over time. Using a longitudinal sample of 191 stepchildren (56% female, mean age = 11.3 years), the current study examines the association between the relationship quality of three central stepfamily dyads (stepparent-child, parent-child, and stepcouple) and children's internalizing and externalizing problems concurrently and over time. Results from path analyses indicate that higher levels of parent-child affective quality are associated with lower levels of children's concurrent internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1. Higher levels of stepparent-child affective quality are associated with decreases in children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 2 (6 months beyond baseline), even after controlling for children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1 and other covariates. The stepcouple relationship was not directly linked to youth outcomes. Our findings provide implications for future research and practice. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

  6. The Global Ocean Data Analysis Project version 2 (GLODAPv2) – an internally consistent data product for the world ocean

    DOE PAGES

    Olsen, Are; Key, Robert M.; van Heuven, Steven; ...

    2016-08-15

    Version 2 of the Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAPv2) data product is composed of data from 724 scientific cruises covering the global ocean. It includes data assembled during the previous efforts GLODAPv1.1 (Global Ocean Data Analysis Project version 1.1) in 2004, CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic) in 2009/2010, and PACIFICA (PACIFic ocean Interior CArbon) in 2013, as well as data from an additional 168 cruises. Data for 12 core variables (salinity, oxygen, nitrate, silicate, phosphate, dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, pH, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, and CCl 4) have been subjected to extensive quality control, including systematic evaluation of bias.more » The data are available in two formats: (i) as submitted but updated to WOCE exchange format and (ii) as a merged and internally consistent data product. In the latter, adjustments have been applied to remove significant biases, respecting occurrences of any known or likely time trends or variations. Adjustments applied by previous efforts were re-evaluated. Hence, GLODAPv2 is not a simple merging of previous products with some new data added but a unique, internally consistent data product. In conclusion, this compiled and adjusted data product is believed to be consistent to better than 0.005 in salinity, 1 % in oxygen, 2 % in nitrate, 2 % in silicate, 2 % in phosphate, 4 µmol kg -1 in dissolved inorganic carbon, 6 µmol kg -1 in total alkalinity, 0.005 in pH, and 5 % for the halogenated transient tracers.« less

  7. The Global Ocean Data Analysis Project version 2 (GLODAPv2) – an internally consistent data product for the world ocean

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

    Olsen, Are; Key, Robert M.; van Heuven, Steven

    Version 2 of the Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAPv2) data product is composed of data from 724 scientific cruises covering the global ocean. It includes data assembled during the previous efforts GLODAPv1.1 (Global Ocean Data Analysis Project version 1.1) in 2004, CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic) in 2009/2010, and PACIFICA (PACIFic ocean Interior CArbon) in 2013, as well as data from an additional 168 cruises. Data for 12 core variables (salinity, oxygen, nitrate, silicate, phosphate, dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, pH, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, and CCl 4) have been subjected to extensive quality control, including systematic evaluation of bias.more » The data are available in two formats: (i) as submitted but updated to WOCE exchange format and (ii) as a merged and internally consistent data product. In the latter, adjustments have been applied to remove significant biases, respecting occurrences of any known or likely time trends or variations. Adjustments applied by previous efforts were re-evaluated. Hence, GLODAPv2 is not a simple merging of previous products with some new data added but a unique, internally consistent data product. In conclusion, this compiled and adjusted data product is believed to be consistent to better than 0.005 in salinity, 1 % in oxygen, 2 % in nitrate, 2 % in silicate, 2 % in phosphate, 4 µmol kg -1 in dissolved inorganic carbon, 6 µmol kg -1 in total alkalinity, 0.005 in pH, and 5 % for the halogenated transient tracers.« less

  8. Quality in translation: case management in the international marketplace.

    PubMed

    Beichl, Lisa; Craig, Kathy

    2009-01-01

    This article identifies three categories of case management (CM), in-country, international, and micro, that are poised to serve as the quality proxy for the international medical patient in the rapidly emerging globalized healthcare marketplace. The content concentrates on describing in-country CM and international CM (ICM). Because CM professionals are the providers of patient-centered quality and safety improvements, they are capable of filling the chasm between the travel industry and the regulators who specialize in accrediting hospital systems. In-country and ICM case managers are equipped to perform surveillance and intervention at the level of the international patient's bedside, activate network connections, and use culture-sensitive communication skills to safeguard patients in their individual sojourns abroad. The article discusses useful concepts and sources, including an algorithmic tool under development that is geared to identify and quantify risks for lay and business individuals who seek to engage the global medical market. The article's information is provided for front-line and front-office healthcare practitioners to understand or enter the worldwide medical marketplace. Content is targeted to CM generalists, specialists, and business developers interested in learning about safeguarding the patients who travel internationally to receive medical care. It can also be applied by those within and outside the healthcare practice arena, particularly those interested in the development of quality initiatives. All research and syntheses were executed by the authors. Sources included scholarly treatises, business correspondence, medical tourism literature, corporate Internet profiles, news releases, and healthcare industry investigative and monitoring agencies. International health insurance, economics, and financing expertise stems from one author (L.B.). Clinical competencies stem from the international practice experiences of one author (K.C.). This

  9. Identifying Consistent and Coherent Dimensions of Nursing Home Quality: Exploratory Factor Analysis of Quality Indicators.

    PubMed

    Xu, Dongjuan; Kane, Robert L; Shippee, Tetyana; Lewis, Teresa M

    2016-12-01

    There is a general belief that the markers of nursing home quality do not aggregate easily. Identifying consistent and coherent dimensions of quality that usefully summarize the multiplicity of nursing home quality measures is an important goal. It would simplify interpretation and help consumers, their families and advocates to choose nursing facilities. This study uses quality indicators (QIs) from a state nursing home report card to explore the dimensionality of quality in nursing homes and to determine whether aggregation at the resident versus facility level yields the same underlying dimensions. Cross-sectional study. 382 Medicare- and/or Medicaid-certified nursing homes in Minnesota. Residents admitted to the nursing homes during 2011-2012. 16 QIs obtained from the Minimum Data Set 3.0 assessment instrument between 2011 and 2012 were used in the exploratory factor analysis. Factor analysis results suggest four main factors or dimensions to characterize facility performance: continence care (including 4 QIs), restraints and behavioral symptoms (including 3 QIs), care for specific conditions (including 6 QIs), and physical functioning (including 3 QIs). The resident-level and facility-level results generally agreed for 11 QIs. Nursing home quality of care can be captured in summary measures, which can be used by consumers, providers and researchers. Reporting at the resident or facility level will depend on the purpose. These summary measures can be used by policy-makers to identify and reward high-performing facilities and by families to choose nursing facilities for care. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

  10. Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals.

    PubMed

    Frost, David M; Meyer, Ilan H

    2009-01-01

    We examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems both generally and among coupled participants independent of outness and community connectedness. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between internalized homophobia and relationship problems. This study improves current understandings of the association between internalized homophobia and relationship quality by distinguishing between the effects of the core construct of internalized homophobia and its correlates and outcomes. The findings are useful for counselors interested in interventions and treatment approaches to help LGB individuals cope with internalized homophobia and relationship problems.

  11. [Intraobserver reliability and internal consistency of the Behavioral Pain Scale in mechanically-ventilated patients].

    PubMed

    Navarro-Colom, M; Sendra-Lluis, M A; Castillo-Masa, A M; Robleda, G

    2015-01-01

    The Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) is a tool of pain assessment that often gives contradictory results when used by different raters. To assess internal consistency and interrater reliability of BPS scale in the pain assessment performed by intensives care nurses. A prospective observational study in 34 mechanically-ventilated patients, carried out in an Intensive Care Unit from April to June 2012. Variables analyzed included demographic characteristics, diagnosis of referral, clinical status, pain and sedation level. Pain was assessed by two nurses independently at rest (T1) and during a mobilization procedure (T2) using the BPS scale. Internal consistency was calculated by Cronbach's alpha, and intraobserver reliability was determined with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee for Clinical Research. One-hundred and twenty-eight pain assessments were performed. The Cronbach's alpha of total BPS score at rest was 0.66 (95%CI: 0.33 to 0.83) and during mobilization of 0.73 (95%CI: 0.47 to 0.87). The CCI of total BPS score was 0.50 (95%CI: 0.19 to 0.71) at rest and 0.58 (95%CI: 0.31 to 0.77) during mobilization. The level of internal consistency of the scale is appropriate and moderate interrater agreement. For the BPS useful in clinical practice, it is imperative that nurses have prior experience with a regulated use of this tool. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEEIUC. All rights reserved.

  12. Decline in the Quality of Family Relationships Predicts Escalation in Children's Internalizing Symptoms from Middle to Late Childhood.

    PubMed

    Brock, Rebecca L; Kochanska, Grazyna

    2015-10-01

    An integration of family systems perspectives with developmental psychopathology provides a framework for examining the complex interplay between family processes and developmental trajectories of child psychopathology over time. In a community sample of 98 families, we investigated the evolution of family relationships, across multiple subsystems of the family (i.e., interparental, mother-child, father-child), and the impact of these changing family dynamics on developmental trajectories of child internalizing symptoms over 6 years, from preschool age to pre-adolescence. Parent-child relationship quality was observed during lengthy sessions, consisting of multiple naturalistic, carefully scripted contexts. Each parent completed reports about interparental relationship satisfaction and child internalizing symptoms. To the extent that mothers experienced a steeper decline in interparental relationship satisfaction over time, children developed internalizing symptoms at a faster rate. Further, symptoms escalated at a faster rate to the extent that negative mother-child relationship quality increased (more negative affect expressed by both mother and child, greater maternal power assertion) and positive mother-child relationship quality decreased (less positive affect expressed by both mother and child, less warmth and positive reciprocity). Time-lagged growth curve analyses established temporal precedence such that decline in family relationships preceded escalation in child internalizing symptoms. Results suggest that family dysfunction, across multiple subsystems, represents a driving force in the progression of child internalizing symptoms.

  13. Measuring quality progress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lambert, Larry D.

    The study by the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC) was commissioned by Loral Space Information Systems, Inc. and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to evaluate internal assessment systems. APQC benchmarked approaches to the internal assessment of quality management systems in three phases. The first phase included work conducted for the International Benchmarking Clearinghouse (IBC) and consisted of an in-depth analysis of the 1991 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. The second phase was also performed for the IBC and compared the 1991 award criteria among the following quality awards: Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, The President's Award for Quality and Productivity Improvement, The NASA Excellence Award (The George M. Lowe Trophy) for Quality and Productivity Improvement and the Shigeo Shingo Award for Excellence in Manufacturing. The third phase compared the internal implementation approaches of 23 companies selected from American industry for their recognized, formal assessment systems.

  14. Measuring quality progress

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lambert, Larry D.

    1992-01-01

    The study by the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC) was commissioned by Loral Space Information Systems, Inc. and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to evaluate internal assessment systems. APQC benchmarked approaches to the internal assessment of quality management systems in three phases. The first phase included work conducted for the International Benchmarking Clearinghouse (IBC) and consisted of an in-depth analysis of the 1991 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. The second phase was also performed for the IBC and compared the 1991 award criteria among the following quality awards: Deming Prize, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, The President's Award for Quality and Productivity Improvement, The NASA Excellence Award (The George M. Lowe Trophy) for Quality and Productivity Improvement and the Shigeo Shingo Award for Excellence in Manufacturing. The third phase compared the internal implementation approaches of 23 companies selected from American industry for their recognized, formal assessment systems.

  15. [Which one is more important, raw materials or productive technology?--a case study for quality consistency control of Gegen Qinlian decoction].

    PubMed

    Zhong, Wen; Chen, Sha; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Yu-Sheng; Liu, An

    2016-03-01

    To investigate the effect of Chinese medicine raw materials and production technology on quality consistency of Chinese patent medicines with Gegen Qinlian decoction as an example, and establish a suitable method for the quality consistency control of Chinese patent medicines. The results showed that the effect of production technology on the quality consistency was generally not more than 5%, while the effect of raw materials was even more than 30%, indicating that the effect of raw materials was much greater than that of the production technology. In this study, blend technology was used to improve the quality consistency of raw materials. As a result, the difference between the product produced by raw materials and reference groups was less than 5%, thus increasing the quality consistence of finished products. The results showed that under the current circumstances, the main factor affecting the quality consistency of Chinese patent medicines was raw materials, so we shall pay more attention to the quality of Chinese medicine's raw materials. Finally, a blend technology can improve the quality consistency of Chinese patent medicines. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  16. Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals

    PubMed Central

    Frost, David M.; Meyer, Ilan H.

    2008-01-01

    We examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems both generally and among coupled participants independent of outness and community connectedness. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between internalized homophobia and relationship problems. This study improves current understandings of the association between internalized homophobia and relationship quality by distinguishing between the effects of the core construct of internalized homophobia and its correlates and outcomes. The findings are useful for counselors interested in interventions and treatment approaches to help LGB individuals cope with internalized homophobia and relationship problems. PMID:20047016

  17. Study of twenty preparations of human albumin solution which failed in quality control testing due to elevated sodium content, a poor internal quality control at manufacturing unit.

    PubMed

    Prasad, J P; Madhu, Y; Singh, Surinder; Soni, G R; Agnihotri, N; Singh, Varsha; Kumar, Pradeep; Jain, Nidhi; Prakash, Anu; Singh, Varun

    2016-11-01

    Current study is conducted in our laboratory due to failure in quality control testing of twenty batches of Human Albumin solution in which sodium content is higher than the prescribed limit. These batches are received in short duration from indigenous manufacturer and is the first incident of failure of Human albumin preparation in sodium content of manufacturer. On request of manufacturer, study is conducted to rule out the cause. Repeat testing of each out of specification batch is conducted and a trend analysis is drawn between our findings and manufacturer's results, also study of trend analysis of manufacturer for the last one year. Trend analysis data indicated towards poor consistency of batches with major shift at various time intervals in sodium content of human albumin preparation. Further analysis rule out that non-traceable quality of standard used in the internal quality control testing by manufacturer is the root cause of the problem. Copyright © 2016 International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Internal Consistency of Performance Evaluations as a Function of Music Expertise and Excerpt Familiarity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinney, Daryl W.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of music experience and excerpt familiarity on the internal consistency of performance evaluations. Participants included nonmusic majors who had not participated in high school music ensembles, nonmusic majors who had participated in high school music ensembles, music majors, and experts…

  19. Advanced Nursing Process quality: Comparing the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) with the NANDA-International (NANDA-I) and Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC).

    PubMed

    Rabelo-Silva, Eneida Rejane; Dantas Cavalcanti, Ana Carla; Ramos Goulart Caldas, Maria Cristina; Lucena, Amália de Fátima; Almeida, Miriam de Abreu; Linch, Graciele Fernanda da Costa; da Silva, Marcos Barragan; Müller-Staub, Maria

    2017-02-01

    To assess the quality of the advanced nursing process in nursing documentation in two hospitals. Various standardised terminologies are employed by nurses worldwide, whether for teaching, research or patient care. These systems can improve the quality of nursing records, enable care continuity, consistency in written communication and enhance safety for patients and providers alike. Cross-sectional study. A total of 138 records from two facilities (69 records from each facility) were analysed, one using the NANDA-International and Nursing Interventions Classification terminology (Centre 1) and one the International Classification for Nursing Practice (Centre 2), by means of the Quality of Diagnoses, Interventions, and Outcomes instrument. Quality of Diagnoses, Interventions, and Outcomes scores range from 0-58 points. Nursing records were dated 2012-2013 for Centre 1 and 2010-2011 for Centre 2. Centre 1 had a Quality of Diagnoses, Interventions, and Outcomes score of 35·46 (±6·45), whereas Centre 2 had a Quality of Diagnoses, Interventions, and Outcomes score of 31·72 (±4·62) (p < 0·001). Centre 2 had higher scores in the 'Nursing Diagnoses as Process' dimension, whereas in the 'Nursing Diagnoses as Product', 'Nursing Interventions' and 'Nursing Outcomes' dimensions, Centre 1 exhibited superior performance; acceptable reliability values were obtained for both centres, except for the 'Nursing Interventions' domain in Centre 1 and the 'Nursing Diagnoses as Process' and 'Nursing Diagnoses as Product' domains in Centre 2. The quality of nursing documentation was superior at Centre 1, although both facilities demonstrated moderate scores considering the maximum potential score of 58 points. Reliability analyses showed satisfactory results for both standardised terminologies. Nursing leaders should use a validated instrument to investigate the quality of nursing records after implementation of standardised terminologies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. The Global Ocean Data Analysis Project version 2 (GLODAPv2) - an internally consistent data product for the world ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olsen, Are; Key, Robert M.; van Heuven, Steven; Lauvset, Siv K.; Velo, Anton; Lin, Xiaohua; Schirnick, Carsten; Kozyr, Alex; Tanhua, Toste; Hoppema, Mario; Jutterström, Sara; Steinfeldt, Reiner; Jeansson, Emil; Ishii, Masao; Pérez, Fiz F.; Suzuki, Toru

    2016-08-01

    Version 2 of the Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAPv2) data product is composed of data from 724 scientific cruises covering the global ocean. It includes data assembled during the previous efforts GLODAPv1.1 (Global Ocean Data Analysis Project version 1.1) in 2004, CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic) in 2009/2010, and PACIFICA (PACIFic ocean Interior CArbon) in 2013, as well as data from an additional 168 cruises. Data for 12 core variables (salinity, oxygen, nitrate, silicate, phosphate, dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, pH, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, and CCl4) have been subjected to extensive quality control, including systematic evaluation of bias. The data are available in two formats: (i) as submitted but updated to WOCE exchange format and (ii) as a merged and internally consistent data product. In the latter, adjustments have been applied to remove significant biases, respecting occurrences of any known or likely time trends or variations. Adjustments applied by previous efforts were re-evaluated. Hence, GLODAPv2 is not a simple merging of previous products with some new data added but a unique, internally consistent data product. This compiled and adjusted data product is believed to be consistent to better than 0.005 in salinity, 1 % in oxygen, 2 % in nitrate, 2 % in silicate, 2 % in phosphate, 4 µmol kg-1 in dissolved inorganic carbon, 6 µmol kg-1 in total alkalinity, 0.005 in pH, and 5 % for the halogenated transient tracers.The original data and their documentation and doi codes are available at the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (http://cdiac.ornl.gov/oceans/GLODAPv2/). This site also provides access to the calibrated data product, which is provided as a single global file or four regional ones - the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans - under the doi:10.3334/CDIAC

  1. Decline in the Quality of Family Relationships Predicts Escalation in Children’s Internalizing Symptoms from Middle to Late Childhood

    PubMed Central

    Kochanska, Grazyna

    2015-01-01

    An integration of family systems perspectives with developmental psychopathology provides a framework for examining the complex interplay between family processes and developmental trajectories of child psychopathology over time. In a community sample of 98 families, we investigated the evolution of family relationships, across multiple subsystems of the family (i.e., interparental, mother-child, father-child), and the impact of these changing family dynamics on developmental trajectories of child internalizing symptoms over 6 years, from preschool age to pre-adolescence. Parent–child relationship quality was observed during lengthy sessions, consisting of multiple naturalistic, carefully scripted contexts. Each parent completed reports about interparental relationship satisfaction and child internalizing symptoms. To the extent that mothers experienced a steeper decline in interparental relationship satisfaction over time, children developed internalizing symptoms at a faster rate. Further, symptoms escalated at a faster rate to the extent that negative mother-child relationship quality increased (more negative affect expressed by both mother and child, greater maternal power assertion) and positive mother-child relationship quality decreased (less positive affect expressed by both mother and child, less warmth and positive reciprocity). Time-lagged growth curve analyses established temporal precedence such that decline in family relationships preceded escalation in child internalizing symptoms. Results suggest that family dysfunction, across multiple subsystems, represents a driving force in the progression of child internalizing symptoms. PMID:25790794

  2. Temporal and Geographic variation in the validity and internal consistency of the Nursing Home Resident Assessment Minimum Data Set 2.0.

    PubMed

    Mor, Vincent; Intrator, Orna; Unruh, Mark Aaron; Cai, Shubing

    2011-04-15

    The Minimum Data Set (MDS) for nursing home resident assessment has been required in all U.S. nursing homes since 1990 and has been universally computerized since 1998. Initially intended to structure clinical care planning, uses of the MDS expanded to include policy applications such as case-mix reimbursement, quality monitoring and research. The purpose of this paper is to summarize a series of analyses examining the internal consistency and predictive validity of the MDS data as used in the "real world" in all U.S. nursing homes between 1999 and 2007. We used person level linked MDS and Medicare denominator and all institutional claim files including inpatient (hospital and skilled nursing facilities) for all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries entering U.S. nursing homes during the period 1999 to 2007. We calculated the sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of diagnoses taken from Medicare hospital claims and from the MDS among all new admissions from hospitals to nursing homes and the internal consistency (alpha reliability) of pairs of items within the MDS that logically should be related. We also tested the internal consistency of commonly used MDS based multi-item scales and examined the predictive validity of an MDS based severity measure viz. one year survival. Finally, we examined the correspondence of the MDS discharge record to hospitalizations and deaths seen in Medicare claims, and the completeness of MDS assessments upon skilled nursing facility (SNF) admission. Each year there were some 800,000 new admissions directly from hospital to US nursing homes and some 900,000 uninterrupted SNF stays. Comparing Medicare enrollment records and claims with MDS records revealed reasonably good correspondence that improved over time (by 2006 only 3% of deaths had no MDS discharge record, only 5% of SNF stays had no MDS, but over 20% of MDS discharges indicating hospitalization had no associated Medicare claim). The PPV and sensitivity levels of

  3. International perspectives on air quality: risk management principles for policy development--conference statement.

    PubMed

    Craig, Lorraine; Krewski, Dan; Samet, Jonathan; Shortreed, John; van Bree, Leendert; Krupnick, Alan J

    2008-01-01

    This statement is the result of discussions held at the 2005 NERAM IV Colloquium "International Perspectives on Air Quality: Risk Management Principles for Policy Development" and represents the collective views of 35 delegates, including international air quality policy analysts, academics, nongovernmental organizations, industry representatives, and decision makers from Mexico, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Hong Kong, and The Netherlands on principles for global air quality management. The objective of the colloquium was to "establish principles for air quality management based on the identification of international best practice in air quality policy development and implementation." This statement represents the main findings of a breakout group discussion session, presentations of an international panel of speakers from Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Hong Kong and views of the delegates expressed in plenary discussions. NERAM undertook a transparent process to try to ensure that the statement would accurately reflect the conference discussions, including documenting the proceedings and inviting delegates' comments on draft versions of the statement.

  4. 42 CFR 460.136 - Internal quality assessment and performance improvement activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... in quality assessment and performance improvement activities, including providing information about... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Internal quality assessment and performance...) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement § 460...

  5. 42 CFR 460.136 - Internal quality assessment and performance improvement activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... in quality assessment and performance improvement activities, including providing information about... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Internal quality assessment and performance...) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement § 460...

  6. 42 CFR 460.136 - Internal quality assessment and performance improvement activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... in quality assessment and performance improvement activities, including providing information about... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Internal quality assessment and performance...) PROGRAMS OF ALL-INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY (PACE) Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement § 460...

  7. Factor Structure, Internal Consistency, and Screening Sensitivity of the GARS-2 in a Developmental Disabilities Sample

    PubMed Central

    Volker, Martin A.; Dua, Elissa H.; Lopata, Christopher; Thomeer, Marcus L.; Toomey, Jennifer A.; Smerbeck, Audrey M.; Rodgers, Jonathan D.; Popkin, Joshua R.; Nelson, Andrew T.; Lee, Gloria K.

    2016-01-01

    The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-Second Edition (GARS-2) is a widely used screening instrument that assists in the identification and diagnosis of autism. The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, and screening sensitivity of the GARS-2 using ratings from special education teaching staff for a sample of 240 individuals with autism or other significant developmental disabilities. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a correlated three-factor solution similar to that found in 2005 by Lecavalier for the original GARS. Though the three factors appeared to be reasonably consistent with the intended constructs of the three GARS-2 subscales, the analysis indicated that more than a third of the GARS-2 items were assigned to the wrong subscale. Internal consistency estimates met or exceeded standards for screening and were generally higher than those in previous studies. Screening sensitivity was .65 and specificity was .81 for the Autism Index using a cut score of 85. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for instrument revision. PMID:26981279

  8. CMAQ Involvement in Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Description of Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). Different chemical transport models are applied by different groups over North America and Europe and evaluated against observations.

  9. The Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation provides an overview of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). It contains a synopsis of the three phases of AQMEII, including objectives, logistics, and timelines. It also provides a number of examples of analyses conducted through ...

  10. International Students' Perceptions of Service Quality in the UK Banking Sector: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bond, Christopher; Hsu, Marc Ting-Chun

    2011-01-01

    This study reviews and evaluates international students' perceptions of UK banks. The specific research objectives were to identify international students' expectations and perceptions of service quality from UK banks and to assess the quality GAP or dissonance between these. A total of 297 international students studying in the UK responded to…

  11. Cross- cultural validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN): study of the items and internal consistency.

    PubMed

    Osório, Flávia de Lima; Crippa, José Alexandre S; Loureiro, Sonia Regina

    2009-03-01

    The objective of the present study was to carry out the cross- cultural validation for Brazilian Portuguese of the Social Phobia Inventory, an instrument for the evaluation of fear, avoidance and physiological symptoms associated with social anxiety disorder. The process of translation and adaptation involved four bilingual professionals, appreciation and approval of the back- translation by the authors of the original scale, a pilot study with 30 Brazilian university students, and appreciation by raters who confirmed the face validity of the Portuguese version, which was named ' Inventário de Fobia Social' . As part of the psychometric study of the Social Phobia Inventory, analysis of the items and evaluation of the internal consistency of the instrument were performed in a study conducted on 2314 university students. The results demonstrated that item 11, related to the fear of public speaking, was the most frequently scored item. The correlation of the items with the total score was quite adequate, ranging from 0.44 to 0.71, as was the internal consistency, which ranged from 0.71 to 0.90. The authors conclude that the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Social Phobia Inventory proved to be adequate regarding the psychometric properties initially studied, with qualities quite close to those of the original study. Studies that will evaluate the remaining indicators of validity of the Social Phobia Inventory in clinical and non-clinical samples are considered to be opportune and necessary.

  12. Engaging International Students: An Analysis of the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) Reports

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burdett, Jane; Crossman, Joanna

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Australia has enjoyed two decades of growth in international student enrolments. This phenomenon, combined with the evolution of quality assurance policy frameworks, has stimulated interest in the social and academic experiences of international students and their educational outcomes. The Australian Universities Quality Agency's (AUQA)…

  13. Consistent individual differences in seed disperser quality in a seed-eating fish.

    PubMed

    Pollux, Bart J A

    2017-01-01

    Animal-mediated seed dispersal (zoochory) is considered to be an important mechanism regulating biological processes at larger spatial scales. To date, intra-specific variation in seed disperser quality within seed-dispersing animals has not been studied. Here, I employed seed feeding trials to quantify individual differences in disperser quality within the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using seeds of two aquatic plants: unbranched bur-reed (Sparganium emersum, Sparganiaceae) and arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia, Alismataceae). I found substantial variation among carp individuals in their propensity to ingest seeds and their ability to digest them, resulting in up to 31-fold differences in the probability of seed dispersal. In addition, there were significant differences in the time that seeds are retained in their digestive systems, generating a twofold difference in the maximum distance over which they can potentially disperse seeds. I propose that seed-eating animal species consist of individuals that display continuous variation in disperser quality, with at one end of the continuum individuals that are likely to eat seeds, pass them unharmed through their digestive tract and transport them over large distances to new locations (i.e. high-quality seed dispersers) and at the other end individuals that rarely eat seeds, destroy most of the ones they ingest and transport the few surviving seeds over relatively short distances (low-quality seed dispersers). Although individual differences in seed dispersal quality could be the result of a variety of factors, these results underline the ecological and evolutionary potential of such variation for both plants and animals.

  14. Including quality attributes in efficiency measures consistent with net benefit: creating incentives for evidence based medicine in practice.

    PubMed

    Eckermann, Simon; Coelli, Tim

    2013-01-01

    Evidence based medicine supports net benefit maximising therapies and strategies in processes of health technology assessment (HTA) for reimbursement and subsidy decisions internationally. However, translation of evidence based medicine to practice is impeded by efficiency measures such as cost per case-mix adjusted separation in hospitals, which ignore health effects of care. In this paper we identify a correspondence method that allows quality variables under control of providers to be incorporated in efficiency measures consistent with maximising net benefit. Including effects framed from a disutility bearing (utility reducing) perspective (e.g. mortality, morbidity or reduction in life years) as inputs and minimising quality inclusive costs on the cost-disutility plane is shown to enable efficiency measures consistent with maximising net benefit under a one to one correspondence. The method combines advantages of radial properties with an appropriate objective of maximising net benefit to overcome problems of inappropriate objectives implicit with alternative methods, whether specifying quality variables with utility bearing output (e.g. survival, reduction in morbidity or life years), hyperbolic or exogenous variables. This correspondence approach is illustrated in undertaking efficiency comparison at a clinical activity level for 45 Australian hospitals allowing for their costs and mortality rates per admission. Explicit coverage and comparability conditions of the underlying correspondence method are also shown to provide a robust framework for preventing cost-shifting and cream-skimming incentives, with appropriate qualification of analysis and support for data linkage and risk adjustment where these conditions are not satisfied. Comparison on the cost-disutility plane has previously been shown to have distinct advantages in comparing multiple strategies in HTA, which this paper naturally extends to a robust method and framework for comparing efficiency of

  15. An overview of coefficient alpha and a reliability matrix for estimating adequacy of internal consistency coefficients with psychological research measures.

    PubMed

    Ponterotto, Joseph G; Ruckdeschel, Daniel E

    2007-12-01

    The present article addresses issues in reliability assessment that are often neglected in psychological research such as acceptable levels of internal consistency for research purposes, factors affecting the magnitude of coefficient alpha (alpha), and considerations for interpreting alpha within the research context. A new reliability matrix anchored in classical test theory is introduced to help researchers judge adequacy of internal consistency coefficients with research measures. Guidelines and cautions in applying the matrix are provided.

  16. PA.NET International Quality Certification Protocol for blood pressure monitors.

    PubMed

    Omboni, Stefano; Costantini, Carlo; Pini, Claudio; Bulegato, Roberto; Manfellotto, Dario; Rizzoni, Damiano; Palatini, Paolo; O'brien, Eoin; Parati, Gianfranco

    2008-10-01

    Although standard validation protocols provide assurance of the accuracy of blood pressure monitors (BPMs), there is no guidance for the consumer as to the overall quality of a device. The PA.NET International Quality Certification Protocol, developed by the Association for Research and Development of Biomedical Technologies and for Continuing Medical Education (ARSMED), a nonprofit organization, with the support of the Italian Society of Hypertension-Italian Hypertension League, and the dabl Educational Trust denotes additional criteria of quality for BPMs that fulfilled basic validation criteria, published in full in peer-reviewed medical journals. The certification is characterized by three phases: (i) to determine that the device fulfilled standard validation criteria; (ii) to determine the technical and functional characteristics of the device (e.g. operativity, display dimension, accessory functions, memory availability, etc.) and (iii) to determine the commercial characteristics (e.g. price-quality ratio, after-sale service, guarantee, etc.). At the end of the certification process, ARSMED attributes a quality index to the device, based on a scale ranging from 1 to 100, and a quality seal with four different grades (bronze, silver, gold and diamond) according to the achieved score. The seal is identified by a unique alphanumeric code. The quality seal may be used on the packaging of the appliance or in advertising. A quality certification is released to the manufacturer and published on www.pressionearteriosa.net and www.dableducational.org. The PA.NET International Quality Certification Protocol represents the first attempt to provide health care personnel and consumers with an independent and objective assessment of BPMs based on their quality.

  17. The Quality of Written Feedback by Attendings of Internal Medicine Residents.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Jeffrey L; Kay, Cynthia; Jackson, Wilkins C; Frank, Michael

    2015-07-01

    Attending evaluations are commonly used to evaluate residents. Evaluate the quality of written feedback of internal medicine residents. Retrospective. Internal medicine residents and faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin from 2004 to 2012. From monthly evaluations of residents by attendings, a randomly selected sample of 500 written comments by attendings were qualitatively coded and rated as high-, moderate-, or low-quality feedback by two independent coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa: 0.94). Small group exercises with residents and attendings also coded the utterances as high, moderate, or low quality and developed criteria for this categorization. In-service examination scores were correlated with written feedback. There were 228 internal medicine residents who had 6,603 evaluations by 334 attendings. Among 500 randomly selected written comments, there were 2,056 unique utterances: 29% were coded as nonspecific statements, 20% were comments about resident personality, 16% about patient care, 14% interpersonal communication, 7% medical knowledge, 6% professionalism, and 4% each on practice-based learning and systems-based practice. Based on criteria developed by group exercises, the majority of written comments were rated as moderate quality (65%); 22% were rated as high quality and 13% as low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback rated residents significantly lower in all six of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies (p <0.0005 for all), and had a greater range of scores. Negative comments on medical knowledge were associated with lower in-service examination scores. Most attending written evaluation was of moderate or low quality. Attendings who provided high-quality feedback appeared to be more discriminating, providing significantly lower ratings of residents in all six ACGME core competencies, and across a greater range. Attendings' negative written comments on medical knowledge

  18. Application of Pre-heating to Improve the Consistency and Quality in AA5052 Resistance Spot Welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Zhen; Ao, Sansan; Chao, Yuh Jin; Cui, Xuetuan; Li, Yang; Lin, Ye

    2015-10-01

    Making consistent resistance spot welds of aluminum alloy with good quality and at high volume has several obstacles in automotive industry. One of the difficult issues arises from the presence of a tough non-conducting oxide film on the aluminum sheet surface. The oxide film develops over time and often is non-uniform across the surface of the aluminum alloy sheet, which makes the contact resistance characteristics irregular at the faying interface during welding. The consistency in quality of the final spot welds is therefore problematic to control. To suppress the effect of the irregular oxide film on the spot weld quality, application of a pre-heating treatment in the welding schedule for aluminum alloy 5052 is investigated in this present work. The current level of the pre-heating required to reduce the scatter of the contact resistance at the W/W (workpiece-to-workpiece) faying interface is quantified experimentally. The results indicate that the contact resistance at the W/W faying interface with a pre-heating treatment becomes much consistent and can be reduced by two orders of magnitude. Having the uncertain variation of the contact resistance at the W/W faying surface virtually reduced or removed, the quality of the spot welds in terms of the peak load and nugget diameter is examined and shows a great improvement. The proposed method may provide a robust method for high-volume spot welding of aluminum alloy sheets in auto industry.

  19. Derivation of the scan time requirement for maintaining a consistent PET image quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jin Su; Lee, Jae Sung; Kim, Seok-Ki

    2015-05-01

    Objectives: the image quality of PET for larger patients is relatively poor, even though the injection dose is optimized considering the NECR characteristics of the PET scanner. This poor image quality is due to the lower level of maximum NECR that can be achieved in these large patients. The aim of this study was to optimize the PET scan time to obtain a consistent PET image quality regardless of the body size, based on the relationship between the patient specific NECR (pNECR) and body weight. Methods: eighty patients (M/F=53/27, body weight: 059 ± 1 kg) underwent whole-body FDG PET scans using a Philips GEMINI GS PET/CT scanner after an injection of 0.14 mCi/kg FDG. The relationship between the scatter fraction (SF) and body weight was determined by repeated Monte Carlo simulations using a NEMA scatter phantom, the size of which varied according to the relationship between the abdominal circumference and body weight. Using this information, the pNECR was calculated from the prompt and delayed PET sinograms to obtain the prediction equation of NECR vs. body weight. The time scaling factor (FTS) for the scan duration was finally derived to make PET images with equivalent SNR levels. Results: the SF and NECR had the following nonlinear relationships with the body weight: SF=0.15 ṡ body weight0.3 and NECR = 421.36 (body weight)-0.84. The equation derived for FTS was 0.01ṡ body weight + 0.2, which means that, for example, a 120-kg person should be scanned 1.8 times longer than a 70 kg person, or the scan time for a 40-kg person can be reduced by 30%. Conclusion: the equation of the relative time demand derived in this study will be useful for maintaining consistent PET image quality in clinics.

  20. CTEPP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING INTERNAL FIELD AUDITS AND QUALITY CONTROL (SOP-2.25)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This SOP describes the method for conducting internal field audits and quality control procedures. Internal field audits will be conducted to ensure the collection of high quality data. Internal field audits will be conducted by Field Auditors (the Field QA Officer and the Field...

  1. Internal Consistency of the easyCBM© CCSS Reading Measures: Grades 3-8. Technical Report #1407

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guerreiro, Meg; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

    2014-01-01

    This technical report documents findings from a study of the internal consistency and split-half reliability of the easyCBM© CCSS Reading measures, grades 3-8. Data, drawn from an extant data set gathered in school year 2013-2014, include scores from over 150,000 students' fall and winter benchmark assessments. Findings suggest that the easyCBM©…

  2. Internal quality control: planning and implementation strategies.

    PubMed

    Westgard, James O

    2003-11-01

    The first essential in setting up internal quality control (IQC) of a test procedure in the clinical laboratory is to select the proper IQC procedure to implement, i.e. choosing the statistical criteria or control rules, and the number of control measurements, according to the quality required for the test and the observed performance of the method. Then the right IQC procedure must be properly implemented. This review focuses on strategies for planning and implementing IQC procedures in order to improve the quality of the IQC. A quantitative planning process is described that can be implemented with graphical tools such as power function or critical-error graphs and charts of operating specifications. Finally, a total QC strategy is formulated to minimize cost and maximize quality. A general strategy for IQC implementation is recommended that employs a three-stage design in which the first stage provides high error detection, the second stage low false rejection and the third stage prescribes the length of the analytical run, making use of an algorithm involving the average of normal patients' data.

  3. Self-Consciousness, Friendship Quality, and Adolescent Internalizing Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowker, Julie C.; Rubin, Kenneth H.

    2009-01-01

    The correlates between public and private self-consciousness and internalizing difficulties were examined during early adolescence. Friendship quality was assessed as a possible moderator of the relation between self-consciousness and maladjustment. One hundred and thirty-seven young adolescents (N = 87 girls; M age = 13.98 years) reported on…

  4. Statistical monitoring of data quality and consistency in the Stomach Cancer Adjuvant Multi-institutional Trial Group Trial.

    PubMed

    Timmermans, Catherine; Doffagne, Erik; Venet, David; Desmet, Lieven; Legrand, Catherine; Burzykowski, Tomasz; Buyse, Marc

    2016-01-01

    Data quality may impact the outcome of clinical trials; hence, there is a need to implement quality control strategies for the data collected. Traditional approaches to quality control have primarily used source data verification during on-site monitoring visits, but these approaches are hugely expensive as well as ineffective. There is growing interest in central statistical monitoring (CSM) as an effective way to ensure data quality and consistency in multicenter clinical trials. CSM with SMART™ uses advanced statistical tools that help identify centers with atypical data patterns which might be the sign of an underlying quality issue. This approach was used to assess the quality and consistency of the data collected in the Stomach Cancer Adjuvant Multi-institutional Trial Group Trial, involving 1495 patients across 232 centers in Japan. In the Stomach Cancer Adjuvant Multi-institutional Trial Group Trial, very few atypical data patterns were found among the participating centers, and none of these patterns were deemed to be related to a quality issue that could significantly affect the outcome of the trial. CSM can be used to provide a check of the quality of the data from completed multicenter clinical trials before analysis, publication, and submission of the results to regulatory agencies. It can also form the basis of a risk-based monitoring strategy in ongoing multicenter trials. CSM aims at improving data quality in clinical trials while also reducing monitoring costs.

  5. Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frost, David M.; Meyer, Ilan H.

    2009-01-01

    The authors examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems…

  6. On Quality Education Reform in International Trade Major

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Jing; Xiao, Jing

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to analyze the existing problems of quality education of specialization of international trade in current colleges and universities of China, and then propose several pieces of corresponding suggestion on educational reform. According to the characteristics of college and university education, we shall emphasize on the…

  7. Internal marketing: creating quality employee experiences in health care organizations.

    PubMed

    Masri, Maysoun Dimachkie; Oetjen, Dawn; Rotarius, Timothy

    2011-01-01

    To cope with the recent challenges within the health care industry, health care managers need to engage in the internal marketing of their various services. Internal marketing has been used as an effective management tool to increase employees' motivation, satisfaction, and productivity (J Mark Commun. 2010;16(5):325-344). Health care managers should understand that an intense focus on internal marketing factors will lead to a quality experience for employees that will ultimately have a positive effect on the patient experiences.

  8. Multiple service use: the impact of consistency in service quality for vulnerable youth.

    PubMed

    Sanders, Jackie; Munford, Robyn; Liebenberg, Linda; Ungar, Michael

    2014-04-01

    Little is known about the way in which variations in service quality influence outcomes when youth are clients of more than one service system. This article reports on a study of 1,210 adolescents (aged 13-17 years), half were concurrent clients of two or more services and half were not involved in two or more services. Youth completed a self-report questionnaire administered by a trained interviewer. It was hypothesized that youth reporting two positive service experiences would report lower risks, higher resilience, and better outcomes than youth reporting inconsistent or two negative service experiences and that their resilience, risks, and outcomes would be similar to those of youth not involved in two or more services. MANCOVA was used to determine the relationship among service quality and resilience, risk, and outcomes with four covariates that assessed family and neighborhood environments, history of abuse and neglect, and chronic need. Results indicate that service quality had an effect on resilience, risks, and outcomes. These relationships were mediated quite strongly by the influence of the risks youth faced in their neighborhoods and to a lesser extent by the other three covariates. Of the three dependent variables, risk appeared to be the most consistently influenced by all the covariates, and it also differentiated service experience groups. Results point to the importance of services developing strategies to effectively address risks confronted by youth and also to ensure that when more than one service is involved with youth, consistency in service delivery is achieved. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. International Conference on Harmonisation; guidance on Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System; availability. Notice.

    PubMed

    2009-04-08

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance entitled "Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System." The guidance was prepared under the auspices of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The guidance describes a model for an effective quality management system for the pharmaceutical industry, referred to as the Pharmaceutical Quality System. The guidance is intended to provide a comprehensive approach to an effective pharmaceutical quality system that is based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) concepts, includes applicable good manufacturing practice (GMP) regulations and complements ICH guidances on "Q8 Pharmaceutical Development" and "Q9 Quality Risk Management."

  10. Developing an International Pool of Certified Quality Reviewers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adair, Deborah

    2017-01-01

    This article covers the origins, growth, rationale, calibration, and inspiration of an international pool of certified Quality Matters™ (QM) Peer Reviewers. From the beginning in 2003, as a U.S. Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education funded project, QM was developed as a faculty-centered, peer-based approach…

  11. The Relationship between Internal Teacher Profiles and the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions in Prekindergarten

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Decker-Woodrow, Lauren

    2018-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between internal teacher profiles and pre-K teacher-child interaction quality in the pre-K classroom. Two questions were addressed: (1) What internal profiles exist for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers? and (2) Do internal profiles relate to observed structural and process quality in the pre-K classroom?…

  12. A model to calculate consistent atmospheric emission projections and its application to Spain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lumbreras, Julio; Borge, Rafael; de Andrés, Juan Manuel; Rodríguez, Encarnación

    Global warming and air quality are headline environmental issues of our time and policy must preempt negative international effects with forward-looking strategies. As part of the revision of the European National Emission Ceilings Directive, atmospheric emission projections for European Union countries are being calculated. These projections are useful to drive European air quality analyses and to support wide-scale decision-making. However, when evaluating specific policies and measures at sectoral level, a more detailed approach is needed. This paper presents an original methodology to evaluate emission projections. Emission projections are calculated for each emitting activity that has emissions under three scenarios: without measures (business as usual), with measures (baseline) and with additional measures (target). The methodology developed allows the estimation of highly disaggregated multi-pollutant, consistent emissions for a whole country or region. In order to assure consistency with past emissions included in atmospheric emission inventories and coherence among the individual activities, the consistent emission projection (CEP) model incorporates harmonization and integration criteria as well as quality assurance/quality check (QA/QC) procedures. This study includes a sensitivity analysis as a first approach to uncertainty evaluation. The aim of the model presented in this contribution is to support decision-making process through the assessment of future emission scenarios taking into account the effect of different detailed technical and non-technical measures and it may also constitute the basis for air quality modelling. The system is designed to produce the information and formats related to international reporting requirements and it allows performing a comparison of national results with lower resolution models such as RAINS/GAINS. The methodology has been successfully applied and tested to evaluate Spanish emission projections up to 2020 for 26

  13. Internalizing Problems among Cyberbullying Victims and Moderator Effects of Friendship Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aoyama, Ikuko; Saxon, Terrill F.; Fearon, Danielle D.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and internalizing problems among the youth. Moderator effects of a friendship quality were also investigated to examine if higher friendship quality moderated the negative effects of cyberbullying on psychological states of students.…

  14. Analysis of Test-Retest Reliability, Construct Validity, and Internal Consistency of the Brazilian Version of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Simões, Luan; Teixeira-Salmela, Luci Fuscaldi; Magalhães, Lívia; Stuge, Britt; Laurentino, Glória; Wanderley, Elaine; Barros, Raphaela; Lemos, Andrea

    2018-04-24

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability, construct validity, and internal consistency of the Brazilian version of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ-Brazil). Analysis of the measurement properties was carried out in 4 steps. Step 1 was the pilot study, on which basis 4 hypotheses were formulated. These hypotheses were tested during the next step (construct validity, step 2) by completion of the questionnaire by the 2 groups (in pain [n = 105] and not in pain [n = 52]). For implementation of the PGQ-Brazil in the group with pain, we calculated the internal consistency (step 3) and, 7 days later, test-retest reliability (step 4) by re-application of the instrument in this group. First, the PGQ-Brazil was able to discriminate between these groups (construct validity). Second, test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients for Activities subscale [0.97 with 95% confidence interval of 0.95-0.98] and Symptoms subscale [0.98 with 95% confidence interval of 0.97-0.98] and κ coefficient between 0.50 and 0.89 for the items) was found to be good; the Bland-Altman test indicated satisfactory agreement. The Rasch analysis indicated good internal consistency, and the instrument's ability to divide the participants into at least 3 levels of skills was confirmed. In contrast, a ceiling effect was observed, as 24% of pregnant women exhibited skills superior to what the PGQ-Brazil could evaluate. The PGQ-Brazil had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity in assessment of limitations in activities and symptoms of pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. Associations between quality indicators of internal medicine residency training programs

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Several residency program characteristics have been suggested as measures of program quality, but associations between these measures are unknown. We set out to determine associations between these potential measures of program quality. Methods Survey of internal medicine residency programs that shared an online ambulatory curriculum on hospital type, faculty size, number of trainees, proportion of international medical graduate (IMG) trainees, Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores, three-year American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examination (ABIM-CE) first-try pass rates, Residency Review Committee-Internal Medicine (RRC-IM) certification length, program director clinical duties, and use of pharmaceutical funding to support education. Associations assessed using Chi-square, Spearman rank correlation, univariate and multivariable linear regression. Results Fifty one of 67 programs responded (response rate 76.1%), including 29 (56.9%) community teaching and 17 (33.3%) university hospitals, with a mean of 68 trainees and 101 faculty. Forty four percent of trainees were IMGs. The average post-graduate year (PGY)-2 IM-ITE raw score was 63.1, which was 66.8 for PGY3s. Average 3-year ABIM-CE pass rate was 95.8%; average RRC-IM certification was 4.3 years. ABIM-CE results, IM-ITE results, and length of RRC-IM certification were strongly associated with each other (p < 0.05). PGY3 IM-ITE scores were higher in programs with more IMGs and in programs that accepted pharmaceutical support (p < 0.05). RRC-IM certification was shorter in programs with higher numbers of IMGs. In multivariable analysis, a higher proportion of IMGs was associated with 1.17 years shorter RRC accreditation. Conclusions Associations between quality indicators are complex, but suggest that the presence of IMGs is associated with better performance on standardized tests but decreased duration of RRC-IM certification. PMID:21651768

  16. Effective Teacher Qualities from International Mathematics, Science, and Computer Teachers' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahin, Alpaslan; Adiguzel, Tufan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate how international teachers, who were from overseas but taught in the United States, rate effective teacher qualities in three domains; personal, professional, and classroom management skills. The study includes 130 international mathematics, science, and computer teachers who taught in a multi-school…

  17. Academics' Perceptions of the Impact of Internal Quality Assurance on Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tavares, Orlanda; Sin, Cristina; Videira, Pedro; Amaral, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Internal quality assurance systems are expected to improve the institutions' core mission of teaching and learning. Using data gathered through an online survey, distributed in 2014/2015, to the teaching staff of all Portuguese private and public higher education institutions, this paper examines the impact of internal quality assurance systems on…

  18. Content validation: clarity/relevance, reliability and internal consistency of enunciative signs of language acquisition.

    PubMed

    Crestani, Anelise Henrich; Moraes, Anaelena Bragança de; Souza, Ana Paula Ramos de

    2017-08-10

    To analyze the results of the validation of building enunciative signs of language acquisition for children aged 3 to 12 months. The signs were built based on mechanisms of language acquisition in an enunciative perspective and on clinical experience with language disorders. The signs were submitted to judgment of clarity and relevance by a sample of six experts, doctors in linguistic in with knowledge of psycholinguistics and language clinic. In the validation of reliability, two judges/evaluators helped to implement the instruments in videos of 20% of the total sample of mother-infant dyads using the inter-evaluator method. The method known as internal consistency was applied to the total sample, which consisted of 94 mother-infant dyads to the contents of the Phase 1 (3-6 months) and 61 mother-infant dyads to the contents of Phase 2 (7 to 12 months). The data were collected through the analysis of mother-infant interaction based on filming of dyads and application of the parameters to be validated according to the child's age. Data were organized in a spreadsheet and then converted to computer applications for statistical analysis. The judgments of clarity/relevance indicated no modifications to be made in the instruments. The reliability test showed an almost perfect agreement between judges (0.8 ≤ Kappa ≥ 1.0); only the item 2 of Phase 1 showed substantial agreement (0.6 ≤ Kappa ≥ 0.79). The internal consistency for Phase 1 had alpha = 0.84, and Phase 2, alpha = 0.74. This demonstrates the reliability of the instruments. The results suggest adequacy as to content validity of the instruments created for both age groups, demonstrating the relevance of the content of enunciative signs of language acquisition.

  19. Internal Consistency and Associated Characteristics of Informant Discrepancies in Clinic Referred Youths Age 11 to 17 Years

    PubMed Central

    De Los Reyes, Andres; Youngstrom, Eric A.; Pabón, Shairy C.; Youngstrom, Jennifer K.; Feeny, Norah C.; Findling, Robert L.

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we examined the internal consistency of informant discrepancies in reports of youth behavior and emotional problems and their unique relations with youth, caregiver, and family characteristics. In a heterogeneous multisite clinic sample of 420 youths (ages 11 to 17 years), high internal consistency estimates were observed across measures of informant discrepancies. Further, latent profile analyses identified systematic patterns of discrepancies, characterized by their magnitude and direction (i.e., which informant reported greater youth problems). Additionally, informant discrepancies systematically and uniquely related to informants' own perspectives of youth mood problems, and these relations remained significant after taking into account multiple informants' reports of informant characteristics widely known to relate to informant discrepancies. These findings call into the question the prevailing view of informant discrepancies as indicative of unreliability and/or bias on the part of informants' reports of youths' behavior. PMID:21229442

  20. A review and evaluation of the internal structure and consistency of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harshman, Jordan; Stains, Marilyne

    2017-05-01

    This study presents a review from 39 studies that provide evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI). In addition to this review, we evaluate many alternative factor structures on a sample of 267 first- and second-year chemistry faculty members participating in a professional development, a sample of instructors for which the ATI was originally designed. A total of 26 unique factor structures were evaluated. Through robust checking of assumptions, compilations of existing evidence, and new exploratory and confirmatory analyses, we found that there is greater evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency for the 22-item ATI than the 16-item ATI. Additionally, evidence supporting the original two-factor and four-factor structures proposed by the ATI authors (focusing on information transmission and conceptual change) were not reproducible and while alternative models were empirically viable, more theoretical justification is warranted. Recommendations for ATI use and general comments regarding best practices of reporting psychometrics in educational research contexts are discussed.

  1. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale: Factor Structure, Internal Consistency and Convergent Validity in Patients with Dizziness.

    PubMed

    Piker, Erin G; Kaylie, David M; Garrison, Douglas; Tucci, Debara L

    2015-01-01

    Psychiatric comorbidities, particularly anxiety-related pathologies, are often observed in dizzy patients. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a widely used self-report instrument used to screen for anxiety and depression in medical outpatient settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the factor structure, internal consistency and convergent validity of the HADS in an unselected group of patients with dizziness. The HADS and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) were administered to 205 dizzy patients. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted and indicated a 3-factor structure, inconsistent with the 2-subscale structure (i.e. anxiety and depression) of the HADS. The total scale was found to be internally consistent, and convergent validity, as assessed using the DHI, was acceptable. Overall findings suggest that the HADS should not be used as a tool for psychiatric differential diagnosis, but rather as a helpful screener for general psychiatric distress in the two domains of psychiatric illness most germane in dizzy patients. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Evolution of Internal Quality Assurance at One University--A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Sullivan, David

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Quality assurance (QA) at one University has evolved over the past 15 years through emerging National and European standards, various leadership initiatives and through the engagement of key stakeholders in co-designing and implementing internal QA processes. In 2000, the QA process was focussed mainly on quality review (QR) that involved…

  3. Development of Internal System of Education Quality Assessment at a University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalimullin, Aydar M.; Khodyreva, Elena ?.; Koinova-Zoellner, Julia

    2016-01-01

    The urgency of the research is determined by the need to ensure the quality of higher education an essential factor of which is development of the internal assessment system for educational activities at universities. The aim of the article is validation of the model of development of the internal assessment system for educational activities at…

  4. A new unconditionally stable and consistent quasi-analytical in-stream water quality solution scheme for CSTR-based water quality simulators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woldegiorgis, Befekadu Taddesse; van Griensven, Ann; Pereira, Fernando; Bauwens, Willy

    2017-06-01

    Most common numerical solutions used in CSTR-based in-stream water quality simulators are susceptible to instabilities and/or solution inconsistencies. Usually, they cope with instability problems by adopting computationally expensive small time steps. However, some simulators use fixed computation time steps and hence do not have the flexibility to do so. This paper presents a novel quasi-analytical solution for CSTR-based water quality simulators of an unsteady system. The robustness of the new method is compared with the commonly used fourth-order Runge-Kutta methods, the Euler method and three versions of the SWAT model (SWAT2012, SWAT-TCEQ, and ESWAT). The performance of each method is tested for different hypothetical experiments. Besides the hypothetical data, a real case study is used for comparison. The growth factors we derived as stability measures for the different methods and the R-factor—considered as a consistency measure—turned out to be very useful for determining the most robust method. The new method outperformed all the numerical methods used in the hypothetical comparisons. The application for the Zenne River (Belgium) shows that the new method provides stable and consistent BOD simulations whereas the SWAT2012 model is shown to be unstable for the standard daily computation time step. The new method unconditionally simulates robust solutions. Therefore, it is a reliable scheme for CSTR-based water quality simulators that use first-order reaction formulations.

  5. Gene-Environment Interplay in Internalizing Disorders: Consistent Findings across Six Environmental Risk Factors

    PubMed Central

    Hicks, Brian M.; DiRago, Ana C.; Iacono, William G.; McGue, Matt

    2009-01-01

    Background Newer behavior genetic methods can better elucidate gene-environment (G-E) interplay in the development of internalizing (INT) disorders (i.e., major depression and anxiety disorders). However, no study to date has conducted a comprehensive analysis examining multiple environmental risks with the purpose of delineating how general G-E mechanisms influence the development of INT disorders. Methods The sample consisted of 1315 male and female twin pairs participating in the age 17 assessment of the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Quantitative G-E interplay models were used to examine how genetic and environmental risk for INT disorders changes as a function of environmental context. Multiple measures and informants were employed to construct composite measures of INT disorders and 6 environmental risk factors including: stressful life events, mother-child and father-child relationship problems, antisocial and prosocial peer affiliation, and academic achievement and engagement. Results Significant moderation effects were detected between each environmental risk factor and INT such that in the context of greater environmental adversity, nonshared environmental factors became more important in the etiology of INT symptoms. Conclusion Our results are consistent with the interpretation that environmental stressors have a causative effect on the emergence of INT disorders. The consistency of our results suggests a general mechanism of environmental influence on INT disorders regardless of the specific form of environmental risk. PMID:19594836

  6. Gene-environment interplay in internalizing disorders: consistent findings across six environmental risk factors.

    PubMed

    Hicks, Brian M; DiRago, Ana C; Iacono, William G; McGue, Matt

    2009-10-01

    Behavior genetic methods can help to elucidate gene-environment (G-E) interplay in the development of internalizing (INT) disorders (i.e., major depression and anxiety disorders). To date, however, no study has conducted a comprehensive analysis examining multiple environmental risk factors with the purpose of delineating general mechanisms of G-E influence in the development of INT disorders. The sample consisted of 1315 male and female twin pairs participating in the age 17 assessment of the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Quantitative G-E interplay models were used to examine how genetic and environmental risk for INT disorders changes as a function of environmental context. Multiple measures and informants were employed to construct composite measures of INT disorders and six environmental risk factors including: stressful life events, mother-child and father-child relationship problems, antisocial and prosocial peer affiliation, and academic achievement and engagement. Significant moderation effects were detected between each environmental risk factor and INT such that in the context of greater environmental adversity, nonshared environmental factors became more important in the etiology of INT symptoms. Our results are consistent with the interpretation that environmental stressors have a causative effect on the emergence of INT disorders. The consistency of our results suggests a general mechanism of environmental influence on INT disorders regardless of the specific form of environmental risk.

  7. Implementing a Systematic Process for Consistent Nursing Care in a NICU: A Quality Improvement Project.

    PubMed

    McCarley, Renay Marie; Dowling, Donna A; Dolansky, Mary A; Bieda, Amy

    2018-03-01

    The global aim of this quality improvement project was to develop and implement a systematic process to assign and maintain consistent bedside nurses for infants and families. A systematic process based on a primary care nursing model was implemented to assign consistent care for a 48-bed, single-family room NICU. Four PDSA cycles were necessary to obtain agreement from the nursing staff as to the best process for assigning primary nurses. Post-intervention data revealed a 9.5 percent decrease of consistent caregivers for infants in the NICU ≤ 28 days and a 2.3 percent increase of consistent caregivers for infants in the NICU ≥ 29 days. Although these findings did not meet the goal of the specific aim, a systematic process was created to assign bedside nurses to infants. Further PDSAs will be needed to refine the process to reach the aim.

  8. Consistency of internal fluxes in a hydrological model running at multiple time steps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ficchi, Andrea; Perrin, Charles; Andréassian, Vazken

    2016-04-01

    Improving hydrological models remains a difficult task and many ways can be explored, among which one can find the improvement of spatial representation, the search for more robust parametrization, the better formulation of some processes or the modification of model structures by trial-and-error procedure. Several past works indicate that model parameters and structure can be dependent on the modelling time step, and there is thus some rationale in investigating how a model behaves across various modelling time steps, to find solutions for improvements. Here we analyse the impact of data time step on the consistency of the internal fluxes of a rainfall-runoff model run at various time steps, by using a large data set of 240 catchments. To this end, fine time step hydro-climatic information at sub-hourly resolution is used as input of a parsimonious rainfall-runoff model (GR) that is run at eight different model time steps (from 6 minutes to one day). The initial structure of the tested model (i.e. the baseline) corresponds to the daily model GR4J (Perrin et al., 2003), adapted to be run at variable sub-daily time steps. The modelled fluxes considered are interception, actual evapotranspiration and intercatchment groundwater flows. Observations of these fluxes are not available, but the comparison of modelled fluxes at multiple time steps gives additional information for model identification. The joint analysis of flow simulation performance and consistency of internal fluxes at different time steps provides guidance to the identification of the model components that should be improved. Our analysis indicates that the baseline model structure is to be modified at sub-daily time steps to warrant the consistency and realism of the modelled fluxes. For the baseline model improvement, particular attention is devoted to the interception model component, whose output flux showed the strongest sensitivity to modelling time step. The dependency of the optimal model

  9. The Interaction with Disabled Persons scale: revisiting its internal consistency and factor structure, and examining item-level properties.

    PubMed

    Iacono, Teresa; Tracy, Jane; Keating, Jenny; Brown, Ted

    2009-01-01

    The Interaction with Disabled Persons scale (IDP) has been used in research into baseline attitudes and to evaluate whether a shift in attitudes towards people with developmental disabilities has occurred following some form of intervention. This research has been conducted on the assumption that the IDP measures attitudes as a multidimensional construct and has good internal consistency. Such assumptions about the IDP appear flawed, particularly in light of failures to replicate its underlying factor structure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and dimensionality of the IDP. This study used a prospective survey approach. Participants were recruited from first and second year undergraduate university students enrolled in health sciences, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, community and emergency health, nursing, and combined degrees of nursing and midwifery, and health sciences and social work at a large Australian university (n=373). Students completed the IDP, a 20-item self-report scale of attitudes towards people with disabilities. The IDP data were analysed using a combination of factor analysis (Classical Test Theory approach) and Rasch analysis (Item Response Theory approach). The results indicated that the original IDP 6-factor solution was not supported. Instead, one factor consisting of five IDP items (9, 11, 12, 17, and 18) labelled Discomfort met the four criteria for empirical validation of test quality: interval level scaling (scalability), unidimensionality, lacked of DIF across the two participant groups and data collection occasions, and hierarchical ordering. Researchers should consider using the Discomfort subscale of the IDP in future attitude research since it exhibits sound measurement properties.

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

    PubMed Central

    Collibee, Charlene; Furman, Wyndol

    2015-01-01

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

  11. The Iranian version of 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12): factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity.

    PubMed

    Montazeri, Ali; Vahdaninia, Mariam; Mousavi, Sayed Javad; Omidvari, Speideh

    2009-09-16

    The 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) as a shorter alternative of the SF-36 is largely used in health outcomes surveys. The aim of this study was to validate the SF-12 in Iran. A random sample of the general population aged 15 years and over living in Tehran, Iran completed the SF-12. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency and validity was assessed using known groups comparison and convergent validity. In addition, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In all, 5587 individuals were studied (2721 male and 2866 female). The mean age and formal education of the respondents were 35.1 (SD = 15.4) and 10.2 (SD = 4.4) years respectively. The results showed satisfactory internal consistency for both summary measures, that are the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS); Cronbach's alpha for PCS-12 and MCS-12 was 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Known-groups comparison showed that the SF-12 discriminated well between men and women and those who differed in age and educational status (P < 0.001). In addition, correlations between the SF-12 scales and single items showed that the physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and general health subscales correlated higher with the PCS-12 score, while the vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health subscales more correlated with the MCS-12 score lending support to its good convergent validity. Finally the principal component analysis indicated a two-factor structure (physical and mental health) that jointly accounted for 57.8% of the variance. The confirmatory factory analysis also indicated a good fit to the data for the two-latent structure (physical and mental health). In general the findings suggest that the SF-12 is a reliable and valid measure of health related quality of life among Iranian population. However, further studies are needed to

  12. 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.

  13. Development of a Quality and Safety Competency Curriculum for Radiation Oncology Residency: An International Delphi Study.

    PubMed

    Adleman, Jenna; Gillan, Caitlin; Caissie, Amanda; Davis, Carol-Anne; Liszewski, Brian; McNiven, Andrea; Giuliani, Meredith

    2017-06-01

    To develop an entry-to-practice quality and safety competency profile for radiation oncology residency. A comprehensive list of potential quality and safety competency items was generated from public and professional resources and interprofessional focus groups. Redundant or out-of-scope items were eliminated through investigator consensus. Remaining items were subjected to an international 2-round modified Delphi process involving experts in radiation oncology, radiation therapy, and medical physics. During Round 1, each item was scored independently on a 9-point Likert scale indicating appropriateness for inclusion in the competency profile. Items indistinctly ranked for inclusion or exclusion were re-evaluated through web conference discussion and reranked in Round 2. An initial 1211 items were compiled from 32 international sources and distilled to 105 unique potential quality and safety competency items. Fifteen of the 50 invited experts participated in round 1: 10 radiation oncologists, 4 radiation therapists, and 1 medical physicist from 13 centers in 5 countries. Round 1 rankings resulted in 80 items included, 1 item excluded, and 24 items indeterminate. Two areas emerged more prominently within the latter group: change management and human factors. Web conference with 5 participants resulted in 9 of these 24 items edited for content or clarity. In Round 2, 12 participants rescored all indeterminate items resulting in 10 items ranked for inclusion. The final 90 enabling competency items were organized into thematic groups consisting of 18 key competencies under headings adapted from Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. This quality and safety competency profile may inform minimum training standards for radiation oncology residency programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Development of a Quality and Safety Competency Curriculum for Radiation Oncology Residency: An International Delphi Study

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

    Adleman, Jenna; Gillan, Caitlin; Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario

    Purpose: To develop an entry-to-practice quality and safety competency profile for radiation oncology residency. Methods and Materials: A comprehensive list of potential quality and safety competency items was generated from public and professional resources and interprofessional focus groups. Redundant or out-of-scope items were eliminated through investigator consensus. Remaining items were subjected to an international 2-round modified Delphi process involving experts in radiation oncology, radiation therapy, and medical physics. During Round 1, each item was scored independently on a 9-point Likert scale indicating appropriateness for inclusion in the competency profile. Items indistinctly ranked for inclusion or exclusion were re-evaluated through webmore » conference discussion and reranked in Round 2. Results: An initial 1211 items were compiled from 32 international sources and distilled to 105 unique potential quality and safety competency items. Fifteen of the 50 invited experts participated in round 1: 10 radiation oncologists, 4 radiation therapists, and 1 medical physicist from 13 centers in 5 countries. Round 1 rankings resulted in 80 items included, 1 item excluded, and 24 items indeterminate. Two areas emerged more prominently within the latter group: change management and human factors. Web conference with 5 participants resulted in 9 of these 24 items edited for content or clarity. In Round 2, 12 participants rescored all indeterminate items resulting in 10 items ranked for inclusion. The final 90 enabling competency items were organized into thematic groups consisting of 18 key competencies under headings adapted from Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. Conclusions: This quality and safety competency profile may inform minimum training standards for radiation oncology residency programs.« less

  15. 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

  16. Concept of Draft International Standard for a Unified Approach to Space Program Quality Assurance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stryzhak, Y.; Vasilina, V.; Kurbatov, V.

    2002-01-01

    For want of the unified approach to guaranteed space project and product quality assurance, implementation of many international space programs has become a challenge. Globalization of aerospace industry and participation of various international ventures with diverse quality assurance requirements in big international space programs requires for urgent generation of unified international standards related to this field. To ensure successful fulfillment of space missions, aerospace companies should design and process reliable and safe products with properties complying or bettering User's (or Customer's) requirements. Quality of the products designed or processed by subcontractors (or other suppliers) should also be in compliance with the main user (customer)'s requirements. Implementation of this involved set of unified requirements will be made possible by creating and approving a system (series) of international standards under a generic title Space Product Quality Assurance based on a system consensus principle. Conceptual features of the baseline standard in this system (series) should comprise: - Procedures for ISO 9000, CEN and ECSS requirements adaptation and introduction into space product creation, design, manufacture, testing and operation; - Procedures for quality assurance at initial (design) phases of space programs, with a decision on the end product made based on the principle of independence; - Procedures to arrange incoming inspection of products delivered by subcontractors (including testing, audit of supplier's procedures, review of supplier's documentation), and space product certification; - Procedures to identify materials and primary products applied; - Procedures for quality system audit at the component part, primary product and materials supplier facilities; - Unified procedures to form a list of basic performances to be under configuration management; - Unified procedures to form a list of critical space product components, and unified

  17. Good validity of the international spinal cord injury quality of life basic data set.

    PubMed

    Post, M W M; Adriaansen, J J E; Charlifue, S; Biering-Sørensen, F; van Asbeck, F W A

    2016-04-01

    Cross-sectional validation study. To examine the construct and concurrent validity of the International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Quality of Life (QoL) Basic Data Set. Dutch community. People 28-65 years of age, who obtained their SCI between 18 and 35 years of age, were at least 10 years post SCI and were wheelchair users in daily life. MEASURE(S): The International SCI QoL Basic Data Set consists of three single items on satisfaction with life as a whole, physical health and psychological health (0=complete dissatisfaction; 10=complete satisfaction). Reference measures were the Mental Health Inventory-5 and three items of the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure. Data of 261 participants were available. Mean time after SCI was 24.1 years (s.d. 9.1); 90.4% had a traumatic SCI, 81.5% a motor complete SCI and 40% had tetraplegia. Mean age was 47.9 years (s.d. 8.8) and 73.2% were male. Mean scores were 6.9 (s.d. 1.9) for general QoL, 5.8 (s.d. 2.2) for physical health and 7.1 (s.d. 1.9) for psychological health. No floor or ceiling effects were found. Strong inter-correlations (0.48-0.71) were found between the items, and Cronbach's alpha of the scale was good (0.81). Correlations with the reference measures showed the strongest correlations between the WHOQOL general satisfaction item and general QoL (0.64), the WHOQOL health and daily activities items and physical health (0.69 and 0.60) and the Mental Health Inventory-5 and psychological health (0.70). This first validity study of the International SCI QoL Basic Data Set shows that it appears valid for persons with SCI.

  18. Evaluating Student Satisfaction of Quality at International Branch Campuses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmad, Syed Zamberi

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this research is to present the determinants of students' perceptions of quality and experience of study at international branch campuses in Malaysia, a country that is set to become an academic hub in Asia. This study used a multi-method approach for data collection. The respondents comprised 245 students (both undergraduate and…

  19. World Environmental Quality, A Challenge to the International Community.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of State, Washington, DC.

    The quality of the world environment cannot be dependent upon the efforts of a single nation. This fact is now recognized by most nations. Only through cooperative international actions can effective pollution control and natural resource conservation be realized. The purpose of this booklet is to publicize the work that the United States and…

  20. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND CONTROL

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report presents a description of the activities and accomplishments of the American Society for Testing and Materials' U. S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Standards Organization's Technical Committee 146 on Air Quality. The purpose of the TAG is to re...

  1. Quality assurance, benchmarking, assessment and mutual international recognition of qualifications.

    PubMed

    Hobson, R; Rolland, S; Rotgans, J; Schoonheim-Klein, M; Best, H; Chomyszyn-Gajewska, M; Dymock, D; Essop, R; Hupp, J; Kundzina, R; Love, R; Memon, R A; Moola, M; Neumann, L; Ozden, N; Roth, K; Samwel, P; Villavicencio, J; Wright, P; Harzer, W

    2008-02-01

    The aim of this report is to provide guidance to assist in the international convergence of quality assurance, benchmarking and assessment systems to improve dental education. Proposals are developed for mutual recognition of qualifications, to aid international movement and exchange of staff and students including and supporting developing countries. Quality assurance is the responsibility of all staff involved in dental education and involves three levels: internal, institutional and external. Benchmarking information provides a subject framework. Benchmarks are useful for a variety of purposes including design and validation of programmes, examination and review; they can also strengthen the accreditation process undertaken by professional and statutory bodies. Benchmark information can be used by institutions as part of their programme approval process, to set degree standards. The standards should be developed by the dental academic community through formal groups of experts. Assessment outcomes of student learning are a measure of the quality of the learning programme. The goal of an effective assessment strategy should be that it provides the starting point for students to adopt a positive approach to effective and competent practice, reflective and lifelong learning. All assessment methods should be evidence based or based upon research. Mutual recognition of professional qualifications means that qualifications gained in one country (the home country) are recognized in another country (the host country). It empowers movement of skilled workers, which can help resolve skills shortages within participating countries. These proposals are not intended to be either exhaustive or prescriptive; they are purely for guidance and derived from the identification of what is perceived to be 'best practice'.

  2. Direct Signal-to-Noise Quality Comparison between an Electronic and Conventional Stethoscope aboard the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marshburn, Thomas; Cole, Richard; Ebert, Doug; Bauer, Pete

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Evaluation of heart, lung, and bowel sounds is routinely performed with the use of a stethoscope to help detect a broad range of medical conditions. Stethoscope acquired information is even more valuable in a resource limited environments such as the International Space Station (ISS) where additional testing is not available. The high ambient noise level aboard the ISS poses a specific challenge to auscultation by stethoscope. An electronic stethoscope's ambient noise-reduction, greater sound amplification, recording capabilities, and sound visualization software may be an advantage to a conventional stethoscope in this environment. Methods: A single operator rated signal-to-noise quality from a conventional stethoscope (Littman 2218BE) and an electronic stethoscope (Litmann 3200). Borborygmi, pulmonic, and cardiac sound quality was ranked with both stethoscopes. Signal-to-noise rankings were preformed on a 1 to 10 subjective scale with 1 being inaudible, 6 the expected quality in an emergency department, 8 the expected quality in a clinic, and 10 the clearest possible quality. Testing took place in the Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM), Unity (Node 2), Destiny (US Lab), Tranquility (Node 3), and the Cupola of the International Space Station. All examinations were conducted at a single point in time. Results: The electronic stethoscope's performance ranked higher than the conventional stethoscope for each body sound in all modules tested. The electronic stethoscope's sound quality was rated between 7 and 10 in all modules tested. In comparison, the traditional stethoscope's sound quality was rated between 4 and 7. The signal to noise ratio of borborygmi showed the biggest difference between stethoscopes. In the modules tested, the auscultation of borborygmi was rated between 5 and 7 by the conventional stethoscope and consistently 10 by the electronic stethoscope. Discussion: This stethoscope comparison was limited to a single operator. However, we

  3. Cabin Air Quality Dynamics On Board the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perry, J. L.; Peterson, B. V.

    2003-01-01

    Spacecraft cabin air quality is influenced by a variety of factors. Beyond normal equipment offgassing and crew metabolic loads, the vehicle s operational configuration contributes significantly to overall air quality. Leaks from system equipment and payload facilities, operational status of the atmospheric scrubbing systems, and the introduction of new equipment and modules to the vehicle all influence air quality. The dynamics associated with changes in the International Space Station's (ISS) configuration since the launch of the U.S. Segment s laboratory module, Destiny, is summarized. Key classes of trace chemical contaminants that are important to crew health and equipment performance are emphasized. The temporary effects associated with attaching each multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) to the ISS and influence of in-flight air quality on the post-flight ground processing of the MPLM are explored.

  4. Methodological quality of the injury surveillance system used in international athletics championships.

    PubMed

    Edouard, Pascal; Branco, Pedro; Alonso, Juan Manuel; Junge, Astrid

    2016-12-01

    Incidence and prevalence data obtained from injury surveillance studies could be biased by the response rate as well as by the completeness and quality of the reports. It therefore appears crucial to analyse the quality of the injury surveillance system itself and thereby validate the quality of the data. This study aimed to analyse the quality of and compliance with the injury surveillance system implemented during international athletics championships. Prospective, epidemiological study. The national medical teams and the local organising committee physicians daily reported all injuries on a standardised injury report form during 14 international athletics championships from 2007 to 2015. The quality of the injury surveillance system was analysed following the guidelines laid down by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. On average 41.7±17.4% (mean±standard deviation) of all registered countries participated in the injury surveillance project, accounting for a coverage of athletes of 79.5±10.2% of all registered athletes. Their medical staff returned 89.2±8.4% of the expected injury report forms (information is missing for one championship). The completeness of injury data provided by medical teams and local organising committee physicians averaged 95.8±6.5%. National medical teams reported 60.6±16.6% of all injuries, and local organising committee physicians 28.7±15.0% whereas 10.6±6.5% of injuries were reported by both. The injury surveillance system used during international athletics championships provided good national medical team participation, coverage of athletes, response rate, and completeness of reports. These parameters should be systematically reported for injury surveillance studies to show the quality of the study. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Development of a Digital-Based Instrument to Assess Perceived Motor Competence in Children: Face Validity, Test-Retest Reliability, and Internal Consistency

    PubMed Central

    Palmer, Kara K.

    2017-01-01

    Assessing children’s perceptions of their movement abilities (i.e., perceived competence) is traditionally done using picture scales—Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Children or Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence. Pictures fail to capture the temporal components of movement. To address this limitation, we created a digital-based instrument to assess perceived motor competence: the Digital Scale of Perceived Motor Competence. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity, reliability, and internal consistency of the Digital-based Scale of Perceived Motor Skill Competence. The Digital-based Scale of Perceived Motor Skill Competence is based on the twelve fundamental motor skills from the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition with a similar layout and item structure as the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence. Face Validity of the instrument was examined in Phase I (n = 56; Mage = 8.6 ± 0.7 years, 26 girls). Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed in Phase II (n = 54, Mage = 8.7 years ± 0.5 years, 26 girls). Intra-class correlations (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha were conducted to determine test-retest reliability and internal consistency for all twelve skills along with locomotor and object control subscales. The Digital Scale of Perceived Motor Competence demonstrates excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.83, total; ICC = 0.77, locomotor; ICC = 0.79, object control) and acceptable/good internal consistency (α = 0.62, total; α = 0.57, locomotor; α = 0.49, object control). Findings provide evidence of the reliability of the three level digital-based instrument of perceived motor competence for older children. PMID:29910408

  6. Response set bias, internal consistency and construct validity of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    Tibbles, Anthony C; Waalen, Judith K; Hains, François C

    1998-01-01

    Background: The Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) is a widely used 10-item paper and pencil measure of disability resulting from low back pain. However, few studies have assessed the psychometric properties of the instrument. This study evaluated the response set bias, the internal consistency, and the construct validity of the ODQ. Objectives: The original ODQ was compared to seven modified versions to examine whether a response set bias existed. The internal consistency of the ODQ was assessed using the Cronbach alpha. Finally, the relationship between scores on the ODQ and the Roland Morris Functional Disability Scal (RM) was examined. Methods: Seven modified versions of the ODQ were developed from the original. One of the eight versions was randomly allocated to 102 adult patients presenting with low lack pain. There was no attempt to select patients on the basis of pain intensity or prior treatment so as to maximize the range and diversity of low back pain sufferers. Results: Results suggest that the responses given on the eight versions of the ODQ are a function of content and not of the format in which the items are presented. The ODQ also has strong internal consisstency (alpha = 0.85) and is strongly correlated to the RM (r = .70, p = .0005). The ODQ is a significant predictor of the RM scores (T-9.45, p = .0005) and duration of symptoms (T = -2.17, p = .0325). Conclusion: The ODQ appears to possess stable psychometric properties. The use of more than one version provides practitioners with a means of repeatedly assessing the disability levels of patients suffering from low back pain over the course of treatment.

  7. Quality of internal communication in health care and the professional-patient relationship.

    PubMed

    March Cerdá, Joan Carles; Prieto Rodríguez, María Angeles; Pérez Corral, Olivia; Lorenzo, Sergio Minué; Danet, Alina

    2010-01-01

    A study was undertaken for the purpose of describing internal communication and the professional-patient relationship and to establish a descriptive model of the interaction between these 2 variables. A nationwide survey was carried out in primary care and specialist care centers in Spain. A simple random sampling method was used with 1183 health care professionals. The data collection instrument was a Likert questionnaire that recorded information on the perceived quality of internal communication (0-100 scale), professional-patient relationships (0-100 scale), and sociodemographic variables. The results were analyzed using SPSS 15.0, performing mean comparisons and a suitable linear regression model.The total average of the quality of internal communication was 53.79 points, and that of the professional-patient relationships was 74.17 points. Sex made no statistically significant difference. Age shows that the older the participant, the better his/her opinion of internal communication and professional-patient relationships. Nursing staff had the highest opinion of internal communication and professional-patient relationships. The association between internal communication and professional-patient relationship was positive (R = 0.45).It was concluded that continuous exchange of information among health care professionals, together with learning and shared decision making or a positive emotional climate, is an element that will consolidate good professional-patient relationships and ensure patient satisfaction.

  8. Lack of grading agreement among international hemostasis external quality assessment programs

    PubMed Central

    Olson, John D.; Jennings, Ian; Meijer, Piet; Bon, Chantal; Bonar, Roslyn; Favaloro, Emmanuel J.; Higgins, Russell A.; Keeney, Michael; Mammen, Joy; Marlar, Richard A.; Meley, Roland; Nair, Sukesh C.; Nichols, William L.; Raby, Anne; Reverter, Joan C.; Srivastava, Alok; Walker, Isobel

    2018-01-01

    Laboratory quality programs rely on internal quality control and external quality assessment (EQA). EQA programs provide unknown specimens for the laboratory to test. The laboratory's result is compared with other (peer) laboratories performing the same test. EQA programs assign target values using a variety of methods statistical tools and performance assessment of ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ is made. EQA provider members of the international organization, external quality assurance in thrombosis and hemostasis, took part in a study to compare outcome of performance analysis using the same data set of laboratory results. Eleven EQA organizations using eight different analytical approaches participated. Data for a normal and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and a normal and reduced factor VIII (FVIII) from 218 laboratories were sent to the EQA providers who analyzed the data set using their method of evaluation for aPTT and FVIII, determining the performance for each laboratory record in the data set. Providers also summarized their statistical approach to assignment of target values and laboratory performance. Each laboratory record in the data set was graded pass/fail by all EQA providers for each of the four analytes. There was a lack of agreement of pass/fail grading among EQA programs. Discordance in the grading was 17.9 and 11% of normal and prolonged aPTT results, respectively, and 20.2 and 17.4% of normal and reduced FVIII results, respectively. All EQA programs in this study employed statistical methods compliant with the International Standardization Organization (ISO), ISO 13528, yet the evaluation of laboratory results for all four analytes showed remarkable grading discordance. PMID:29232255

  9. The vaccines consistency approach project: an EPAA initiative.

    PubMed

    De Mattia, F; Hendriksen, C; Buchheit, K H; Chapsal, J M; Halder, M; Lambrigts, D; Redhead, K; Rommel, E; Scharton-Kersten, T; Sesardic, T; Viviani, L; Ragan, I

    2015-01-01

    The consistency approach for release testing of established vaccines promotes the use of in vitro, analytical, non-animal based systems allowing the monitoring of quality parameters during the whole production process. By using highly sensitive non-animal methods, the consistency approach has the potential to improve the quality of testing and to foster the 3Rs (replacement, refinement and reduction of animal use) for quality control of established vaccines. This concept offers an alternative to the current quality control strategy which often requires large numbers of laboratory animals. In order to facilitate the introduction of the consistency approach for established human and veterinary vaccine quality control, the European Partnership for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EPAA) initiated a project, the "Vaccines Consistency Approach Project", aiming at developing and validating the consistency approach with stakeholders from academia, regulators, OMCLs, EDQM, European Commission and industry. This report summarises progress since the project's inception.

  10. Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) - Utrecht, Netherlands The May 8, 2012

    EPA Science Inventory

    The 4th workshop of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) was held on May 8 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in conjunction with the NATO/SPS International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modeling and Its Application. AQMEII was launched in 2009 as a l...

  11. Psychometric Properties of Eating Disorder Instruments in Black and White Young Women: Internal Consistency, Temporal Stability, and Validity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bardone-Cone, Anna M.; Boyd, Clarissa A.

    2007-01-01

    Most of the major instruments in the eating disorder field have documented psychometric support only in predominantly White samples. The current study examined the internal consistency, temporal stability, and convergent and discriminant validity of a variety of eating disorder measures in Black (n = 97) and White (n = 179) female undergraduates.…

  12. International migration to and from the United Kingdom, 1975-1999: consistency, change and implications for the labour market.

    PubMed

    Dobson, J; McLaughlan, G

    2001-01-01

    This article presents some findings of a recent study carried out for the Home Office by the Migration Research Unit (MRU) in the Department of Geography at UCL. The study was concerned with patterns and trends in international migration to and from the United Kingdom since 1975, with a particular focus on those in employment, and drew on many sources. The statistics analysed here derive from the International Passenger Survey, including hitherto unpublished tables provided by the Office for National Statistics on migration of the employed by citizenship. They indicate remarkable consistency in some aspects of migration flows and major change in others.

  13. Shaping Performance: Do International Accreditations and Quality Management Really Help?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nigsch, Stefano; Schenker-Wicki, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    In recent years, international accreditations have become an important form of quality management for business schools all over the world. However, given their high costs and the risk of increasing bureaucratisation and control, accreditations remain highly disputed in academia. This paper uses quantitative data to assess whether accreditations…

  14. Higher Education Quality: Perception Differences among Internal and External Stakeholders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abidin, Munirul

    2015-01-01

    Conceptually, education quality of higher education can be determined by evaluation of their stakeholders's satisfaction level. The purpose of this study is to describe how students as external stakeholder and lecturers as internal stakeholder, perceived their satisfaction of learning experience in the university. This study was conducted in…

  15. Monitoring the quality consistency of Fufang Danshen Pills using micellar electrokinetic chromatography fingerprint coupled with prediction of antioxidant activity and chemometrics.

    PubMed

    Ji, Zhengchao; Sun, Wanyang; Sun, Guoxiang; Zhang, Jin

    2016-08-01

    A fast micellar electrokinetic chromatography fingerprint method combined with quantification was developed and validated to evaluate the quality of Fufang Danshen Pills, a traditional Chinese Medicine, which has been used in the treatment of cardiovascular system diseases, in which the tetrahedron optimization method was first used to optimize the background electrolyte solution. Subsequently, the index of the fingerprint information amount of I was performed as an excellent objective indictor to investigate the experimental conditions. In addition, a systematical quantified fingerprint method was constructed for evaluating the quality consistency of 20 batches of test samples obtained from the same drug manufacturer. The fingerprint analysis combined with quantitative determination of two components showed that the quality consistency of the test samples was quite good within the same commercial brand. Furthermore, the partial least squares model analysis was used to explore the fingerprint-efficacy relationship between active components and antioxidant activity in vitro, which can be applied for the assessment of anti-oxidant activity of Fufang Danshen pills and provide valuable medicinal information for quality control. The result illustrated that the present study provided a reliable and reasonable method for monitoring the quality consistency of Fufang Danshen pills. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. The relational underpinnings of quality internal auditing in medical clinics in Israel.

    PubMed

    Carmeli, Abraham; Zisu, Malka

    2009-03-01

    Internal auditing is a key mechanism in enhancing organizational reliability. However, research on the ways quality internal auditing is enabled through learning, deterrence, motivation and process improvement is scant. In particular, the relational underpinnings of internal auditing have been understudied. This study attempts to address this need by examining how organizational trust, perceived organizational support and psychological safety enable internal auditing. Data collected from employees in medical clinics of one of the largest healthcare organizations in Israel at two points in time six months apart. Our results show that organizational trust and perceived organizational support are positively related to psychological safety (measured at time 1), which, in turn, is associated with internal auditing (measured at time 2).

  17. Quality of life: an international comparison

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

    Hopkinson, J.; Anderson, C.F.; Liu, B.C.

    Dissatisfaction with gross national product (GNP) as a realistic yardstick for comparing the well-being of societies has led to a quality of life (QOL) concept which considers the environment in which people live. QOL includes both the economic and noneconomic factors affecting an individual's happiness. An international comparison of energy, GNP, and QOL in 50 countries considers five major categories (social, economic, health and education, environmental, and national vitality and security) and 12 subcategories. The study indicates that substantial increases in energy consumption will be needed to raise the living standards of developing countries. QOL appears to decline beyond amore » certain level of GNP, while continuing a direct relationship to per capita energy consumption and electricity production. 12 references. (DCK)« less

  18. Felder-Soloman's Index of Learning Styles: internal consistency, temporal stability, and factor structure.

    PubMed

    Hosford, Charles C; Siders, William A

    2010-10-01

    Strategies to facilitate learning include using knowledge of students' learning style preferences to inform students and their teachers. Aims of this study were to evaluate the factor structure, internal consistency, and temporal stability of medical student responses to the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) and determine its appropriateness as an instrument for medical education. The ILS assesses preferences on four dimensions: sensing/intuitive information perceiving, visual/verbal information receiving, active/reflective information processing, and sequential/global information understanding. Students entering the 2002-2007 classes completed the ILS; some completed the ILS again after 2 and 4 years. Analyses of responses supported the ILS's intended structure and moderate reliability. Students had moderate preferences for sensing and visual learning. This study provides evidence supporting the appropriateness of the ILS for assessing learning style preferences in medical students.

  19. An Approach Based on HPLC-Fingerprint and Chemometrics to Quality Consistency Evaluation of Matricaria chamomilla L. Commercial Samples

    PubMed Central

    Viapiana, Agnieszka; Struck-Lewicka, Wiktoria; Konieczynski, Pawel; Wesolowski, Marek; Kaliszan, Roman

    2016-01-01

    Chamomile has been used as an herbal medication since ancient times and is still popular because it contains various bioactive phytochemicals that could provide therapeutic effects. In this study, a simple and reliable HPLC method was developed to evaluate the quality consistency of nineteen chamomile samples through establishing a chromatographic fingerprint, quantification of phenolic compounds and determination of antioxidant activity. For fingerprint analysis, 12 peaks were selected as the common peaks to evaluate the similarities of commercial samples of chamomile obtained from different manufacturers. A similarity analysis was performed to assess the similarity/dissimilarity of chamomile samples where values varied from 0.868 to 0.990 what indicating that samples from different manufacturers were consistent. Additionally, simultaneous quantification of five phenolic acids (gallic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric, ferulic) and four flavonoids (rutin, myricetin, quercetin and keampferol) was performed to interpret the quality consistency. In quantitative analysis, the nine individual phenolic compounds showed good regression (r > 0.9975). Inter- and intra-day precisions for all analyzed compounds expressed as relative standard deviation (CV) ranged from 0.05% to 3.12%. Since flavonoids and other polyphenols are commonly recognized as natural antioxidants, the antioxidant activity of chamomile samples was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between antioxidant activity and phenolic composition, and multivariate analysis (PCA and HCA) were applied to distinguish chamomile samples. Results shown in the study indicate high similarity of chamomile samples among them, widely spread in the market and commonly used by people as infusions or teas, as well as that there were no statistically significant differences among

  20. Reliability, factor analysis and internal consistency calculation of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in French and in English among Lebanese adolescents.

    PubMed

    Chahoud, M; Chahine, R; Salameh, P; Sauleau, E A

    2017-06-01

    Our goal is to validate and to verify the reliability of the French and English versions of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in Lebanese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was implemented. 104 Lebanese students aged between 14 and 19 years participated in the study. The English version of the questionnaire was distributed to English-speaking students and the French version was administered to French-speaking students. A scale (1 to 7 with 1 = very well understood and 7 = not at all) was used to identify the level of the students' understanding of each instruction, question and answer of the ISI. The scale's structural validity was assessed. The factor structure of ISI was evaluated by principal component analysis. The internal consistency of this scale was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha. To assess test-retest reliability the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used. The principal component analysis confirmed the presence of a two-component factor structure in the English version and a three-component factor structure in the French version with eigenvalues > 1. The English version of the ISI had an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.90), while the French version had a good internal consistency (α = 0.70). The ICC presented an excellent agreement in the French version (ICC = 0.914, CI = 0.856-0.949) and a good agreement in the English one (ICC = 0.762, CI = 0.481-890). The Bland-Altman plots of the two versions of the ISI showed that the responses over two weeks' were comparable and very few outliers were detected. The results of our analyses reveal that both English and French versions of the ISI scale have good internal consistency and are reproducible and reliable. Therefore, it can be used to assess the prevalence of insomnia in Lebanese adolescents.

  1. Space-Time Analysis of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) Phase 1 Air Quality Simulations

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study presents an evaluation of summertime daily maximum ozone concentrations over North America (NA) and Europe (EU) using the database generated during Phase 1 of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). The analysis focuses on identifying tempor...

  2. The Iranian version of 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12): factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity

    PubMed Central

    Montazeri, Ali; Vahdaninia, Mariam; Mousavi, Sayed Javad; Omidvari, Speideh

    2009-01-01

    Background The 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) as a shorter alternative of the SF-36 is largely used in health outcomes surveys. The aim of this study was to validate the SF-12 in Iran. Methods A random sample of the general population aged 15 years and over living in Tehran, Iran completed the SF-12. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency and validity was assessed using known groups comparison and convergent validity. In addition, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: In all, 5587 individuals were studied (2721 male and 2866 female). The mean age and formal education of the respondents were 35.1 (SD = 15.4) and 10.2 (SD = 4.4) years respectively. The results showed satisfactory internal consistency for both summary measures, that are the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS); Cronbach's α for PCS-12 and MCS-12 was 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Known-groups comparison showed that the SF-12 discriminated well between men and women and those who differed in age and educational status (P < 0.001). In addition, correlations between the SF-12 scales and single items showed that the physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and general health subscales correlated higher with the PCS-12 score, while the vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health subscales more correlated with the MCS-12 score lending support to its good convergent validity. Finally the principal component analysis indicated a two-factor structure (physical and mental health) that jointly accounted for 57.8% of the variance. The confirmatory factory analysis also indicated a good fit to the data for the two-latent structure (physical and mental health). Conclusion In general the findings suggest that the SF-12 is a reliable and valid measure of health related quality of life among Iranian population

  3. Using Spreadsheets and Internally Consistent Databases to Explore Thermodynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dasgupta, S.; Chakraborty, S.

    2003-12-01

    Much common wisdom has been handed down to generations of petrology students in words - a non-exhaustive list may include (a) do not mix data from two different thermodynamic databases, (b) use of different heat capacity functions or extrapolation beyond the P-T range of fit can have disastrous results, (c) consideration of errors in thermodynamic calculations is crucial, (d) consideration of non-ideality, interaction parameters etc. are important in some cases, but not in others. Actual calculations to demonstrate these effects were either too laborious, tedious, time consuming or involved elaborate computer programming beyond the reaches of the average undergraduate. We have produced "Live" thermodynamic tables in the form of ExcelTM spreadsheets based on standard internally consistent thermodynamic databases (e.g. Berman, Holland and Powell) that allow quick, easy and most importantly, transparent manipulation of thermodynamic data to calculate mineral stabilities and to explore the role of different parameters. We have intentionally avoided the use of advanced tools such as macros, and have set up columns of data that are easy to relate to thermodynamic relationships to enhance transparency. The approach consists of the following basic steps: (i) use a simple supporting spreadsheet to enter mineral compositions (in formula units) to obtain a balanced reaction by matrix inversion. (ii) enter the stoichiometry of this reaction in a designated space and a P and T to get the delta G of the reaction (iii) vary P and or T to locate equilibrium through a change of sign of delta G. These results can be collected to explore practically any problem of chemical equilibrium and mineral stability. Some of our favorites include (a) hierarchical addition of complexity to equilibrium calculations - start with a simple end member reaction ignoring heat capacity and volume derivatives, add the effects of these, followed by addition of compositional effects in the form of ideal

  4. [Internal audit--the foundation of healthcare quality management in health care].

    PubMed

    Smiianov, V A

    2014-01-01

    The paper proved the need for internal audit as the basis for quality control of medical care in a health facility, developed the project milestones and explains what needs to be taken into account at every stage during its implementation.

  5. Parental education as an indicator of socioeconomic status: improving quality of data by requiring consistency across measurement occasions.

    PubMed

    Aarø, Leif Edvard; Flisher, Alan J; Kaaya, Sylvia; Onya, Hans; Namisi, Francis S; Wubs, Annegreet

    2009-06-01

    Adolescents' reports of parents' education are sometimes used as indicators of socioeconomic status in surveys of health behaviour. The quality of such measurements is questionable. We hypothesized that consistent reporting of parents' education across measurement occasions in prospective panel studies indicates a higher quality of data than single or inconsistent reports. A multi-site, prospective panel study (three measurement occasions) was carried out among adolescents in Cape Town and Mankweng (South Africa), and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Analyses were based on data from students participating at baseline and with a valid code for school number (n = 15,684). For Cape Town and Dar es Salaam students, the associations between parents' education and an alternative indicator of socioeconomic status (both measured at baseline) increased with increasing consistency of reports about parents' education across measurement occasions. For Cape Town, the associations of father's education with a range of behavioural and social cognition variables were significantly stronger among ;;consistent'' than among other students. The pattern was the same for mother's education, but with fewer significant interaction effects. Requiring consistency of reports across data-collection occasions may, under the right combination of circumstances, make a difference. Insignificant and "close to zero'' associations may turn out to be at least moderately strong and statistically significant. When applying indicators of socioeconomic status, such as parents' highest level of completed education, it is most advantageous to use data from prospective panel studies, and to check for consistency of answers across measurement occasions.

  6. Internal Consistency of the NVAP Water Vapor Dataset

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Suggs, Ronnie J.; Jedlovec, Gary J.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The NVAP (NASA Water Vapor Project) dataset is a global dataset at 1 x 1 degree spatial resolution consisting of daily, pentad, and monthly atmospheric precipitable water (PW) products. The analysis blends measurements from the Television and Infrared Operational Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS), the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), and radiosonde observations into a daily collage of PW. The original dataset consisted of five years of data from 1988 to 1992. Recent updates have added three additional years (1993-1995) and incorporated procedural and algorithm changes from the original methodology. Since each of the PW sources (TOVS, SSM/I, and radiosonde) do not provide global coverage, each of these sources compliment one another by providing spatial coverage over regions and during times where the other is not available. For this type of spatial and temporal blending to be successful, each of the source components should have similar or compatible accuracies. If this is not the case, regional and time varying biases may be manifested in the NVAP dataset. This study examines the consistency of the NVAP source data by comparing daily collocated TOVS and SSM/I PW retrievals with collocated radiosonde PW observations. The daily PW intercomparisons are performed over the time period of the dataset and for various regions.

  7. Validation of a new international quality-of-life instrument specific to cosmetics and physical appearance: BeautyQoL questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Beresniak, Ariel; de Linares, Yolaine; Krueger, Gerald G; Talarico, Sergio; Tsutani, Kiichiro; Duru, Gérard; Berger, Geneviève

    2012-11-01

    To develop a new quality-of-life (QoL) instrument with international validity that specifically assesses cosmetic products and physical appearance. In the first phase, semidirected interviews involved 309 subjects. In the second stage, an acceptability study was performed on 874 subjects. Thereafter, we recruited a total of 3231 subjects, each of whom completed the BeautyQoL questionnaire, a clinical checklist for the skin, the generic QoL 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. A retest was performed 8 days later on a subgroup of 652 subjects. Populations in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Russia, the United States, Brazil, Japan, India, China, and South Africa, representing 16 languages. The general adult healthy population, including women and men. Psychometric properties, construct validity, reproducibility, and internal and external consistency. General acceptability was very good in the 16 languages, with a very low rate of no answers. The validation phase reduced the questionnaire to 42 questions structured in the following 5 dimensions that explained 76.7% of the total variance: social life, self-confidence, mood, energy, and attractiveness. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach α coefficients, 0.93-0.98). Reproducibility at 8 days was satisfactory in all dimensions. Results of external validity testing revealed that BeautyQoL scores correlated significantly with all 36-Item Short Form Health Survey scores except for physical function. These results demonstrate the validity and reliability of the BeautyQoL questionnaire as the very first international instrument specific to cosmetic products and physical appearance.

  8. Racism, Equity, and Quality of Education for International Students in South Korean Higher Education Institutes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Jin-Hee

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to understand equity issues of international students' learning in Korean higher education institutions by engaging with the issue of racism and identifies how international students in Korea reshape their learning trajectory and how we could provide equitable and quality education for international students. Espousing a…

  9. Technology usage, quality management system, and service quality in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sivabrovornvatana, Nilubon; Siengthai, Sununta; Krairit, Donyaprueth; Paul, Himangshu

    2005-01-01

    This article aims to explore the relationship between technology and quality management for enhancing Thai hospital service quality. The paper presents the findings of an exploratory study that investigates service quality from the customer and service provider perception. In-depth interviews were conducted with respondents in Thai hospitals. The interviews explored service-related factors that patients and service providers perceive to be important for hospital services. The first interview group consisted of professionals as internal customers in direct contact with external customers, while the second group consisted of external customers of the same hospitals. The study's outcomes clearly suggest factors that make significant contribution to service quality. These factors can be categorized according to five SERVQUAL dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibility), although some factors required slightly different interpretation. The findings suggest that hospitals can develop an appropriate approach to their advantage, which can yield sustainable improvement in service quality as perceived by patients and professionals. Hospitals can make better quality decisions based on structured measurement and knowledge. It is recommended that managers apply this knowledge for successful implementation of activities related to service quality in their organizations.

  10. A consistency evaluation of signal-to-noise ratio in the quality assessment of human brain magnetic resonance images.

    PubMed

    Yu, Shaode; Dai, Guangzhe; Wang, Zhaoyang; Li, Leida; Wei, Xinhua; Xie, Yaoqin

    2018-05-16

    Quality assessment of medical images is highly related to the quality assurance, image interpretation and decision making. As to magnetic resonance (MR) images, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is routinely used as a quality indicator, while little knowledge is known of its consistency regarding different observers. In total, 192, 88, 76 and 55 brain images are acquired using T 2 * , T 1 , T 2 and contrast-enhanced T 1 (T 1 C) weighted MR imaging sequences, respectively. To each imaging protocol, the consistency of SNR measurement is verified between and within two observers, and white matter (WM) and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) are alternately used as the tissue region of interest (TOI) for SNR measurement. The procedure is repeated on another day within 30 days. At first, overlapped voxels in TOIs are quantified with Dice index. Then, test-retest reliability is assessed in terms of intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). After that, four models (BIQI, BLIINDS-II, BRISQUE and NIQE) primarily used for the quality assessment of natural images are borrowed to predict the quality of MR images. And in the end, the correlation between SNR values and predicted results is analyzed. To the same TOI in each MR imaging sequence, less than 6% voxels are overlapped between manual delineations. In the quality estimation of MR images, statistical analysis indicates no significant difference between observers (Wilcoxon rank sum test, p w  ≥ 0.11; paired-sample t test, p p  ≥ 0.26), and good to very good intra- and inter-observer reliability are found (ICC, p icc  ≥ 0.74). Furthermore, Pearson correlation coefficient (r p ) suggests that SNR wm correlates strongly with BIQI, BLIINDS-II and BRISQUE in T 2 * (r p  ≥ 0.78), BRISQUE and NIQE in T 1 (r p  ≥ 0.77), BLIINDS-II in T 2 (r p  ≥ 0.68) and BRISQUE and NIQE in T 1 C (r p  ≥ 0.62) weighted MR images, while SNR csf correlates strongly with BLIINDS-II in T 2 * (r p  ≥ 0.63) and in T

  11. Internalized stigma among psychiatric outpatients: Associations with quality of life, functioning, hope and self-esteem.

    PubMed

    Picco, Louisa; Pang, Shirlene; Lau, Ying Wen; Jeyagurunathan, Anitha; Satghare, Pratika; Abdin, Edimansyah; Vaingankar, Janhavi Ajit; Lim, Susan; Poh, Chee Lien; Chong, Siow Ann; Subramaniam, Mythily

    2016-12-30

    This study aimed to: (i) determine the prevalence, socio-demographic and clinical correlates of internalized stigma and (ii) explore the association between internalized stigma and quality of life, general functioning, hope and self-esteem, among a multi-ethnic Asian population of patients with mental disorders. This cross-sectional, survey recruited adult patients (n=280) who were seeking treatment at outpatient and affiliated clinics of the only tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore. Internalized stigma was measured using the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale. 43.6% experienced moderate to high internalized stigma. After making adjustments in multiple logistic regression analysis, results revealed there were no significant socio-demographic or clinical correlates relating to internalized stigma. Individual logistic regression models found a negative relationship between quality of life, self-esteem, general functioning and internalized stigma whereby lower scores were associated with higher internalized stigma. In the final regression model, which included all psychosocial variables together, self-esteem was the only variable significantly and negatively associated with internalized stigma. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of the role internalized stigma plays in patients with mental illness, and the impact it can have on psychosocial aspects of their lives. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Quality Culture: NMC Ends Report, August 1995.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merrill, Sherrey; And Others

    In an effort to determine success in establishing an internal culture consistent with the principles of total quality management, Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) conducted a study of faculty and staff attitudes and involvement in the college. The study focused on five measurements: improvement on NMC indicators of success, quality training and…

  13. Enhancement of the Automated Quality Control Procedures for the International Soil Moisture Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heer, Elsa; Xaver, Angelika; Dorigo, Wouter; Messner, Romina

    2017-04-01

    In-situ soil moisture observations are still trusted to be the most reliable data to validate remotely sensed soil moisture products. Thus, the quality of in-situ soil moisture observations is of high importance. The International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN; http://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/) provides in-situ soil moisture data from all around the world. The data is collected from individual networks and data providers, measured by different sensors in various depths. The data sets which are delivered in different units, time zones and data formats are then transformed into homogeneous data sets. An erroneous behavior of soil moisture data is very difficult to detect, due to annual and daily changes and most significantly the high influence of precipitation and snow melting processes. Only few of the network providers have a quality assessment for their data sets. Therefore, advanced quality control procedures have been developed for the ISMN (Dorigo et al. 2013). Three categories of quality checks were introduced: exceeding boundary values, geophysical consistency checks and a spectrum based approach. The spectrum based quality control algorithms aim to detect erroneous measurements which occur within plausible geophysical ranges, e.g. a sudden drop in soil moisture caused by a sensor malfunction. By defining several conditions which have to be met by the original soil moisture time series and their first and second derivative, such error types can be detected. Since the development of these sophisticated methods many more data providers shared their data with the ISMN and new types of erroneous measurements were identified. Thus, an enhancement of the automated quality control procedures became necessary. In the present work, we introduce enhancements of the existing quality control algorithms. Additionally, six completely new quality checks have been developed, e.g. detection of suspicious values before or after NAN-values, constant values and values that lie in a

  14. Development of a Vitality Scan related to workers' sustainable employability: a study assessing its internal consistency and construct validity.

    PubMed

    Brouwers, Livia A M; Engels, Josephine A; Heerkens, Yvonne F; van der Beek, Allard J

    2015-06-16

    Most validated sustainable employability questionnaires are extensive and difficult to obtain. Our objective was to develop a usable and valid tool, a Vitality Scan, to determine possible signs of stagnation in one's functioning related to sustainable employability and to establish the instrument's internal consistency and construct validity. A literature review was performed and expert input was obtained to develop an online survey of 31 items. A sample of 1722 Dutch employees was recruited. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. The underlying theoretical concepts were extracted by factor analysis using a principal component method. For construct validity, a priori hypotheses were defined for expected differences between known subgroups: 1) older workers would report more stagnation than younger workers, and 2) less educated workers would report more problems than the highly educated ones. Both hypotheses were statistically tested using ANOVA. Internal consistency measures and factor analysis resulted in five subscales with acceptable to good reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.72-0.87). These subscales included: balance and competence, motivation and involvement, resilience, mental and physical health, and social support at work. Three items were removed following these analyses. In accordance with our a priori hypothesis 1, the ANOVA showed that older workers reported the most problems, while younger workers reported the least problems. However, hypothesis 2 was not confirmed: no significant differences were found for education level. The developed Vitality Scan - with the 28 remaining items - showed good measurement properties. It is applicable as a user-friendly, evaluative instrument for worker's sustainable employability. The scan's value for determining whether or not the employee is at risk for a decrease in functioning during present and future work, should be further tested.

  15. Quality systems in veterinary diagnostics laboratories.

    PubMed

    de Branco, Freitas Maia L M

    2007-01-01

    Quality assurance of services provided by veterinary diagnostics laboratories is a fundamental element promoted by international animal health organizations to establish trust, confidence and transparency needed for the trade of animals and their products at domestic and international levels. It requires, among other things, trained personnel, consistent and rigorous methodology, choice of suitable methods as well as appropriate calibration and traceability procedures. An important part of laboratory quality management is addressed by ISO/IEC 17025, which aims to facilitate cooperation among laboratories and their associated parties by assuring the generation of credible and consistent information derived from analytical results. Currently, according to OIE recommendation, veterinary diagnostics laboratories are only subject to voluntary compliance with standard ISO/IEC 17025; however, it is proposed here that OIE reference laboratories and collaboration centres strongly consider its adoption.

  16. Path Forward for the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This article lays out the objectives for Phase 2 of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). The inhalation of air pollutants such as ozone and fine particles has been linked to adverse impacts on human health, and the atmospheric deposition of pollutan...

  17. SPRT Calibration Uncertainties and Internal Quality Control at a Commercial SPRT Calibration Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiandt, T. J.

    2008-06-01

    The Hart Scientific Division of the Fluke Corporation operates two accredited standard platinum resistance thermometer (SPRT) calibration facilities, one at the Hart Scientific factory in Utah, USA, and the other at a service facility in Norwich, UK. The US facility is accredited through National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), and the UK facility is accredited through UKAS. Both provide SPRT calibrations using similar equipment and procedures, and at similar levels of uncertainty. These uncertainties are among the lowest available commercially. To achieve and maintain low uncertainties, it is required that the calibration procedures be thorough and optimized. However, to minimize customer downtime, it is also important that the instruments be calibrated in a timely manner and returned to the customer. Consequently, subjecting the instrument to repeated calibrations or extensive repeated measurements is not a viable approach. Additionally, these laboratories provide SPRT calibration services involving a wide variety of SPRT designs. These designs behave differently, yet predictably, when subjected to calibration measurements. To this end, an evaluation strategy involving both statistical process control and internal consistency measures is utilized to provide confidence in both the instrument calibration and the calibration process. This article describes the calibration facilities, procedure, uncertainty analysis, and internal quality assurance measures employed in the calibration of SPRTs. Data will be reviewed and generalities will be presented. Finally, challenges and considerations for future improvements will be discussed.

  18. The potential for intelligent decision support systems to improve the quality and consistency of medication reviews.

    PubMed

    Bindoff, I; Stafford, A; Peterson, G; Kang, B H; Tenni, P

    2012-08-01

    Drug-related problems (DRPs) are of serious concern worldwide, particularly for the elderly who often take many medications simultaneously. Medication reviews have been demonstrated to improve medication usage, leading to reductions in DRPs and potential savings in healthcare costs. However, medication reviews are not always of a consistently high standard, and there is often room for improvement in the quality of their findings. Our aim was to produce computerized intelligent decision support software that can improve the consistency and quality of medication review reports, by helping to ensure that DRPs relevant to a patient are overlooked less frequently. A system that largely achieved this goal was previously published, but refinements have been made. This paper examines the results of both the earlier and newer systems. Two prototype multiple-classification ripple-down rules medication review systems were built, the second being a refinement of the first. Each of the systems was trained incrementally using a human medication review expert. The resultant knowledge bases were analysed and compared, showing factors such as accuracy, time taken to train, and potential errors avoided. The two systems performed well, achieving accuracies of approximately 80% and 90%, after being trained on only a small number of cases (126 and 244 cases, respectively). Through analysis of the available data, it was estimated that without the system intervening, the expert training the first prototype would have missed approximately 36% of potentially relevant DRPs, and the second 43%. However, the system appeared to prevent the majority of these potential expert errors by correctly identifying the DRPs for them, leaving only an estimated 8% error rate for the first expert and 4% for the second. These intelligent decision support systems have shown a clear potential to substantially improve the quality and consistency of medication reviews, which should in turn translate into

  19. Strengthening Internal Quality Assurance Processes: Facilitating Student Evaluation Committees to Contribute

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stalmeijer, Renée; Whittingham, Jill; de Grave, Willem; Dolmans, Diana

    2016-01-01

    Student evaluation committees play a crucial role in internal quality assurance processes as representatives of the student body. However, the students on these committees sometimes experience difficulty in providing constructive and structured feedback to faculty in an environment characterised by a strong power differential between student and…

  20. Second Harmonic Imaging improves Echocardiograph Quality on board the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Garcia, Kathleen; Sargsyan, Ashot; Hamilton, Douglas; Martin, David; Ebert, Douglas; Melton, Shannon; Dulchavsky, Scott

    2008-01-01

    Ultrasound (US) capabilities have been part of the Human Research Facility (HRF) on board the International Space Station (ISS) since 2001. The US equipment on board the ISS includes a first-generation Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI) option. Harmonic imaging (HI) is the second harmonic response of the tissue to the ultrasound beam and produces robust tissue detail and signal. Since this is a first-generation THI, there are inherent limitations in tissue penetration. As a breakthrough technology, HI extensively advanced the field of ultrasound. In cardiac applications, it drastically improves endocardial border detection and has become a common imaging modality. U.S. images were captured and stored as JPEG stills from the ISS video downlink. US images with and without harmonic imaging option were randomized and provided to volunteers without medical education or US skills for identification of endocardial border. The results were processed and analyzed using applicable statistical calculations. The measurements in US images using HI improved measurement consistency and reproducibility among observers when compared to fundamental imaging. HI has been embraced by the imaging community at large as it improves the quality and data validity of US studies, especially in difficult-to-image cases. Even with the limitations of the first generation THI, HI improved the quality and measurability of many of the downlinked images from the ISS and should be an option utilized with cardiac imaging on board the ISS in all future space missions.

  1. Improving the Quality of Academic Services through Implementation of Internal Quality Assurance System in State Institute of Islamic Studies STS Jambi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iskandar

    2017-01-01

    Implementation of quality assurance systems in IAIN STS Jambi implemented in early 2012, through the build system of internal quality assurance based on ISO 9001: 2008, in the process of implementation required strong reasons behind not growing atmosphere of academic standards of accreditation of study programs and institutions that are reflected…

  2. Leisure and Quality of Life in an International and Multicultural Context: What Are Major Pathways Linking Leisure to Quality of Life?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iwasaki, Yoshitaka

    2007-01-01

    This paper aims at advancing the conceptualization of leisure as a contributor to quality of life (QOL) in an international and multicultural context, based on an extensive and critical review of literature on leisure and QOL from a global, international perspective. Given the central role of culture in conceptualizing this notion, this paper…

  3. Cabin Air Quality On Board Mir and the International Space Station: A Comparison

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Macatangay, Ariel; Perry, Jay L.

    2007-01-01

    The maintenance of the cabin atmosphere aboard spacecraft is critical not only to its habitability but also to its function. Ideally, air quality can be maintained by striking a proper balance between the generation and removal of contaminants. Both very dynamic processes, the balance between generation and removal can be difficult to maintain and control because the state of the cabin atmosphere is in constant evolution responding to different perturbations. Typically, maintaining a clean cabin environment on board crewed spacecraft and space habitats is the central function of the environmental control and life support (ECLS) system. While active air quality control equipment is deployed on board every vehicle to remove carbon dioxide, water vapor, and trace chemical components from the cabin atmosphere, perturbations associated with logistics, vehicle construction and maintenance, and ECLS system configuration influence the resulting cabin atmospheric quality. The air-quality data obtained from the International Space Station (ISS) and NASA-Mir programs provides a wealth of information regarding the maintenance of the cabin atmosphere aboard long-lived space habitats. A comparison of the composition of the trace chemical contaminant load is presented. Correlations between ground-based and in-flight operations that influence cabin atmospheric quality are identified and discussed, and observations on cabin atmospheric quality during the NASA-Mir expeditions and the International Space Station are explored.

  4. Five-Item Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity: Construct and Nomological Validity and Internal Consistency among Colombian College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ceballos, Guillermo A.; Suescun, Jesus D.; Oviedo, Heidi C.; Herazo, Edwin; Campo-Arias, Adalberto

    2015-01-01

    The Spanish version of the five-item Francis scale of attitude toward Christianity is a refinement of the short version of the Francis scale of attitude toward Christianity. The scale is a good measurement for intrinsic religiosity. It has been applied previously among Colombian adolescent students. The internal consistency and construct and…

  5. International Metadata Standards and Enterprise Data Quality Metadata Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Habermann, T.

    2016-12-01

    Well-documented data quality is critical in situations where scientists and decision-makers need to combine multiple datasets from different disciplines and collection systems to address scientific questions or difficult decisions. Standardized data quality metadata could be very helpful in these situations. Many efforts at developing data quality standards falter because of the diversity of approaches to measuring and reporting data quality. The "one size fits all" paradigm does not generally work well in this situation. The ISO data quality standard (ISO 19157) takes a different approach with the goal of systematically describing how data quality is measured rather than how it should be measured. It introduces the idea of standard data quality measures that can be well documented in a measure repository and used for consistently describing how data quality is measured across an enterprise. The standard includes recommendations for properties of these measures that include unique identifiers, references, illustrations and examples. Metadata records can reference these measures using the unique identifier and reuse them along with details (and references) that describe how the measure was applied to a particular dataset. A second important feature of ISO 19157 is the inclusion of citations to existing papers or reports that describe quality of a dataset. This capability allows users to find this information in a single location, i.e. the dataset metadata, rather than searching the web or other catalogs. I will describe these and other capabilities of ISO 19157 with examples of how they are being used to describe data quality across the NASA EOS Enterprise and also compare these approaches with other standards.

  6. Quality Assurance at a Distance: International Accreditation in Taiwan Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hou, Angela Yung-Chi

    2011-01-01

    In response to the global competitiveness in higher education, the government, in recent years, has encouraged Taiwan colleges and universities to seek international accreditation, which raises several questions, such as jurisdiction over national accreditation, a single set of standards for local and global quality assurance, demand for the…

  7. Effects of dietary quality on basal metabolic rate and internal morphology of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Geluso, Keith; Hayes, J.P.

    1999-01-01

    European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were fed either a low- or high-quality diet to test the effects of dietary quality on basal metabolic rate (BMR) and internal morphology. Basal metabolic rate did not differ significantly between the two dietary groups, but internal morphology differed greatly. Starlings fed the low-quality diet had heavier gastrointestinal tracts, gizzards, and livers. Starlings fed the high-quality diet had heavier breast muscles. Starlings on the low-quality diet maintained mass, while starlings on the high-quality diet gained mass. Dry matter digestibility and energy digestibility were lower for starlings fed the low-quality diet, and their food and water intake were greater than starlings on the high-quality diet. The lack of dietary effect on BMR may be the result of increased energy expenditure of digestive organs paralleling a reduction of energy expenditure of organs and tissues not related to digestion (i.e., skeletal muscle). This trade-off in energy allocation among organs suggests a mechanism by which organisms may alter BMR in response to a change in seasonal variation in food availability.

  8. [Internal consistency and criterion validity and reliability of the Mexican Version of the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5)].

    PubMed

    Albores-Gallo, Lilia; Hernández-Guzmán, Laura; Hasfura-Buenaga, Cecilia; Navarro-Luna, Enrique

    To investigate the validity and internal consistency of the Mexican version of the CBCL/1.5 -5 that assesses the most common psychopathology in pre-school children in clinical and epidemiological settings. A total of 438 parents from two groups, clinical-psychiatric (N= 62) and community (N= 376) completed the CBCL/1.5-5/Mexican version. The internal consistency was high for total problems α=0.95, and internalized α=0.89 and externalized α=0.91 subscales. The test re-test (one week) using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was ≥ 0.95 for the internalized, externalized, and total problems subscales. The ROC curve for the criterion status of clinically-referred vs. non-referred using the total problems scale ≥ 24 resulted in an AUC (area under curve) of 0.77, a specificity 0.73, and a sensitivity of 0.70. The CBCL/1.5 -5/Mexican version is a reliable and valid tool. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. The test of variables of attention (TOVA): Internal consistency (Q1 vs. Q2 and Q3 vs. Q4) in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The internal consistency of the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) was examined in a cohort of 6- to 12-year-old children (N = 63) strictly diagnosed with ADHD. The internal consistency of errors of omission (OMM), errors of commission (COM), response time (RT), and response time variability (RTV...

  10. Thermodynamically consistent relations involving plasticity, internal energy and thermal effects.

    PubMed

    Schreyer, H L; Maudlin, P J

    2005-11-15

    Experimental data associated with plastic deformations indicate that the temperature is less than that predicted from dissipation based on plastic work. To obtain reasonable correlation between theoretical and experimental results, the plastic work is often multiplied by a constant beta. This paper provides an alternative thermodynamic framework in which it is proposed that there is an additional internal energy associated with dislocation pile-up or increase in dislocation density. The form of this internal energy follows from experimental data that relates flow stress to dislocation density and to equivalent plastic strain. The result is that beta is not a constant but a derived function. Representative results for beta and temperature as functions of effective plastic strain are provided for both an uncoupled and a coupled thermoplastic theory. In addition to providing features that are believed to be representative of many metals, the formulation can be used as a basis for more advanced theories such as those needed for large deformations and general forms of internal energy.

  11. Ozone deposition modelling within the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation provides an overview of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). It contains a synopsis of the three phases of AQMEII, including objectives, logistics, and timelines. It also provides a number of examples of analyses conducted through ...

  12. 76 FR 57746 - Conference on the International Conference on Harmonisation Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System: A...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-16

    ... ``Pharmaceutical Quality System (ICH Q10) Conference: A Practical Approach to Effective Life- Cycle Implementation... Pharmaceutical Quality System across the product life cycle according to the ICH Q10 model. These companies are...] Conference on the International Conference on Harmonisation Q10 Pharmaceutical Quality System: A Practical...

  13. Towards an Analytical Framework for Understanding the Development of a Quality Assurance System in an International Joint Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Gaoming; Cai, Yuzhuo; Ma, Shaozhuang

    2017-01-01

    This paper intends to construct an analytical framework for understanding quality assurance in international joint programmes and to test it in a case analysis of a European--Chinese joint doctoral degree programme. The development of a quality assurance system for an international joint programme is understood as an institutionalization process…

  14. Quality Service in the International Hotel Sector: A Catalyst for Strategic Human Resource Development?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maxwell, Gill; Watson, Sandra; Quail, Samantha

    2004-01-01

    This paper analyses the nature of, and relationship between, a quality service initiative and the concept of strategic human resource development. Hilton International is the case study used for this analysis. The principal finding is that the quality initiative is acting as a catalyst for a strategic approach to human resource development to…

  15. Enacted and internalized stigma and quality of life among people with HIV: the role of group identity.

    PubMed

    Fuster-Ruizdeapodaca, Maria J; Molero, Fernando; Holgado, Francisco Pablo; Mayordomo, Sonia

    2014-09-01

    This study analyzes the mediating role of social identity in the relationship between enacted stigma and internalized stigma and quality of life of people with HIV. A total of 557 people with HIV participated in this study. Participants were recruited from hospitals and non-governmental organizations. Questionnaires measuring perceived stigma (Berger's HIV Stigma Scale), social identity (Cameron's three factor identity scale), and quality of life (Ruiz and Baca's Quality of Life Questionnaire) were administered. The instruments were adapted for use with the Spanish population. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the mediation model, and multigroup SEM was conducted to evaluate its invariance. Both enacted stigma and internalized stigma had a negative influence on the quality of life of people with HIV, but this influence occurred in different ways. Enacted stigma had a direct negative influence on quality of life. No dimension of group identity protected people with HIV from its negative influence. However, the negative influence of internalized stigma was totally mediated by some dimensions of group identification, mainly through in-group affect. Group identification not only did not protect people with HIV from the negative effects of stigmatization, but it may even be detrimental in the case of internalized stigma. This suggests that in highly stigmatized groups, the salience of identity is negative and worsens the members' opinion of their own group. This argues for different kinds of intervention to improve the quality of life of people with HIV.

  16. [MusiQol: international questionnaire investigating quality of life in multiple sclerosis: validation results for the German subpopulation in an international comparison].

    PubMed

    Flachenecker, P; Vogel, U; Simeoni, M C; Auquier, P; Rieckmann, P

    2011-10-01

    The existing health-related quality of life questionnaires on multiple sclerosis (MS) only partially reflect the patient's point of view on the reduction of activities of daily living. Their development and validation was not performed in different languages. That is what prompted the development of the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life (MusiQoL) Questionnaire as an international multidimensional measurement instrument. This paper presents this new development and the results of the German subgroup versus the total international sample. A total of 1,992 MS patients from 15 countries, including 209 German patients, took part in the study between January 2004 and February 2005. The patients took the MusiQoL survey at baseline and at 21±7 days as well as completing a symptom-related checklist and the SF-36 short form survey. Demographics, history and MS classification data were also generated. Reproducibility, sensitivity, convergent and discriminant validity were analysed. Convergent and discriminant validity and reproducibility were satisfactory for all dimensions of the MusiQoL. The dimensional scores correlated moderately but significantly with the SF-36 scores, but showed a discriminant validity in terms of gender, socioeconomic status and health status that was more pronounced in the overall population than in the German subpopulation. The highest correlations were observed between the MusiQoL dimension of activities of daily living and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The results of this study confirm the validity and reliability of MusiQoL as an instrument for measuring the quality of life of German and international MS patients.

  17. The Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This presentation provides an overview of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). It contains a synopsis of the three phases of AQMEII, including objectives, logistics, and timelines. It also provides a number of examples of analyses conducted through AQMEII with a particular focus on past and future analyses of deposition. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposure Division (CED) develops and evaluates data, decision-support tools, and models to be applied to media-specific or receptor-specific problem areas. CED uses modeling-based approaches to characterize exposures, evaluate fate and transport, and support environmental diagnostics/forensics with input from multiple data sources. It also develops media- and receptor-specific models, process models, and decision support tools for use both within and outside of EPA.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2014-12-01

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

  19. Documentation of quality improvement exposure by internal medicine residency applicants.

    PubMed

    Kolade, Victor O; Sethi, Anuradha

    2016-01-01

    Quality improvement (QI) has become an essential component of medical care in the United States. In residency programs, QI is a focus area of the Clinical Learning Environment Review visits conducted by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The readiness of applicants to internal medicine residency to engage in QI on day one is unknown. To document the reporting of QI training or experience in residency applications. Electronic Residency Application Service applications to a single internal medicine program were reviewed individually looking for reported QI involvement or actual projects in the curriculum vitae (CVs), personal statements (PSs), and letters of recommendation (LORs). CVs were also reviewed for evidence of education in QI such as completion of Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) modules. Of 204 candidates shortlisted for interview, seven had QI items on their CVs, including one basic IHI certificate. Three discussed their QI work in their PSs, and four had recommendation letters describing their involvement in QI. One applicant had both CV and LOR evidence, so that 13 (6%) documented QI engagement. Practice of or instruction in QI is rarely mentioned in application documents of prospective internal medicine interns.

  20. Short-Term International Experience (STIE) and Students' Understanding of Quality Early Childhood Service Provision

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sims, Margaret; Nishida, Yukiyo

    2018-01-01

    Exposing pre-service teachers to international professional experiences through a short-term visiting programme serves to challenge their understandings of good quality practice through disturbing assumptions and expectations previously formed through experiences in their own country/culture. Much of the research in international study focuses on…

  1. Progressing beyond SLMTA: Are internal audits and corrective action the key drivers of quality improvement?

    PubMed

    Maina, Robert N; Mengo, Doris M; Mohamud, Abdikher D; Ochieng, Susan M; Milgo, Sammy K; Sexton, Connie J; Moyo, Sikhulile; Luman, Elizabeth T

    2014-01-01

    Kenya has implemented the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme to facilitate quality improvement in medical laboratories and to support national accreditation goals. Continuous quality improvement after SLMTA completion is needed to ensure sustainability and continue progress toward accreditation. Audits were conducted by qualified, independent auditors to assess the performance of five enrolled laboratories using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. End-of-programme (exit) and one year post-programme (surveillance) audits were compared for overall score, star level (from zero to five, based on scores) and scores for each of the 12 Quality System Essential (QSE) areas that make up the SLIPTA checklist. All laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit (median improvement 38 percentage points, range 5-45 percentage points). Two laboratories improved from zero to one star, two improved from zero to three stars and one laboratory improved from three to four stars. The lowest median QSE scores at exit were: internal audit; corrective action; and occurrence management and process improvement (< 20%). Each of the 12 QSEs improved substantially at surveillance audit, with the greatest improvement in client management and customer service, internal audit and information management (≥ 50 percentage points). The two laboratories with the greatest overall improvement focused heavily on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs. Whilst all laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit, those that focused on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs improved substantially more than those that did not; internal audits and corrective actions may have acted as catalysts, leading to improvements in other QSEs. Systematic identification of core areas and best practices to address them is a critical step toward strengthening public medical laboratories.

  2. Progressing beyond SLMTA: Are internal audits and corrective action the key drivers of quality improvement?

    PubMed Central

    Mengo, Doris M.; Mohamud, Abdikher D.; Ochieng, Susan M.; Milgo, Sammy K.; Sexton, Connie J.; Moyo, Sikhulile; Luman, Elizabeth T.

    2014-01-01

    Background Kenya has implemented the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme to facilitate quality improvement in medical laboratories and to support national accreditation goals. Continuous quality improvement after SLMTA completion is needed to ensure sustainability and continue progress toward accreditation. Methods Audits were conducted by qualified, independent auditors to assess the performance of five enrolled laboratories using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist. End-of-programme (exit) and one year post-programme (surveillance) audits were compared for overall score, star level (from zero to five, based on scores) and scores for each of the 12 Quality System Essential (QSE) areas that make up the SLIPTA checklist. Results All laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit (median improvement 38 percentage points, range 5–45 percentage points). Two laboratories improved from zero to one star, two improved from zero to three stars and one laboratory improved from three to four stars. The lowest median QSE scores at exit were: internal audit; corrective action; and occurrence management and process improvement (< 20%). Each of the 12 QSEs improved substantially at surveillance audit, with the greatest improvement in client management and customer service, internal audit and information management (≥ 50 percentage points). The two laboratories with the greatest overall improvement focused heavily on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs. Conclusion Whilst all laboratories improved from exit to surveillance audit, those that focused on the internal audit and corrective action QSEs improved substantially more than those that did not; internal audits and corrective actions may have acted as catalysts, leading to improvements in other QSEs. Systematic identification of core areas and best practices to address them is a critical step toward strengthening

  3. Internal Quality Assurance Systems in Portugal: What Their Strengths and Weaknesses Reveal

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tavares, Orlanda; Sin, Cristina; Amaral, Alberto

    2016-01-01

    In Portugal, the agency for assessment and accreditation of higher education has recently included in its remit, beyond programme accreditation, the certification of internal quality assurance systems. This implies lighter touch accreditation and aims to direct institutions towards improvement, in addition to accountability. Twelve institutions…

  4. The Teenage Nonviolence Test: Internal Consistency and Stability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayton, Daniel M., II; Weedman, Jonathon; Sonnen, Jennifer; Grubb, Celeste; Hirose, Masa

    This research study was designed to establish the reliability of the Teenage Nonviolence Test (TNT). The consistency and factor structure of the TNT using a sample of 376 adolescents were evaluated. The stability of the TNT was assessed over time by administering the TNT twice with a two week intervening interval to 87 adolescents. The TNT appears…

  5. Consistency of Use and Effectiveness of Household Water Treatment among Indian Households Claiming to Treat Their Water.

    PubMed

    Rosa, Ghislaine; Clasen, Thomas

    2017-07-01

    Household water treatment (HWT) can improve drinking water quality and prevent disease if used correctly and consistently by populations at risk. Current international monitoring estimates by the Joint Monitoring Programme for water and sanitation suggest that at least 1.1 billion people practice HWT. These estimates, however, are based on surveys that may overstate the level of consistent use and do not address microbial effectiveness. We sought to assess how HWT is practiced among households identified as HWT users according to these monitoring standards. After a baseline survey (urban: 189 households, rural: 210 households) to identify HWT users, 83 urban and 90 rural households were followed up for 6 weeks. Consistency of reported HWT practices was high in both urban (100%) and rural (93.3%) settings, as was availability of treated water (based on self-report) in all three sampling points (urban: 98.8%, rural: 76.0%). Nevertheless, only 13.7% of urban and 25.8% of rural households identified at baseline as users of adequate HWT had water free of thermotolerant coliforms at all three water sampling points. Our findings raise questions about the value of the data gathered through the international monitoring of HWT as predictors of water quality in the home, as well as questioning the ability of HWT, as actually practiced by vulnerable populations, to reduce exposure to waterborne diseases.

  6. Institutionalisation of Internal Quality Assurance: Focusing on Institutional Work and the Significance of Disciplinary Differences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vukasovic, Martina

    2014-01-01

    The study suggests that institutionalisation of a comprehensive and systematic approach to internal quality assurance of higher education institutions inspired by the Bologna Process has regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive dimensions. It includes development of structures and procedures for quality assurance, as well as boosting of the…

  7. Consistently High Sports/Exercise Activity Is Associated with Better Sleep Quality, Continuity and Depth in Midlife Women: The SWAN Sleep Study

    PubMed Central

    Kline, Christopher E.; Irish, Leah A.; Krafty, Robert T.; Sternfeld, Barbara; Kravitz, Howard M.; Buysse, Daniel J.; Bromberger, Joyce T.; Dugan, Sheila A.; Hall, Martica H.

    2013-01-01

    Study Objectives: To examine relationships between different physical activity (PA) domains and sleep, and the influence of consistent PA on sleep, in midlife women. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Community-based. Participants: 339 women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Sleep Study (52.1 ± 2.1 y). Interventions: None. Measurements and Results: Sleep was examined using questionnaires, diaries and in-home polysomnography (PSG). PA was assessed in three domains (Active Living, Household/Caregiving, Sports/Exercise) using the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS) up to 4 times over 6 years preceding the sleep assessments. The association between recent PA and sleep was evaluated using KPAS scores immediately preceding the sleep assessments. The association between the historical PA pattern and sleep was examined by categorizing PA in each KPAS domain according to its pattern over the 6 years preceding sleep assessments (consistently low, inconsistent/consistently moderate, or consistently high). Greater recent Sports/Exercise activity was associated with better sleep quality (diary “restedness” [P < 0.01]), greater sleep continuity (diary sleep efficiency [SE; P = 0.02]) and depth (higher NREM delta electroencephalographic [EEG] power [P = 0.04], lower NREM beta EEG power [P < 0.05]), and lower odds of insomnia diagnosis (P < 0.05). Consistently high Sports/Exercise activity was also associated with better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (P = 0.02) and higher PSG-assessed SE (P < 0.01). Few associations between sleep and Active Living or Household/Caregiving activity (either recent or historical pattern) were noted. Conclusion: Consistently high levels of recreational physical activity, but not lifestyle- or household-related activity, are associated with better sleep in midlife women. Increasing recreational physical activity early in midlife may protect against sleep disturbance in this population. Citation: Kline CE; Irish LA; Krafty

  8. Isochoric Burn, an Internally Consistent Method for the Reactant to Product Transformation in Reactive Flow

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

    Reaugh, J E; Lee, E L

    2002-07-01

    Mixture rules for partially reacted explosives differ amongst various models. For instance, JWL++ uses a partial pressure addition to compute an average zonal pressure, Ignition and Growth requires pressure equilibration and thermal equilibration of temperature dependent JWL EOSs, CHEETAH In Line RF also assumes temperature and pressure equilibration. It has been suggested in the past that a more realistic equilibration scheme should comprise isentropic pressure equilibration of the separate reacted and unreacted phases. This turns out not to be a proper path for equilibration. Rather, we find that the only internally consistent method is the evaluation of the equilibrium pressuremore » that satisfies the particular conditions of reactant and product resulting from deflagration in a fixed volume.« less

  9. Teacher Compensation and School Quality: New Findings from National and International Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Zhijuan; Verstegen, Deborah A.; Kim, Hoe Ryoung

    2008-01-01

    Are teacher salaries related to school quality in terms of student academic achievement and teacher retention? Are teacher salaries important factors influencing teacher job satisfaction? Is teacher job satisfaction related to retention? This research addressed these questions using international and national data. First, the literature will be…

  10. Quality management for the international transport of laboratory animals.

    PubMed

    Leary, Steven L

    2008-01-01

    Increased collaboration between investigators at different institutions has increased the number of laboratory animals being transported. The current system of laws and regulations governing animal shipments is inconsistent and government agencies often have areas of overlapping regulatory management. Furthermore, the lack of industry-wide shipping standards and good practices contributes to confusion among those responsible for shipment. One answer to these quality control issues would be the establishment of independent, industry-regulated 'good practices' for animal transport, similar to those used in laboratories for experimental design. These good practices could be based on the existing International Air Transport Association Live Animals Regulations, with contributions from representatives of the specialties involved. Additionally, quality control under the current system of patchwork regulations could be improved if each institution, both academic and commercial, would designate a single point of contact to follow each shipment from start to finish.

  11. Internal quality control indicators of cervical cytopathology exams performed in laboratories monitored by the External Quality Control Laboratory.

    PubMed

    Ázara, Cinara Zago Silveira; Manrique, Edna Joana Cláudio; Tavares, Suelene Brito do Nascimento; de Souza, Nadja Lindany Alves; Amaral, Rita Goreti

    2014-09-01

    To evaluate the impact of continued education provided by an external quality control laboratory on the indicators of internal quality control of cytopathology exams. The internal quality assurance indicators for cytopathology exams from 12 laboratories monitored by the External Quality Control Laboratory were evaluated. Overall, 185,194 exams were included, 98,133 of which referred to the period preceding implementation of a continued education program, while 87,061 referred to the period following this intervention. Data were obtained from the Cervical Cancer Database of the Brazilian National Health Service. Following implementation of the continued education program, the positivity index (PI) remained within recommended limits in four laboratories. In another four laboratories, the PI progressed from below the limits to within the recommended standards. In one laboratory, the PI remained low, in two laboratories, it remained very low, and in one, it increased from very low to low. The percentage of exams compatible with a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) remained within the recommended limits in five laboratories, while in three laboratories it progressed from below the recommended levels to >0.4% of the total number of satisfactory exams, and in four laboratories it remained below the standard limit. Both the percentage of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) in relation to abnormal exams, and the ratio between ASC-US and intraepithelial lesions remained within recommended levels in all the laboratories investigated. An improvement was found in the indicators represented by the positivity index and the percentage of exams compatible with a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, showing that the role played by the external quality control laboratory in providing continued education contributed towards improving laboratory staff skills in detecting cervical cancer precursor lesions.

  12. Report of the international workshop on quality control of monthly climate data

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

    Not Available

    1993-12-31

    The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the US Department of Energy`s Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) cosponsored an international quality control workshop for monthly climate data, October 5--6, 1993, at NCDC. About 40 scientists from around the world participated. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and compare various quality control methods and to draft recommendations concerning the most successful systems. The near-term goal to improve quality control of CLIMAT messages for the NCDC/WMO publication Monthly Climatic Data for the World was sucessfully met. An electronic bulletin board was established to post errorsmore » and corrections. Improved communications among Global Telecommunication System hubs will be implemented. Advanced quality control algorithms were discussed and improvements were suggested. Further data exchanges were arranged.« less

  13. Standards for Quality? A Citical Appraisal of the Berlin Principles for International Rankings of Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hägg, Ingemund; Wedlin, Linda

    2013-01-01

    This article discusses the principles developed to assure the quality of international ranking practices for higher education, the so-called Berlin Principles, and the role given to them in the higher education community. While the principles are generally regarded as proper quality assurance principles, they are problematic both in their content…

  14. The influence of international and domestic events in the evolution of forest inventory and reporting consistency in the United States

    Treesearch

    W. Brad Smith

    2009-01-01

    This article takes a brief chronological look at resource inventory and reporting and links to international influences. It explores events as drivers of more consistent data within the United States and highlights key dates and events in the evolution of inventory policy and practice. From King George to L?Ecole nationale forestiere to the Food and Agriculture...

  15. Quality of life assessment in cosmetics: specificity and interest of the international BeautyQol instrument.

    PubMed

    Beresniak, Ariel; Auray, Jean-Paul; Duru, Gérard; Aractingi, Selim; Krueger, Gerald G; Talarico, Sergio; Tsutani, Kiichiro; Dupont, Danielle; de Linares, Yolaine

    2015-09-01

    The wide use of cosmetics and their perceived benefits upon well-being imply objective descriptions of their effects upon the different dimensions contributing to the quality of life (QoL). Such a goal pleas for using relevant and validated scientific instruments with robust measurement methods. This paper discusses the interest of the new validated questionnaire BeautyQoL specifically designed to assess the effect of cosmetic products on physical appearance and QoL. After conducting a review of skin appearance and QoL, three phases of the international codevelopment have been carried out in the following sequence: semi-directed interviews (Phase 1), acceptability study (Phase 2), and validation study (Phase 3). Data collection and validation process have been carried out in 16 languages. This review confirms that QoL instruments developed in dermatology are not suitable to assess cosmetic products, mainly because of their lack of sensitivity. General acceptability of BeautyQol was very good. Forty-two questions have been structured in five dimensions that explained 76.7% of the total variance: Social Life, Self-confidence, Mood, Vitality, and Attractiveness. Cronbach's alpha coefficients are between 0.932 and 0.978, confirming the good internal consistency of the results. The BeautyQol questionnaire is the first international instrument specific to cosmetic products and physical appearance that has been validated in 16 languages and could be used in a number of clinical trials and descriptive studies to demonstrate the added value of these products on the QoL. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Quality specification and status of internal quality control of cardiac biomarkers in China from 2011 to 2016.

    PubMed

    Li, Tingting; Wang, Wei; Zhao, Haijian; He, Falin; Zhong, Kun; Yuan, Shuai; Wang, Zhiguo

    2017-09-07

    This study aimed to investigate the status of internal quality control (IQC) for cardiac biomarkers from 2011 to 2016 so that we can have overall knowledge of the precision level of measurements in China and set appropriate precision specifications. Internal quality control data of cardiac biomarkers, including creatinine kinase MB (CK-MB) (μg/L), CK-MB(U/L), myoglobin (Mb), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and homocysteines (HCY), were collected by a web-based external quality assessment (EQA) system. Percentages of laboratories meeting five precision quality specifications for current coefficient of variations (CVs) were calculated. Then, appropriate precision specifications were chosen for these six analytes. Finally, the CVs and IQC practice were further analyzed with different grouping methods. The current CVs remained nearly constant for 6 years. cTnT had the highest pass rates every year against five specifications, whereas HCY had the lowest pass rates. Overall, most analytes had a satisfactory performance (pass rates >80%), except for HCY, if one-third TEa or the minimum specification were employed. When the optimal specification was applied, the performance of most analytes was frustrating (pass rates < 60%) except for cTnT. The appropriate precision specifications of Mb, cTnI, cTnT and HCY were set as current CVs less than 9.20%, 9.90%, 7.50%, 10.54%, 7.63%, and 6.67%, respectively. The data of IQC practices indicated wide variation and substantial progress. The precision performance of cTnT was already satisfying, while the other five analytes, especially HCY, were still frustrating; thus, ongoing investigation and continuous improvement for IQC are still needed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Internal Quality Assurance Systems: "Tailor Made" or "One Size Fits All" Implementation?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cardoso, Sónia; Rosa, Maria J.; Videira, Pedro; Amaral, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to look at the characteristics of internal quality assurance (IQA) systems of higher education institutions to understand whether these systems tend to reproduce a given model, externally defined and suggested to institutions, or rather to be shaped by institutions' features and interests. Design/methodology/approach: The…

  18. Effect of pooled comparative information on judgments of quality

    PubMed Central

    Baumgart, Leigh A.; Bass, Ellen J.; Voss, John D.; Lyman, Jason A.

    2015-01-01

    Quality assessment is the focus of many health care initiatives. Yet it is not well understood how the type of information used in decision support tools to enable judgments of quality based on data impacts the accuracy, consistency and reliability of judgments made by physicians. Comparative pooled information could allow physicians to judge the quality of their practice by making comparisons to other practices or other specific populations of patients. In this study, resident physicians were provided with varying types of information derived from pooled patient data sets: quality component measures at the individual and group level, a qualitative interpretation of the quality measures using percentile rank, and an aggregate composite quality score. 32 participants viewed thirty quality profiles consisting of information applicable to the practice of thirty de-identified resident physicians. Those provided with quality component measures and a qualitative interpretation of the quality measures (rankings) judged quality of care more similarly to experts and were more internally consistent compared to participants who were provided with quality component measures alone. Reliability between participants was significantly less for those who were provided with a composite quality score compared to those who were not. PMID:26949581

  19. Assessments of the quality of randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology from 1994 to 2011.

    PubMed

    Cho, Hee Ju; Chung, Jae Hoon; Jo, Jung Ki; Kang, Dong Hyuk; Cho, Jeong Man; Yoo, Tag Keun; Lee, Seung Wook

    2013-12-01

    Randomized controlled trials are one of the most reliable resources for assessing the effectiveness and safety of medical treatments. Low quality randomized controlled trials carry a large bias that can ultimately impair the reliability of their conclusions. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology by using multiple quality assessment tools. Randomized controlled trials articles published in International Journal of Urology were found using the PubMed MEDLINE database, and qualitative analysis was carried out with three distinct assessment tools: the Jadad scale, the van Tulder scale and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. The quality of randomized controlled trials was analyzed by publication year, type of subjects, intervention, presence of funding and whether an institutional review board reviewed the study. A total of 68 randomized controlled trial articles were published among a total of 1399 original articles in International Journal of Urology. Among these randomized controlled trials, 10 (2.70%) were from 1994 to 1999, 23 (4.10%) were from 2000 to 2005 and 35 (4.00%) were from 2006 to 2011 (P = 0.494). On the assessment with the Jadad and van Tulder scale, the numbers and percentage of high quality randomized controlled trials increased over time. The studies that had institutional review board reviews, funding resources or that were carried out in multiple institutions had an increased percentage of high quality articles. The numbers and percentage of high-quality randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology have increased over time. Furthermore, randomized controlled trials with funding resources, institutional review board reviews or carried out in multiple institutions have been found to be of higher quality compared with others not presenting these features. © 2013 The Japanese Urological Association.

  20. Internal quality assurance in diagnostic microbiology: A simple approach for insightful data.

    PubMed

    Scherz, Valentin; Durussel, Christian; Greub, Gilbert

    2017-01-01

    Given the importance of microbiology results on patient care, high quality standards are expected. Internal quality assurance (IQA) could mitigate the limitations of internal quality control, competency assessment and external quality assurance, adding a longitudinal insight, including pre- and post-analytical steps. Here, we implemented an IQA program in our clinical microbiology facilities with blind resubmission of routine samples during 22 months. One-hundred-and-twenty-one out of 123 (98.4%) serological analyses and 112 out of 122 (91.8%) molecular analyses were concordant. Among the discordances in molecular biology analyses, 6 results were low positive samples that turned out negative, likely due to stochastic repartition of nucleic acids. Moreover, one identified retranscription error led us to implement automated results transmission from the Applied Biosystems instruments to the laboratory information system (LIS). Regarding Gram stain microscopy, 560 out of 745 (75.2%) of compared parameters were concordant. As many as 67 out of 84 (79.8%) pairs of culture results were similar, including 16 sterile pairs, 27 having identical identification or description and semi-quantification and 24 only showing variations in semi-quantification with identical description or identification of colonies. Seventeen pairs had diverging identification or description of colonies. Culture was twice only done for one member of the pairs. Regarding antibiotic susceptibility testing, a major discrepancy was observed in 5 out of 48 results (10.4%). In conclusion, serological tests were highly reproducible. Molecular diagnosis also revealed to be robust except when the amounts of nucleic acids present in the sample were close to the limits of detection. Conventional microbiology was less robust with major discrepancies reaching 39.5% of the samples for microscopy. Similarly, culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing were prone to discrepancies. This work was ground for

  1. Psychometric analyses and internal consistency of the PHEEM questionnaire to measure the clinical learning environment in the clerkship of a Medical School in Chile.

    PubMed

    Riquelme, Arnoldo; Herrera, Cristian; Aranis, Carolina; Oporto, Jorge; Padilla, Oslando

    2009-06-01

    The Spanish version of the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) was evaluated in this study to determine its psychometric properties, validity and internal consistency to measure the clinical learning environment in the hospital setting of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Medical School's Internship. The 40-item PHEEM questionnaire was translated from English to Spanish and retranslated to English. Content validity was tested by a focus group and minor differences in meaning were adjusted. The PHEEM was administered to clerks in years 6 and 7. Construct validity was carried out using exploratory factor analysis followed by a Varimax rotation. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha. A total of 125 out of 220 students responded to the PHEEM. The overall response rate was 56.8% and compliances with each item ranged from 99.2% to 100%. Analyses indicate that five factors instrument accounting for 58% of the variance and internal consistency of the 40-item questionnaire is 0.955 (Cronbach's alpha). The 40-item questionnaire had a mean score of 98.21 +/- 21.2 (maximum score of 160). The Spanish version of PHEEM is a multidimensional, valid and highly reliable instrument measuring the educational environment among undergraduate medical students working in hospital-based clerkships.

  2. Application of phase consistency to improve time efficiency and image quality in dual echo black-blood carotid angiography.

    PubMed

    Kholmovski, Eugene G; Parker, Dennis L

    2005-07-01

    There is a considerable similarity between proton density-weighted (PDw) and T2-weighted (T2w) images acquired by dual echo fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences. The similarity manifests itself not only in image space as correspondence between intensities of PDw and T2w images, but also in phase space as consistency between phases of PDw and T2w images. Methods for improving the imaging efficiency and image quality of dual echo FSE sequences based on this feature have been developed. The total scan time of dual echo FSE acquisition may be reduced by as much as 25% by incorporating an estimate of the image phase from a fully sampled PDw image when reconstructing partially sampled T2w images. The quality of T2w images acquired using phased array coils may be significantly improved by using the developed noise reduction reconstruction scheme, which is based on the correspondence between the PDw and T2w image intensities and the consistency between the PDw and T2w image phases. Studies of phantom and human subject MRI data were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques.

  3. Associations of Perceived Sibling and Parent-Child Relationship Quality with Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: Comparing Indian and Dutch Early Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buist, Kirsten L.; Verhoeven, Marjolein; Hoksbergen, René; ter Laak, Jan; Watve, Sujala; Paranjpe, Analpa

    2017-01-01

    The aims of the present study were (a) to examine whether Dutch and Indian early adolescents differ concerning sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems, and (b) to compare the associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems for Indian…

  4. Assessing Student Engagement in China: Responding to Local and Global Discourse on Raising Educational Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ross, Heidi; Cen, Yuhao; Zhou, Zejun

    2011-01-01

    China's heated education policy climate in 2010 indicated an increasing national concern for improving educational quality and educational quality assessment. Despite glowing portraits of Chinese education painted by international observers, the Chinese public has expressed consistent dissatisfaction with educational quality. The inter-related…

  5. Perceptual market orientation gap and its impact on relationship quality and patient loyalty: the role of internal marketing.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jin-An; Weng, Rhay-Hung; Lai, Chi-Shiun; Hu, Jer-San

    2013-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptual market orientation gaps between physician and patients and its impact on relationship quality and patient loyalty, and to verify the critical role of internal marketing on developing market orientation. Self-administered questionnaires were then employed to collect the data. We used a convenience sample of physicians and patients at a medical center in central Taiwan, and 90 usable questionnaires from physicians and 450 usable questionnaires from patients were returned. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to validate the research hypotheses. Physicians' perceptual market orientation had a positive influence on physician-patient relationship quality, hospital-patient relationship quality, and patient loyalty, but the perceptual market orientation gap between physicians and their patients had a direct negative impact on these constructs. Finally, internal marketing was found to have an influence on relationship quality and patient loyalty through the mediation of market orientation. In order to enhance relationship quality and patient loyalty, hospital managers should focus their efforts on improving employees' market orientation and reducing patients' perceptual market orientation gap. In addition, internal marketing was found to be a useful pathway in developing market orientation.

  6. Can a combination of average of normals and "real time" External Quality Assurance replace Internal Quality Control?

    PubMed

    Badrick, Tony; Graham, Peter

    2018-03-28

    Internal Quality Control and External Quality Assurance are separate but related processes that have developed independently in laboratory medicine over many years. They have different sample frequencies, statistical interpretations and immediacy. Both processes have evolved absorbing new understandings of the concept of laboratory error, sample material matrix and assay capability. However, we do not believe at the coalface that either process has led to much improvement in patient outcomes recently. It is the increasing reliability and automation of analytical platforms along with improved stability of reagents that has reduced systematic and random error, which in turn has minimised the risk of running less frequent IQC. We suggest that it is time to rethink the role of both these processes and unite them into a single approach using an Average of Normals model supported by more frequent External Quality Assurance samples. This new paradigm may lead to less confusion for laboratory staff and quicker responses to and identification of out of control situations.

  7. Piloting a generic cancer consumer quality index in six European countries.

    PubMed

    Wind, Anke; Roeling, Mark Patrick; Heerink, Jana; Sixma, Herman; Presti, Pietro; Lombardo, Claudio; van Harten, Wim

    2016-09-02

    Accounting for patients' perspective has become increasingly important. Based on the Consumer Quality Index method (founded on Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) a questionnaire was recently developed for Dutch cancer patients. As a next step, this study aimed to adapt and pilot this questionnaire for international comparison of cancer patients experience and satisfaction with care in six European countries. The Consumer Quality Index was translated into the local language at the participating pilot sites using cross-translation. A minimum of 100 patients per site were surveyed through convenience sampling. Data from seven pilot sites in six countries was collected through an online and paper-based survey. Internal consistency was tested by calculating Cronbach's alpha and validity by means of cognitive interviews. Demographic factors were compared as possible influencing factors. A total of 698 patients from six European countries filled the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was good or satisfactory in 8 out of 10 categories. Patient satisfaction significantly differed between the countries. We observed no difference in patient satisfaction for age, gender, education, and tumor type, but satisfaction was significantly higher in patients with a higher level of activation. This European Cancer Consumer Quality Index(ECCQI) showed promising scores on internal consistency (reliability) and a good internal validity. The ECCQI is to our knowledge the first to measure and compare experiences and satisfaction of cancer patients on an international level, it may enable healthcare providers to improve the quality of cancer care.

  8. Quality and consistency of guidelines for the management of mild traumatic brain injury in the emergency department.

    PubMed

    Tavender, Emma J; Bosch, Marije; Green, Sally; O'Connor, Denise; Pitt, Veronica; Phillips, Kate; Bragge, Peter; Gruen, Russell L

    2011-08-01

    The objective was to provide an overview of the recommendations and quality of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the emergency management of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with a view to informing best practice and improving the consistency of recommendations. Electronic searches of health databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO), CPG clearinghouse websites, CPG developer websites, and Internet search engines up to January 2010 were conducted. CPGs were included if 1) they were published in English and freely accessible, 2) their scope included the management of mTBI in the emergency department (ED), 3) the date of last search was within the past 10 years (2000 onward), 4) systematic methods were used to search for evidence, and 5) there was an explicit link between the recommendations and the supporting evidence. Four authors independently assessed the quality of the included CPGs using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation (AGREE) Instrument. The authors extracted and categorized recommendations according to initial clinical assessment, imaging, management, observation, discharge planning, and patient information and follow-up. The search identified 18 potential CPGs, of which six met the inclusion criteria. The included CPGs varied in scope, target population, size, and guideline development processes. Four CPGs were assessed as "strongly recommended." The majority of CPGs did not provide information about the level of stakeholder involvement (mean AGREE standardized domain score = 57%, range = 25% to 81%), nor did they address the organizational/cost implications of applying the recommendations or provide criteria for monitoring and review of recommendations in practice (mean AGREE standardized domain score = 46.6%, range = 19% to 94%). Recommendations were mostly consistent in terms of the use of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (adult and pediatric) to assess the level of consciousness, initial

  9. Evaluation of International Students' Perceptions of Eastern Kentucky University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sultana, Qaisar; Smith, Ron

    2011-01-01

    The study examined the perceptions of international students concerning their academic, social, and cultural experiences at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and suggestions for improvement. Researchers prepared a questionnaire consisting of 24 items seeking information related to students' demographics and their perceptions about quality of…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limlingan, Maria Cristina

    2011-01-01

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

  11. PROPOSAL FOR A SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT MONTHLY QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ASSESSING THE CONSISTENCY OF ROBOTIC IMAGE-GUIDED SMALL ANIMAL RADIATION SYSTEMS

    PubMed Central

    Brodin, N. Patrik; Guha, Chandan; Tomé, Wolfgang A.

    2015-01-01

    Modern pre-clinical radiation therapy (RT) research requires high precision and accurate dosimetry to facilitate the translation of research findings into clinical practice. Several systems are available that provide precise delivery and on-board imaging capabilities, highlighting the need for a quality management program (QMP) to ensure consistent and accurate radiation dose delivery. An ongoing, simple, and efficient QMP for image-guided robotic small animal irradiators used in pre-clinical RT research is described. Protocols were developed and implemented to assess the dose output constancy (based on the AAPM TG-61 protocol), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) image quality and object representation accuracy (using a custom-designed imaging phantom), CBCT-guided target localization accuracy and consistency of the CBCT-based dose calculation. To facilitate an efficient read-out and limit the user dependence of the QMP data analysis, a semi-automatic image analysis and data representation program was developed using the technical computing software MATLAB. The results of the first six months experience using the suggested QMP for a Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) are presented, with data collected on a bi-monthly basis. The dosimetric output constancy was established to be within ±1 %, the consistency of the image resolution was within ±0.2 mm, the accuracy of CBCT-guided target localization was within ±0.5 mm, and dose calculation consistency was within ±2 s (± 3 %) per treatment beam. Based on these results, this simple quality assurance program allows for the detection of inconsistencies in dosimetric or imaging parameters that are beyond the acceptable variability for a reliable and accurate pre-clinical RT system, on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. PMID:26425981

  12. Proposal for a Simple and Efficient Monthly Quality Management Program Assessing the Consistency of Robotic Image-Guided Small Animal Radiation Systems.

    PubMed

    Brodin, N Patrik; Guha, Chandan; Tomé, Wolfgang A

    2015-11-01

    Modern pre-clinical radiation therapy (RT) research requires high precision and accurate dosimetry to facilitate the translation of research findings into clinical practice. Several systems are available that provide precise delivery and on-board imaging capabilities, highlighting the need for a quality management program (QMP) to ensure consistent and accurate radiation dose delivery. An ongoing, simple, and efficient QMP for image-guided robotic small animal irradiators used in pre-clinical RT research is described. Protocols were developed and implemented to assess the dose output constancy (based on the AAPM TG-61 protocol), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) image quality and object representation accuracy (using a custom-designed imaging phantom), CBCT-guided target localization accuracy and consistency of the CBCT-based dose calculation. To facilitate an efficient read-out and limit the user dependence of the QMP data analysis, a semi-automatic image analysis and data representation program was developed using the technical computing software MATLAB. The results of the first 6-mo experience using the suggested QMP for a Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) are presented, with data collected on a bi-monthly basis. The dosimetric output constancy was established to be within ±1 %, the consistency of the image resolution was within ±0.2 mm, the accuracy of CBCT-guided target localization was within ±0.5 mm, and dose calculation consistency was within ±2 s (±3%) per treatment beam. Based on these results, this simple quality assurance program allows for the detection of inconsistencies in dosimetric or imaging parameters that are beyond the acceptable variability for a reliable and accurate pre-clinical RT system, on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

  13. The role of internationally educated nurses in a quality, safe workforce.

    PubMed

    D Sherwood, Gwen; Shaffer, Franklin A

    2014-01-01

    Migration and globalization of the nursing workforce affect source countries and destination countries. Policies and regulations governing the movement of nurses from one country to another safeguard the public by ensuring educational comparability and competence. The global movement of nurses and other health care workers calls for quality and safety competencies that meet standards such as those defined by the Institute of Medicine. This article examines nurse migration and employment of internationally educated nurses (IENs) in the context of supporting and maintaining safe, quality patient care environments. Migration to the United States is featured as an exemplar to consider the following key factors: the impact of nurse migration on the nursing workforce; issues in determining educational comparability of nursing programs between countries; quality and safety concerns in transitioning IENs into the workforce; and strategies for helping IENs transition as safe, qualified members of the nursing workforce in the destination country. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Acculturation, quality of life and work environment of international nurses in a multi-cultural society: A cross-sectional, correlational study.

    PubMed

    Goh, Yong-Shian; Lopez, Violeta

    2016-05-01

    The aim is to examine the acculturation level of international nurses working in a multi-cultural society. The relationship between acculturation, working environment and quality of life of international nurses was also explored. A cross-sectional, correlational study using self-report questionnaire was conducted on 814 international nurses using stratified random sampling based on the nationality distribution of international nurses registered with the Singapore Nursing Board. Outcome measures included World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL_BREF) and Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index-Revised (PES-NWI-R). Data were collected from June to December 2012. There were variations in the acculturation level among different nationality groups of international nurses. Acculturation levels were the lowest among Mainland Chinese international nurses (M=27.47, SD 5.23). A positive correlation was found between acculturation and quality of life whereas a lower perception of work environment was associated with lower acculturation level. Data obtained from this study can be utilized to develop interventions targeted at the unique needs of the international nurses as they migrate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Endogenous patient responses and the consistency principle in cost-effectiveness analysis.

    PubMed

    Liu, Liqun; Rettenmaier, Andrew J; Saving, Thomas R

    2012-01-01

    In addition to incurring direct treatment costs and generating direct health benefits that improve longevity and/or health-related quality of life, medical interventions often have further or "unrelated" financial and health impacts, raising the issue of what costs and effects should be included in calculating the cost-effectiveness ratio of an intervention. The "consistency principle" in medical cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) requires that one include both the cost and the utility benefit of a change (in medical expenditures, consumption, or leisure) caused by an intervention or neither of them. By distinguishing between exogenous changes directly brought about by an intervention and endogenous patient responses to the exogenous changes, and within a lifetime utility maximization framework, this article addresses 2 questions related to the consistency principle: 1) how to choose among alternative internally consistent exclusion/inclusion rules, and 2) what to do with survival consumption costs and earnings. It finds that, for an endogenous change, excluding or including both the cost and the utility benefit of the change does not alter cost-effectiveness results. Further, in agreement with the consistency principle, welfare maximization implies that consumption costs and earnings during the extended life directly caused by an intervention should be included in CEA.

  16. Internal Quality Assurance Reviews: Challenges and Processes--Walter Sisulu University's Business, Management Sciences and Law Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moodly, A.; Saunderson, I.

    2008-01-01

    The Council for Higher Educations' (CHE) Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) requires internal quality evaluations to be performed on the various programmes offered by the Faculty before visitation by the HEQC. This article examines some of the challenges and processes followed by six of the departments of Walter Sisulu University's Faculty…

  17. Deriving proper measurement uncertainty from Internal Quality Control data: An impossible mission?

    PubMed

    Ceriotti, Ferruccio

    2018-03-30

    Measurement uncertainty (MU) is a "non-negative parameter characterizing the dispersion of the quantity values being attributed to a measurand, based on the information used". In the clinical laboratory the most convenient way to calculate MU is the "top down" approach based on the use of Internal Quality Control data. As indicated in the definition, MU depends on the information used for its calculation and so different estimates of MU can be obtained. The most problematic aspect is how to deal with bias. In fact bias is difficult to detect and quantify and it should be corrected including only the uncertainty derived from this correction. Several approaches to calculate MU starting from Internal Quality Control data are presented. The minimum requirement is to use only the intermediate precision data, provided to include 6 months of results obtained with a commutable quality control material at a concentration close to the clinical decision limit. This approach is the minimal requirement and it is convenient for all those measurands that are especially used for monitoring or where a reference measurement system does not exist and so a reference for calculating the bias is lacking. Other formulas including the uncertainty of the value of the calibrator, including the bias from a commutable certified reference material or from a material specifically prepared for trueness verification, including the bias derived from External Quality Assessment schemes or from historical mean of the laboratory are presented and commented. MU is an important parameter, but a single, agreed upon way to calculate it in a clinical laboratory is not yet available. Copyright © 2018 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. On a self-consistent representation of earth models, with an application to the computing of internal flattening

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denis, C.; Ibrahim, A.

    Self-consistent parametric earth models are discussed in terms of a flexible numerical code. The density profile of each layer is represented as a polynomial, and figures of gravity, mass, mean density, hydrostatic pressure, and moment of inertia are derived. The polynomial representation also allows computation of the first order flattening of the internal strata of some models, using a Gauss-Legendre quadrature with a rapidly converging iteration technique. Agreement with measured geophysical data is obtained, and algorithm for estimation of the geometric flattening for any equidense surface identified by its fractional radius is developed. The program can also be applied in studies of planetary and stellar models.

  19. A self-consistent method to assess air quality co-benefits from U.S. climate policies.

    PubMed

    Saari, Rebecca K; Selin, Noelle E; Rausch, Sebastian; Thompson, Tammy M

    2015-01-01

    Air quality co-benefits can potentially reduce the costs of greenhouse gas mitigation. However, whereas many studies of the cost of greenhouse gas mitigation model the macroeconomic welfare impacts of mitigation, most studies of air quality co-benefits do not. We employ a U.S. computable general equilibrium economic model previously linked to an air quality modeling system and enhance it to represent the economy-wide welfare impacts of fine particulate matter. We present a first application of this method to explore the efficiency and distributional implications of a Clean Energy Standard (CES) and a Cap and Trade (CAT) program that both reduce CO₂emissions by 10% in 2030 relative to 2006. We find that co-benefits from fine particulate matter reduction (median $6; $2 to $10/tCO₂) completely offset policy costs by 110% (40% to 190%), transforming the net welfare impact of the CAT into a gain of $1 (-$5 to $7) billion 2005$. For the CES, the corresponding co-benefit (median $8; $3 to $14/tCO₂) is a smaller fraction (median 5%; 2% to 9%) of its higher policy cost. The eastern United States garners 78% and 71% of co-benefits for the CES and CAT, respectively. By representing the effects of pollution-related morbidities and mortalities as an impact to labor and the demand for health services, we find that the welfare impact per unit of reduced pollution varies by region. These interregional differences can enhance the preference of some regions, such as Texas, for a CAT over a CES, or switch the calculation of which policy yields higher co-benefits, compared with an approach that uses one valuation for all regions. This framework could be applied to quantify consistent air quality impacts of other pricing instruments, subnational trading programs, or green tax swaps.

  20. Consistency-based rectification of nonrigid registrations

    PubMed Central

    Gass, Tobias; Székely, Gábor; Goksel, Orcun

    2015-01-01

    Abstract. We present a technique to rectify nonrigid registrations by improving their group-wise consistency, which is a widely used unsupervised measure to assess pair-wise registration quality. While pair-wise registration methods cannot guarantee any group-wise consistency, group-wise approaches typically enforce perfect consistency by registering all images to a common reference. However, errors in individual registrations to the reference then propagate, distorting the mean and accumulating in the pair-wise registrations inferred via the reference. Furthermore, the assumption that perfect correspondences exist is not always true, e.g., for interpatient registration. The proposed consistency-based registration rectification (CBRR) method addresses these issues by minimizing the group-wise inconsistency of all pair-wise registrations using a regularized least-squares algorithm. The regularization controls the adherence to the original registration, which is additionally weighted by the local postregistration similarity. This allows CBRR to adaptively improve consistency while locally preserving accurate pair-wise registrations. We show that the resulting registrations are not only more consistent, but also have lower average transformation error when compared to known transformations in simulated data. On clinical data, we show improvements of up to 50% target registration error in breathing motion estimation from four-dimensional MRI and improvements in atlas-based segmentation quality of up to 65% in terms of mean surface distance in three-dimensional (3-D) CT. Such improvement was observed consistently using different registration algorithms, dimensionality (two-dimensional/3-D), and modalities (MRI/CT). PMID:26158083

  1. Quality assurance of the international computerised 24 h dietary recall method (EPIC-Soft).

    PubMed

    Crispim, Sandra P; Nicolas, Genevieve; Casagrande, Corinne; Knaze, Viktoria; Illner, Anne-Kathrin; Huybrechts, Inge; Slimani, Nadia

    2014-02-01

    The interview-administered 24 h dietary recall (24-HDR) EPIC-Soft® has a series of controls to guarantee the quality of dietary data across countries. These comprise all steps that are part of fieldwork preparation, data collection and data management; however, a complete characterisation of these quality controls is still lacking. The present paper describes in detail the quality controls applied in EPIC-Soft, which are, to a large extent, built on the basis of the EPIC-Soft error model and are present in three phases: (1) before, (2) during and (3) after the 24-HDR interviews. Quality controls for consistency and harmonisation are implemented before the interviews while preparing the seventy databases constituting an EPIC-Soft version (e.g. pre-defined and coded foods and recipes). During the interviews, EPIC-Soft uses a cognitive approach by helping the respondent to recall the dietary intake information in a stepwise manner and includes controls for consistency (e.g. probing questions) as well as for completeness of the collected data (e.g. system calculation for some unknown amounts). After the interviews, a series of controls can be applied by dietitians and data managers to further guarantee data quality. For example, the interview-specific 'note files' that were created to track any problems or missing information during the interviews can be checked to clarify the information initially provided. Overall, the quality controls employed in the EPIC-Soft methodology are not always perceivable, but prove to be of assistance for its overall standardisation and possibly for the accuracy of the collected data.

  2. Impact of a competency based curriculum on quality improvement among internal medicine residents.

    PubMed

    Fok, Mark C; Wong, Roger Y

    2014-11-28

    Teaching quality improvement (QI) principles during residency is an important component of promoting patient safety and improving quality of care. The literature on QI curricula for internal medicine residents is limited. We sought to evaluate the impact of a competency based curriculum on QI among internal medicine residents. This was a prospective, cohort study over four years (2007-2011) using pre-post curriculum comparison design in an internal medicine residency program in Canada. Overall 175 post-graduate year one internal medicine residents participated. A two-phase, competency based curriculum on QI was developed with didactic workshops and longitudinal, team-based QI projects. The main outcome measures included self-assessment, objective assessment using the Quality Improvement Knowledge Assessment Tool (QIKAT) scores to assess QI knowledge, and performance-based assessment via presentation of longitudinal QI projects. Overall 175 residents participated, with a response rate of 160/175 (91%) post-curriculum and 114/175 (65%) after conducting their longitudinal QI project. Residents' self-reported confidence in making changes to improve health increased and was sustained at twelve months post-curriculum. Self-assessment scores of QI skills improved significantly from pre-curriculum (53.4 to 69.2 percent post-curriculum [p-value 0.002]) and scores were sustained at twelve months after conducting their longitudinal QI projects (53.4 to 72.2 percent [p-value 0.005]). Objective scores using the QIKAT increased post-curriculum from 8.3 to 10.1 out of 15 (p-value for difference <0.001) and this change was sustained at twelve months post-project with average individual scores of 10.7 out of 15 (p-value for difference from pre-curriculum <0.001). Performance-based assessment occurred via presentation of all projects at the annual QI Project Podium Presentation Day. The competency based curriculum on QI improved residents' QI knowledge and skills during residency

  3. Sixteen-Item Anxiety Sensitivity Index: Confirmatory Factor Analytic Evidence, Internal Consistency, and Construct Validity in a Young Adult Sample from the Netherlands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vujanovic, Anka A.; Arrindell, Willem A.; Bernstein, Amit; Norton, Peter J.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

    2007-01-01

    The present investigation examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; Reiss Peterson, Gursky, & McNally 1986) in a young adult sample (n = 420) from the Netherlands. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to comparatively evaluate two-factor, three-factor, and…

  4. International Perspectives on Quality Assurance and New Techniques in Radiation Medicine: Outcomes of an IAEA Conference

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

    Shortt, Ken; Davidsson, Lena; Hendry, Jolyon

    2008-05-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency organized an international conference called, 'Quality Assurance and New Techniques in Radiation Medicine' (QANTRM). It dealt with quality assurance (QA) in all aspects of radiation medicine (diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy) at the international level. Participants discussed QA issues pertaining to the implementation of new technologies and the need for education and staff training. The advantage of developing a comprehensive and harmonized approach to QA covering both the technical and the managerial issues was emphasized to ensure the optimization of benefits to patient safety and effectiveness. The necessary coupling between medical radiation imaging andmore » radiotherapy was stressed, particularly for advanced technologies. However, the need for a more systematic approach to the adoption of advanced technologies was underscored by a report on failures in intensity-modulated radiotherapy dosimetry auditing tests in the United States, which could imply inadequate implementation of QA for these new technologies. A plenary session addressed the socioeconomic impact of introducing advanced technologies in resource-limited settings. How shall the dual gaps, one in access to basic medical services and the other in access to high-quality modern technology, be addressed?.« less

  5. International perspectives on quality assurance and new techniques in radiation medicine: outcomes of an IAEA conference.

    PubMed

    Shortt, Ken; Davidsson, Lena; Hendry, Jolyon; Dondi, Maurizio; Andreo, Pedro

    2008-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency organized an international conference called, "Quality Assurance and New Techniques in Radiation Medicine" (QANTRM). It dealt with quality assurance (QA) in all aspects of radiation medicine (diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy) at the international level. Participants discussed QA issues pertaining to the implementation of new technologies and the need for education and staff training. The advantage of developing a comprehensive and harmonized approach to QA covering both the technical and the managerial issues was emphasized to ensure the optimization of benefits to patient safety and effectiveness. The necessary coupling between medical radiation imaging and radiotherapy was stressed, particularly for advanced technologies. However, the need for a more systematic approach to the adoption of advanced technologies was underscored by a report on failures in intensity-modulated radiotherapy dosimetry auditing tests in the United States, which could imply inadequate implementation of QA for these new technologies. A plenary session addressed the socioeconomic impact of introducing advanced technologies in resource-limited settings. How shall the dual gaps, one in access to basic medical services and the other in access to high-quality modern technology, be addressed?

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

    PubMed

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

    2011-03-01

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

  7. Consistently high sports/exercise activity is associated with better sleep quality, continuity and depth in midlife women: the SWAN sleep study.

    PubMed

    Kline, Christopher E; Irish, Leah A; Krafty, Robert T; Sternfeld, Barbara; Kravitz, Howard M; Buysse, Daniel J; Bromberger, Joyce T; Dugan, Sheila A; Hall, Martica H

    2013-09-01

    To examine relationships between different physical activity (PA) domains and sleep, and the influence of consistent PA on sleep, in midlife women. Cross-sectional. Community-based. 339 women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Sleep Study (52.1 ± 2.1 y). None. Sleep was examined using questionnaires, diaries and in-home polysomnography (PSG). PA was assessed in three domains (Active Living, Household/Caregiving, Sports/Exercise) using the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS) up to 4 times over 6 years preceding the sleep assessments. The association between recent PA and sleep was evaluated using KPAS scores immediately preceding the sleep assessments. The association between the historical PA pattern and sleep was examined by categorizing PA in each KPAS domain according to its pattern over the 6 years preceding sleep assessments (consistently low, inconsistent/consistently moderate, or consistently high). Greater recent Sports/Exercise activity was associated with better sleep quality (diary "restedness" [P < 0.01]), greater sleep continuity (diary sleep efficiency [SE; P = 0.02]) and depth (higher NREM delta electroencephalographic [EEG] power [P = 0.04], lower NREM beta EEG power [P < 0.05]), and lower odds of insomnia diagnosis (P < 0.05). Consistently high Sports/Exercise activity was also associated with better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (P = 0.02) and higher PSG-assessed SE (P < 0.01). Few associations between sleep and Active Living or Household/Caregiving activity (either recent or historical pattern) were noted. Consistently high levels of recreational physical activity, but not lifestyle- or household-related activity, are associated with better sleep in midlife women. Increasing recreational physical activity early in midlife may protect against sleep disturbance in this population.

  8. Differential susceptibility effects: the interaction of negative emotionality and sibling relationship quality on childhood internalizing problems and social skills.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Judith K; Shaw, Daniel S; Olino, Thomas M

    2012-08-01

    Whereas socialization influences in early childhood have been linked to children's emerging internalizing problems and prosocial behavior, relatively few studies have examined how NE might moderate such associations in both advantageous and maladaptive ways. Furthermore, more research is needed to evaluate the impact of sibling relationships as an influential socialization influence on these child outcomes. In the current study we examined how NE might differentially moderate the associations between quality of relationships with siblings and both internalizing problems and social skills at school entry. NE moderated the effects of positive and destructive sibling relationship quality on child internalizing problems. Specifically, for boys high on NE, more positive sibling relationship quality predicted fewer internalizing problems, but more destructive sibling conflict predicted more internalizing problems. NE also moderated the effects of destructive sibling conflict on child social skills. For boys high on NE, destructive sibling conflict predicted fewer social skills. Boys high on NE appear to show greater susceptibility to the effects of sibling socialization on child outcomes, relative to boys low on NE. The implications of these interactions are discussed with respect to differential susceptibility theory.

  9. Differential Susceptibility Effects: The Interaction of Negative Emotionality and Sibling Relationship Quality on Childhood Internalizing Problems and Social Skills

    PubMed Central

    Shaw, Daniel S.; Olino, Thomas M.

    2012-01-01

    Whereas socialization influences in early childhood have been linked to children’s emerging internalizing problems and prosocial behavior, relatively few studies have examined how NE might moderate such associations in both advantageous and maladaptive ways. Furthermore, more research is needed to evaluate the impact of sibling relationships as an influential socialization influence on these child outcomes. In the current study we examined how NE might differentially moderate the associations between quality of relationships with siblings and both internalizing problems and social skills at school entry. NE moderated the effects of positive and destructive sibling relationship quality on child internalizing problems. Specifically, for boys high on NE, more positive sibling relationship quality predicted fewer internalizing problems, but more destructive sibling conflict predicted more internalizing problems. NE also moderated the effects of destructive sibling conflict on child social skills. For boys high on NE, destructive sibling conflict predicted fewer social skills. Boys high on NE appear to show greater susceptibility to the effects of sibling socialization on child outcomes, relative to boys low on NE. The implications of these interactions are discussed with respect to differential susceptibility theory. PMID:22366882

  10. Perceptions of International Students on Service Quality Delivery in a Malaysian Public University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Njie, Baboucarr; Asimiran, Soaib; Baki, Roselan

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of international students of service quality delivery (SQD) in a Malaysian public university. Design/methodology/approach: The study was limited to the University's immediate physical environment and its associated human and systems-based services. The physical environment in this…

  11. Evidence for the Psychometric Validity, Internal Consistency and Measurement Invariance of Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale Scores in Scottish and Irish Adolescents.

    PubMed

    McKay, Michael T; Andretta, James R

    2017-09-01

    Mental well-being is an important indicator of current, but also the future health of adolescents. The 14-item Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) has been well validated in adults world-wide, but less work has been undertaken to examine the psychometric validity and internal consistency of WEMWBS scores in adolescents. In particular, little research has examined scores on the short 7-item version of the WEMWBS. The present study used two large samples of school children in Scotland and Northern Ireland and found that for both forms of the WEMWBS, scores were psychometrically valid, internally consistent, factor saturated, and measurement invariant by country. Using the WEMWBS full form, males reported significantly higher scores than females, and Northern Irish adolescents reported significantly higher scores than their Scottish counterparts. Last, the lowest overall levels of well-being were observed among Scottish females. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Deconstructing Institutionalisation of the European Standards for Quality Assurance: From Instrument Mixes to Quality Cultures and Implications for International Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kohoutek, Jan

    2016-01-01

    The paper enquires into the implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Internal Quality Assurance of Higher Education Institutions (ESG 1). The enquiry uses data from universities in the Czech Republic and compares them against those obtained in the relevant pan-European survey. The aims are to empirically deconstruct ESG 1…

  13. Internal quality assurance in diagnostic microbiology: A simple approach for insightful data

    PubMed Central

    Scherz, Valentin; Durussel, Christian

    2017-01-01

    Given the importance of microbiology results on patient care, high quality standards are expected. Internal quality assurance (IQA) could mitigate the limitations of internal quality control, competency assessment and external quality assurance, adding a longitudinal insight, including pre- and post-analytical steps. Here, we implemented an IQA program in our clinical microbiology facilities with blind resubmission of routine samples during 22 months. One-hundred-and-twenty-one out of 123 (98.4%) serological analyses and 112 out of 122 (91.8%) molecular analyses were concordant. Among the discordances in molecular biology analyses, 6 results were low positive samples that turned out negative, likely due to stochastic repartition of nucleic acids. Moreover, one identified retranscription error led us to implement automated results transmission from the Applied Biosystems instruments to the laboratory information system (LIS). Regarding Gram stain microscopy, 560 out of 745 (75.2%) of compared parameters were concordant. As many as 67 out of 84 (79.8%) pairs of culture results were similar, including 16 sterile pairs, 27 having identical identification or description and semi-quantification and 24 only showing variations in semi-quantification with identical description or identification of colonies. Seventeen pairs had diverging identification or description of colonies. Culture was twice only done for one member of the pairs. Regarding antibiotic susceptibility testing, a major discrepancy was observed in 5 out of 48 results (10.4%). In conclusion, serological tests were highly reproducible. Molecular diagnosis also revealed to be robust except when the amounts of nucleic acids present in the sample were close to the limits of detection. Conventional microbiology was less robust with major discrepancies reaching 39.5% of the samples for microscopy. Similarly, culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing were prone to discrepancies. This work was ground for

  14. Audit diabetes-dependent quality of life questionnaire: usefulness in diabetes self-management education in the Slovak population.

    PubMed

    Holmanová, Elena; Ziaková, Katarína

    2009-05-01

    This paper reports a study to test validity and internal consistency of the audit diabetes-dependent quality of life questionnaire in the Slovak population and to evaluate its usefulness in the context of education of people with diabetes. The individualised instruments designed to measure individuals' perceptions of the impact of diabetes on their quality of life may be helpful to identify individuals' preferences, motivational deficits in diabetes management and to tailor individual treatment strategies. Survey. After linguistic validation, the structure of the questionnaire was tested using factor analysis on 104 patients who were recruited from the National Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetology in Lubochna. Internal consistency was evaluated by computing Cronbach's alpha. Clinical variables related to the quality of life were analysed using one-way ANOVA, multifactor ANOVA, Pearson's and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. A one-dimensional scale structure was supported and internal consistency was high (alpha = 0.93). Variance in impact of diabetes on quality of life was explained by age, presence of late complications and type of insulin regimen. The audit diabetes-dependent quality of life is culturally appropriate, valid and reliable in the sample of Slovak patients attending the educational programme. Our results agreed with previous European and Asian studies supporting its usefulness in the context of diabetes self-management education. Individualised diabetes-specific quality of life measures allow better understanding of patients' treatment preferences and, consequently, more effective prioritizing and targeting of appropriate educational interventions. This instrument may be useful in routine clinical practice and as an outcome measure for international clinical research trials evaluating effectiveness of educational programmes.

  15. Effects of duty hour restrictions on core competencies, education, quality of life, and burnout among general surgery interns.

    PubMed

    Antiel, Ryan M; Reed, Darcy A; Van Arendonk, Kyle J; Wightman, Sean C; Hall, Daniel E; Porterfield, John R; Horvath, Karen D; Terhune, Kyla P; Tarpley, John L; Farley, David R

    2013-05-01

    To measure the implications of the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour regulations for education, well-being, and burnout. Longitudinal study. Eleven university-based general surgery residency programs from July 2011 to May 2012. Two hundred thirteen surgical interns. Perceptions of the impact of the new duty hours on various aspects of surgical training, including the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies, were measured on 3-point scales. Quality of life, burnout, balance between personal and professional life, and career satisfaction were measured using validated instruments. Half of all interns felt that the duty hour changes have decreased the coordination of patient care (53%), their ability to achieve continuity with hospitalized patients (70%), and their time spent in the operating room (57%). Less than half (44%) of interns believed that the new standards have decreased resident fatigue. In longitudinal analysis, residents' beliefs had significantly changed in 2 categories: less likely to believe that practice-based learning and improvement had improved and more likely to report no change to resident fatigue (P < .01, χ2 tests). The majority (82%) of residents reported a neutral or good overall quality of life. Compared with the normal US population, 50 interns (32%) were 0.5 SD less than the mean on the 8-item Short Form Health Survey mental quality of life score. Approximately one-third of interns demonstrated weekly symptoms of emotional exhaustion (28%) or depersonalization (28%) or reported that their personal-professional balance was either "very poor" or "not great" (32%). Although many interns (67%) reported that they daily or weekly reflect on their satisfaction from being a surgeon, 1 in 7 considered giving up their career as a surgeon on at least a weekly basis. The first cohort of surgical interns to train under the new regulations report decreased continuity with patients

  16. Physicochemical and immunochemical assays for monitoring consistent production of tetanus toxoid.

    PubMed

    Metz, Bernard; Tilstra, Wichard; van der Put, Robert; Spruit, Nanda; van den Ijssel, Jan; Robert, Jolanda; Hendriksen, Coenraad; Kersten, Gideon

    2013-07-01

    The detoxification of tetanus toxin by formaldehyde is a crucial step in the production of tetanus toxoid. The inactivation results in chemically modified proteins and it determines largely the ultimate efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Currently, the quality of tetanus toxoid lots is evaluated in potency and safety tests performed in animals. As a possible alternative, this article describes a panel of in vitro methods, which provides detailed information about the quality of tetanus toxoid. Ten experimental lots of tetanus toxoid were prepared using increasing concentrations of formaldehyde and glycine to obtain tetanus toxoids having differences in antigenicity, immunogenicity, residual toxicity and protein structure. The structural properties of each individual toxoid were determined using immunochemical and physicochemical methods, including biosensor analysis, ELISA, circular dichroism, TNBS assay, differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence and SDS-PAGE. The quality of a tetanus toxoid lot can be assessed by these set of analytical techniques. Based on antigenicity, immunogenicity and residual toxicity data, criteria are formulated that tetanus toxoids lot have to meet in order to have a high quality. The in vitro methods are a valuable selection of techniques for monitoring consistency of production of tetanus toxoid, especially for the detoxification process of tetanus toxin. Copyright © 2013 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Validation of a global scale to assess the quality of interprofessional teamwork in mental health settings.

    PubMed

    Tomizawa, Ryoko; Yamano, Mayumi; Osako, Mitue; Hirabayashi, Naotugu; Oshima, Nobuo; Sigeta, Masahiro; Reeves, Scott

    2017-12-01

    Few scales currently exist to assess the quality of interprofessional teamwork through team members' perceptions of working together in mental health settings. The purpose of this study was to revise and validate an interprofessional scale to assess the quality of teamwork in inpatient psychiatric units and to use it multi-nationally. A literature review was undertaken to identify evaluative teamwork tools and develop an additional 12 items to ensure a broad global focus. Focus group discussions considered adaptation to different care systems using subjective judgements from 11 participants in a pre-test of items. Data quality, construct validity, reproducibility, and internal consistency were investigated in the survey using an international comparative design. Exploratory factor analysis yielded five factors with 21 items: 'patient/community centred care', 'collaborative communication', 'interprofessional conflict', 'role clarification', and 'environment'. High overall internal consistency, reproducibility, adequate face validity, and reasonable construct validity were shown in the USA and Japan. The revised Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT) is a valid measure to assess the quality of interprofessional teamwork in psychiatry and identifies the best strategies to improve team performance. Furthermore, the revised scale will generate more rigorous evidence for collaborative practice in psychiatry internationally.

  18. Measuring Quality of Care in Community Mental Health: Validation of Concordant Clinician and Client Quality-of-Care Scales.

    PubMed

    Luther, Lauren; Fukui, Sadaaki; Garabrant, Jennifer M; Rollins, Angela L; Morse, Gary; Henry, Nancy; Shimp, Dawn; Gearhart, Timothy; Salyers, Michelle P

    2018-04-12

    Measuring quality of care can transform care, but few tools exist to measure quality from the client's perspective. The aim of this study was to create concordant clinician and client self-report quality-of-care scales in a sample of community mental health clinicians (n = 189) and clients (n = 469). The client scale had three distinct factors (Person-Centered Care, Negative Staff Interactions, and Inattentive Care), while the clinician scale had two: Person-Centered Care and Discordant Care. Both versions demonstrated adequate internal consistency and validity with measures related to satisfaction and the therapeutic relationship. These measures are promising, brief quality assessment tools.

  19. Discriminating nutritional quality of foods using the 5-Color nutrition label in the French food market: consistency with nutritional recommendations.

    PubMed

    Julia, Chantal; Ducrot, Pauline; Péneau, Sandrine; Deschamps, Valérie; Méjean, Caroline; Fézeu, Léopold; Touvier, Mathilde; Hercberg, Serge; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle

    2015-09-28

    Our objectives were to assess the performance of the 5-Colour nutrition label (5-CNL) front-of-pack nutrition label based on the Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system to discriminate nutritional quality of foods currently on the market in France and its consistency with French nutritional recommendations. Nutritional composition of 7777 foods available on the French market collected from the web-based collaborative project Open Food Facts were retrieved. Distribution of products across the 5-CNL categories according to food groups, as arranged in supermarket shelves was assessed. Distribution of similar products from different brands in the 5-CNL categories was also assessed. Discriminating performance was considered as the number of color categories present in each food group. In the case of discrepancies between the category allocation and French nutritional recommendations, adaptations of the original score were proposed. Overall, the distribution of foodstuffs in the 5-CNL categories was consistent with French recommendations: 95.4% of 'Fruits and vegetables', 72.5% of 'Cereals and potatoes' were classified as 'Green' or 'Yellow' whereas 86.0% of 'Sugary snacks' were classified as 'Pink' or 'Red'. Adaptations to the original FSA score computation model were necessary for beverages, added fats and cheese in order to be consistent with French official nutritional recommendations. The 5-CNL label displays a high performance in discriminating nutritional quality of foods across food groups, within a food group and for similar products from different brands. Adaptations from the original model were necessary to maintain consistency with French recommendations and high performance of the system.

  20. German version, inter- and intrarater reliability and internal consistency of the "Agitated Behavior Scale" (ABS-G) in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Hellweg, Stephanie; Schuster-Amft, Corina

    2016-07-19

    Agitation is frequently observed during early recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Agitated behaviour often interferes with a goal-orientated rehabilitation and can be a substantial hindrance to therapy. Despite the relatively high occurance of agitation in TBI population there is no objective assessement in German (G) available. An existing scale with excellent psychometric properties is the "Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS)" developed by Corrigan in 1989. The aim of the study was to translate the Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS) into German (ABS-G) and investigate the inter- and intrarater reliability and internal consistency in patients with moderate to severe TBI. A formal nine-step translation and cross-cultural adaptation procedure (TCCA) was applied. Subsequently a prospective observational patient study was conducted. To examine the interrater reliability and internal consistency, two therapists rated 20 patients independently after a therapy session. This procedure was repeated twice on a weekly basis. The intrarater reliability was assessed through video recordings from three patients. Nine raters scored the demonstrated behaviour on the videotape with the ABS-G independently twice within one month. The inter- and intrarater reliability were evaluated with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the quadratic weighted kappa. The internal consistency was tested with Cronbach's alpha. Behaviour of 20 patients (18 males; mean age 41 ± 20.7; mean Functional Independence Measure (FIM) cognitive score on admission 7.1 ± 4.04; mean ABS-G score at first observation 17.3 ± 2.83) was assessed threefold. Interrater reliability yielded a correlation coefficient for ABS-G total score of all 60 paired observations of r s 0.845 and a weighted Kappa of 0.738. Intrarater reliability for ABS-G total score ranged between r s 0.719 and 0.953 and showed a weighted Kappa between 0.871 and 0.953. Cronbach's alpha indicated moderate internal consistency

  1. Determinants of Quality Perception in Educational Administration: Potential Conflict between the Requirements of Internal and External Customers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Galloway, R. L.; Wearn, Katrina

    1998-01-01

    Attempts to measure perceived quality, based on customers' views within the context of a (British) university faculty office, using a modified SERVQUAL instrument. Internal customers demonstrated that perceived quality is driven by task-focused issues, stressing clarity, accuracy, and reliability. External customers, whose usage is more casual,…

  2. Assessing Faculty Experiences with and Perceptions of an Internal Quality Assurance Process for Undergraduate Distributed Learning Courses: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rucker, Ryan; Edwards, Karen; Frass, Lydia R.

    2015-01-01

    To ensure that online courses match traditional classes' quality, some institutions are implementing internal standards for online course design and quality review. The University of South Carolina created the Distributed Learning Quality Review program, based on "Quality Matters'" standards. It was designed to be faculty-guided, as…

  3. Assessing the Internal Consistency of the Marine Carbon Dioxide System at High Latitudes: The Labrador Sea AR7W Line Study Case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raimondi, L.; Azetsu-Scott, K.; Wallace, D.

    2016-02-01

    This work assesses the internal consistency of ocean carbon dioxide through the comparison of discrete measurements and calculated values of four analytical parameters of the inorganic carbon system: Total Alkalinity (TA), Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), pH and Partial Pressure of CO2 (pCO2). The study is based on 486 seawater samples analyzed for TA, DIC and pH and 86 samples for pCO2 collected during the 2014 Cruise along the AR7W line in Labrador Sea. The internal consistency has been assessed using all combinations of input parameters and eight sets of thermodynamic constants (K1, K2) in calculating each parameter through the CO2SYS software. Residuals of each parameter have been calculated as the differences between measured and calculated values (reported as ΔTA, ΔDIC, ΔpH and ΔpCO2). Although differences between the selected sets of constants were observed, the largest were obtained using different pairs of input parameters. As expected the couple pH-pCO2 produced to poorest results, suggesting that measurements of either TA or DIC are needed to define the carbonate system accurately and precisely. To identify signature of organic alkalinity we isolated the residuals in the bloom area. Therefore only ΔTA from surface waters (0-30 m) along the Greenland side of the basin were selected. The residuals showed that no measured value was higher than calculations and therefore we could not observe presence of organic bases in the shallower water column. The internal consistency in characteristic water masses of Labrador Sea (Denmark Strait Overflow Water, North East Atlantic Deep Water, Newly-ventilated Labrador Sea Water, Greenland and Labrador Shelf waters) will also be discussed.

  4. Towards International and Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration for the Measurements of Quality of Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mizohata, Sachie; Jadoul, Raynald

    2013-01-01

    This paper focuses on three main subjects: (1) monitoring quality of life (QoL) in old age; (2) international and interdisciplinary collaboration for QoL research; and (3) computer-based technology and infrastructure assisting (1) and (2). This type of computer-supported cooperative work in the social sciences has been termed eHumanities or…

  5. Double jeopardy: assessing the association between internal displacement, housing quality and chronic illness in a low-income neighborhood.

    PubMed

    Habib, Rima R; Yassin, Nasser; Ghanawi, Joly; Haddad, Pascale; Mahfoud, Ziyad

    2011-04-01

    PURPOSE: This study analyzed associations between war-related internal displacement, housing quality and the prevalence of chronic illness in Nabaa, a low-income neighborhood on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of sociodemographics, household characteristics and health conditions of the study population was carried out in 2002. Using a structured questionnaire, the research team surveyed 1,151 households representing 4,987 residents of all ages. The survey was administered to a proxy respondent from each household in face-to-face interviews. A multiple logistic regression model using the generalized estimation equation method was constructed to assess the simultaneous effect of displacement and housing quality on reported ill health, while adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Housing quality and internal displacement were strongly associated with occurrences of chronic illness. The most vulnerable respondents were older residents, females and internally displaced people, who reported high rates of chronic illnesses. Residents with high levels of education were less likely to report a chronic illness than those that had elementary education or less. CONCLUSION: Nabaa residents' experience of poor health was associated with inadequate housing quality. Moreover, residents who have been displaced experience worse living conditions and were more likely to experience poor health than those who were not displaced. These results reveal a need for policies to improve housing quality and alleviate war-related consequences in low-income neighborhoods.

  6. Determinants of health-related quality of life in international graduate students.

    PubMed

    Ogunsanya, Motolani E; Bamgbade, Benita A; Thach, Andrew V; Sudhapalli, Poojee; Rascati, Karen L

    2018-04-01

    International graduate students often experience additional levels of stress due to acculturation. Given the impact of stress on health outcomes (both physical and mental), this study examined the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in international graduate students to determine its association with acculturative stress, perceived stress, and use of coping mechanisms. A cross-sectional, self-administered survey was designed and sent to 38 student chapters within the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) student network. HRQoL [physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS)] was measured using the 12-item Short Form (SF-12) while coping mechanisms were assessed using the Brief COPE Scale. Acculturative and perceived stress were assessed using the Acculturative Stress Scale for International students [ASSIS] and Graduate Stress Inventory-Revised (GSI-R), respectively. Demographic and personal information (e.g. age, religion) were also collected. Descriptive statistics (mean ± SD and frequency) and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted. The average PCS and MCS were 60 ± 9 and 44 ± 13, respectively, indicating that while the physical health was above the United States (US) general population norm (50), mental health scores were lower. Findings from the hierarchical multiple regression showed that perceived and acculturative stress significantly predicted mental health. Acculturative stress was also a significant predictor of physical health. The results from this study support the hypothesis that international students in the US experience both perceived and acculturative stress that significantly impacts their HRQoL. Universities should consider providing education on stress reduction techniques to improve the health of international graduate students. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Towards actionable international comparisons of health system performance: expert revision of the OECD framework and quality indicators.

    PubMed

    Carinci, F; Van Gool, K; Mainz, J; Veillard, J; Pichora, E C; Januel, J M; Arispe, I; Kim, S M; Klazinga, N S

    2015-04-01

    To review and update the conceptual framework, indicator content and research priorities of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Health Care Quality Indicators (HCQI) project, after a decade of collaborative work. A structured assessment was carried out using a modified Delphi approach, followed by a consensus meeting, to assess the suite of HCQI for international comparisons, agree on revisions to the original framework and set priorities for research and development. International group of countries participating to OECD projects. Members of the OECD HCQI expert group. A reference matrix, based on a revised performance framework, was used to map and assess all seventy HCQI routinely calculated by the OECD expert group. A total of 21 indicators were agreed to be excluded, due to the following concerns: (i) relevance, (ii) international comparability, particularly where heterogeneous coding practices might induce bias, (iii) feasibility, when the number of countries able to report was limited and the added value did not justify sustained effort and (iv) actionability, for indicators that were unlikely to improve on the basis of targeted policy interventions. The revised OECD framework for HCQI represents a new milestone of a long-standing international collaboration among a group of countries committed to building common ground for performance measurement. The expert group believes that the continuation of this work is paramount to provide decision makers with a validated toolbox to directly act on quality improvement strategies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  8. Construct validity of the items on the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) questionnaire that evaluate the participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

    PubMed

    Silva, Soraia Micaela; Corrêa, Fernanda Ishida; Pereira, Gabriela Santos; Faria, Christina Danielli Coelho de Morais; Corrêa, João Carlos Ferrari

    2018-01-01

    Analyze the construct validity and internal consistency of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) items that address the participation component of the ICF as well as analyze the ceiling and floor effects. One hundred subjects were analyzed: 85 community-dwelling and 15 institutionalized individuals. The analysis of construct validity was performed using classic psychometrics: (1) the comparison of known groups (individuals without restriction to participation vs. those with restriction to participation) using the Mann-Whitney test and (2) convergent validity - correlation between the scores on the SS-QOL items that address participation and the subscale scores of measures used to evaluate the similar constructs and concepts [the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and grip strength test]. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated for this analysis. Cronbach's α was used for the analysis of internal consistency and both the ceiling and floor effects were analyzed. The level of significance for all analyses was α = 0.05. The a priori hypotheses regarding construct validity were partially demonstrated, as only five of the eight domains exhibited positive moderate to strong correlations (r > 0.40) with measures that address constructs similar to those addressed on the SS-QOL questionnaire. The items demonstrated adequate internal consistency and are capable of differentiating individuals with and without restriction to participation. The ceiling and floor effects were considered adequate for the total SS-QOL score, but beyond acceptable standards for some domains. The 26 items of the SS-QOL questionnaire measure a multidimensional construct and therefore do not only address participation. However, the items demonstrated adequate internal consistency and are capable of differentiating individuals with and without restriction to participation. Implications for rehabilitation The 26 items of the SS

  9. Chinese Adolescent Student Service Quality and Experience in an International Tertiary Education System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peng, Ching-Huai

    2008-01-01

    After the 2008 Olympics is concluded and commentators and journalists internationally begin the process of evaluating Beijing's performance as the host city, one of the primary elements to be analyzed will be the quality of visitor service provided by more than 70,000 volunteers. Given the large number of Chinese students who have chosen a Western…

  10. Comprehensive Auditing in Nuclear Medicine Through the International Atomic Energy Agency Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM) Program. Part 1: the QUANUM Program and Methodology.

    PubMed

    Dondi, Maurizio; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Massardo, Teresa; Mishani, Eyal; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Solanki, Kishor; Bischof Delaloye, Angelika; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Paez, Diana; Pascual, Thomas

    2017-11-01

    An effective management system that integrates quality management is essential for a modern nuclear medicine practice. The Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has the mission of supporting nuclear medicine practice in low- and middle-income countries and of helping them introduce it in their health-care system, when not yet present. The experience gathered over several years has shown diversified levels of development and varying degrees of quality of practice, among others because of limited professional networking and limited or no opportunities for exchange of experiences. Those findings triggered the development of a program named Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM), aimed at improving the standards of NM practice in low- and middle-income countries to internationally accepted standards through the introduction of a culture of quality management and systematic auditing programs. QUANUM takes into account the diversity of nuclear medicine services around the world and multidisciplinary contributions to the practice. Those contributions include clinical, technical, radiopharmaceutical, and medical physics procedures. Aspects of radiation safety and patient protection are also integral to the process. Such an approach ensures consistency in providing safe services of superior quality to patients. The level of conformance is assessed using standards based on publications of the IAEA and the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and guidelines from scientific societies such as Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM). Following QUANUM guidelines and by means of a specific assessment tool developed by the IAEA, auditors, both internal and external, will be able to evaluate the level of conformance. Nonconformances will then be prioritized and recommendations will be provided during an exit briefing. The

  11. Consistency of Use and Effectiveness of Household Water Treatment Practices among Urban and Rural Populations Claiming to Treat Their Drinking Water at Home: A Case Study in Zambia

    PubMed Central

    Rosa, Ghislaine; Kelly, Paul; Clasen, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Household water treatment (HWT) can improve drinking water quality and prevent disease, if used correctly and consistently. While international monitoring suggests that 1.8 billion people practice HWT, these estimates are based on household surveys that may overstate the level of consistent use and do not address microbiological effectiveness. We sought to examine how HWT is practiced among households identified as HWT users according to international monitoring standards. Case studies were conducted in urban and rural Zambia. After a baseline survey (urban: 203 households, rural: 276 households) to identify HWT users, 95 urban and 82 rural households were followed up for 6 weeks. Consistency of HWT reporting was low; only 72.6% of urban and 50.0% of rural households reported to be HWT users in the subsequent visit. Similarly, availability of treated water was low, only 23.3% and 4.2% of urban and rural households, respectively, had treated water on all visits. Drinking water was significantly worse than source water in both settings. Only 19.6% of urban and 2.4% of rural households had drinking water free of thermotolerant coliforms on all visits. Our findings raise questions about the value of the data gathered through the international monitoring of HWT practices as predictors of water quality in the home. PMID:26572868

  12. Quality of life in children with epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Aggarwal, Anju; Datta, Varsha; Thakur, L C

    2011-11-11

    Quality of life was assessed in 108 epileptic children (6-15 years) using a hindi translation of Quality of Life in Children with Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire. The questionnaire consist of 76 items with 16 subscales covering five domains of life: physical function, social function, cognition, emotional and behavioral well being. Overall score was 62.62±21.32. Chronbachs-a for all 13 multi-item subscales was above 0.70, indicating good internal consistency and reliability. Pearson correlation revealed good construct validity. Overall quality of life was affected by age, type of epilepsy, seizure frequency and maternal education (P<0.05). Energy levels, language and attention (P<0.05) were better in older children whereas younger children had better self esteem and lower levels of anxiety. Seizure frequency compromised all fields except stigma, attention, and energy levels (P>0.05).

  13. Ensuring Quality in AFRINEST and SATT

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background: Three randomized open-label clinical trials [Simplified Antibiotic Therapy Trial (SATT) Bangladesh, SATT Pakistan and African Neonatal Sepsis Trial (AFRINEST)] were developed to test the equivalence of simplified antibiotic regimens compared with the standard regimen of 7 days of parenteral antibiotics. These trials were originally conceived and designed separately; subsequently, significant efforts were made to develop and implement a common protocol and approach. Previous articles in this supplement briefly describe the specific quality control methods used in the individual trials; this article presents additional information about the systematic approaches used to minimize threats to validity and ensure quality across the trials. Methods: A critical component of quality control for AFRINEST and SATT was striving to eliminate variation in clinical assessments and decisions regarding eligibility, enrollment and treatment outcomes. Ensuring appropriate and consistent clinical judgment was accomplished through standardized approaches applied across the trials, including training, assessment of clinical skills and refresher training. Standardized monitoring procedures were also applied across the trials, including routine (day-to-day) internal monitoring of performance and adherence to protocols, systematic external monitoring by funding agencies and external monitoring by experienced, independent trial monitors. A group of independent experts (Technical Steering Committee/Technical Advisory Group) provided regular monitoring and technical oversight for the trials. Conclusions: Harmonization of AFRINEST and SATT have helped to ensure consistency and quality of implementation, both internally and across the trials as a whole, thereby minimizing potential threats to the validity of the trials’ results. PMID:23945575

  14. International Psychometric Validation of an EORTC Quality of Life Module Measuring Cancer Related Fatigue (EORTC QLQ-FA12).

    PubMed

    Weis, Joachim; Tomaszewski, Krzysztof A; Hammerlid, Eva; Ignacio Arraras, Juan; Conroy, Thierry; Lanceley, Anne; Schmidt, Heike; Wirtz, Markus; Singer, Susanne; Pinto, Monica; Alm El-Din, Mohamed; Compter, Inge; Holzner, Bernhard; Hofmeister, Dirk; Chie, Wei-Chu; Czeladzki, Marek; Harle, Amelie; Jones, Louise; Ritter, Sabrina; Flechtner, Hans-Henning; Bottomley, Andrew

    2017-05-01

    The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Group has developed a new multidimensional instrument measuring cancer-related fatigue to be used in conjunction with the quality of life core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The module EORTC QLQ-FA13 assesses physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of cancer-related fatigue. The methodology follows the EORTC guidelines for phase IV validation of modules. This paper focuses on the results of the psychometric validation of the factorial structure of the module. For validation and cross-validation confirmatory factor analysis (maximum likelihood estimation), intraclass correlation and Cronbach alpha for internal consistency were employed. The study involved an international multicenter collaboration of 11 European and non-European countries. A total of 946 patients with various tumor diagnoses were enrolled. Based on the confirmatory factor analysis, we could approve the three-dimensional structure of the module. Removing one item and reassigning the factorial mapping of another item resulted in the EORTC QLQ-FA12. For the revised scale, we found evidence supporting good local (indicator reliability ≥ 0.60, factor reliability ≥ 0.82) and global model fit (GFI t1|t2 = 0.965/0.957, CFI t1|t2 = 0.976/0.972, RMSEA t1|t2 = 0.060/0.069) for both measurement points. For each scale, test-retest reliability proved to be very good (intraclass correlation: R t1-t2 = 0.905-0.921) and internal consistency proved to be good to high (Cronbach alpha = .79-.90). Based on the former phase III module, the multidimensional structure was revised as a phase IV module (EORTC FA12) with an improved scale structure. For a comprehensive validation of the EORTC FA12, further aspects of convergent and divergent validity as well as sensitivity to change should be determined. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Profile Fitness Mapping Neck Questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese: Internal Consistency, Reliability, and Construct and Structural Validity.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Mariana Cândido; Björklund, Martin; Dach, Fabiola; Chaves, Thais Cristina

    The purpose of this study was to adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the ProFitMap-neck to Brazilian Portuguese. The cross-cultural adaptation consisted of 5 stages, and 180 female patients with chronic neck pain participated in the study. A subsample (n = 30) answered the pretest, and another subsample (n = 100) answered the questionnaire a second time. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity (hypothesis testing and structural validity) were estimated. For construct validity, the scores of the questionnaire were correlated with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Internal consistency was determined by adequate Cronbach's α values (α > 0.70). Strong reliability was identified by high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC > 0.75). Construct validity was identified by moderate and strong correlations of the Br-ProFitMap-neck with total NDI score (-0.56 50%, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index > 0.50, eigenvalue > 1, and factor loadings > 0.2. Br-ProFitMap-neck had adequate psychometric properties and can be used in clinical settings, as well as research, in patients with chronic neck pain. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. International quality improvement initiatives.

    PubMed

    Hickey, Patricia A; Connor, Jean A; Cherian, Kotturathu M; Jenkins, Kathy; Doherty, Kaitlin; Zhang, Haibo; Gaies, Michael; Pasquali, Sara; Tabbutt, Sarah; St Louis, James D; Sarris, George E; Kurosawa, Hiromi; Jonas, Richard A; Sandoval, Nestor; Tchervenkov, Christo I; Jacobs, Jeffery P; Stellin, Giovanni; Kirklin, James K; Garg, Rajnish; Vener, David F

    2017-12-01

    Across the globe, the implementation of quality improvement science and collaborative learning has positively affected the care and outcomes for children born with CHD. These efforts have advanced the collective expertise and performance of inter-professional healthcare teams. In this review, we highlight selected quality improvement initiatives and strategies impacting the field of cardiovascular care and describe implications for future practice and research. The continued leveraging of technology, commitment to data transparency, focus on team-based practice, and recognition of cultural norms and preferences ensure the success of sustainable models of global collaboration.

  17. Quantity and Quality of Computer Use and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale International Test Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheema, Jehanzeb R.; Zhang, Bo

    2013-01-01

    This study looked at the effect of both quantity and quality of computer use on achievement. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 student survey comprising of 4,356 students (boys, n = 2,129; girls, n = 2,227) was used to predict academic achievement from quantity and quality of computer use while controlling for…

  18. Droplet digital PCR-based EGFR mutation detection with an internal quality control index to determine the quality of DNA.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sung-Su; Choi, Hyun-Jeung; Kim, Jin Ju; Kim, M Sun; Lee, In-Seon; Byun, Bohyun; Jia, Lina; Oh, Myung Ryurl; Moon, Youngho; Park, Sarah; Choi, Joon-Seok; Chae, Seoung Wan; Nam, Byung-Ho; Kim, Jin-Soo; Kim, Jihun; Min, Byung Soh; Lee, Jae Seok; Won, Jae-Kyung; Cho, Soo Youn; Choi, Yoon-La; Shin, Young Kee

    2018-01-11

    In clinical translational research and molecular in vitro diagnostics, a major challenge in the detection of genetic mutations is overcoming artefactual results caused by the low-quality of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET)-derived DNA (FFPET-DNA). Here, we propose the use of an 'internal quality control (iQC) index' as a criterion for judging the minimum quality of DNA for PCR-based analyses. In a pre-clinical study comparing the results from droplet digital PCR-based EGFR mutation test (ddEGFR test) and qPCR-based EGFR mutation test (cobas EGFR test), iQC index ≥ 0.5 (iQC copies ≥ 500, using 3.3 ng of FFPET-DNA [1,000 genome equivalents]) was established, indicating that more than half of the input DNA was amplifiable. Using this criterion, we conducted a retrospective comparative clinical study of the ddEGFR and cobas EGFR tests for the detection of EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) FFPET-DNA samples. Compared with the cobas EGFR test, the ddEGFR test exhibited superior analytical performance and equivalent or higher clinical performance. Furthermore, iQC index is a reliable indicator of the quality of FFPET-DNA and could be used to prevent incorrect diagnoses arising from low-quality samples.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2013-01-01

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

  20. The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI): linguistic and cultural validation in Serbian.

    PubMed

    Janković, Slavenka; Vukićević, Jelica; Djordjević, Sanja; Janković, Janko; Marinković, Jelena; Erić, Miloš

    2013-01-01

    The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) evaluates the impact of skin diseases on the patient's quality of life. The purpose of the study was to translate and to validate the CDLQI into Serbian. The CDLQI was translated into Serbian following international recommendations for translation and cultural adaptation. The validation study was carried out on a large cohort of secondary schoolchildren who self-reported acne. Translating the CDLQI consisted of forward translation, reconciliation, back translation, back-translation review, and cognitive debriefing. The good internal consistency of the scale was demonstrated with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.87. A Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.66 between the CDLQI and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) was deemed satisfactory to demonstrate concurrent validity. The translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric qualities of the CDLQI were satisfactory, enabling its application in clinical practice and future studies.

  1. Producing a Climate-Quality Database of Global Upper Ocean Profile Temperatures - The IQuOD (International Quality-controlled Ocean Database) Project.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sprintall, J.; Cowley, R.; Palmer, M. D.; Domingues, C. M.; Suzuki, T.; Ishii, M.; Boyer, T.; Goni, G. J.; Gouretski, V. V.; Macdonald, A. M.; Thresher, A.; Good, S. A.; Diggs, S. C.

    2016-02-01

    Historical ocean temperature profile observations provide a critical element for a host of ocean and climate research activities. These include providing initial conditions for seasonal-to-decadal prediction systems, evaluating past variations in sea level and Earth's energy imbalance, ocean state estimation for studying variability and change, and climate model evaluation and development. The International Quality controlled Ocean Database (IQuOD) initiative represents a community effort to create the most globally complete temperature profile dataset, with (intelligent) metadata and assigned uncertainties. With an internationally coordinated effort organized by oceanographers, with data and ocean instrumentation expertise, and in close consultation with end users (e.g., climate modelers), the IQuOD initiative will assess and maximize the potential of an irreplaceable collection of ocean temperature observations (tens of millions of profiles collected at a cost of tens of billions of dollars, since 1772) to fulfil the demand for a climate-quality global database that can be used with greater confidence in a vast range of climate change related research and services of societal benefit. Progress towards version 1 of the IQuOD database, ongoing and future work will be presented. More information on IQuOD is available at www.iquod.org.

  2. Read Code Quality Assurance

    PubMed Central

    Schulz, Erich; Barrett, James W.; Price, Colin

    1998-01-01

    As controlled clinical vocabularies assume an increasing role in modern clinical information systems, so the issue of their quality demands greater attention. In order to meet the resulting stringent criteria for completeness and correctness, a quality assurance system comprising a database of more than 500 rules is being developed and applied to the Read Thesaurus. The authors discuss the requirement to apply quality assurance processes to their dynamic editing database in order to ensure the quality of exported products. Sources of errors include human, hardware, and software factors as well as new rules and transactions. The overall quality strategy includes prevention, detection, and correction of errors. The quality assurance process encompasses simple data specification, internal consistency, inspection procedures and, eventually, field testing. The quality assurance system is driven by a small number of tables and UNIX scripts, with “business rules” declared explicitly as Structured Query Language (SQL) statements. Concurrent authorship, client-server technology, and an initial failure to implement robust transaction control have all provided valuable lessons. The feedback loop for error management needs to be short. PMID:9670131

  3. A dynamic Thurstonian item response theory of motive expression in the picture story exercise: solving the internal consistency paradox of the PSE.

    PubMed

    Lang, Jonas W B

    2014-07-01

    The measurement of implicit or unconscious motives using the picture story exercise (PSE) has long been a target of debate in the psychological literature. Most debates have centered on the apparent paradox that PSE measures of implicit motives typically show low internal consistency reliability on common indices like Cronbach's alpha but nevertheless predict behavioral outcomes. I describe a dynamic Thurstonian item response theory (IRT) model that builds on dynamic system theories of motivation, theorizing on the PSE response process, and recent advancements in Thurstonian IRT modeling of choice data. To assess the models' capability to explain the internal consistency paradox, I first fitted the model to archival data (Gurin, Veroff, & Feld, 1957) and then simulated data based on bias-corrected model estimates from the real data. Simulation results revealed that the average squared correlation reliability for the motives in the Thurstonian IRT model was .74 and that Cronbach's alpha values were similar to the real data (<.35). These findings suggest that PSE motive measures have long been reliable and increase the scientific value of extant evidence from motivational research using PSE motive measures. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  4. The Value of Smarter Teachers: International Evidence on Teacher Cognitive Skills and Student Performance. Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series. PEPG 14-06

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.; Piopiunik, Marc; Wiederhold, Simon

    2014-01-01

    Differences in teacher quality are commonly cited as a key determinant of the huge international student performance gaps. However, convincing evidence on this relationship is still lacking, in part because it is unclear how to measure teacher quality consistently across countries. We use unique international assessment data to investigate the…

  5. Ureteral Stents: Impact on Quality of Life.

    PubMed

    Ucuzal, Meral; Serçe, Perihan

    Ureteral stents have an indispensable place in urology, and indications for their use are increasing. However, stents can affect their users' quality of life negatively because of complications and adverse effects. This descriptive research aimed to determine the effect of ureteral stenting on quality of life. The study sample consisted of 75 patients. Data were collected using a questionnaire form, the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale, and the International Prostate Symptom Score. Patients were interviewed twice (before stenting and 1 month after stenting). The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics methods. This research determined that patients with ureteral stents had increased lower urinary tract symptoms and significantly reduced quality of life.

  6. Improving quality of tuberculosis care in India.

    PubMed

    Pai, Madhukar; Satyanarayana, Srinath; Hopewell, Phil

    2014-01-01

    In India, the quality of care that tuberculosis (TB) patients receive varies considerably and is often not in accordance with the national and international standards. In this article, we provide an overview of the third (latest) edition of the International Standards of Tuberculosis Care (ISTC). These standards are supported by the existing World Health Organization guidelines and policy statements pertaining to TB care and have been endorsed by a number of international organizations. We call upon all health care providers in the country to practice TB care that is consistent with these standards, as well as the upcoming Standards for TB Care in India (STCI).

  7. Magnetic field dependence of the internal quality factor and noise performance of lumped-element kinetic inductance detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flanigan, D.; Johnson, B. R.; Abitbol, M. H.; Bryan, S.; Cantor, R.; Day, P.; Jones, G.; Mauskopf, P.; McCarrick, H.; Miller, A.; Zmuidzinas, J.

    2016-10-01

    We present a technique for increasing the internal quality factor of kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) by nulling ambient magnetic fields with a properly applied magnetic field. The KIDs used in this study are made from thin-film aluminum, they are mounted inside a light-tight package made from bulk aluminum, and they are operated near 150 mK. Since the thin-film aluminum has a slightly elevated critical temperature (Tc = 1.4 K), it therefore transitions before the package (Tc = 1.2 K), which also serves as a magnetic shield. On cooldown, ambient magnetic fields as small as approximately 30 µT can produce vortices in the thin-film aluminum as it transitions because the bulk aluminum package has not yet transitioned and therefore is not yet shielding. These vortices become trapped inside the aluminum package below 1.2 K and ultimately produce low internal quality factors in the thin-film superconducting resonators. We show that by controlling the strength of the magnetic field present when the thin film transitions, we can control the internal quality factor of the resonators. We also compare the noise performance with and without vortices present, and find no evidence for excess noise beyond the increase in amplifier noise, which is expected with increasing loss.

  8. 76 FR 54800 - International Business Machines (IBM), Software Group Business Unit, Quality Assurance Group, San...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-02

    ... Machines (IBM), Software Group Business Unit, Quality Assurance Group, San Jose, California; Notice of... workers of International Business Machines (IBM), Software Group Business Unit, Optim Data Studio Tools QA... February 2, 2011 (76 FR 5832). The subject worker group supplies acceptance testing services, design...

  9. Consistency of Post-Newtonian Waveforms with Numerical Relativity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baker, John G.; vanMeter, James R.; McWilliams, Sean T.; Cewntrella, Joan; Kelly, Bernard J.

    2006-01-01

    General relativity predicts the gravitational radiation signatures of mergers of compact binaries, such as coalescing binary black hole systems. Derivations of waveform predictions for such systems are required for optimal scientific analysis of observational gravitational wave data, and have so far been achieved primarily with the aid of the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation. The quality of this treatment is unclear, however, for the important late inspiral portion. We derive late-inspiral waveforms via a complementary approach, direct numerical simulation of Einstein's equations, which has recently matured sufficiently for such applications. We compare waveform phasing from simulations covering the last approximately 14 cycles of gravitational radiation from an equal-mass binary system of nonspinning black holes with the corresponding 3PN and 3.5PN orbital phasing. We find agreement consistent with internal error estimates based on either approach at the level of one radian over approximately 10 cycles. The result suggests that PN waveforms for this system are effective roughly until the system reaches its last stable orbit just prior to the final merger/

  10. Internal versus External Quality Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hofman, Roelande H.; Dijkstra, Nynke J.; Hofman, W. H. Adriaan

    2008-01-01

    This article presents the findings of research into quality management in Dutch elementary schools using theories of school accountability and school improvement as fundamentals. The study is based on data gathered from almost 1000 school leaders. It attempts to determine whether different types of quality management exist in primary schools.…

  11. Effects of the internal friction and the solvent quality on the dynamics of a polymer chain closure.

    PubMed

    Yu, Wancheng; Luo, Kaifu

    2015-03-28

    Using 3D Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigate the effects of the internal friction and the solvent quality on the dynamics of a polymer chain closure. We show that the chain closure in good solvents is a purely diffusive process. By extrapolation to zero solvent viscosity, we find that the internal friction of a chain plays a non-ignorable role in the dynamics of the chain closure. When the solvent quality changes from good to poor, the mean closure time τc decreases by about 1 order of magnitude for the chain length 20 ≤ N ≤ 100. Furthermore, τc has a minimum as a function of the solvent quality. With increasing the chain length N, the minimum of τc occurs at a better solvent. Finally, the single exponential distributions of the closure time in poor solvents suggest that the negative excluded volume of segments does not alter the nearly Poisson statistical characteristics of the process of the chain closure.

  12. The Achilles tendon total rupture score: a study of responsiveness, internal consistency and convergent validity on patients with acute Achilles tendon ruptures

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score was developed by a research group in 2007 in response to the need for a patient reported outcome measure for this patient population. Beyond this original development paper, no further validation studies have been published. Consequently the purpose of this study was to evaluate internal consistency, convergent validity and responsiveness of this newly developed patient reported outcome measure within patients who have sustained an isolated acute Achilles tendon rupture. Methods Sixty-four eligible patients with an acute rupture of their Achilles tendon completed the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score alongside two further patient reported outcome measures (Disability Rating Index and EQ 5D). These were completed at baseline, six weeks, three months, six months and nine months post injury. The Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score was evaluated for internal consistency, using Cronbach's alpha, convergent validity, through correlation analysis and responsiveness, by analysing floor and ceiling effects and calculating its relative efficiency in comparison to the Disability Rating Index and EQ 5D scores. Results The Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha > 0.8) and correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with the Disability Rating Index at five time points (pre-injury, six weeks, three, six and nine months) with correlation coefficients between -0.5 and -0.9. However, the confidence intervals were wide. Furthermore, the ability of the new score to detect clinically important changes over time (responsiveness) was shown to be greater than the Disability Rating Index and EQ 5D. Conclusions A universally accepted outcome measure is imperative to allow comparisons to be made across practice. This is the first study to evaluate aspects of validity of this newly developed outcome measure, outside of the developing centre. The ATRS demonstrated high internal consistency and

  13. Evaluation of medical record quality and communication skills among pediatric interns after standardized parent training history-taking in China.

    PubMed

    Yu, Mu Xue; Jiang, Xiao Yun; Li, Yi Juan; Shen, Zhen Yu; Zhuang, Si Qi; Gu, Yu Fen

    2018-02-01

    The effect of using standardized parent training history-taking on the quality of medical records and communication skills among pediatric interns was determined. Fifth-year interns who were undertaking a pediatric clinical practice rotation were randomized to intervention and control groups. All of the pediatric interns received history-taking training by lecture and bedside teaching. The pediatric interns in the intervention group also received standardized parent history-taking training. The following two outcome measures were used: the scores of medical records, which were written by the pediatric interns after history-taking from real parents of pediatric patients; and the communication assessment tool (CAT) assessed by real parents. The general information, history of present illness (HPI), past medical history, personal history, family history, diagnosis, diagnostic analysis, and differential diagnosis scores in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.05). Assessment of the CAT indicated that the real parents were more satisfied with the pediatric interns in the intervention group. Standardized parent training history-taking is effective in improving the quality of medical records by pediatric interns. Standardized parent training history-taking is a superior teaching tool for clinical reasoning ability, as well as communication skills in clinical pediatric practice.

  14. Internal consistency of the Spanish health literacy test (TOFHLA-SPR) for Puerto Rico.

    PubMed

    Rivero-Méndez, Marta; Suárez, Erick; Solís-Báez, Solymar S; Hernández, Gloryvee; Cordero, Wanda; Vázquez, Irma; Medina, Zullettevy; Padilla, Raisa; Flores, Aida; Bonilla, José Luis; Holzemer, William L

    2010-03-01

    Low functional health literacy has been related to poor viral control, and lower levels of ART adherence in people living with HIV/AIDS. Research in functional health literacy among people living with HIV/AIDS in Puerto Rico (PR) is an unexplored area. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the full-length Spanish Version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA-S) scale was adapted to PR. Thirty participants (women = 16, men = 14) completed a basic demographic questionnaire, the TOFHLA-S and participated in an interview. Analyses were performed to examine the information provided by participants and the internal consistency of the TOFHLA-S. The mean age was 47.7 years (range 34-77). Thirty-seven percent had less than 12 years of formal schooling and 43% reported having education above high school. Changes suggested by participants included: increasing font size from 14 to 16 points for better readability and changes/simplification of several words in order to make them colloquial and comprehensible for the PR context. The reliability coefficient obtained for this scale was strong (estimated alpha = 0.95) however, differences were observed by subtype: numeracy (estimated alpha(num) = .819 vs. comprehension (estimated alpha =. 953). Based on this process, we have adapted the original version of the TOFHLA-S and the new version of the full-length TOFHLA-S, PR is now valid for further research and testing levels of functional health literacy in a larger sample in PR.

  15. Development and evaluation of oral Cancer quality-of-life questionnaire (QOL-OC).

    PubMed

    Nie, Min; Liu, Chang; Pan, Yi-Chen; Jiang, Chen-Xi; Li, Bao-Ru; Yu, Xi-Jie; Wu, Xin-Yu; Zheng, Shu-Ning

    2018-05-03

    In this study scales and items for the Oral Cancer Quality-of-life Questionnaire (QOL-OC) were designed and the instrument was evaluated. The QOL-OC was developed and modified using the international definition of quality of life (QOL) promulgated by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and analysis of the precedent measuring instruments. The contents of each item were determined in the context of the specific characteristics of oral cancer. Two hundred thirteen oral cancer patients were asked to complete both the EORTC core quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLC-C30) and the QOL-OC. Data collected was used to conduct factor analysis, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. Questionnaire compliance was relatively high. Fourteen of the 213 subjects accepted the same tests after 24 to 48 h demonstrating a high test-retest reliability for all five scales. Overall internal consistency surpasses 0.8. The outcome of the factor analysis coincides substantially with our theoretical conception. Each item shows a higher correlation coefficient within its own scale than the others which indicates high construct validity. QOL-OC demonstrates fairly good statistical reliability, validity, and feasibility. However, further tests and modification are needed to ensure its applicability to the quality-of-life assessment of Chinese oral cancer patients.

  16. ISYQOL: a Rasch-consistent questionnaire for measuring health-related quality of life in adolescents with spinal deformities.

    PubMed

    Caronni, Antonio; Sciumè, Luciana; Donzelli, Sabrina; Zaina, Fabio; Negrini, Stefano

    2017-09-01

    Spinal deformities are commonly associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Several questionnaires (eg, Scoliosis Research Society-24 [SRS-24] and Scoliosis Research Society-22 [SRS-22]) have been developed to evaluate HRQOL in these conditions. In adults as well as during growth, the HRQOL is considered one of the most relevant outcomes of both conservative and surgical treatments. Rasch analysis is a powerful statistical technique for developing high-quality and valid questionnaires. The SRS-24 and SRS-22 have been evaluated using the Rasch analysis but showed poor measurement properties. Thus, a proper measure of HRQOL in people with a spine condition is still missing. This study aimed to develop a new questionnaire that is totally Rasch consistent for measuring the HRQOL in young people with a spine condition. This is a cross-sectional study for developing a new HRQOL measure. A total of 402 participants with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis or Scheuermann juvenile kyphosis were included in the study. The outcome measure used was the Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life (ISYQOL) questionnaire. The study consisted of different stages: a conventional approach content analysis, an opinion poll among clinicians trained in spine deformities, and the Rasch analysis (partial credit model). The Rasch analysis showed that all items of the ISYQOL questionnaire had ordered thresholds and a good fit to the model. Differential item functioning was present for Item 1, with bracing only, and was solved with a conventional items splitting procedure. The ISYQOL item map spans an adequate range of HRQOL. The principal component analysis for Rasch residuals showed, in practical terms, the ISYQOL unidimensionality. The reliability of ISYQOL was high enough so that approximately three significantly different levels of HRQOL could be discerned. Two questionnaire versions were provided for patients with and without the brace, respectively. ISYQOL is the first HRQOL

  17. Validation of Portuguese version of Quality of Erection Questionnaire (QEQ) and comparison to International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and RAND 36-Item Health Survey

    PubMed Central

    Reis, Ana Luiza; Reis, Leonardo Oliveira; Saade, Ricardo Destro; Santos, Carlos Alberto; de Lima, Marcelo Lopes; Fregonesi, Adriano

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To validate the Quality of Erection Questionnaire (QEQ) considering Brazilian social-cultural aspects. Materials and Methods To determine equivalence between the Portuguese and the English QEQ versions, the Portuguese version was back-translated by two professors who are native English speakers. After language equivalence had been determined, urologists considered the QEQ Portuguese version suitable. Men with self-reported erectile dysfunction (ED) and infertile men who had a stable sexual relationship for at least 6 months were invited to answer the QEQ, the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey (RAND-36). The questionnaires were presented together and answered without help in a private room. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), test-retest reliability (Spearman), convergent validity (Spearman correlation) coefficients and known-groups validity (the ability of the QEQ Portuguese version to differentiate erectile dysfunction severity groups) were assessed. Results We recruited 197 men (167 ED patients and 30 non-ED patients), mean age of 53.3 and median of 55.5 years (23-82 years). The Portuguese version of the QEQ had high internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.93), high stability between test and retest (ICC 0.83, with IC 95%: 0.76-0.88, p<0.001) and Spearman correlation coefficient r=0.82 (p<0.001), which demonstrated the high correlation between the QEQ and IIEF results. The correlations between the QEQ and RAND-36 were significantly low in ED (r=0.20, p=0.01) and non-ED patients (r=0.37, p=0.04). Conclusion The QEQ Portuguese version presented good psychometric properties and high convergent validity in relation to IIEF. The low correlations between the QEQ and the RAND-36, as well as between the IIEF and the RAND-36 indicated IIEF and QEQ specificity, which may have resulted from the patients’ psychological adaptations that minimized the impact of ED on Quality of Life (QoL) and reestablished the well

  18. Infanticide and moral consistency.

    PubMed

    McMahan, Jeff

    2013-05-01

    The aim of this essay is to show that there are no easy options for those who are disturbed by the suggestion that infanticide may on occasion be morally permissible. The belief that infanticide is always wrong is doubtfully compatible with a range of widely shared moral beliefs that underlie various commonly accepted practices. Any set of beliefs about the morality of abortion, infanticide and the killing of animals that is internally consistent and even minimally credible will therefore unavoidably contain some beliefs that are counterintuitive.

  19. Consistency of Use and Effectiveness of Household Water Treatment Practices Among Urban and Rural Populations Claiming to Treat Their Drinking Water at Home: A Case Study in Zambia.

    PubMed

    Rosa, Ghislaine; Kelly, Paul; Clasen, Thomas

    2016-02-01

    Household water treatment (HWT) can improve drinking water quality and prevent disease, if used correctly and consistently. While international monitoring suggests that 1.8 billion people practice HWT, these estimates are based on household surveys that may overstate the level of consistent use and do not address microbiological effectiveness. We sought to examine how HWT is practiced among households identified as HWT users according to international monitoring standards. Case studies were conducted in urban and rural Zambia. After a baseline survey (urban: 203 households, rural: 276 households) to identify HWT users, 95 urban and 82 rural households were followed up for 6 weeks. Consistency of HWT reporting was low; only 72.6% of urban and 50.0% of rural households reported to be HWT users in the subsequent visit. Similarly, availability of treated water was low, only 23.3% and 4.2% of urban and rural households, respectively, had treated water on all visits. Drinking water was significantly worse than source water in both settings. Only 19.6% of urban and 2.4% of rural households had drinking water free of thermotolerant coliforms on all visits. Our findings raise questions about the value of the data gathered through the international monitoring of HWT practices as predictors of water quality in the home. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  20. [Surgical research in Germany. Organization, quality and international competitiveness].

    PubMed

    Menger, M D; Laschke, M W

    2012-04-01

    Surgical research in Germany is performed within surgical clinics by individual working groups or in surgical research divisions. Additionally, a few independent institutes and departments of surgical research have been established at medical faculties. The number of these institutions, however, is too small. To increase productivity in surgical research, structural changes are necessary, including additional establishment of further institutes and professorships. The quality of clinical research in surgery in Germany is critically discussed. International comparison shows that Germany has a low ranking with respect to the number of clinical studies published in leading surgical journals. However, there has been some improvement in the quality of clinical studies performed in surgical departments during the last 15 years. The establishment of the study center of the German Society of Surgery shows that excellent clinical studies with adequate numbers of patients can also be performed in Germany and can be published in leading journals. Accordingly, there is need to distribute the structures and the competence necessary to perform clinical studies in a standardized manner to all surgical departments involved in clinical research. The experimental surgical research in Germany is not adequately visible, although over the last 10 years the most relevant publications from institutions for surgical research have been placed in journals with a mean impact factor of 8. This may be due to the fact that 85% of these top publications are published in non-surgical journals. The aim for the future must therefore be to increase the impact factor and, thus, the attractiveness of surgical journals. This may be achieved by publishing the highest quality results from experimental surgical research not in non-surgical but in surgical journals.

  1. Process quality indicators in family medicine: results of an international comparison.

    PubMed

    Pavlič, Danica Rotar; Sever, Maja; Klemenc-Ketiš, Zalika; Švab, Igor

    2015-12-02

    The aim of our study was to describe variability in process quality in family medicine among 31 European countries plus Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The quality of family medicine was measured in terms of continuity, coordination, community orientation, and comprehensiveness of care. The QUALICOPC study (Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe) was carried out among family physicians in 31 European countries (the EU 27 except for France, plus Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey) and three non-European countries (Australia, Canada, and New Zealand). We used random sampling when national registers of practitioners were available. Regional registers or lists of facilities were used for some countries. A standardized questionnaire was distributed to the physicians, resulting in a sample of 6734 participants. Data collection took place between October 2011 and December 2013. Based on completed questionnaires, a three-dimensional framework was established to measure continuity, coordination, community orientation, and comprehensiveness of care. Multilevel linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the variation of quality attributable to the family physician level and the country level. None of the 34 countries in this study consistently scored the best or worst in all categories. Continuity of care was perceived by family physicians as the most important dimension of quality. Some components of comprehensiveness of care, including medical technical procedures, preventive care and health care promotion, varied substantially between countries. Coordination of care was identified as the weakest part of quality. We found that physician-level characteristics contributed to the majority of variation. A comparison of process quality indicators in family medicine revealed similarities and differences within and between countries. The researchers found that the major proportion of variation can be explained by physicians' characteristics.

  2. Service Quality and Satisfaction Perspectives at the 2011 International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Min Kil; Kim, Suk-Kyu; Lee, Donghun; Judge, Lawrence W.; Huang, Haiyan

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify and analyze the factors that contribute to perceived service quality, user satisfaction, and behavioral intention in covering megasporting events at the Main Media Center for the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) Track and Field World Championships. The data were collected…

  3. Quality of life, burnout, educational debt, and medical knowledge among internal medicine residents.

    PubMed

    West, Colin P; Shanafelt, Tait D; Kolars, Joseph C

    2011-09-07

    Physician distress is common and has been associated with negative effects on patient care. However, factors associated with resident distress and well-being have not been well described at a national level. To measure well-being in a national sample of internal medicine residents and to evaluate relationships with demographics, educational debt, and medical knowledge. Study of internal medicine residents using data collected on 2008 and 2009 Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores and the 2008 IM-ITE survey. Participants were 16,394 residents, representing 74.1% of all eligible US internal medicine residents in the 2008-2009 academic year. This total included 7743 US medical graduates and 8571 international medical graduates. Quality of life (QOL) and symptoms of burnout were assessed, as were year of training, sex, medical school location, educational debt, and IM-ITE score reported as percentage of correct responses. Quality of life was rated "as bad as it can be" or "somewhat bad" by 2402 of 16,187 responding residents (14.8%). Overall burnout and high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were reported by 8343 of 16,192 (51.5%), 7394 of 16,154 (45.8%), and 4541 of 15,737 (28.9%) responding residents, respectively. In multivariable models, burnout was less common among international medical graduates than among US medical graduates (45.1% vs 58.7%; odds ratio, 0.70 [99% CI, 0.63-0.77]; P < .001). Greater educational debt was associated with the presence of at least 1 symptom of burnout (61.5% vs 43.7%; odds ratio, 1.72 [99% CI, 1.49-1.99]; P < .001 for debt >$200,000 relative to no debt). Residents reporting QOL "as bad as it can be" and emotional exhaustion symptoms daily had mean IM-ITE scores 2.7 points (99% CI, 1.2-4.3; P < .001) and 4.2 points (99% CI, 2.5-5.9; P < .001) lower than those with QOL "as good as it can be" and no emotional exhaustion symptoms, respectively. Residents reporting debt greater than $200,000 had

  4. Influence of the internal wall thickness of electrical capacitance tomography sensors on image quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Shiguo; Ye, Jiamin; Wang, Haigang; Wu, Meng; Yang, Wuqiang

    2018-03-01

    In the design of electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) sensors, the internal wall thickness can vary with specific applications, and it is a key factor that influences the sensitivity distribution and image quality. This paper will discuss the effect of the wall thickness of ECT sensors on image quality. Three flow patterns are simulated for wall thicknesses of 2.5 mm to 15 mm on eight-electrode ECT sensors. The sensitivity distributions and potential distributions are compared for different wall thicknesses. Linear back-projection and Landweber iteration algorithms are used for image reconstruction. Relative image error and correlation coefficients are used for image evaluation using both simulation and experimental data.

  5. Taking Another Look: Sensuous, Consistent Form.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Townley, Mary Ross

    1983-01-01

    There is a natural progression from making single objects to creating sculpture. By modeling the forms of objects like funnels and light bulbs, students become aware of the quality of curves and the edges of angles. Sculptural form in architecture can be understood as consistency in the forms. (CS)

  6. International trauma teleconference: evaluating trauma care and facilitating quality improvement.

    PubMed

    Parra, Michael W; Castillo, Roberto C; Rodas, Edgar B; Suarez-Becerra, Jose M; Puentes-Manosalva, Fabian E; Wendt, Luke M

    2013-09-01

    Evaluation, development, and implementation of trauma systems in Latin America are challenging undertakings as no model is currently in place that can be easily replicated throughout the region. The use of teleconferencing has been essential in overcoming other challenges in the medical field and improving medical care. This article describes the use of international videoconferencing in the field of trauma and critical care as a tool to evaluate differences in care based on local resources, as well as facilitating quality improvement and system development in Latin America. In February 2009, the International Trauma and Critical Care Improvement Project was created and held monthly teleconferences between U.S. trauma surgeons and Latin American general surgeons, emergency physicians, and intensivists. In-depth discussions and prospective evaluations of each case presented were conducted by all participants based on resources available. Care rendered was divided in four stages: (1) pre-hospital setting, (2) emergency room or trauma room, (3) operating room, and (4) subsequent postoperative care. Furthermore, the participating institutions completed an electronic survey of trauma resources based on World Health Organization/International Association for Trauma and Surgical Intensive Care guidelines. During a 17-month period, 15 cases in total were presented from a Level I and a Level II U.S. hospital (n=3) and five Latin American hospitals (n=12). Presentations followed the Advanced Trauma Life Support sequence in all U.S. cases but in only 3 of the 12 Latin American cases. The following deficiencies were observed in cases presented from Latin America: pre-hospital communication was nonexistent in all cases; pre-hospital services were absent in 60% of cases presented; lack of trauma team structure was evident in the emergency departments; during the initial evaluation and resuscitation, the Advanced Trauma Life Support protocol was followed one time and the Clinical

  7. Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Hand Function Sort (HFS©) for French speaking patients with upper limb complaints.

    PubMed

    Konzelmann, M; Burrus, C; Hilfiker, R; Rivier, G; Deriaz, O; Luthi, F

    2015-03-01

    Functional evaluation of upper limb is not only based on clinical findings but requires self-administered questionnaires to address patients' perspective. The Hand Function Sort (HFS©) was only validated in English. The aim of this study was the French cross cultural adaptation and validation of the HFS© (HFS-F). 150 patients with various upper limbs impairments were recruited in a rehabilitation center. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation were made according to international guidelines. Construct validity was estimated through correlations with Disabilities Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, SF-36 mental component summary (MCS),SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) and pain intensity. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation. Cronbach's α was 0.98, test-retest reliability was excellent at 0.921 (95 % CI 0.871-0.971) same as original HFS©. Correlations with DASH were-0.779 (95 % CI -0.847 to -0.685); with SF 36 PCS 0.452 (95 % CI 0.276-0.599); with pain -0.247 (95 % CI -0.429 to -0.041); with SF 36 MCS 0.242 (95 % CI 0.042-0.422). There were no floor or ceiling effects. The HFS-F has the same good psychometric properties as the original HFS© (internal consistency, test retest reliability, convergent validity with DASH, divergent validity with SF-36 MCS, and no floor or ceiling effects). The convergent validity with SF-36 PCS was poor; we found no correlation with pain. The HFS-F could be used with confidence in a population of working patients. Other studies are necessary to study its psychometric properties in other populations.

  8. The Columbia–Suicide Severity Rating Scale: Initial Validity and Internal Consistency Findings From Three Multisite Studies With Adolescents and Adults

    PubMed Central

    Posner, Kelly; Brown, Gregory K.; Stanley, Barbara; Brent, David A.; Yershova, Kseniya V.; Oquendo, Maria A.; Currier, Glenn W.; Melvin, Glenn A.; Greenhill, Laurence; Shen, Sa; Mann, J. John

    2013-01-01

    Objective Research on suicide prevention and interventions requires a standard method for assessing both suicidal ideation and behavior to identify those at risk and to track treatment response. The Columbia–Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) was designed to quantify the severity of suicidal ideation and behavior. The authors examined the psychometric properties of the scale. Method The C-SSRS’s validity relative to other measures of suicidal ideation and behavior and the internal consistency of its intensity of ideation subscale were analyzed in three multisite studies: a treatment study of adolescent suicide attempters (N=124); a medication efficacy trial with depressed adolescents (N=312); and a study of adults presenting to an emergency department for psychiatric reasons (N=237). Results The C-SSRS demonstrated good convergent and divergent validity with other multi-informant suicidal ideation and behavior scales and had high sensitivity and specificity for suicidal behavior classifications compared with another behavior scale and an independent suicide evaluation board. Both the ideation and behavior subscales were sensitive to change over time. The intensity of ideation subscale demonstrated moderate to strong internal consistency. In the adolescent suicide attempters study, worst-point lifetime suicidal ideation on the C-SSRS predicted suicide attempts during the study, whereas the Scale for Suicide Ideation did not. Participants with the two highest levels of ideation severity (intent or intent with plan) at baseline had higher odds for attempting suicide during the study. Conclusions These findings suggest that the C-SSRS is suitable for assessment of suicidal ideation and behavior in clinical and research settings. PMID:22193671

  9. Construct validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Thai version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH-TH) in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

    PubMed

    Buntragulpoontawee, Montana; Phutrit, Suphatha; Tongprasert, Siam; Wongpakaran, Tinakon; Khunachiva, Jeeranan

    2018-03-27

    This study evaluated additional psychometric properties of the Thai version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH-TH) which included, test-retest reliability, construct validity, internal consistency of in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. As for determining construct validity, the Thai EuroQOL questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) was also administered in order to examine convergent and divergent validity. Fifty patients completed both questionnaires. The DASH-TH showed excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.811) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.911). The exploratory factor analysis yielded a six-factor solution while the confirmatory factor analysis denoted that the hypothesized model adequately fit the data with a comparative fit index of 0.967 and a Tucker-Lewis index of 0.964. The related subscales between the DASH-TH and the Thai EQ-5D-5L were significantly correlated, indicating the DASH-TH's convergent and discriminant validity. The DASH-TH demonstrated good reliability, internal consistency construct validity, and multidimensionality, in assessing the upper extremity function in carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

  10. Internal Consistency of the Spanish Health Literacy Test (TOFHLA-SPR) for Puerto Rico

    PubMed Central

    Rivero-Méndez, Marta; Suárez, Erick; Solís-Báez, Solymar S.; Hernández, Gloryvee; Cordero, Wanda; Vázquez, Irma; Medina, Zullettevy; Padilla, Raisa; Flores, Aida; Bonilla, José Luis; Holzemer, William L.

    2010-01-01

    Background Low functional health literacy has been related to poor viral control, and lower levels of ART adherence in people living with HIV/AIDS. Research in functional health literacy among people living with HIV/AIDS in Puerto Rico (PR) is an unexplored area. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the full-length Spanish Version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA-S) scale was adapted to PR. Methods Thirty participants (women = 16, men = 14) completed a basic demographic questionnaire, the TOFHLA-S and participated in an interview. Analyses were performed to examine the information provided by participants and the internal consistency of the TOFHLA-S. Results The mean age was 47.7 years (range 34-77). Thirty-seven percent had less than 12 years of formal schooling and 43% reported having education above high school. Changes suggested by participants included: increasing font size from 14 to 16 points for better readability and changes/simplification of several words in order to make them colloquial and comprehensible for the PR context. The reliability coefficient obtained for this scale was strong (estimated alpha = 0.95) however, differences were observed by subtype: numeracy (estimated alphanum = .819 vs. comprehension (estimated alpha =. 953). Conclusions Based on this process, we have adapted the original version of the TOFHLA-S and the new version of the full-length TOFHLA-S, PR is now valid for further research and testing levels of functional health literacy in a larger sample in PR. PMID:20222334

  11. International Airline Quality Measurement

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-01-01

    Historically, airline quality has been measured through the use of surveys that ask the consumers to make a comparison between expectations and outcomes. This method was informative but very cumbersome in a rapidly changing environment. This paper ou...

  12. Does Higher Education Service Quality Effect Student Satisfaction, Image and Loyalty? A Study of International Students in Malaysian Public Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ali, Faizan; Zhou, Yuan; Hussain, Kashif; Nair, Pradeep Kumar; Ragavan, Neethiahnanthan Ari

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Malaysian public universities' service quality on international student satisfaction, institutional image and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach: A total number of 400 questionnaires were distributed to international students, selected using convenience sampling technique, at…

  13. Quality of randomized controlled trials published in the International Urogynecology Journal 2007-2016.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kyu Shik; Chung, Jae Hoon; Jo, Jung Ki; Kim, Jae Heon; Kim, Seungjun; Cho, Jeoung Man; Cho, Hee Ju; Choi, Hong Yong; Lee, Seung Wook

    2018-07-01

    Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the best quality clinical evidence. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of RCTs published by the International Urogynecology Journal (IUJ) in 2007-2016. RCTs in original articles were extracted from PubMed and IUJ homepage. Change in RCT quality over time was assessed with Jadad and van Tulder scales and Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool (CCRBT). Jadad scores of 3-5 or van Tulder scores of >5 indicated high-quality RCTs. The effect on RCT quality of including funding source and institutional review board (IRB) approval statements and describing the intervention was assessed. In addition, changes in RCT topics over time were assessed. Annual RCT frequencies did not change significantly (6.7-15.7%): 36.1% and 25.7% described blinding and allocation concealment, respectively. Both tended to increase between 2013 and 2016, particularly 2013 and 2014. Funding statement inclusion (39.1% overall) and intervention description (78.2% overall) tended to increase steadily. IRB statement inclusion (60.4% overall) increased significantly (p < 0.01). Jadad scores and van Tulder rose significantly until 2014 (p < 0.01). Frequencies of high-quality RCTs tended to rise. CCRBT indicated that RCTs with a low risk of bias tended to increase until 2014. However, from 2015, Jadad scores, van Tulder, and CCRBT the low risk tended to decreased. RCTs with funding and IRB approval statements had higher Jadad and van Tulder scores than unfunded RCTs (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). Intervention description did not associate with better quality. RCT quality improved over time, but a dip in quality was observed in 2015-2016 because of decreased blinding and allocation concealment.

  14. First-principles calculations of high-pressure iron-bearing monoclinic dolomite and single-cation carbonates with internally-consistent Hubbard U

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solomatova, N. V.; Asimow, P. D.

    2017-12-01

    It has been proposed that iron has a significant effect on the relative stability of carbonate phases at high pressures, possibly even stabilizing double-cation carbonates (e.g., dolomite) with respect to single-cation carbonates (e.g., magnesite, aragonite and siderite). X-ray diffraction experiments have shown that dolomite transforms at 35 GPa to a high-pressure polymorph that is stable to decomposition; however, there has been disagreement on the structure of the high-pressure phase [1,2]. Ab initio calculations interfaced with an evolutionary structure prediction algorithm demonstrated that a C2/c polymorph of pure CaMg(CO3)2 dolomite is more stable than previously reported structures [3]. In this study, we calculate the relative enthalpies up to 80 GPa for a set of carbonate phases including Fe-bearing solutions and endmembers, using the generalized gradient approximation and a Hubbard U parameter calculated through linear response theory to accurately characterize the electronic structure of Fe. When calculated with a constant U of 4 eV, the spin transition pressure of (Mg,Fe)CO3 agrees well with experiments, whereas an internally-consistent U overestimates the spin transition pressure by 50 GPa. However, whether we use constant or internally-consistent U values, a higher iron concentration increases the stability field of dolomite C2/c with respect to single-cation carbonate assemblages, but iron-free dolomite is not stable with respect to single-cation carbonates at any pressure. Thus, high-pressure polymorphs of Fe-bearing dolomite could in fact represent an important reservoir for carbon storage within oxidized sections of Earth's mantle. [1] Mao, Z. et al. (2011) Geophysical Research Letters, 38. [2] Merlini, M. et al. (2012) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109, 13509-13514. [3] Solomatova, N. V. and Asimow, P. D. (2017) American Mineralogist, 102, 210-215.

  15. Peptide supplementation to nutrient-adequate diets enhanced internal egg quality during storage in hens at peak production.

    PubMed

    Olukosi, Oluyinka A; Xiao, Weiwei; Jia, Jing

    2018-03-01

    There is paucity of information on the use of dietary peptides in laying hens and its effects on egg production and quality. In the current study, peptide from enzymatic hydrolysis of soybean protein was incorporated into laying hens' diets to investigate its effect on egg production and internal egg quality. There were no treatment effects on egg production (average hen day production was 96%) during the experiment. Final body weight of the hens increased quadratically (P < 0.05) in response to peptide supplementation. There were no significant effects of peptide supplementation on internal egg quality of the fresh eggs. Peptide supplementation tended to increase yolk colour (P < 0.10) in eggs collected at 4 weeks of the study and stored at room temperature for 14 days. For the eggs collected at 8 weeks of the experiment and stored at room temperature for 14 days, peptide supplementation linearly increased (P < 0.05) albumen height, Haugh unit and yolk index but linearly decreased (P < 0.01) yolk width. Peptide supplementation to laying hens at peak production, receiving diets meeting their nutrient requirement, did not improve hen production but positively helped to maintain hens' body weight and egg quality during storage. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Application of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to non-destructive internal quality inspection of tomatoes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Xuemei; He, Yong

    2006-09-01

    The internal quality of tomato such as acidity and sugar content is important to its taste thus influences the market. The objective of this paper was to demonstrate the feasibility of using a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to investigate the relationship between sugar content and acidity of tomato and absorption spectra. The N1RS reflectance of nondestructive tomatoes was measured with a Visible/NJR spectrophotometer in 325-1075 nm range. The sugar content and acidity of tomato were obtained with a handhold sugar content meter and a PH meter. The reflectance data set was recorded and analyzed with some mathematic methods. The PLS (Partial least squares) calibration method was developed for converting the NIRS reflectance of tomato into the data which determined the acidity value. BP (Back propagation) neural network was used to set up the relationship between the NIRS reflectance of tomato and sugar content. The acidity values were detected with an accuracy of 9O% and the sugar contents determined by the BP network were also very close to the measurements (coefficient of correlation r2=0.8764). NW spectra analysis would be very useful in the nondestructive internal quality inspecting of tomato.

  17. Service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention in home delivered meals program

    PubMed Central

    Joung, Hyun-Woo; Yuan, Jingxue Jessica; Huffman, Lynn

    2011-01-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate recipients' perception of service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention in home delivered meals program in the US. Out of 398 questionnaires, 265 (66.6%) were collected, and 209 questionnaires (52.5%) were used for the statistical analysis. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with a maximum likelihood was first conducted to estimate the measurement model by verifying the underlying structure of constructs. The level of internal consistency in each construct was acceptable, with Cronbach's alpha estimates ranging from 0.7 to 0.94. All of the composite reliabilities of the constructs were over the cutoff value of 0.50, ensuring adequate internal consistency of multiple items for each construct. As a second step, a Meals-On-Wheels (MOW) recipient perception model was estimated. The model's fit as indicated by these indexes was satisfactory and path coefficients were analyzed. Two paths between (1) volunteer issues and behavioral intention and (2) responsiveness and behavioral intention were not significant. The path for predicting a positive relationship between food quality and satisfaction was supported. The results show that having high food quality may create recipient satisfaction. The findings suggest that food quality and responsiveness are significant predictors of positive satisfaction. Moreover, satisfied recipients have positive behavioral intention toward MOW programs. PMID:21556231

  18. Service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention in home delivered meals program.

    PubMed

    Joung, Hyun-Woo; Kim, Hak-Seon; Yuan, Jingxue Jessica; Huffman, Lynn

    2011-04-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate recipients' perception of service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention in home delivered meals program in the US. Out of 398 questionnaires, 265 (66.6%) were collected, and 209 questionnaires (52.5%) were used for the statistical analysis. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with a maximum likelihood was first conducted to estimate the measurement model by verifying the underlying structure of constructs. The level of internal consistency in each construct was acceptable, with Cronbach's alpha estimates ranging from 0.7 to 0.94. All of the composite reliabilities of the constructs were over the cutoff value of 0.50, ensuring adequate internal consistency of multiple items for each construct. As a second step, a Meals-On-Wheels (MOW) recipient perception model was estimated. The model's fit as indicated by these indexes was satisfactory and path coefficients were analyzed. Two paths between (1) volunteer issues and behavioral intention and (2) responsiveness and behavioral intention were not significant. The path for predicting a positive relationship between food quality and satisfaction was supported. The results show that having high food quality may create recipient satisfaction. The findings suggest that food quality and responsiveness are significant predictors of positive satisfaction. Moreover, satisfied recipients have positive behavioral intention toward MOW programs.

  19. Matters Arising. Australian University Quality Agency Feedback in Relation to the Academic Engagement of International Students Enrolled in Onshore University Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crossman, Joanna; Burdett, Jane

    2012-01-01

    It is now commonplace to find quality audit processes being applied in universities internationally as a means of assessing the quality of teaching and learning. This article draws upon a thematic analysis of 14 second-round Australian Universities Quality Agency reports in order to explore matters arising from the academic engagement of…

  20. A network architecture for International Business Satellite communications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahata, Fumio; Nohara, Mitsuo; Takeuchi, Yoshio

    Demand Assignment (DA) control is expected to be introduced in the International Business Satellte communications (IBS) network in order to cope with a growing international business traffic. The paper discusses the DA/IBS network from the viewpoints of network configuration, satellite channel configuration and DA control. The network configuration proposed here consists of one Central Station with network management function and several Network Coordination Stations with user management function. A satellite channel configuration is also presented along with a tradeoff study on transmission bit rate, high power amplifier output power requirement, and service quality. The DA control flow and protocol based on CCITT Signalling System No. 7 are also proposed.

  1. Validation of the Spine Oncology Study Group-Outcomes Questionnaire to assess quality of life in patients with metastatic spine disease.

    PubMed

    Janssen, Stein J; Teunis, Teun; van Dijk, Eva; Ferrone, Marco L; Shin, John H; Hornicek, Francis; Schwab, Joseph H

    2017-06-01

    General questionnaires are often used to assess quality of life in patients with spine metastases, although a disease-specific survey did not exist until recently. The Spine Oncology Study Group has developed an outcomes questionnaire (SOSG-OQ) to measure quality of life in these patients. However, a scoring system was not developed, and the questionnaire was not validated in a group of patients, nor was it compared with other general quality of life questionnaires such as the EuroQol 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Our primary null hypothesis is that there is no association between the SOSG-OQ and EQ-5D. Our secondary null hypothesis is that there is no difference in coverage and internal consistency between the SOSG-OQ and EQ-5D. We also assess coverage, consistency, and validity of the domains within the SOSG-OQ. A survey study from a tertiary care spine referral center was used for this study. The patient sample consisted of 82 patients with spine metastases, myeloma, or lymphoma. The SOSG-OQ (27 questions, 6 domains) score ranges from 0 to 80, with a higher score indicating worse quality of life. The EQ-5D (5 questions, 5 domains) index score ranges from 0 to 1, with a higher score indicating better quality of life. The association between the SOSG-OQ and EQ-5D index score was assessed using the Spearman rank correlation. Instrument coverage and precision were assessed by determining item completion rate, median score with range, and floor and ceiling effect. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach alpha. Multitrait analysis and exploratory factor analysis were used to analyze properties of the individual domains in the SOSG-OQ. The Spearman rank correlation between the SOSG-OQ and EQ-5D questionnaire was high (r=-0.83, p<.001). Internal consistency of the SOSG-OQ (0.92, 95% CI: 0.89-0.94) was higher as compared to the internal consistency of the EQ-5D (0.73, 95% CI: 0.63-0.84; p<.001). The SOSG-OQ score had no floor or ceiling effect indicating

  2. Guaranteeing the quality and integrity of pork - An Australian case study.

    PubMed

    Channon, H A; D'Souza, D N; Jarrett, R G; Lee, G S H; Watling, R J; Jolley, J Y C; Dunshea, F R

    2018-04-27

    The Australian pork industry is strongly committed to assuring the integrity of its product, with substantial research investment made over the past ten years to develop and implement systems to assure the consistency and quality of fresh pork and to enable accurate tracing of unpackaged fresh pork back to property of origin using trace elemental profiling. These initiatives are pivotal to allow Australian pork of guaranteed eating quality to be successfully positioned as higher value products, across a range of international and domestic markets, whilst managing any threats of product substitution. This paper describes the current status of the development of a predictive eating quality model for Australian pork, utilizing eating quality datasets generated from recent Australian studies. The implementation of trace elemental profiling, by Physi-Trace™, to verify and defend provenance claims and support the supply of consistently high eating quality Australian pork to its customers, is also discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [The establishment and application of internal quality control system for real-time quantitative PCR detection of BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels].

    PubMed

    Zhong, C Q; He, N; Hua, M Q; Wei, X D; Ma, D X; Ji, C Y

    2016-09-14

    Objective: To set internal quality control system of BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels for real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR). Methods: Using K562 cells and HL-60 cells, we prepared high- and low-level BCR-ABL internal quality control substance. The BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels of internal quality control substance have been determined for 184 times together with clinical samples from August 2013 to October 2015. The slope rate, intercept and correlation coefficient of standard curve were calculated according to different reagent lots (lots number 20130303, 20131212, 20140411 and 20150327 are called R1、R2、R3 and R4 for short respectively), and the detection results of quality control substance were calculated according to different reagent lots and quality control substance lots (lots number 20130725, 20140611 are called Q1、Q2 for short respectively). Then the results were analyzed by Levey-Jennings quality control chart combined with Westgard multi-rules theory. Results: ①We analyzed the slope rate and intercept of standard curve. Fifty-three times of the R1 reagent detection, 80 times of the R3 reagent detection and 14 times of the R4 reagent detection were all under control. For 37 times detection of R2 reagent, the slope rate was out of control for 6 times. It was lower than x - s for the 2-8 tests and upper the average for the 12-37 tests. The intercept was out of control for 9 times, upper the x + s for the 1-8 tests and lower the average for the 12-37 tests. ② According to the detection results of quality control substance, for Q1 quality control substance, 49 tests by R1 reagent were under control, and 1 out of 23 tests by R2 reagent was out of control. For Q2 quality control substance, 14 tests by R2 reagent detection, 72 tests by R3 reagent detection and 14 tests by R4 reagent were all under control. Conclusion: The preparation of high- and low-level quality control substance using K562 and HL-60 cells was convenient and the detection

  4. The spectrum-effect relationship-a rational approach to screening effective compounds, reflecting the internal quality of Chinese herbal medicine.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Chun-Sheng; Lin, Zhi-Jian; Xiao, Ming-Liang; Niu, Hong-Juan; Zhang, Bing

    2016-03-01

    Since the chromatographic fingerprint was introduced, it has been accepted by many countries to assess the quality and authenticity of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). However, solely using the chromatographic fingerprint to assay numerous chemicals is not suitable for the assessment of the whole internal quality and pharmacodynamics of CHM. Consequently, it is necessary to develop a rational approach to connecting the chromatographic fingerprint with effective components to assess the internal quality of CHM. For this purpose, a spectrum-effect relationship theory was proposed and accepted as a new method for the assessment of CHM because of its potential use to screen effective components from CHM. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the application of the spectrum-effect relationship theory in the research of CHM, including research mentality, different chromatographic analysis techniques, data processing technologies, and structure determination. Copyright © 2016 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. [Pharmaceutical product quality control and good manufacturing practices].

    PubMed

    Hiyama, Yukio

    2010-01-01

    This report describes the roles of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in pharmaceutical product quality control. There are three keys to pharmaceutical product quality control. They are specifications, thorough product characterization during development, and adherence to GMP as the ICH Q6A guideline on specifications provides the most important principles in its background section. Impacts of the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (rPAL) which became effective in 2005 on product quality control are discussed. Progress of ICH discussion for Pharmaceutical Development (Q8), Quality Risk Management (Q9) and Pharmaceutical Quality System (Q10) are reviewed. In order to reconstruct GMP guidelines and GMP inspection system in the regulatory agencies under the new paradigm by rPAL and the ICH, a series of Health Science studies were conducted. For GMP guidelines, product GMP guideline, technology transfer guideline, laboratory control guideline and change control system guideline were written. For the GMP inspection system, inspection check list, inspection memo and inspection scenario were proposed also by the Health Science study groups. Because pharmaceutical products and their raw materials are manufactured and distributed internationally, collaborations with other national authorities are highly desired. In order to enhance the international collaborations, consistent establishment of GMP inspection quality system throughout Japan will be essential.

  6. Internal consistency tests for evaluation of measurements of anthropogenic hydrocarbons in the troposphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parrish, D. D.; Trainer, M.; Young, V.; Goldan, P. D.; Kuster, W. C.; Jobson, B. T.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Lonneman, W. A.; Zika, R. D.; Farmer, C. T.; Riemer, D. D.; Rodgers, M. O.

    1998-09-01

    Measurements of tropospheric nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) made in continental North America should exhibit a common pattern determined by photochemical removal and dilution acting upon the typical North American urban emissions. We analyze 11 data sets collected in the United States in the context of this hypothesis, in most cases by analyzing the geometric mean and standard deviations of ratios of selected NMHCs. In the analysis we attribute deviations from the common pattern to plausible systematic and random experimental errors. In some cases the errors have been independently verified and the specific causes identified. Thus this common pattern provides a check for internal consistency in NMHC data sets. Specific tests are presented which should provide useful diagnostics for all data sets of anthropogenic NMHC measurements collected in the United States. Similar tests, based upon the perhaps different emission patterns of other regions, presumably could be developed. The specific tests include (1) a lower limit for ethane concentrations, (2) specific NMHCs that should be detected if any are, (3) the relatively constant mean ratios of the longer-lived NMHCs with similar atmospheric lifetimes, (4) the constant relative patterns of families of NMHCs, and (5) limits on the ambient variability of the NMHC ratios. Many experimental problems are identified in the literature and the Southern Oxidant Study data sets. The most important conclusion of this paper is that a rigorous field intercomparison of simultaneous measurements of ambient NMHCs by different techniques and researchers is of crucial importance to the field of atmospheric chemistry. The tests presented here are suggestive of errors but are not definitive; only a field intercomparison can resolve the uncertainties.

  7. A Closer Look at Co-Rumination: Gender, Coping, Peer Functioning and Internalizing/Externalizing Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tompkins, Tanya L.; Hockett, Ashlee R.; Abraibesh, Nadia; Witt, Jody L.

    2011-01-01

    Co-rumination, defined as repetitive, problem-focused talk explains higher levels of friendship quality in youth (Rose, 2002) and increased levels of anxiety/depression in females. Middle adolescents (N = 146) participated in a study of co-rumination, individual coping, externalizing/internalizing problems, and peer functioning. Consistent with…

  8. Automatic tube potential selection with tube current modulation in coronary CT angiography: Can it achieve consistent image quality among various individuals?

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiao-Ping; Zhu, Xiao-Mei; Zhu, Yin-Su; Liu, Wang-Yan; Yang, Xiao-Han; Huang, Wei-Wei; Xu, Yi; Tang, Li-Jun

    2018-07-01

    The present study included a total of 111 consecutive patients who had undergone coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography, using a first-generation dual-source CT with automatic tube potential selection and tube current modulation. Body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI) were recorded prior to CT examinations. Image noise and attenuation of the proximal ascending aorta (AA) and descending aorta (DA) at the middle level of the left ventricle were measured. Correlations between BW, BMI and objective image quality were evaluated using linear regression. In addition, two subgroups based on BMI (BMI ≤25 and >25 kg/m 2 ) were analyzed. Subjective image quality, image noise, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were all compared between those. The image noise of the AA increased with the BW and BMI (BW: r=0.453, P<0.001; BMI: r=0.545, P<0.001). The CNR and SNR of the AA were inversely correlated with BW and BMI, respectively. The image noise of the DA and the CNR and SNR of the DA exhibited a similar association to those with the BW or BMI. The BMI >25 kg/m 2 group had a significant increase in image noise (33.1±6.9 vs. 27.8±4.0 HU, P<0.05) and a significant reduction in CNR and SNR, when compared with those in the BMI ≤25 kg/m 2 group (CNR: 18.9±4.3 vs. 16.1±3.7, P<0.05; SNR: 16.0±3.8 vs. 13.6±3.2, P<0.05). Patients with a BMI of ≤25 kg/m 2 had more coronary artery segments scored as excellent, compared with patients with a BMI of >25 kg/m 2 (P=0.02). In conclusion, this method is not able to achieve a consistent objective image quality across the entire patient population. The impact of BW and BMI on objective image quality was not completely eliminated. BMI-based adjustment of the tube potential may achieve a more consistent image quality compared to automatic tube potential selection, particularly in patients with a larger body habitus.

  9. The COSMIN checklist for assessing the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties of health status measurement instruments: an international Delphi study.

    PubMed

    Mokkink, Lidwine B; Terwee, Caroline B; Patrick, Donald L; Alonso, Jordi; Stratford, Paul W; Knol, Dirk L; Bouter, Lex M; de Vet, Henrica C W

    2010-05-01

    Aim of the COSMIN study (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments) was to develop a consensus-based checklist to evaluate the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties. We present the COSMIN checklist and the agreement of the panel on the items of the checklist. A four-round Delphi study was performed with international experts (psychologists, epidemiologists, statisticians and clinicians). Of the 91 invited experts, 57 agreed to participate (63%). Panel members were asked to rate their (dis)agreement with each proposal on a five-point scale. Consensus was considered to be reached when at least 67% of the panel members indicated 'agree' or 'strongly agree'. Consensus was reached on the inclusion of the following measurement properties: internal consistency, reliability, measurement error, content validity (including face validity), construct validity (including structural validity, hypotheses testing and cross-cultural validity), criterion validity, responsiveness, and interpretability. The latter was not considered a measurement property. The panel also reached consensus on how these properties should be assessed. The resulting COSMIN checklist could be useful when selecting a measurement instrument, peer-reviewing a manuscript, designing or reporting a study on measurement properties, or for educational purposes.

  10. 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.

  11. The internalization of posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs) in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. II. The inter-relationship of optical quality and structure as a function of age.

    PubMed

    Kuszak, J R; Al-Ghoul, K J; Novak, L A; Peterson, K L; Herbert, K L; Sivak, J G

    1999-05-06

    The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat is an animal model for human retinal degenerative disease and posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs). The purpose of this study was to correlate the structure and optical quality of RCS lenses with PSCs as a function of their internalization, with normal, non-cataractous, age-matched control lenses. Correlative light (LM), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), three-dimensional computer assisted drawings (3D-CADs) and low power helium-neon laser scan analysis were used to examine the structure and function of lenses. The optical properties (average focal length variability; sharpness of focus) of RCS rat lenses are quantitatively compromised by PSCs. Correlative LM and SEM analysis of RCS lenses at various stages of PSC internalization (1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age), revealed that the sutures formed by additional fiber growth were progressively more abnormal. During PSC internalization, two to nine small suture branches were formed and arranged in modified line to multiple y configurations rather than the normal three branch y sutures. These temporal changes were also chronicled in animated 3D-CAD videos derived from lens reconstructions based on LM and SEM micrographs from the selected time points stated above. However, laser scan analysis also revealed that as the PSCs of RCS rat lenses were progressively internalized, there was a steady improvement in total sharpness of focus that reached normal levels by 12 months of age. The correlation of laser scan and structural data from specific regions of lenses revealed the following: 1. The abnormal posterior sutures of RCS rats with internalized PSCs effect a greater reduction in optical quality than normal posterior sutures of age-matched controls; 2. However, the resulting abnormal suture plane area was cumulatively similar to that of age-matched controls; 3. Thus, total optical quality was similar between RCS lenses with internalized PSCs and age-matched controls by

  12. Codex Alimentarius: food quality and safety standards for international trade.

    PubMed

    Randell, A W; Whitehead, A J

    1997-08-01

    Since 1962, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation has been responsible for developing standards, guidelines and other recommendations on the quality and safety of food to protect the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in food trade. The mission of the CAC remains relevant, but a number of factors have shown the need for new techniques to form the basis of food standards, the most important of which is risk analysis. The authors give a brief description of the role and work of the CAC and the efforts deployed by the Commission to respond to the challenges posed by new approaches to government regulation, harmonisation of national requirements based on international standards and the role of civil society.

  13. Usefulness of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in assessing the quality of life of parents of children with asthma

    PubMed Central

    Roncada, Cristian; Dias, Caroline Pieta; Goecks, Suelen; Cidade, Simone Elenise Falcão; Pitrez, Paulo Márcio Condessa

    2015-01-01

    Objective:: To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of parents of children with asthma and to analyze the internal consistency of the generic QOL tool World Health Organization Quality of Life, abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF). Methods:: We evaluated the QOL of parents of asthmatic and healthy children aged between 8 and 16, using the generic WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. We also evaluated the internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha (αC), in order to determine whether the tool had good validity for the target audience. Results:: The study included 162 individuals with a mean age of 43.8±13.6 years, of which 104 were female (64.2%) and 128 were married (79.0%). When assessing the QOL, the group of parents of healthy children had higher scores than the group of parents of asthmatic children in the four areas evaluated by the questionnaire (Physical, Psychological Health, Social Relationships and Environment), indicating a better quality of life. Regarding the internal consistency of the WHOQOL-BREF, values of ˛C were 0.86 points for the group of parents of asthmatic children, and 0.88 for the group of parents of healthy children. Conclusions:: Parents of children with asthma have impaired quality of life due to their children's disease. Furthermore, the WHOQOL-BREF, even as a generic tool, showed to be practical and efficient to evaluate the quality of life of parents of asthmatic children. © 2015 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved. PMID:26137868

  14. Internally Consistent MODIS Estimate of Aerosol Clear-Sky Radiative Effect Over the Global Oceans

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Remer, Lorraine A.; Kaufman, Yoram J.

    2004-01-01

    Modern satellite remote sensing, and in particular the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), offers a measurement-based pathway to estimate global aerosol radiative effects and aerosol radiative forcing. Over the Oceans, MODIS retrieves the total aerosol optical thickness, but also reports which combination of the 9 different aerosol models was used to obtain the retrieval. Each of the 9 models is characterized by a size distribution and complex refractive index, which through Mie calculations correspond to a unique set of single scattering albedo, assymetry parameter and spectral extinction for each model. The combination of these sets of optical parameters weighted by the optical thickness attributed to each model in the retrieval produces the best fit to the observed radiances at the top of the atmosphere. Thus the MODIS Ocean aerosol retrieval provides us with (1) An observed distribution of global aerosol loading, and (2) An internally-consistent, observed, distribution of aerosol optical models that when used in combination will best represent the radiances at the top of the atmosphere. We use these two observed global distributions to initialize the column climate model by Chou and Suarez to calculate the aerosol radiative effect at top of the atmosphere and the radiative efficiency of the aerosols over the global oceans. We apply the analysis to 3 years of MODIS retrievals from the Terra satellite and produce global and regional, seasonally varying, estimates of aerosol radiative effect over the clear-sky oceans.

  15. STS 129 Return Samples: Assessment of Air Quality aboard the Shuttle (STS-129) and International Space Station (ULF3)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    James, John T.

    2010-01-01

    Reports on the air quality aboard the Space Shuttle (STS-129), and the International Space station (ULF3). NASA analyzed the grab sample canisters (GSCs) and the formaldehyde badges aboard both locations for carbon monoxide levels. The three surrogates: (sup 13)C-acetone, fluorobenzene, and chlorobenzene registered 109, 101, and 109% in the space shuttle and 81, 87, and 55% in the International Space Station (ISS). From these results the atmosphere in both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) was found to be breathable.

  16. International variation in the definition of 'main condition' in ICD-coded health data.

    PubMed

    Quan, H; Moskal, L; Forster, A J; Brien, S; Walker, R; Romano, P S; Sundararajan, V; Burnand, B; Henriksson, G; Steinum, O; Droesler, S; Pincus, H A; Ghali, W A

    2014-10-01

    Hospital-based medical records are abstracted to create International Classification of Disease (ICD) coded discharge health data in many countries. The 'main condition' is not defined in a consistent manner internationally. Some countries employ a 'reason for admission' rule as the basis for the main condition, while other countries employ a 'resource use' rule. A few countries have recently transitioned from one of these approaches to the other. The definition of 'main condition' in such ICD data matters when it is used to define a disease cohort to assign diagnosis-related groups and to perform risk adjustment. We propose a method of harmonizing the international definition to enable researchers and international organizations using ICD-coded health data to aggregate or compare hospital care and outcomes across countries in a consistent manner. Inter-observer reliability of alternative harmonization approaches should be evaluated before finalizing the definition and adopting it worldwide. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  17. Do hernia operations in african international cooperation programmes provide good quality?

    PubMed

    Gil, J; Rodríguez, J M; Hernández, Q; Gil, E; Balsalobre, M D; González, M; Torregrosa, N; Verdú, T; Alcaráz, M; Parrilla, P

    2012-12-01

    Hernia is especially prevalent in developing countries where the population is obliged to undertake strenuous work in order to survive, and International Cooperation Programmes are helping to solve this problem. However, the quality of surgical interventions is unknown. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality of hernia repair processes carried out by the Surgical Solidarity Charity in Central African States. A total of 524 cases of inguinal hernia repair carried out in Cameroon and Mali during 2005 to 2009 were compared with 386 cases treated in a Multicentre Spanish Study (2003). General data (clinical, demographic, etc.), type of surgery, complications, and effectiveness and efficiency indicators were collected. Preoperative studies in the Spanish group were greater in number than in the African group. The use of local anesthesia was similar. Antibiotic prophylaxis was higher in the African group (100% to 75.4%). The use of mesh was similar. The incidence of hematomas was higher in the Spanish group (11.61% to 4.61%), but the incidence of infection of the wound and of hernia recurrence was similar, although follow-up was only carried out in 20.97% in the African group (70% in the Spanish group). Hospital stay of more than 24 h was higher in the Spanish group. The standard quality of surgery for the treatment of hernia in developing countries with few instrumental means, and in sub-optimal surgical conditions is similar to that provided in Spain.

  18. International quality assurance project in colorectal cancer-unifying diagnostic and histopathological evaluation.

    PubMed

    Jannasch, O; Udelnow, A; Romano, G; Dziki, A; Pavalkis, D; Lippert, H; Mroczkowski, P

    2014-04-01

    Several European countries are undertaking quality control projects in colorectal cancer. These efforts have led to improvements in survival, but a comparison between different projects reveals questionable results. The aim of this study is the presentation of results from hospitals in three different European countries participating in the International Quality Assurance in Colorectal Cancer (IQACC) project. For this publication, patients with cancer of the colon or rectum treated in 2009 and 2010 and recorded in the IQACC (Germany, Poland and Italy) were analysed. The comparison included number of patients, age, preoperative diagnostics (CT of the abdomen and thorax, MRI, colonoscopy, ultrasound, tumour markers), surgical approach, metastasis, height of rectal cancer and histopathological examination of a specimen (T stage, N stage and MERCURY classification for rectum resection). For short-term outcomes, general complications, wound dehiscence, tumour-free status at discharge, anastomotic leakage and in-hospital mortality were analysed. A total of 12,691 patients (6,756 with colon cancer, 5,935 with rectal cancer) were included in the analysis. Preoperative diagnostics differed significantly between countries. For pT and pN stages, several quality differences could be demonstrated, including missing stages (colon cancer: pT 5.7-12.5 %, pN 2.5-11.0 %; rectal cancer: pT 1.1-5.6 %, pN 1.1-15.5 %). The most relevant differences for short-term outcomes in colon cancer were found in general complications (4.2-22.8 %) and tumour-free status at discharge (74.5-91.7 %). In-hospital deaths ranged between 2.5 and 4.3 % and did not show significant differences. For rectal cancer, the country with the highest percentage of tumours localised less than 4 cm from the anal verge (16.0 %) showed the lowest frequency of amputation (8.5 %). Outcome differences were found for general complications (3.2-18.8 %), anastomotic leakage (0-4.3 %) and tumour-free status at discharge (72

  19. Transformation of Air Quality Monitor Data from the International Space Station into Toxicological Effect Groups

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    James, John T.; Zalesak, Selina M.

    2011-01-01

    The primary reason for monitoring air quality aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is to determine whether air pollutants have collectively reached a concentration where the crew could experience adverse health effects. These effects could be near-real-time (e.g. headache, respiratory irritation) or occur late in the mission or even years later (e.g. cancer, liver toxicity). Secondary purposes for monitoring include discovery that a potentially harmful compound has leaked into the atmosphere or that air revitalization system performance has diminished. Typical ISS atmospheric trace pollutants consist of alcohols, aldehydes, aromatic compounds, halo-carbons, siloxanes, and silanols. Rarely, sulfur-containing compounds and alkanes are found at trace levels. Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations (SMACs) have been set in cooperation with a subcommittee of the National Research Council Committee on Toxicology. For each compound and time of exposure, the limiting adverse effect(s) has been identified. By factoring the analytical data from the Air Quality Monitor (AQM), which is in use as a prototype instrument aboard the ISS, through the array of compounds and SMACs, the risk of 16 specific adverse effects can be estimated. Within each adverse-effect group, we have used an additive model proportioned to each applicable 180-day SMAC to estimate risk. In the recent past this conversion has been performed using archival data, which can be delayed for months after an air sample is taken because it must be returned to earth for analysis. But with the AQM gathering in situ data each week, NASA is in a position to follow toxic-effect groups and correlate these with any reported crew symptoms. The AQM data are supplemented with data from real-time CO2 instruments aboard the ISS and from archival measurements of formaldehyde, which the AQM cannot detect.

  20. Mobile Air Quality Studies (MAQS)-an international project.

    PubMed

    Groneberg, David A; Scutaru, Cristian; Lauks, Mathias; Takemura, Masaya; Fischer, Tanja C; Kölzow, Silvana; van Mark, Anke; Uibel, Stefanie; Wagner, Ulrich; Vitzthum, Karin; Beck, Fabian; Mache, Stefanie; Kreiter, Carolin; Kusma, Bianca; Friedebold, Annika; Zell, Hanna; Gerber, Alexander; Bock, Johanna; Al-Mutawakl, Khaled; Donat, Johannes; Geier, Maria Victoria; Pilzner, Carolin; Welker, Pia; Joachim, Ricarda; Bias, Harald; Götting, Michael; Sakr, Mohannad; Addicks, Johann P; Börger, Julia-Annik; Jensen, Anna-Maria; Grajewski, Sonja; Shami, Awfa; Neye, Niko; Kröger, Stefan; Hoffmann, Sarah; Kloss, Lisa; Mayer, Sebastian; Puk, Clemens; Henkel, Ulrich; Rospino, Robert; Schilling, Ute; Krieger, Evelyn; Westphal, Gesa; Meyer-Falcke, Andreas; Hupperts, Hagen; de Roux, Andrés; Tropp, Salome; Weiland, Marco; Mühlbach, Janette; Steinberg, Johannes; Szerwinski, Anne; Falahkohan, Sepiede; Sudik, Claudia; Bircks, Anna; Noga, Oliver; Dickgreber, Nicolas; Dinh, Q Thai; Golpon, Heiko; Kloft, Beatrix; Groneberg, Rafael Neill B; Witt, Christian; Wicker, Sabine; Zhang, Li; Springer, Jochen; Kütting, Birgitta; Mingomataj, Ervin C; Fischer, Axel; Schöffel, Norman; Unger, Volker; Quarcoo, David

    2010-04-09

    Due to an increasing awareness of the potential hazardousness of air pollutants, new laws, rules and guidelines have recently been implemented globally. In this respect, numerous studies have addressed traffic-related exposure to particulate matter using stationary technology so far. By contrast, only few studies used the advanced technology of mobile exposure analysis. The Mobile Air Quality Study (MAQS) addresses the issue of air pollutant exposure by combining advanced high-granularity spatial-temporal analysis with vehicle-mounted, person-mounted and roadside sensors. The MAQS-platform will be used by international collaborators in order 1) to assess air pollutant exposure in relation to road structure, 2) to assess air pollutant exposure in relation to traffic density, 3) to assess air pollutant exposure in relation to weather conditions, 4) to compare exposure within vehicles between front and back seat (children) positions, and 5) to evaluate "traffic zone"-exposure in relation to non-"traffic zone"-exposure.Primarily, the MAQS-platform will focus on particulate matter. With the establishment of advanced mobile analysis tools, it is planed to extend the analysis to other pollutants including NO2, SO2, nanoparticles and ozone.

  1. Development of a Hyperspectral Imaging System for Online Quality Inspection of Pickling Cucumbers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This paper reports on the development of a hyperspectral imaging prototype for evaluation of external and internal quality of pickling cucumbers. The prototype consisted of a two-lane round belt conveyor, two illumination sources (one for reflectance and one for transmittance), and a hyperspectral i...

  2. A variation reduction allocation model for quality improvement to minimize investment and quality costs by considering suppliers’ learning curve

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosyidi, C. N.; Jauhari, WA; Suhardi, B.; Hamada, K.

    2016-02-01

    Quality improvement must be performed in a company to maintain its product competitiveness in the market. The goal of such improvement is to increase the customer satisfaction and the profitability of the company. In current practice, a company needs several suppliers to provide the components in assembly process of a final product. Hence quality improvement of the final product must involve the suppliers. In this paper, an optimization model to allocate the variance reduction is developed. Variation reduction is an important term in quality improvement for both manufacturer and suppliers. To improve suppliers’ components quality, the manufacturer must invest an amount of their financial resources in learning process of the suppliers. The objective function of the model is to minimize the total cost consists of investment cost, and quality costs for both internal and external quality costs. The Learning curve will determine how the employee of the suppliers will respond to the learning processes in reducing the variance of the component.

  3. Time series pCO2 at a coastal mooring: Internal consistency, seasonal cycles, and interannual variability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reimer, Janet J.; Cai, Wei-Jun; Xue, Liang; Vargas, Rodrigo; Noakes, Scott; Hu, Xinping; Signorini, Sergio R.; Mathis, Jeremy T.; Feely, Richard A.; Sutton, Adrienne J.; Sabine, Christopher; Musielewicz, Sylvia; Chen, Baoshan; Wanninkhof, Rik

    2017-08-01

    Marine carbonate system monitoring programs often consist of multiple observational methods that include underway cruise data, moored autonomous time series, and discrete water bottle samples. Monitored parameters include all, or some of the following: partial pressure of CO2 of the water (pCO2w) and air, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), and pH. Any combination of at least two of the aforementioned parameters can be used to calculate the others. In this study at the Gray's Reef (GR) mooring in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) we: examine the internal consistency of pCO2w from underway cruise, moored autonomous time series, and calculated from bottle samples (DIC-TA pairing); describe the seasonal to interannual pCO2w time series variability and air-sea flux (FCO2), as well as describe the potential sources of pCO2w variability; and determine the source/sink for atmospheric pCO2. Over the 8.5 years of GR mooring time series, mooring-underway and mooring-bottle calculated-pCO2w strongly correlate with r-values > 0.90. pCO2w and FCO2 time series follow seasonal thermal patterns; however, seasonal non-thermal processes, such as terrestrial export, net biological production, and air-sea exchange also influence variability. The linear slope of time series pCO2w increases by 5.2 ± 1.4 μatm y-1 with FCO2 increasing 51-70 mmol m-2 y-1. The net FCO2 sign can switch interannually with the magnitude varying greatly. Non-thermal pCO2w is also increasing over the time series, likely indicating that terrestrial export and net biological processes drive the long term pCO2w increase.

  4. Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Blogs and Podcasts: Establishing an International Consensus on Quality.

    PubMed

    Thoma, Brent; Chan, Teresa M; Paterson, Quinten S; Milne, W Kenneth; Sanders, Jason L; Lin, Michelle

    2015-10-01

    This study identified the most important quality indicators for online educational resources such as blogs and podcasts. A modified Delphi process that included 2 iterative surveys was used to build expert consensus on a previously defined list of 151 quality indicators divided into 3 themes: credibility, content, and design. Aggregate social media indicators were used to identify an expert population of editors from a defined list of emergency medicine and critical care blogs and podcasts. Survey 1 consisted of the quality indicators and a 7-point Likert scale. The mean score for each quality indicator was included in survey 2, which asked participants whether to "include" or "not include" each quality indicator. The cut point for consensus was defined at greater than 70% "include." Eighty-three percent (20/24) of bloggers and 90.9% (20/22) of podcasters completed survey 1 and 90% (18/20) of bloggers and podcasters completed survey 2. The 70% inclusion criteria were met by 44 and 80 quality indicators for bloggers and podcasters, respectively. Post hoc, a 90% cutoff was used to identify a list of 14 and 26 quality indicators for bloggers and podcasters, respectively. The relative importance of quality indicators for emergency medicine blogs and podcasts was determined. This will be helpful for resource producers trying to improve their blogs or podcasts and for learners, educators, and academic leaders assessing their quality. These results will inform broader validation studies and attempts to develop user-friendly assessment instruments for these resources. Copyright © 2015 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Identification and selection for tuber calcium, internal quality and pitted scab in segregating ‘Atlantic’ x ‘Superior’ reciprocal tetraploid populations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tuber quality traits are a major interest for breeders and the potato chip industry. This research intended to generate populations that can be suitable for the genetic study of tuber calcium, internal quality, common scab, and other commercially important traits such as yield, specific gravity and ...

  6. Quality of life in children with epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Nadkarni, Jayashree; Jain, Arti; Dwivedi, Rashmi

    2011-10-01

    Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition with many co-morbid features. It has been observed that children with epilepsy (CWE) have a compromised quality of life (QOL). To assess the QOL in CWE and to study the various factors affecting QOL among CWE. The sample consisted of 102 CWE aged 5-15 years of either sex. QOL was measured by Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire, a 76-item, parent-reported questionnaire. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the subscales and Pearson correlation to determine construct validity. The t-test and analysis of variance were used to compare mean QOLCE scores. Factors affecting QOL included age, place of residence, socioeconomic condition, maternal education, seizure type and frequency and number of antiepileptic drugs. CWE have a relatively compromised QOL and comprehensive care needs to go beyond the attempt of controlling seizures.

  7. An Application-Based Discussion of Construct Validity and Internal Consistency Reliability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Dianne L.; Campbell, Kathleen T.

    Several techniques for conducting studies of measurement integrity are explained and illustrated using a heuristic data set from a study of teachers' participation in decision making (D. L. Taylor, 1991). The sample consisted of 637 teachers. It is emphasized that validity and reliability are characteristics of data, and do not inure to tests as…

  8. TH-C-18A-06: Combined CT Image Quality and Radiation Dose Monitoring Program Based On Patient Data to Assess Consistency of Clinical Imaging Across Scanner Models

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

    Christianson, O; Winslow, J; Samei, E

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: One of the principal challenges of clinical imaging is to achieve an ideal balance between image quality and radiation dose across multiple CT models. The number of scanners and protocols at large medical centers necessitates an automated quality assurance program to facilitate this objective. Therefore, the goal of this work was to implement an automated CT image quality and radiation dose monitoring program based on actual patient data and to use this program to assess consistency of protocols across CT scanner models. Methods: Patient CT scans are routed to a HIPPA compliant quality assurance server. CTDI, extracted using opticalmore » character recognition, and patient size, measured from the localizers, are used to calculate SSDE. A previously validated noise measurement algorithm determines the noise in uniform areas of the image across the scanned anatomy to generate a global noise level (GNL). Using this program, 2358 abdominopelvic scans acquired on three commercial CT scanners were analyzed. Median SSDE and GNL were compared across scanner models and trends in SSDE and GNL with patient size were used to determine the impact of differing automatic exposure control (AEC) algorithms. Results: There was a significant difference in both SSDE and GNL across scanner models (9–33% and 15–35% for SSDE and GNL, respectively). Adjusting all protocols to achieve the same image noise would reduce patient dose by 27–45% depending on scanner model. Additionally, differences in AEC methodologies across vendors resulted in disparate relationships of SSDE and GNL with patient size. Conclusion: The difference in noise across scanner models indicates that protocols are not optimally matched to achieve consistent image quality. Our results indicated substantial possibility for dose reduction while achieving more consistent image appearance. Finally, the difference in AEC methodologies suggests the need for size-specific CT protocols to minimize variability in

  9. Anthropometric and Physical Qualities of International Level Female Rugby Sevens Athletes Based on Playing Position.

    PubMed

    Agar-Newman, Dana J; Goodale, Tyler L; Klimstra, Marc D

    2017-05-01

    Agar-Newman, DJ, Goodale, TL, and Klimstra, MD. Anthropometric and Physical Qualities of International Level Female Rugby Sevens Athletes Based on Playing Position. J Strength Cond Res 31(5): 1346-1352, 2017-The purpose of this study was to profile international level female sevens athletes and determine whether anthropometric and physical qualities are able to differentiate between backs and forwards. Twenty-four subjects with a mean (±SD) age of 22.8 ± 4.0 years and body weight of 69.4 ± 5.2 kg were sampled from a national team training program, ranked in the top 3 on the IRB Women's Sevens World Series. Anthropometric (height, body mass, and sum of 7 skinfolds) and performance measures (power clean, front squat, bench press, neutral grip pull-up, 40-m sprint, and 1,600-m run) were collected across the 2013-2014 centralized period and compared across playing position. The 13 backs (mean age ± SD = 21.3 ± 3.5 years) and 11 forwards (mean age ± SD = 24.5 ± 4.0 years) had significant differences in body mass (66.40 ± 3.48 vs. 72.87 ± 4.79 kg) and initial sprint momentum (366.8 ± 19.8 vs. 399.2 ± 22.4 kg·m·s). However no other measures showed positional differences. The lack of positional differences in female rugby sevens may be due to the multifarious physical requirements of a sevens athlete, leading to a generic athletic profile, or perhaps due to a lack of selective pressure. Also, it is conceivable that the anthropometric and physical qualities measured in this study lacked the necessary precision or failed to capture the unique attributes of each position. In conclusion, this is the first investigation profiling international level female sevens athletes. The normative data presented within this article highlight the physical requirements of female sevens athletes for strength and conditioning practitioners. In addition, the lack of positional differences discovered should impact the training program design.

  10. An internally consistent gamma ray burst time history phenomenology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cline, T. L.

    1985-01-01

    A phenomenology for gamma ray burst time histories is outlined. Order of their generally chaotic appearance is attempted, based on the speculation that any one burst event can be represented above 150 keV as a superposition of similarly shaped increases of varying intensity. The increases can generally overlap, however, confusing the picture, but a given event must at least exhibit its own limiting characteristic rise and decay times if the measurements are made with instruments having adequate temporal resolution. Most catalogued observations may be of doubtful or marginal utility to test this hypothesis, but some time histories from Helios-2, Pioneer Venus Orbiter and other instruments having one-to several-millisecond capabilities appear to provide consistency. Also, recent studies of temporally resolved Solar Maximum Mission burst energy spectra are entirely compatible with this picture. The phenomenology suggested here, if correct, may assist as an analytic tool for modelling of burst processes and possibly in the definition of burst source populations.

  11. Quality indicators for blogs and podcasts used in medical education: modified Delphi consensus recommendations by an international cohort of health professions educators.

    PubMed

    Lin, Michelle; Thoma, Brent; Trueger, N Seth; Ankel, Felix; Sherbino, Jonathan; Chan, Teresa

    2015-10-01

    Quality assurance concerns about social media platforms used for education have arisen within the medical education community. As more trainees and clinicians use resources such as blogs and podcasts for learning, we aimed to identify quality indicators for these resources. A previous study identified 151 potentially relevant quality indicators for these social media resources. To identify quality markers for blogs and podcasts using an international cohort of health professions educators. A self-selected group of 44 health professions educators at the 2014 International Conference on Residency Education participated in a Social Media Summit during which a modified Delphi consensus study was conducted to determine which of the 151 quality indicators met the a priori ≥90% inclusion threshold. Thirteen quality indicators classified into the domains of credibility (n=8), content (n=4) and design (n=1) met the inclusion threshold. The quality indicators that were identified may serve as a foundation for further research on quality indicators of social media-based medical education resources and prompt discussion of their legitimacy as a form of educational scholarship. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  12. International recognition of the Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire 12.

    PubMed

    Kosyakov, S I; Minavnina, J V; Phillips, J S; Yung, M W

    2017-06-01

    The Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire 12 was developed initially in the UK to assess patient-reported health-related quality of life associated with chronic otitis media. This study aimed to determine whether this tool is applicable to the Russian population, which has a materially different healthcare system. A total of 108 patients with different forms of chronic otitis media completed the Russian Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire 12. The average Russian Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire 12 score was 19.4 (standard deviation = 8.3). The internal consistency of the Russian Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire 12 was high, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.860. The Russian version of the Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire 12 was found to be a reliable tool for the assessment of health-related quality of life in patients with chronic otitis media. This sets the scene for international collaboration, using this tool to assess the effectiveness of surgical treatments even amongst countries with different healthcare systems.

  13. Interprofessional collaboration between residents and nurses in general internal medicine: a qualitative study on behaviours enhancing teamwork quality.

    PubMed

    Muller-Juge, Virginie; Cullati, Stéphane; Blondon, Katherine S; Hudelson, Patricia; Maître, Fabienne; Vu, Nu V; Savoldelli, Georges L; Nendaz, Mathieu R

    2014-01-01

    Effective teamwork is necessary for optimal patient care. There is insufficient understanding of interactions between physicians and nurses on internal medicine wards. To describe resident physicians' and nurses' actual behaviours contributing to teamwork quality in the setting of a simulated internal medicine ward. A volunteer sample of 14 pairs of residents and nurses in internal medicine was asked to manage one non-urgent and one urgent clinical case in a simulated ward, using a high-fidelity manikin. After the simulation, participants attended a stimulated-recall session during which they viewed the videotape of the simulation and explained their actions and perceptions. All simulations were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, using a qualitative method (template analysis). Quality of teamwork was assessed, based on patient management efficiency and presence of shared management goals and of team spirit. Most resident-nurse pairs tended to interact in a traditional way, with residents taking the leadership and nurses executing medical prescriptions and assuming their own specific role. They also demonstrated different types of interactions involving shared responsibilities and decision making, constructive suggestions, active communication and listening, and manifestations of positive team building. The presence of a leader in the pair or a truly shared leadership between resident and nurse contributed to teamwork quality only if both members of the pair demonstrated sufficient autonomy. In case of a lack of autonomy of one member, the other member could compensate for it, if his/her own autonomy was sufficiently strong and if there were demonstrations of mutual listening, information sharing, and positive team building. Although they often relied on traditional types of interaction, residents and nurses also demonstrated readiness for increased sharing of responsibilities. Interprofessional education should insist on better redefinition of respective roles and

  14. Interprofessional Collaboration between Residents and Nurses in General Internal Medicine: A Qualitative Study on Behaviours Enhancing Teamwork Quality

    PubMed Central

    Muller-Juge, Virginie; Cullati, Stéphane; Blondon, Katherine S.; Hudelson, Patricia; Maître, Fabienne; Vu, Nu V.; Savoldelli, Georges L.; Nendaz, Mathieu R.

    2014-01-01

    Background Effective teamwork is necessary for optimal patient care. There is insufficient understanding of interactions between physicians and nurses on internal medicine wards. Objective To describe resident physicians’ and nurses’ actual behaviours contributing to teamwork quality in the setting of a simulated internal medicine ward. Methods A volunteer sample of 14 pairs of residents and nurses in internal medicine was asked to manage one non-urgent and one urgent clinical case in a simulated ward, using a high-fidelity manikin. After the simulation, participants attended a stimulated-recall session during which they viewed the videotape of the simulation and explained their actions and perceptions. All simulations were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, using a qualitative method (template analysis). Quality of teamwork was assessed, based on patient management efficiency and presence of shared management goals and of team spirit. Results Most resident-nurse pairs tended to interact in a traditional way, with residents taking the leadership and nurses executing medical prescriptions and assuming their own specific role. They also demonstrated different types of interactions involving shared responsibilities and decision making, constructive suggestions, active communication and listening, and manifestations of positive team building. The presence of a leader in the pair or a truly shared leadership between resident and nurse contributed to teamwork quality only if both members of the pair demonstrated sufficient autonomy. In case of a lack of autonomy of one member, the other member could compensate for it, if his/her own autonomy was sufficiently strong and if there were demonstrations of mutual listening, information sharing, and positive team building. Conclusions Although they often relied on traditional types of interaction, residents and nurses also demonstrated readiness for increased sharing of responsibilities. Interprofessional education should

  15. Development of Knowledge Management Model for Developing the Internal Quality Assurance in Educational Opportunity Expansion Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pradabpech, Pipat; Chantarasombat, Chalard; Sriampai, Anan

    2015-01-01

    This research for: 1) to study the current situation and problem in KM, 2) to develop the KM Model, and 3) to evaluate the finding usage of the KM Model for developing the Internal Quality Assurance of Educational Opportunity Expansion Schools. There were 3 Phases of research implementation. Phase 1: the current situation and problem in KM, was…

  16. Using Student Ratings to Measure Quality of Teaching in Six European Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kyriakides, Leonidas; Creemers, Bert P. M.; Panayiotou, Anastasia; Vanlaar, Gudrun; Pfeifer, Michael; Cankar, Gašper; McMahon, Léan

    2014-01-01

    This paper argues for the value of using student ratings to measure quality of teaching. An international study to test the validity of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness was conducted. At classroom level, the model consists of eight factors relating to teacher behaviour: orientation, structuring, questioning, teaching modelling,…

  17. The Development of Evaluation Model for Internal Quality Assurance System of Dramatic Arts College of Bunditpattanasilpa Institute

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sinthukhot, Kittisak; Srihamongkol, Yannapat; Luanganggoon, Nuchwana; Suwannoi, Paisan

    2013-01-01

    The research purpose was to develop an evaluation model for the internal quality assurance system of the dramatic arts College of Bunditpattanasilpa Institute. The Research and Development method was used as research methodology which was divided into three phases; "developing the model and its guideline", "trying out the actual…

  18. Using a centrifuge for quality control of pre-wetted lightweight aggregate in internally cured concrete

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Albert E.

    Early age shrinkage of cementitious systems can result in an increased potential for cracking which can lead to a reduction in service life. Early age shrinkage cracking can be particularly problematic for high strength concretes, which are often specified due to their high strength and low permeability. However, these high strength concretes frequently exhibit a reduction in the internal relative humidity (RH) due to the hydration reaction (chemical shrinkage) and self-desiccation which results in a bulk shrinkage, termed autogenous shrinkage, which is substantial at early ages. Due to the low permeability of these concretes, standard external curing is not always efficient in addressing this reduction in internal RH since the penetration of water can be limited. Internal curing has been developed to reduce autogenous shrinkage. Internally cured mixtures use internal reservoirs filled with fluid (generally water) that release this fluid at appropriate times to counteract the effects of self-desiccation thereby maintaining a high internal RH. Internally cured concrete is frequently produced in North America using pre-wetted lightweight aggregate. One important aspect associated with preparing quality internally cured concrete is being able to determine the absorbed moisture and surface moisture associated with the lightweight aggregate which enables aggregate moisture corrections to be made for the concrete mixture. This thesis represents work performed to develop a test method using a centrifuge to determine the moisture state of pre-wetted fine lightweight aggregate. The results of the test method are then used in a series of worksheets that were developed to assist field technicians when performing the tests and applying the results to a mixture design. Additionally, research was performed on superabsorbent polymers to assess their ability to be used as an internal curing reservoir.

  19. A longitudinal examination of re-employment quality on internalizing symptoms and job-search intentions.

    PubMed

    Monfort, Samuel S; Howe, George W; Nettles, Christopher D; Weihs, Karen L

    2015-01-01

    Underemployed workers-those receiving less pay, working fewer hours, or using fewer skills than they would prefer-appear to experience negative mental health outcomes similar to the unemployed. Prior cross-sectional research provides mixed empirical evidence for this conclusion, however. The current study sought to clarify the impact of underemployment longitudinally, assessing mental health 5 times over 8 months after job loss. In addition to the commonly used indicators of underemployment, we designed a measure of cognitive complexity using the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), an extensive government database used to organize and categorize occupational information. Replicating past research, we found concurrent associations between all indexes of reemployment job quality and internalizing symptoms in the period immediately after reemployment. However, when controlling for quality of prior employment, all indicators except our measure for cognitive complexity became nonsignificant. As participants transitioned from unemployment to reemployment, only reductions in cognitive complexity were associated with sustained general internalizing symptoms. We also found that although changes in cognitive complexity had an immediate impact on the well-being of the recently reemployed, only the number of available weekly hours (full-time vs. part-time status) was relevant 6 to 12 weeks later. Our longitudinal model thus provides significant nuance to the current understanding of underemployment and mental health. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  20. A Longitudinal Examination of Re-employment Quality on Internalizing Symptoms and Job-Search Intentions

    PubMed Central

    Monfort, Samuel S.; Howe, George W.; Nettles, Christopher D.; Weihs, Karen L.

    2014-01-01

    Underemployed workers—those receiving less pay, working fewer hours, or using fewer skills than they would prefer—appear to experience negative mental health outcomes similar to the unemployed. Prior cross-sectional research provides mixed empirical evidence for this conclusion, however. The current study sought to clarify the impact of underemployment longitudinally, assessing mental health five times over eight months following job loss. In addition to the commonly used indicators of underemployment, we designed a measure of cognitive complexity using the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), an extensive government database used to organize and categorize occupational information. Replicating past research, we found concurrent associations between all indexes of re-employment job quality and internalizing symptoms in the period immediately after re-employment. However, when controlling for quality of prior employment, all indicators except our measure for cognitive complexity became non-significant. As participants transitioned from unemployment to re-employment, only reductions in cognitive complexity were associated with sustained general internalizing symptoms. We also found that although changes in cognitive complexity had an immediate impact on the well-being of the recently re-employed, only the number of available weekly hours (full-time vs. part-time status) was relevant 6-12 weeks later. Our longitudinal model thus provides significant nuance to the current understanding of underemployment and mental health. PMID:25151465

  1. Efficacy of antimicrobial pullulan-based coating to improve internal quality and shelf-life of chicken eggs during storage.

    PubMed

    Morsy, Mohamed K; Sharoba, Ashraf M; Khalaf, Hassan H; El-Tanahy, Hassan H; Cutter, Catherine N

    2015-05-01

    There has been a growing interest in the use of natural materials as a delivery mechanism for antimicrobials and coatings in foods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pullulan coatings to improve internal quality and shelf-life of fresh eggs during 10 wk of storage at 25 and 4 °C. Three treatments of eggs were evaluated as follows; non-coated (control; C), coated with pullulan (P), and coated with pullulan containing nisin (N). The effects of the pullulan coatings on microbiological qualities, physical properties, and freshness parameters were investigated and compared with non-coated eggs. For non-coated eggs, as storage time increased, yolk index, albumen index, and Haugh unit value decreased and weight loss increased. However, pullulan coatings (P or N) minimized weight loss (<1.5%) and preserved the albumen and yolk quality of eggs (with a final B grade) 3 wk longer than non-coated eggs at 25 °C. At 4 °C, both P- and N-coated eggs went from AA to A grade after 9 wk and maintained the grade for 10 wk (4 wk longer than that of non-coated eggs). This study is the first to demonstrate that pullulan coatings can preserve the internal quality, prolong the shelf-life, and minimize weight loss of fresh eggs. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  2. An Intelligent System for Monitoring the Microgravity Environment Quality On-Board the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Paul P.; Jules, Kenol

    2002-01-01

    An intelligent system for monitoring the microgravity environment quality on-board the International Space Station is presented. The monitoring system uses a new approach combining Kohonen's self-organizing feature map, learning vector quantization, and back propagation neural network to recognize and classify the known and unknown patterns. Finally, fuzzy logic is used to assess the level of confidence associated with each vibrating source activation detected by the system.

  3. Protective Factors, Risk Indicators, and Contraceptive Consistency Among College Women.

    PubMed

    Morrison, Leslie F; Sieving, Renee E; Pettingell, Sandra L; Hellerstedt, Wendy L; McMorris, Barbara J; Bearinger, Linda H

    2016-01-01

    To explore risk and protective factors associated with consistent contraceptive use among emerging adult female college students and whether effects of risk indicators were moderated by protective factors. Secondary analysis of National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health Wave III data. Data collected through in-home interviews in 2001 and 2002. National sample of 18- to 25-year-old women (N = 842) attending 4-year colleges. We examined relationships between protective factors, risk indicators, and consistent contraceptive use. Consistent contraceptive use was defined as use all of the time during intercourse in the past 12 months. Protective factors included external supports of parental closeness and relationship with caring nonparental adult and internal assets of self-esteem, confidence, independence, and life satisfaction. Risk indicators included heavy episodic drinking, marijuana use, and depression symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate relationships between protective factors and consistent contraceptive use and between risk indicators and contraceptive use. Self-esteem, confidence, independence, and life satisfaction were significantly associated with more consistent contraceptive use. In a final model including all internal assets, life satisfaction was significantly related to consistent contraceptive use. Marijuana use and depression symptoms were significantly associated with less consistent use. With one exception, protective factors did not moderate relationships between risk indicators and consistent use. Based on our findings, we suggest that risk and protective factors may have largely independent influences on consistent contraceptive use among college women. A focus on risk and protective factors may improve contraceptive use rates and thereby reduce unintended pregnancy among college students. Copyright © 2016 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published

  4. The Influence of Consistent Assignment on Nursing Home Deficiency Citations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castle, Nicholas G.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The association of consistent assignment of nurse aides (NAs) with quality of care and quality of life of nursing home residents is examined (using 5 groups of deficiency citations). Methods: Data used came from a survey of nursing home administrators, the Online Survey Certification and Reporting data, and the Area Resource File. The…

  5. Total quality management in blood transfusion.

    PubMed

    Smit-Sibinga, C T

    2000-01-01

    Quality management is an ongoing development resulting in consistency products and services and ever increasing customer satisfaction. The ultimum is Total Quality Management. Quality systems and quality management in transfusion medicine have gained considerable attention since the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic. Where product orientation has long been applied through quality control, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) principles were introduced, shifting the developments in the direction of process orientation. Globally, and particularly in the more industrialised world people and system orientation has come along with the introduction of the ISO9001 concept. Harmonisation and a degree of uniformity are needed to implement a universally applicable Quality System and related Quality Management. Where the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) is the professional organisation with the most extensive experience in quality systems in blood transfusion, the European Union and the Council of Europe now are in the process to design a quality system and management applicable to a larger variety of countries, based on a hybrid of current GMP and ISO9001 principles. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has developed a more universally to implement Quality Manual, with a pilot project in Honduras. It is recommendable to harmonise the various designs and bring the approaches under one common denominator.

  6. Rotor internal friction instability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bently, D. E.; Muszynska, A.

    1985-01-01

    Two aspects of internal friction affecting stability of rotating machines are discussed. The first role of internal friction consists of decreasing the level of effective damping during rotor subsynchronous and backward precessional vibrations caused by some other instability mechanisms. The second role of internal frication consists of creating rotor instability, i.e., causing self-excited subsynchronous vibrations. Experimental test results document both of these aspects.

  7. Quality of life in children with epilepsy

    PubMed Central

    Nadkarni, Jayashree; Jain, Arti; Dwivedi, Rashmi

    2011-01-01

    Background: Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition with many co-morbid features. It has been observed that children with epilepsy (CWE) have a compromised quality of life (QOL). Objective: To assess the QOL in CWE and to study the various factors affecting QOL among CWE. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 102 CWE aged 5–15 years of either sex. QOL was measured by Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire, a 76-item, parent-reported questionnaire. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the subscales and Pearson correlation to determine construct validity. The t-test and analysis of variance were used to compare mean QOLCE scores. Results: Factors affecting QOL included age, place of residence, socioeconomic condition, maternal education, seizure type and frequency and number of antiepileptic drugs. Conclusion: CWE have a relatively compromised QOL and comprehensive care needs to go beyond the attempt of controlling seizures. PMID:22346017

  8. Tobacco industry argues domestic trademark laws and international treaties preclude cigarette health warning labels, despite consistent legal advice that the argument is invalid

    PubMed Central

    Crosbie, Eric; Glantz, Stanton A

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To analyse the tobacco industry’s use of international trade agreements to oppose policies to strengthen health warning labels (HWLs). Design A review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation and international treaties. Results During the early 1990s, the tobacco industry became increasingly alarmed about the advancement of HWLs on cigarettes packages. In response, it requested legal opinions from British American Tobacco’s law firms in Australia and England, Britain’s Department of Trade and Industry and the World Intellectual Property Organisation on the legality of restricting and prohibiting the use of their trademarks, as embodied in cigarette packages. The consistent legal advice, privately submitted to the companies, was that international treaties do not shield trademark owners from government limitations (including prohibition) on the use of their trademarks. Despite receiving this legal advice, the companies publicly argued that requiring large HWLs compromised their trademark rights under international treaties. The companies successfully used these arguments as part of their successful effort to deter Canadian and Australian governments from enacting laws requiring the plan packaging of cigarettes, which helped delay large graphic HWLs, including ‘plain’ packaging, for over a decade. Conclusions Governments should not be intimidated by tobacco company threats and unsubstantiated claims, and carefully craft HWL laws to withstand the inevitable tobacco industry lawsuits with the knowledge that the companies’ own lawyers as well as authoritative bodies have told the companies that the rights they claim do not exist. PMID:23179728

  9. Tobacco industry argues domestic trademark laws and international treaties preclude cigarette health warning labels, despite consistent legal advice that the argument is invalid.

    PubMed

    Crosbie, Eric; Glantz, Stanton A

    2014-05-01

    To analyse the tobacco industry's use of international trade agreements to oppose policies to strengthen health warning labels (HWLs). A review of tobacco industry documents, tobacco control legislation and international treaties. During the early 1990s, the tobacco industry became increasingly alarmed about the advancement of HWLs on cigarettes packages. In response, it requested legal opinions from British American Tobacco's law firms in Australia and England, Britain's Department of Trade and Industry and the World Intellectual Property Organisation on the legality of restricting and prohibiting the use of their trademarks, as embodied in cigarette packages. The consistent legal advice, privately submitted to the companies, was that international treaties do not shield trademark owners from government limitations (including prohibition) on the use of their trademarks. Despite receiving this legal advice, the companies publicly argued that requiring large HWLs compromised their trademark rights under international treaties. The companies successfully used these arguments as part of their successful effort to deter Canadian and Australian governments from enacting laws requiring the plan packaging of cigarettes, which helped delay large graphic HWLs, including 'plain' packaging, for over a decade. Governments should not be intimidated by tobacco company threats and unsubstantiated claims, and carefully craft HWL laws to withstand the inevitable tobacco industry lawsuits with the knowledge that the companies' own lawyers as well as authoritative bodies have told the companies that the rights they claim do not exist.

  10. Implicit Review Instrument to Evaluate Quality of Care Delivered by Physicians to Children in Emergency Departments.

    PubMed

    Marcin, James P; Romano, Patrick S; Dharmar, Madan; Chamberlain, James M; Dudley, Nanette; Macias, Charles G; Nigrovic, Lise E; Powell, Elizabeth C; Rogers, Alexander J; Sonnett, Meridith; Tzimenatos, Leah; Alpern, Elizabeth R; Andrews-Dickert, Rebecca; Borgialli, Dominic A; Sidney, Erika; Casper, Charlie; Dean, Jonathan Michael; Kuppermann, Nathan

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the consistency, reliability, and validity of an implicit review instrument that measures the quality of care provided to children in the emergency department (ED). Medical records of randomly selected children from 12 EDs in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). Eight pediatric emergency medicine physicians applied the instrument to 620 medical records. We determined internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and inter-rater reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). We evaluated the validity of the instrument by correlating scores with four condition-specific explicit review instruments. Individual reviewers' Cronbach's alpha had a mean of 0.85 with a range of 0.76-0.97; overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.90. The ICC was 0.49 for the summary score with a range from 0.40 to 0.46. Correlations between the quality of care score and the four condition-specific explicit review scores ranged from 0.24 to 0.38. The quality of care instrument demonstrated good internal consistency, moderate inter-rater reliability, high inter-rater agreement, and evidence supporting validity. The instrument could be useful for systems' assessment and research in evaluating the care delivered to children in the ED. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  11. Internalized stigma and quality of life domains among people with mental illness: the mediating role of self-esteem.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Sandra E H; Carvalho, Helena; Esteves, Francisco

    2016-01-01

    People with mental illness who internalize stigma often experience reduced self-esteem and impaired quality of life (QOL). To propose a theoretical model in which self-esteem mediates the effects of internalized stigma on the multidimensional domains comprising QOL. In 403 inpatients and outpatients (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994), from hospital-based and community mental health facilities, self-report measures of internalized stigma (ISMI), self-esteem (RSES) and QOL (WHOQOL-Bref) were administrated. Structural equation modeling results supported the proposed model. Self-esteem fully mediated the relation between internalized stigma and the physical and the social relationships domains, and partially mediated the relationship between internalized stigma and psychological, environment and level of independence QOL domains. Such results provided empirical support and shed light upon previous research. Specifically the results emphasize the mediating role that self-esteem plays in the degree to which internalized stigma exerts a negative effect on specific QOL domains. Self-esteem appears to be a core element in reducing the negative effects of internalized stigma on aspects of QOL among people with mental illness. These findings suggest there is a crucial impact regarding clinical mental health interventions along with important theoretical implications.

  12. Monitoring the quality consistency of Weibizhi tablets by micellar electrokinetic chromatography fingerprints combined with multivariate statistical analyses, the simple quantified ratio fingerprint method, and the fingerprint-efficacy relationship.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yingchun; Sun, Guoxiang; Wang, Yan; Yang, Lanping; Yang, Fangliang

    2015-06-01

    Micellar electrokinetic chromatography fingerprinting combined with quantification was successfully developed and applied to monitor the quality consistency of Weibizhi tablets, which is a classical compound preparation used to treat gastric ulcers. A background electrolyte composed of 57 mmol/L sodium borate, 21 mmol/L sodium dodecylsulfate and 100 mmol/L sodium hydroxide was used to separate compounds. To optimize capillary electrophoresis conditions, multivariate statistical analyses were applied. First, the most important factors influencing sample electrophoretic behavior were identified as background electrolyte concentrations. Then, a Box-Benhnken design response surface strategy using resolution index RF as an integrated response was set up to correlate factors with response. RF reflects the effective signal amount, resolution, and signal homogenization in an electropherogram, thus, it was regarded as an excellent indicator. In fingerprint assessments, simple quantified ratio fingerprint method was established for comprehensive quality discrimination of traditional Chinese medicines/herbal medicines from qualitative and quantitative perspectives, by which the quality of 27 samples from the same manufacturer were well differentiated. In addition, the fingerprint-efficacy relationship between fingerprints and antioxidant activities was established using partial least squares regression, which provided important medicinal efficacy information for quality control. The present study offered an efficient means for monitoring Weibizhi tablet quality consistency. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Quality assurance of medicines supplied to low-income and middle-income countries: poor products in shiny boxes?

    PubMed Central

    Schiavetti, B; Meessen, B; Pouget, C; Caudron, J M; Marchal, B; Massat, P; Thys, S; Ravinetto, R

    2017-01-01

    Objective In today's context of globalisation of pharmaceutical production and distribution, international and national procurement agencies play a de facto key role in defining the quality of medicines available in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the compliance of a sample of pharmaceutical distributors active in sub-Saharan Africa with the standards of the WHO guideline ‘Model Quality Assurance System (WHO MQAS) for procurement agencies’, and we investigated factors favouring or hindering the adequate implementation of the guideline. Methods We used mixed-methods methodology to analyse quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative study consisted of a retrospective secondary analysis of data collected by QUAMED (Quality Medicines for all), a partnership that pleads for universal access to quality-assured medicines. The qualitative survey consisted of formal and informal interviews with key informants. We adopted an embedded multiple-case study design. Findings Our analysis suggests that international distributors based in Europe perform, on average, better than sub-Saharan African distributors. However, some weaknesses are ubiquitous and concern critical processes, such as the initial selection of the products and the ongoing reassessment of their quality. This is due to several different factors: weak regulatory oversight, insufficient human/financial resources, weak negotiating power, limited judicial autonomy and/or lack of institutional commitment to quality. Conclusions Our findings suggest that pharmaceutical distributors active in sub-Saharan Africa generally do not apply stringent criteria for selecting products and suppliers. Therefore, product quality is not consistently assured but depends on the requirements of purchasers. While long-term solutions are awaited, the WHO MQAS guideline should be used as an evaluation and training tool to upgrade current standards. PMID:28589013

  14. Psychometric Properties of the Persian Translation of the Sexual Quality of Life–Male Questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    Maasoumi, Raziyeh; Mokarami, Hamidreza; Nazifi, Morteza; Stallones, Lorann; Taban, Abrahim; Yazdani Aval, Mohsen; Samimi, Kazem

    2016-01-01

    Sexual dysfunction has been demonstrated to be related to a poor quality of life. These dysfunctions are especially prevalent among men. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian translation of the Sexual Quality of Life–Male (SQOL-M), translated and adapted to measure sexual quality of life among Iranian men. Forward–backward procedures were applied in translating the original SQOL-M into Persian, and then the psychometric properties of the Persian translation of the SQOL-M were studied. A total of 181 participants (23-60 years old) were included in the study. Validity was assessed by construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, and content validity. The international index of erectile function (IIEF) and the work ability index were used to study the convergent validity. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency and test–retest reliability analyses. The results from confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a one-factor solution for the Persian version of the SQOL-M. Content validity of the translated measure was endorsed by 10 specialists. Pearson correlations indicated that work ability index score, dimensions of the IIEF, and the IIEF total score were positively correlated with the Persian version of the SQOL-M (p < .001). Reliability evaluation indicated a high internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficients were .96 and .95, respectively. Results indicated that the Persian version of the SQOL-M has good to excellent psychometric properties and can be used to assess the sexual quality of life among Iranian men. PMID:26856758

  15. Psychometric Properties of the Persian Translation of the Sexual Quality of Life-Male Questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Maasoumi, Raziyeh; Mokarami, Hamidreza; Nazifi, Morteza; Stallones, Lorann; Taban, Abrahim; Yazdani Aval, Mohsen; Samimi, Kazem

    2017-05-01

    Sexual dysfunction has been demonstrated to be related to a poor quality of life. These dysfunctions are especially prevalent among men. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian translation of the Sexual Quality of Life-Male (SQOL-M), translated and adapted to measure sexual quality of life among Iranian men. Forward-backward procedures were applied in translating the original SQOL-M into Persian, and then the psychometric properties of the Persian translation of the SQOL-M were studied. A total of 181 participants (23-60 years old) were included in the study. Validity was assessed by construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, and content validity. The international index of erectile function (IIEF) and the work ability index were used to study the convergent validity. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency and test-retest reliability analyses. The results from confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a one-factor solution for the Persian version of the SQOL-M. Content validity of the translated measure was endorsed by 10 specialists. Pearson correlations indicated that work ability index score, dimensions of the IIEF, and the IIEF total score were positively correlated with the Persian version of the SQOL-M ( p < .001). Reliability evaluation indicated a high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficients were .96 and .95, respectively. Results indicated that the Persian version of the SQOL-M has good to excellent psychometric properties and can be used to assess the sexual quality of life among Iranian men.

  16. An internally consistent inverse model to calculate ridge-axis hydrothermal fluxes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coogan, L. A.; Dosso, S.

    2010-12-01

    Fluid and chemical fluxes from high-temperature, on-axis, hydrothermal systems at mid-ocean ridges have been estimated in a number of ways. These generally use simple mass balances based on either vent fluid compositions or the compositions of altered sheeted dikes. Here we combine these approaches in an internally consistent model. Seawater is assumed to enter the crust and react with the sheeted dike complex at high temperatures. Major element fluxes for both the rock and fluid are calculated from balanced stoichiometric reactions. These reactions include end-member components of the minerals plagioclase, pyroxene, amphibole, chlorite and epidote along with pure anhydrite, quartz, pyrite, pyrrhotite, titanite, magnetite, ilmenite and ulvospinel and the fluid species H2O, Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe2+, Na+, Si4+, H2S, H+ and H2. Trace element abundances (Li, B, K, Rb, Cs, Sr, Ba, U, Tl, Mn, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Pb and Os) and isotopic ratios (Li, B, O, Sr, Tl, Os) are calculated from simple mass balance of a fluid-rock reaction. A fraction of the Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Ni, Os and Mn in the fluid after fluid-rock reaction is allowed to precipitate during discharge before the fluid reaches the seafloor. S-isotopes are tied to mineralogical reactions involving S-bearing phases. The free parameters in the model are the amounts of each mineralogical reaction that occurs, the amounts of the metals precipitated during discharge, and the water-to-rock ratio. These model parameters, and their uncertainties, are constrained by: (i) mineral abundances and mineral major element compositions in altered dikes from ODP Hole 504B and the Pito and Hess Deep tectonic windows (EPR crust); (ii) changes in dike bulk-rock trace element and isotopic compositions from these locations relative to fresh MORB glass compositions; and (iii) published vent fluid compositions from basalt-hosted high-temperature ridge axis hydrothermal systems. Using a numerical inversion algorithm, the probability density of different

  17. Evidence-based guidelines: Improving AGREEment on consistence evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Vincenzi, Bruno; Napolitano, Andrea; Santini, Daniele; Maiello, Evaristo; Torri, Valter; Tonini, Giuseppe

    2012-01-01

    Modern clinical practice relies on evidence-based medicine (EBM) and evidence-based guidelines (EBGs). The critical evaluation of EBGs value is therefore an essential step to further improve clinical practice. In our opinion, correlating levels of evidence and grades of recommendation can be an easy tool to quickly display internal consistence of EBGs. PMID:26909252

  18. Implementation of Programmatic Quality and the Impact on Safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huls, Dale Thomas; Meehan, Kevin

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to discuss the implementation of a programmatic quality assurance discipline within the International Space Station Program and the resulting impact on safety. NASA culture has continued to stress safety at the expense of quality when both are extremely important and both can equally influence the success or failure of a Program or Mission. Although safety was heavily criticized in the media after Colimbiaa, strong case can be made that it was the failure of quality processes and quality assurance in all processes that eventually led to the Columbia accident. Consequently, it is possible to have good quality processes without safety, but it is impossible to have good safety processes without quality. The ISS Program quality assurance function was analyzed as representative of the long-term manned missions that are consistent with the President s Vision for Space Exploration. Background topics are as follows: The quality assurance organizational structure within the ISS Program and the interrelationships between various internal and external organizations. ISS Program quality roles and responsibilities with respect to internal Program Offices and other external organizations such as the Shuttle Program, JSC Directorates, NASA Headquarters, NASA Contractors, other NASA Centers, and International Partner/participants will be addressed. A detailed analysis of implemented quality assurance responsibilities and functions with respect to NASA Headquarters, the JSC S&MA Directorate, and the ISS Program will be presented. Discussions topics are as follows: A comparison of quality and safety resources in terms of staffing, training, experience, and certifications. A benchmark assessment of the lessons learned from the Columbia Accident Investigation (CAB) Report (and follow-up reports and assessments), NASA Benchmarking, and traditional quality assurance activities against ISS quality procedures and practices. The lack of a coherent operational

  19. Consistency of seven different GNSS global ionospheric mapping techniques during one solar cycle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roma-Dollase, David; Hernández-Pajares, Manuel; Krankowski, Andrzej; Kotulak, Kacper; Ghoddousi-Fard, Reza; Yuan, Yunbin; Li, Zishen; Zhang, Hongping; Shi, Chuang; Wang, Cheng; Feltens, Joachim; Vergados, Panagiotis; Komjathy, Attila; Schaer, Stefan; García-Rigo, Alberto; Gómez-Cama, José M.

    2018-06-01

    In the context of the International GNSS Service (IGS), several IGS Ionosphere Associated Analysis Centers have developed different techniques to provide global ionospheric maps (GIMs) of vertical total electron content (VTEC) since 1998. In this paper we present a comparison of the performances of all the GIMs created in the frame of IGS. Indeed we compare the classical ones (for the ionospheric analysis centers CODE, ESA/ESOC, JPL and UPC) with the new ones (NRCAN, CAS, WHU). To assess the quality of them in fair and completely independent ways, two assessment methods are used: a direct comparison to altimeter data (VTEC-altimeter) and to the difference of slant total electron content (STEC) observed in independent ground reference stations (dSTEC-GPS). The main conclusion of this study, performed during one solar cycle, is the consistency of the results between so many different GIM techniques and implementations.

  20. Testing the internal consistency of the standard gamble in 'success' and 'failure' frames.

    PubMed

    Oliver, Adam

    2004-06-01

    Decision making behaviour has often been shown to vary following changes in the way in which choice problems are described (or 'framed'). Moreover, a number of researchers have demonstrated that the standard gamble is prone to internal inconsistency, and loss aversion has been proposed as an explanation for this observed bias. This study attempts to alter the influence of loss aversion by framing the treatment arm of the standard gamble in terms of success (where we may expect the influence of loss aversion to be relatively weak) and in terms of failure (where we may expect the influence of loss aversion to be relatively strong). The objectives of the study are (1) to test whether standard gamble values vary when structurally identical gambles are differentially framed, and (2) to test whether the standard gamble is equally prone to internal inconsistency across the two frames. The results show that compared to framing in terms of treatment success, significantly higher values were inferred when the gamble was framed in terms of treatment failure. However, there was no difference in the quite marked levels of internal inconsistency observed in both frames. It is possible that the essential construct of the standard gamble induces substantial and/or widespread loss aversion irrespective of the way in which the gamble is framed, which offers a fundamental challenge to the usefulness of this value elicitation instrument. It is therefore recommended that further tests are undertaken on more sophisticated corrective procedures designed to limit the influence of loss aversion.

  1. Patients' perception of postoperative pain management: validation of the International Pain Outcomes (IPO) questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Rothaug, Judith; Zaslansky, Ruth; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Komann, Marcus; Allvin, Renée; Backström, Ragnar; Brill, Silviu; Buchholz, Ingo; Engel, Christoph; Fletcher, Dominique; Fodor, Lucian; Funk, Peter; Gerbershagen, Hans J; Gordon, Debra B; Konrad, Christoph; Kopf, Andreas; Leykin, Yigal; Pogatzki-Zahn, Esther; Puig, Margarita; Rawal, Narinder; Taylor, Rod S; Ullrich, Kristin; Volk, Thomas; Yahiaoui-Doktor, Maryam; Meissner, Winfried

    2013-11-01

    PAIN OUT is a European Commission-funded project aiming at improving postoperative pain management. It combines a registry that can be useful for quality improvement and research using treatment and patient-reported outcome measures. The core of the project is a patient questionnaire-the International Pain Outcomes questionnaire-that comprises key patient-level outcomes of postoperative pain management, including pain intensity, physical and emotional functional interference, side effects, and perceptions of care. Its psychometric quality after translation and adaptation to European patients is the subject of this validation study. The questionnaire was administered to 9,727 patients in 10 languages in 8 European countries and Israel. Construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. Discriminant validity assessment used Mann-Whitney U tests to detect mean group differences between 2 surgical disciplines. Internal consistency reliability was calculated as Cronbach's alpha. Factor analysis resulted in a 3-factor structure explaining 53.6% of variance. Cronbach's alpha at overall scale level was high (.86), and for the 3 subscales was low, moderate, or high (range, .53-.89). Significant mean group differences between general and orthopedic surgery patients confirmed discriminant validity. The psychometric quality of the International Pain Outcomes questionnaire can be regarded as satisfactory. The International Pain Outcomes questionnaire provides an instrument for postoperative pain assessment and improvement of quality of care, which demonstrated good psychometric quality when translated into a variety of languages in a large European and Israeli patient population. This measure provides the basis for the first comprehensive postoperative pain registry in Europe and other countries. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Self-consistent asset pricing models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malevergne, Y.; Sornette, D.

    2007-08-01

    We discuss the foundations of factor or regression models in the light of the self-consistency condition that the market portfolio (and more generally the risk factors) is (are) constituted of the assets whose returns it is (they are) supposed to explain. As already reported in several articles, self-consistency implies correlations between the return disturbances. As a consequence, the alphas and betas of the factor model are unobservable. Self-consistency leads to renormalized betas with zero effective alphas, which are observable with standard OLS regressions. When the conditions derived from internal consistency are not met, the model is necessarily incomplete, which means that some sources of risk cannot be replicated (or hedged) by a portfolio of stocks traded on the market, even for infinite economies. Analytical derivations and numerical simulations show that, for arbitrary choices of the proxy which are different from the true market portfolio, a modified linear regression holds with a non-zero value αi at the origin between an asset i's return and the proxy's return. Self-consistency also introduces “orthogonality” and “normality” conditions linking the betas, alphas (as well as the residuals) and the weights of the proxy portfolio. Two diagnostics based on these orthogonality and normality conditions are implemented on a basket of 323 assets which have been components of the S&P500 in the period from January 1990 to February 2005. These two diagnostics show interesting departures from dynamical self-consistency starting about 2 years before the end of the Internet bubble. Assuming that the CAPM holds with the self-consistency condition, the OLS method automatically obeys the resulting orthogonality and normality conditions and therefore provides a simple way to self-consistently assess the parameters of the model by using proxy portfolios made only of the assets which are used in the CAPM regressions. Finally, the factor decomposition with the

  3. International water and steam quality standards on thermal power plants at all-volatile treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petrova, T. I.; Orlov, K. A.; Dooley, R. B.

    2016-12-01

    One of the methods for the improvement of reliability and efficiency of the equipment at heat power plants is the decrease in the rate of corrosion of structural materials and sedimentation in water/steam circuit. These processes can be reduced to minimum by using the water with low impurity content and coolant treatment. For many years, water and steam quality standards were developed in various countries (United States, Germany, Japan, etc.) for specific types of equipment. The International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS), which brings together specialists from 21 countries, developed the water and steam quality standards for various types of power equipment based on theoretical studies and long-term operating experience of power equipment. Recently, various water-chemistry conditions are applied on heatpower equipment including conventional boilers and HRSGs with combined cycle power plants (Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPP)). In paper, the maintenance conditions of water chemistry with ammonia or volatile amine dosing are described: reducing AVT(R), oxidizing AVT(O), and oxygen OT. Each of them is provided by the water and steam quality standards and recommendations are given on their maintenance under various operation conditions. It is noted that the quality control of heat carrier must be carried out with a particular care on the HPPs with combined cycle gas turbine units, where frequent starts and halts are performed.

  4. National survey on internal quality control for tumour markers in clinical laboratories in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Zhong, Kun; Yuan, Shuai; He, Falin; Du, Yuxuan; Hu, Zhehui; Wang, Zhiguo

    2018-06-15

    This survey was initiated to obtain knowledge on the current situation of internal quality control (IQC) practice for tumour markers (TMs) in China. Additionally, we tried to acquire the most appropriate quality specifications. This survey was a current status survey. The IQC information had been collected via online questionnaires. All of 1821 clinical laboratories which participated in the 2016 TMs external quality assessment (EQA) programme had been enrolled. The imprecision evaluation criteria were the minimal, desirable, and optimal allowable imprecisions based on biological variations, and 1/3 total allowable error (TEa) and 1/4 TEa. A total of 1628 laboratories answered the questionnaires (89%). The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the IQC of participant laboratories varied greatly from 1% (5 th percentile) to 13% (95 th percentile). More than 82% (82 - 91%) of participant laboratories two types of CVs met 1/3 TEa except for CA 19-9. The percentiles of current CVs were smaller than cumulative CVs. A number of 1240 laboratories (76%) reported their principles and systems used. The electrochemiluminescence was the most used principle (45%) and had the smallest CVs. The performance of laboratories for TMs IQC has yet to be improved. On the basis of the obtained results, 1/3 TEa would be realistic and attainable quality specification for TMs IQC for clinical laboratories in China.

  5. Toward utilization of data for program management and evaluation: quality assessment of five years of health management information system data in Rwanda.

    PubMed

    Nisingizwe, Marie Paul; Iyer, Hari S; Gashayija, Modeste; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Amoroso, Cheryl; Wilson, Randy; Rubyutsa, Eric; Gaju, Eric; Basinga, Paulin; Muhire, Andrew; Binagwaho, Agnès; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany

    2014-01-01

    Health data can be useful for effective service delivery, decision making, and evaluating existing programs in order to maintain high quality of healthcare. Studies have shown variability in data quality from national health management information systems (HMISs) in sub-Saharan Africa which threatens utility of these data as a tool to improve health systems. The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of Rwanda's HMIS data over a 5-year period. The World Health Organization (WHO) data quality report card framework was used to assess the quality of HMIS data captured from 2008 to 2012 and is a census of all 495 publicly funded health facilities in Rwanda. Factors assessed included completeness and internal consistency of 10 indicators selected based on WHO recommendations and priority areas for the Rwanda national health sector. Completeness was measured as percentage of non-missing reports. Consistency was measured as the absence of extreme outliers, internal consistency between related indicators, and consistency of indicators over time. These assessments were done at the district and national level. Nationally, the average monthly district reporting completeness rate was 98% across 10 key indicators from 2008 to 2012. Completeness of indicator data increased over time: 2008, 88%; 2009, 91%; 2010, 89%; 2011, 90%; and 2012, 95% (p<0.0001). Comparing 2011 and 2012 health events to the mean of the three preceding years, service output increased from 3% (2011) to 9% (2012). Eighty-three percent of districts reported ratios between related indicators (ANC/DTP1, DTP1/DTP3) consistent with HMIS national ratios. Conclusion and policy implications: Our findings suggest that HMIS data quality in Rwanda has been improving over time. We recommend maintaining these assessments to identify remaining gaps in data quality and that results are shared publicly to support increased use of HMIS data.

  6. Toward utilization of data for program management and evaluation: quality assessment of five years of health management information system data in Rwanda

    PubMed Central

    Nisingizwe, Marie Paul; Iyer, Hari S.; Gashayija, Modeste; Hirschhorn, Lisa R.; Amoroso, Cheryl; Wilson, Randy; Rubyutsa, Eric; Gaju, Eric; Basinga, Paulin; Muhire, Andrew; Binagwaho, Agnès; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany

    2014-01-01

    Background Health data can be useful for effective service delivery, decision making, and evaluating existing programs in order to maintain high quality of healthcare. Studies have shown variability in data quality from national health management information systems (HMISs) in sub-Saharan Africa which threatens utility of these data as a tool to improve health systems. The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of Rwanda's HMIS data over a 5-year period. Methods The World Health Organization (WHO) data quality report card framework was used to assess the quality of HMIS data captured from 2008 to 2012 and is a census of all 495 publicly funded health facilities in Rwanda. Factors assessed included completeness and internal consistency of 10 indicators selected based on WHO recommendations and priority areas for the Rwanda national health sector. Completeness was measured as percentage of non-missing reports. Consistency was measured as the absence of extreme outliers, internal consistency between related indicators, and consistency of indicators over time. These assessments were done at the district and national level. Results Nationally, the average monthly district reporting completeness rate was 98% across 10 key indicators from 2008 to 2012. Completeness of indicator data increased over time: 2008, 88%; 2009, 91%; 2010, 89%; 2011, 90%; and 2012, 95% (p<0.0001). Comparing 2011 and 2012 health events to the mean of the three preceding years, service output increased from 3% (2011) to 9% (2012). Eighty-three percent of districts reported ratios between related indicators (ANC/DTP1, DTP1/DTP3) consistent with HMIS national ratios. Conclusion and policy implications Our findings suggest that HMIS data quality in Rwanda has been improving over time. We recommend maintaining these assessments to identify remaining gaps in data quality and that results are shared publicly to support increased use of HMIS data. PMID:25413722

  7. Implementation of quality systems by Mexican exporters of processed meat.

    PubMed

    Maldonado-Siman, E; Bernal-Alcántara, R; Cadena-Meneses, J A; Altamirano-Cárdenas, J R; Martinez-Hernández, P A

    2014-12-01

    Requirements of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) are becoming essential for international trade in food commodities as a safety assurance component. This research reports the level of the adoption of ISO 9000 and the HACCP system by Federal Inspection Type (TIF) pork-exporting enterprises. Implementation and operating costs are reported as well as the benefits involved in this food industry process. In Mexico, there are 97 companies classified as TIF enterprises, and 22 are registered as exporters of processed pork with the National Services for Safety and Quality and Animal Health of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food. Surveys were administered to 22 companies, with a 95.2% response rate. Enterprise characteristics were evaluated, as well as their operating activities. Fieldwork consisted of administering structured questionnaires to TIF exporters. All the surveyed enterprises had implemented HACCP, whereas the ISO 9000 regulation was applied in only 30%. Of total production, 75% is exported to 13 countries, and 25% goes to the Mexican market niche. Results indicate that the main factors for adopting HACCP are related to accessibility to international markets, improving quality, and reducing product quality audits by customers. The results also indicated that staff training was the most important issue. Microbiological testing was the highest cost of the operation. The main benefits reported were related to better access to international markets and a considerable reduction in microbial counts. This study shows the willingness of Mexican pork processors to implement food safety protocols for producing safe and quality products to compete in the international food trade.

  8. Correlation consistent basis sets for the atoms In–Xe

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

    Mahler, Andrew; Wilson, Angela K., E-mail: akwilson@unt.edu

    In this work, the correlation consistent family of Gaussian basis sets has been expanded to include all-electron basis sets for In–Xe. The methodology for developing these basis sets is described, and several examples of the performance and utility of the new sets have been provided. Dissociation energies and bond lengths for both homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomics demonstrate the systematic convergence behavior with respect to increasing basis set quality expected by the family of correlation consistent basis sets in describing molecular properties. Comparison with recently developed correlation consistent sets designed for use with the Douglas-Kroll Hamiltonian is provided.

  9. The stroke impairment assessment set: its internal consistency and predictive validity.

    PubMed

    Tsuji, T; Liu, M; Sonoda, S; Domen, K; Chino, N

    2000-07-01

    To study the scale quality and predictive validity of the Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS) developed for stroke outcome research. Rasch analysis of the SIAS; stepwise multiple regression analysis to predict discharge functional independence measure (FIM) raw scores from demographic data, the SIAS scores, and the admission FIM scores; cross-validation of the prediction rule. Tertiary rehabilitation center in Japan. One hundred ninety stroke inpatients for the study of the scale quality and the predictive validity; a second sample of 116 stroke inpatients for the cross-validation study. Mean square fit statistics to study the degree of fit to the unidimensional model; logits to express item difficulties; discharge FIM scores for the study of predictive validity. The degree of misfit was acceptable except for the shoulder range of motion (ROM), pain, visuospatial function, and speech items; and the SIAS items could be arranged on a common unidimensional scale. The difficulty patterns were identical at admission and at discharge except for the deep tendon reflexes, ROM, and pain items. They were also similar for the right- and left-sided brain lesion groups except for the speech and visuospatial items. For the prediction of the discharge FIM scores, the independent variables selected were age, the SIAS total scores, and the admission FIM scores; and the adjusted R2 was .64 (p < .0001). Stability of the predictive equation was confirmed in the cross-validation sample (R2 = .68, p < .001). The unidimensionality of the SIAS was confirmed, and the SIAS total scores proved useful for stroke outcome prediction.

  10. Influence of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet quality in childhood on the incidence of internalizing and externalizing disorders during adolescence: a population-based cohort study.

    PubMed

    Wu, XiuYun; Bastian, Kerry; Ohinmaa, Arto; Veugelers, Paul

    2018-02-01

    Studies among youth suggest that physical inactivity, sedentary behaviors, and poor diet quality are associated with poor mental health. Few population-based studies have investigated these relationships longitudinally. We examined the association between physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and diet quality in childhood and the incidence of internalizing and externalizing disorders throughout adolescence. We linked health behavior survey data from 2003 among 10- to 11-year-old children across Nova Scotia, Canada, with administrative health care data from 2003 to 2011. Students' diet quality was assessed using the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors were self-reported, and internalizing and externalizing disorders were diagnosed by a physician. We applied Cox regression to examine the associations of the health behaviors with the incidence of internalizing and externalizing disorders between 2003 and 2011. Of the 4861 participating students, 23.7% and 9.4% had a diagnosis of internalizing and externalizing disorders, respectively. The incidences of internalizing and externalizing disorders were higher among students who were less physically active and spent more time using computers and video games. These findings suggest that promoting an active lifestyle in childhood may contribute to the prevention of both internalizing and externalizing disorders during adolescence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A framework for institutionalizing quality assurance.

    PubMed

    Silimperi, Diana R; Franco, Lynne Miller; Veldhuyzen van Zanten, Tisna; MacAulay, Catherine

    2002-12-01

    To develop a framework to support the institutionalization of quality assurance (QA). The framework for institutionalizing QA consists of a model of eight essential elements and a 'roadmap' for the process of institutionalization. The essential elements are the building blocks required for implementing and sustaining QA activities. Core QA activities include defining, measuring and improving quality. The essential elements are grouped under three categories: the internal enabling environment (internal to the organization or system), organizing for quality, and support functions. The enabling environment contains the essential elements of leadership, policy, core values, and resources. Organizing for quality includes the structure for implementing QA. Three essential elements are primarily support functions: capacity building, communication and information, and rewarding quality. The model can be applied at the level of an organization or a system. The paper also describes the process of institutionalizing QA, starting from a state of preawareness, passing through four phases (awareness, experiential, expansion, and consolidation), and culminating in a state of maturity. The process is not linear; an organization may regress, vacillate between phases, or even remain stagnant. Some phases (e.g. awareness and experiential) may occur simultaneously. The framework has been introduced in nearly a dozen countries in Latin America and Africa. The conceptual model has been used to support strategic planning and directing Ministry of Health work plans, and also as a resource for determining the elements necessary to strengthen and sustain QA. The next step will be the development and evaluation of an assessment tool to monitor developmental progress in the institutionalization of QA.

  12. Campus Life for International Students: Exploring Students' Perceptions of Quality Learning Environment at a Private University in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seng, Ernest Lim Kok; Khoo-Lattimore, Catheryn

    2012-01-01

    The number of international students enrolling at higher learning institutions in Malaysia is increasing each year. However, the quality of learning environment is not always easy to measure, particularly for private universities which are not financially aided by the government, where the learning environment is characterized by their physical…

  13. Measuring quality in community based housing support - the QPC-H instrument.

    PubMed

    Lundqvist, Lars-Olov; Rask, Mikael; Brunt, David; Ivarsson, Ann-Britt; Schröder, Agneta

    2016-04-18

    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to test the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the instrument Quality in Psychiatric Care-Housing (QPC-H) and briefly describe the residents' perception of quality of housing support. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of 174 residents from 22 housing support services in nine Swedish municipalities participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the QPC-H consisted of six dimensions and had a factor structure largely corresponding to that found among other instruments in the Quality in Psychiatric Care (QPC) family of instruments. Findings - CFA revealed that the QPC-H consisted of six dimensions and had a factor structure largely corresponding to that found among other instruments in the QPC family of instruments. The internal consistency of the factors was acceptable except in the case of secure and secluded environment, probably due to few numbers of items. With this exception, the QPC-H shows adequate psychometric properties. Social implications - The residents' ratings of quality of housing service were generally high; the highest rating was for secluded environment and the lowest for participation. This dimension would thus seem to indicate an important area for improvement. Originality/value - The QPC-H includes important aspects of residents' assessment of quality of housing service and offers a simple and inexpensive way to evaluate housing support services from the residents' perspective.

  14. An approach to optimize the batch mixing process for improving the quality consistency of the products made from traditional Chinese medicines*

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Bin-jun; Qu, Hai-bin

    2013-01-01

    The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the combined effects of its constituents. Variation in chemical composition between batches of TCM has always been the deterring factor in achieving consistency in efficacy. The batch mixing process can significantly reduce the batch-to-batch quality variation in TCM extracts by mixing them in a well-designed proportion. However, reducing the quality variation without sacrificing too much of the production efficiency is one of the challenges. Accordingly, an innovative and practical batch mixing method aimed at providing acceptable efficiency for industrial production of TCM products is proposed in this work, which uses a minimum number of batches of extracts to meet the content limits. The important factors affecting the utilization ratio of the extracts (URE) were studied by simulations. The results have shown that URE was affected by the correlation between the contents of constituents, and URE decreased with the increase in the number of targets and the relative standard deviations of the contents. URE could be increased by increasing the number of storage tanks. The results have provided a reference for designing the batch mixing process. The proposed method has possible application value in reducing the quality variation in TCM and providing acceptable production efficiency simultaneously. PMID:24190450

  15. An approach to optimize the batch mixing process for improving the quality consistency of the products made from traditional Chinese medicines.

    PubMed

    Yan, Bin-jun; Qu, Hai-bin

    2013-11-01

    The efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the combined effects of its constituents. Variation in chemical composition between batches of TCM has always been the deterring factor in achieving consistency in efficacy. The batch mixing process can significantly reduce the batch-to-batch quality variation in TCM extracts by mixing them in a well-designed proportion. However, reducing the quality variation without sacrificing too much of the production efficiency is one of the challenges. Accordingly, an innovative and practical batch mixing method aimed at providing acceptable efficiency for industrial production of TCM products is proposed in this work, which uses a minimum number of batches of extracts to meet the content limits. The important factors affecting the utilization ratio of the extracts (URE) were studied by simulations. The results have shown that URE was affected by the correlation between the contents of constituents, and URE decreased with the increase in the number of targets and the relative standard deviations of the contents. URE could be increased by increasing the number of storage tanks. The results have provided a reference for designing the batch mixing process. The proposed method has possible application value in reducing the quality variation in TCM and providing acceptable production efficiency simultaneously.

  16. The learning environment of paediatric interns in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Naidoo, Kimesh L; Van Wyk, Jacqueline M; Adhikari, Miriam

    2017-11-29

    South African (SA) paediatric interns (recently qualified medical graduates) work in a high disease burdened and resource deficient environment for two years, prior to independent practice. Perceptions of this learning environment (LE) influences their approaches to training as well as the outcomes of this period of development. Obstacles to creating a supportive LE and supervisor interaction affects the quality of this training. Measuring perceptions of the LE with validated instruments can help inform improvements in learning during this crucial period of medical education. The aims of this study was to determine the psychometric qualities of the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) amongst paediatric interns across four hospital complexes in South Africa and to measure the LE as perceived by both interns and their supervisors. Construct validity was tested using factor analysis and internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's alpha. A total of 209 interns and 60 supervisors (69% intern response rate) responded to the questionnaire. The PHEEM was found to be very reliable with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.943 and 0.874 for intern and supervisors respectively. Factor analysis using a 3-factor solution accounted for 42% of the variance with the teaching subscale having the best fit compared with the other sub-scales of the original tool. Most interns perceived the learning environment as being more positive than negative however, their perceptions differed significantly from that of their supervisors. Poor infrastructural support from institutions, excessive workloads and inadequate supervision were factors preventing optimal training of paediatric interns. The SA version of the PHEEM tool used was found to be a reliable and valid instrument for use in interns amongst high disease burdened contexts. Various obstacles to creating an ideal learning environment for paediatric interns were identified to be in need of urgent review. Key

  17. Measuring health care process quality with software quality measures.

    PubMed

    Yildiz, Ozkan; Demirörs, Onur

    2012-01-01

    Existing quality models focus on some specific diseases, clinics or clinical areas. Although they contain structure, process, or output type measures, there is no model which measures quality of health care processes comprehensively. In addition, due to the not measured overall process quality, hospitals cannot compare quality of processes internally and externally. To bring a solution to above problems, a new model is developed from software quality measures. We have adopted the ISO/IEC 9126 software quality standard for health care processes. Then, JCIAS (Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals) measurable elements were added to model scope for unifying functional requirements. Assessment (diagnosing) process measurement results are provided in this paper. After the application, it was concluded that the model determines weak and strong aspects of the processes, gives a more detailed picture for the process quality, and provides quantifiable information to hospitals to compare their processes with multiple organizations.

  18. Inhibitory control in young children and its role in emerging internalization.

    PubMed

    Kochanska, G; Murray, K; Jacques, T Y; Koenig, A L; Vandegeest, K A

    1996-04-01

    We examined inhibitory control as a quality of temperament that contributes to internalization. Children were assessed twice, at 26-41 months (N = 103) and at 43-56 months (N = 99), on repeated occasions, in multiple observational contexts and using parental reports. Comprehensive behavioral batteries incorporating multiple tasks were designed to measure inhibitory control at toddler and preschool age. They had good internal consistencies, corresponded with maternal ratings, and were developmentally sensitive. Individual children's performance was significantly correlated across both assessments, indicating stable individual differences. Girls surpassed boys at both ages. Children's internalization was observed while they were alone with prohibited objects, with a mundane chore, playing games that occasioned cheating, being induced to violate standards of conduct, and assessed using maternal reports. Inhibitory control was significantly associated with internalization, both contemporaneously and as a predictor in the longitudinal sense. The implications for considering children's temperament as a significant, yet often neglected contributor to developing internalization are discussed.

  19. Validation of a method for assessing resident physicians' quality improvement proposals.

    PubMed

    Leenstra, James L; Beckman, Thomas J; Reed, Darcy A; Mundell, William C; Thomas, Kris G; Krajicek, Bryan J; Cha, Stephen S; Kolars, Joseph C; McDonald, Furman S

    2007-09-01

    Residency programs involve trainees in quality improvement (QI) projects to evaluate competency in systems-based practice and practice-based learning and improvement. Valid approaches to assess QI proposals are lacking. We developed an instrument for assessing resident QI proposals--the Quality Improvement Proposal Assessment Tool (QIPAT-7)-and determined its validity and reliability. QIPAT-7 content was initially obtained from a national panel of QI experts. Through an iterative process, the instrument was refined, pilot-tested, and revised. Seven raters used the instrument to assess 45 resident QI proposals. Principal factor analysis was used to explore the dimensionality of instrument scores. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlations were calculated to determine internal consistency and interrater reliability, respectively. QIPAT-7 items comprised a single factor (eigenvalue = 3.4) suggesting a single assessment dimension. Interrater reliability for each item (range 0.79 to 0.93) and internal consistency reliability among the items (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87) were high. This method for assessing resident physician QI proposals is supported by content and internal structure validity evidence. QIPAT-7 is a useful tool for assessing resident QI proposals. Future research should determine the reliability of QIPAT-7 scores in other residency and fellowship training programs. Correlations should also be made between assessment scores and criteria for QI proposal success such as implementation of QI proposals, resident scholarly productivity, and improved patient outcomes.

  20. Gene-Environment Interplay in Internalizing Disorders: Consistent Findings across Six Environmental Risk Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hicks, Brian M.; Dirago, Ana C.; Iacono, William G.; McGue, Matt

    2009-01-01

    Background: Behavior genetic methods can help to elucidate gene-environment (G-E) interplay in the development of internalizing (INT) disorders (i.e., major depression and anxiety disorders). To date, however, no study has conducted a comprehensive analysis examining multiple environmental risk factors with the purpose of delineating general…

  1. The Role of Research in the Policy and Practice of Quality Teacher Education: An International Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatto, Maria Teresa

    2015-01-01

    The stated goal of current education reform is the redesign of education systems in pursuit of quality. Systems that consistently "come out on top" have excited much interest in uncovering the features that have contributed to their success; notably among these is the preparation of future teachers. Research on teacher education quality…

  2. Librarian co-authors correlated with higher quality reported search strategies in general internal medicine systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Rethlefsen, Melissa L; Farrell, Ann M; Osterhaus Trzasko, Leah C; Brigham, Tara J

    2015-06-01

    To determine whether librarian and information specialist authorship was associated with better reported systematic review (SR) search quality. SRs from high-impact general internal medicine journals were reviewed for search quality characteristics and reporting quality by independent reviewers using three instruments, including a checklist of Institute of Medicine Recommended Standards for the Search Process and a scored modification of the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies instrument. The level of librarian and information specialist participation was significantly associated with search reproducibility from reported search strategies (Χ(2) = 23.5; P < 0.0001). Librarian co-authored SRs had significantly higher odds of meeting 8 of 13 analyzed search standards than those with no librarian participation and six more than those with mentioned librarian participation. One-way ANOVA showed that differences in total search quality scores between all three groups were statistically significant (F2,267 = 10.1233; P < 0.0001). Problems remain with SR search quality and reporting. SRs with librarian or information specialist co-authors are correlated with significantly higher quality reported search strategies. To minimize bias in SRs, authors and editors could encourage librarian engagement in SRs including authorship as a potential way to help improve documentation of the search strategy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. [Disabled person's satisfaction with health and social care--an internationally developed instrument].

    PubMed

    Kullmann, Lajos; Paulik, Edit

    2011-02-01

    Quality of health and social care is being assessed by largely different methods. Obtaining comparable and valuable data is difficult. Thus, internationally developed instruments have special value. A set of instruments has been developed simultaneously using World Health Organization's instrument development method. One of these is the instrument "Quality of Care and Support for People with Disabilities". Response scales contain five options for physically and three for intellectually disabled persons. Psychometric analysis of the Hungarian instrument version was based on interviews with 151 physically and 166 intellectually disabled persons. Answering rate was high, above 95% with the exception of one item. Internal consistency of the two instrument versions by Cronbach's alpha is 0.845 and 0.745 respectively. Lowest satisfaction was found in the domain "information" in both groups that correlates significantly with health conditions at p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 level respectively. The field trial confirms validity and reliability of the instrument. Its wider use may help the evaluation of satisfaction concerning different components of quality of care, consequently better tailoring of services to needs.

  4. Quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: development of a questionnaire.

    PubMed Central

    de Boer, A G; Wijker, W; Speelman, J D; de Haes, J C

    1996-01-01

    OBJECTIVES--To develop and test a questionnaire for measuring quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease. METHODS--An item pool was developed based on the experience of patients with Parkinson's disease and of neurologists; medical literature on the problems of patients with Parkinson's disease; and other quality of life questionnaires. To reduce the item pool, 13 patients identified items that were a problem to them and rated their importance. Items which were most often chosen and rated most important were included in the Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire (PDQL). The PDQL consists of 37 items. To evaluate the discriminant validity of the PDQL three groups of severity of disease were compared. To test for convergent validity, the scores of the PDQL were tested for correlation with standard indices of quality of life. RESULTS--The PDQL was filled out by 384 patients with Parkinson's disease. It consisted of four subscales: parkinsonian symptoms, systemic symptoms, emotional functioning, and social functioning. The internal-consistency reliability coefficients of the PDQL subscales were high (0.80-0.87). Patients with higher disease severity had significantly lower quality of life on all PDQL subscales (P < 0.05). Almost all PDQL subscales correlated highly (P < 0.001) with the corresponding scales of the standard quality of life indices. CONCLUSION--The PDQL is a relevant, reliable, and valid measure of the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease. Images PMID:8676165

  5. [Internal quality control on HER2 status determination in breast cancers: Experience of a cancer center].

    PubMed

    Ngo, Carine; Laé, Marick; Ratour, Julia; Hamel, Frédérique; Taris, Corinne; Caly, Martial; Le Cunff, Annie; Reyal, Fabien; Kirova, Youlia; Pierga, Jean-Yves; Vincent-Salomon, Anne

    The implementation of an internal quality control is mandatory to guarantee the accuracy of HER2 status in invasive breast cancers. To evaluate the impact of our quality control assurance on HER2 status results in invasive breast carcinomas from 2008 to 2014. HER2 status was determined by immunohistochemistry as the first-line indication, completed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for scores 2+ by immunohistochemistry. Internal quality control of HER2 status relied on the standardization of pre-analytical phases, the use of external controls with a known number of HER2 gene copies determined by FISH and continued monitoring of concordance between immunohistochemistry and FISH. The proportion of HER2-positive cases corresponding to scores 3+ by immunohistochemistry and 2+ amplified by FISH varied from 10.6% to 13.8% (median of 11.3%). The proportion of scores 2+ amplified by FISH varied from 13.3% to 32.7% during period of study. The rate of concordance between FISH and immunohistochemistry for score 0/1+ and 3+ cases were≥97%. Eight among 12 discordant cases were false positive resulting from errors in interpretation of immunohistochemistry (score 2+ instead of 3+). Calibration of immunohistochemistry on FISH for HER2 status contributes to limit variability of immunohistochemistry results due to technical issues or interpretation. The implementation of an external control of score 3+ on each slide enables accurate interpretation of score 2+ and 3+ by immunohistochemistry. Copyright © 2017 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Predictors, Quality Markers, and Economics of Volunteering Internationally: Results from a Comprehensive Survey of American Society of Plastic Surgeons Members.

    PubMed

    McIntyre, Joyce K; Schoenbrunner, Anna R; Kelley, Kristen D; Gosman, Amanda A

    2017-09-01

    Plastic surgeons have a long history of international volunteer work. To date, there have been no outcome-based studies among surgeons who volunteer internationally. The purpose of this study was to describe predictors of volunteering, clinical quality markers, and economics of international volunteering among American plastic surgeons. A cross-sectional validated e-mail survey tool was sent to all board-certified plastic surgeons by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The survey response rate was 15 percent (745 total individuals), of which 283 respondents traveled within the past 5 years. Analysis was performed in R. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the predictors of death/complication. Respondents reported high use of medical records, follow-up care, and host affiliation. Fewer than half of all respondents reported use of international safety surgery guidelines, and the majority of respondents reported volunteering abroad outside of their scope of practice. The majority of children younger than 5 years were not cared for by a pediatric anesthesiologist. The majority of participants reported personally spending more than $1000 on their last trip and performing surgery estimated to be worth on average $28,000 each. International surgical volunteer trips attempt to ease the global burden of surgical disease. The authors' study reports variation in quality of care provided on these trips. Most significantly, the majority of children younger than 5 years were not cared for by a pediatric anesthesiologist, and many plastic surgeons operated outside of their scope of practice.

  7. An Adapted Measure of Sibling Attachment: Factor Structure and Internal Consistency of the Sibling Attachment Inventory in Youth.

    PubMed

    Noel, Valerie A; Francis, Sarah E; Tilley, Micah A

    2018-04-01

    Parent-youth and peer relationship inventories based on attachment theory measure communication, trust, and alienation, yet sibling relationships have been overlooked. We developed the Sibling Attachment Inventory and evaluated its psychometric properties in a sample of 172 youth ages 10-14 years. We adapted the 25-item Sibling Attachment Inventory from the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised peer measure. Items loaded onto three factors, identified as communication, trust, and alienation, α = 0.93, 0.90, and 0.76, respectively. Sibling trust and alienation correlated with depression (r s  = -0.33, r s  = 0.48) and self-worth (r s  = 0.23; r s  = -0.32); sibling trust and alienation correlated with depression after controlling for parent trust and parent alienation (r s  = -0.23, r s  = 0.22). Preliminary analyses showed good internal consistency, construct validity, and incremental predictive validity. Following replication of these properties, this measure can facilitate large cohort assessments of sibling attachment.

  8. Save life and improve quality: report from the 5th Congress of International Society for Hemodialysis.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hung-Chun; Lim, Lee-Moay; Chang, Jer-Ming; Misra, Madhukar

    2014-01-01

    The 5th congress of International Society for Hemodialysis took place last August 3-5, 2012 at the Grand Hotel in Taipei and focused on "Save Life and Improve Quality." It attracted a total of 927 participants from 18 countries. The full spectrum of hemodialysis was covered with plenary lectures and symposiums delivered by experts from different subspecialties in nephrology starting from the history of hemodialysis, mineral bone disease, microinflammation and advanced techniques in hemodialysis. It was followed by critical care in nephrology, anemia, and nutrition in dialysis. Last but not the least, natural disasters and medical economics in hemodialysis were also discussed extensively. This special article will highlight the authentic contributions and innovative clinical presentations from the meeting. © 2013 International Society for Hemodialysis.

  9. Nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards aged sexuality: validity and internal consistency of the Dutch version of the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale.

    PubMed

    Mahieu, Lieslot; de Casterlé, Bernadette Dierckx; Van Elssen, Kim; Gastmans, Chris

    2013-11-01

    This paper reports a study testing the content and face validity and internal consistency of the Dutch version of the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale. The ability of older residents to sexually express themselves is known to be influenced by the knowledge and attitudes of nursing home staff towards later-life sexuality. Although the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale is a widely used instrument to measure this, there is no validated, Dutch translation available. Instrument development. Following a standard forward/backward translation into Dutch, the scale was further adapted for use in Flemish nursing home settings. Content and face validity and user-friendliness were assessed. The psychometric properties were determined by means of an exploratory study. Data were collected from March-April 2011 at eight Flemish nursing homes. Reliability was assessed using internal consistency and item-total correlations. Both subscales of the Flemish adaptation showed acceptable content validity. The face validity and user-friendliness were deemed favourable with hardly any remarks given by the expert panel. The Cronbach's α was 0.80 and 0.88 for the knowledge and attitude subscales, respectively. The item-total correlations ranged from 0.21-0.48 for the knowledge section and from 0.09-0.68 for the attitude subscale. We conclude from our study that the Dutch version of the scale has acceptable to good psychometric properties. The Flemish adaptation therefore seems to be a valuable instrument for studying nursing staff's knowledge and attitudes towards aged sexuality in Flanders. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. The Calcium Solution: Developing Potato Cultivars With Enhanced Tuber Storage and Internal Quality by Genetic Improvement of Tuber Calcium Accumulation Ability Enetic Improvement of Potato for Tuber Calcium Uptake

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tuber internal quality is a major limiting factor for the U.S. potato industry. Breeders invest time and money in producing advanced selections which, in the end, often fail because of tuber internal defects, tuber bruising, or storage quality issues. In-season fertilization with calcium is known to...

  11. First Steps Toward a Quality of Climate Finance Scorecard (QUODA-CF): Creating a Comparative Index to Assess International Climate Finance Contributions

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

    Sierra, Katherine; Roberts, Timmons; de Nevers, Michele

    Are climate finance contributor countries, multilateral aid agencies and specialized funds using widely accepted best practices in foreign assistance? How is it possible to measure and compare international climate finance contributions when there are as yet no established metrics or agreed definitions of the quality of climate finance? As a subjective metric, quality can mean different things to different stakeholders, while of donor countries, recipients and institutional actors may place quality across a broad spectrum of objectives. This subjectivity makes the assessment of the quality of climate finance contributions a useful and necessary exercise, but one that has many challenges.more » This work seeks to enhance the development of common definitions and metrics of the quality of climate finance, to understand what we can about those areas where climate finance information is available and shine a light on the areas where there is a severe dearth of data. Allowing for comparisons of the use of best practices across funding institutions in the climate sector could begin a process of benchmarking performance, fostering learning across institutions and driving improvements when incorporated in internal evaluation protocols of those institutions. In the medium term, this kind of benchmarking and transparency could support fundraising in contributor countries and help build trust with recipient countries. As a feasibility study, this paper attempts to outline the importance of assessing international climate finance contributions while describing the difficulties in arriving at universally agreed measurements and indicators for assessment. In many cases, data are neither readily available nor complete, and there is no consensus on what should be included. A number of indicators are proposed in this study as a starting point with which to analyze voluntary contributions, but in some cases their methodologies are not complete, and further research is required for

  12. Evolution of sperm quality but not quantity in the internally fertilized fish Xiphophorus nigrensis.

    PubMed

    Smith, C C; Ryan, M J

    2010-08-01

    Species with alternative reproductive strategies are characterized by discrete differences among males in suites of traits related to competition for fertilizations. Models predict sneaker males should allocate more resources to their ejaculates because they experience sperm competition more frequently and often occupy a disfavoured 'role' owing to subordinance in intramale competition and female preferences for larger males. We examined whether sperm number and quality differed between male strategies in the internally fertilized fish Xiphophorus nigrensis and explored the relationship between sperm morphology and performance. We found sneaker males had similar testes sizes compared to courting males but ejaculates with both more viable and longer lived sperm. Sneaker sperm also had longer midpieces, which was positively correlated with both velocity and longevity. Our study suggests that the evolution of sperm quantity and quality can be decoupled and that the sperm morphology is likely to play an important role in mediating sperm competition through its effects on sperm performance.

  13. Dementia quality of life instrument--construct and concurrent validity in patients with mild to moderate dementia.

    PubMed

    Voigt-Radloff, S; Leonhart, R; Schützwohl, M; Jurjanz, L; Reuster, T; Gerner, A; Marschner, K; van Nes, F; Graff, M; Vernooij-Dassen, M; Rikkert, M O; Holthoff, V; Hüll, M

    2012-03-01

    To translate the Dementia quality of life instrument (DQoL) into German and assess its construct and concurrent validity in community-dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia. Dementia quality of life instrument data of two pooled samples (n=287) were analysed regarding ceiling and floor effects, internal consistency, factor reliability and correlations with corresponding scales on quality of life (Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease and SF-12), cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - cognitive), depression (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia) and activities of daily living (Interview of Deterioration in Daily Living Activities in Dementia). We found no floor effects (<2%), minor ceiling effects (1-11%), moderate to good internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.6-0.8) and factor reliability (0.6-0.8), moderate correlations with self-rated scales of quality of life (Spearman coefficient: 0.3-0.6) and no or minor correlations with scores for cognition, depression or activities of daily living (r<0.3). The original five-factor model could not be confirmed. The DQoL can be used in dementia research for assessing positive and negative affect, feelings of belonging and self-esteem. The findings suggest further research to improve the structure of the scales aesthetics, feelings of belonging and self-esteem. © 2011 The Author(s). European Journal of Neurology © 2011 EFNS.

  14. Operational quality control of daily precipitation using spatio-climatological consistency testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scherrer, S. C.; Croci-Maspoli, M.; van Geijtenbeek, D.; Naguel, C.; Appenzeller, C.

    2010-09-01

    Quality control (QC) of meteorological data is of utmost importance for climate related decisions. The search for an effective automated QC of precipitation data has proven difficult and many weather services still use mainly manual inspection of daily precipitation including MeteoSwiss. However, man power limitations force many weather services to move towards less labour intensive and more automated QC with the challenge to keeping data quality high. In the last decade, several approaches have been presented to objectify daily precipitation QC. Here we present a spatio-climatological approach that will be implemented operationally at MeteoSwiss. It combines the information from the event based spatial distribution of everyday's precipitation field and the historical information of the interpolation error using different precipitation intensity intervals. Expert judgement shows that the system is able to detect potential outliers very well (hardly any missed errors) without creating too many false alarms that need human inspection. 50-80% of all flagged values have been classified as real errors by the data editor. This is much better than the roughly 15-20% using standard spatial regression tests. Very helpful in the QC process is the automatic redistribution of accumulated several day sums. Manual inspection in operations can be reduced and the QC of precipitation objectified substantially.

  15. Construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Malay version of the 21-item depression anxiety stress scale (Malay-DASS-21) among male outpatient clinic attendees in Johor.

    PubMed

    Rusli, B N; Amrina, K; Trived, S; Loh, K P; Shashi, M

    2017-10-01

    The 21-item English version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) has been proposed as a method for assessing self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress over the past week in various clinical and nonclinical populations. Several Malay versions of the DASS-21 have been validated in various populations with varying success. One particular Malay version has been validated in various occupational groups (such as nurses and automotive workers) but not among male clinic outpatient attendees in Malaysia. To validate the Malay version of the DASS-21 (Malay-DASS-21) among male outpatient clinic attendees in Johor. A validation study with a random sample of 402 male respondents attending the outpatient clinic of a major public outpatient clinic in Johor Bahru and Segamat was carried out from January to March 2016. Construct validity of the Malay-DASS-21 was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (KMO = 0.947; Bartlett's test of sphericity is significant, p<0.001) through Principal Component Analysis and orthogonal (varimax) rotation with Kaiser Normalization to confirm the psychometric properties of the Malay-DASS- 21 and the internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity of the Malay-DASS-21 based on eigenvalues and factor loadings to confirm the three factor structure (depression, anxiety, and stress) was acceptable. The internal consistency reliability of the factor construct was very impressive with Cronbach's alpha values in the range of 0.837 to 0.863. The present study showed that the Malay- DASS-21 has acceptable psychometric construct and high internal consistency reliability to measure self-perceived depression, anxiety and stress over the past week in male outpatient clinic attendees in Johor. Further studies are necessary to revalidate the Malay-DASS-21 across different populations and cultures, and using confirmatory factor analyses.

  16. Software requirements elicitation to support internal monitoring of quality assurance system for higher education in Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amalia, A.; Gunawan, D.; Hardi, S. M.; Rachmawati, D.

    2018-02-01

    The Internal Quality Assurance System (in Indonesian: SPMI (Sistem Penjaminan Mutu Internal) is a systemic activity of quality assurance of higher education in Indonesia. SPMI should be done by all higher education or universities in Indonesia based on the Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia Number 62 of 2016. Implementation of SPMI must refer to the principle of SPMI that is independent, standardize, accurate, well planned and sustainable, documented and systematic. To assist the SPMI cycle properly, universities need a supporting software to monitor all the activities of SPMI. But in reality, many universities are not optimal in building this SPMI monitoring system. One of the obstacles is the determination of system requirements in support of SPMI principles is difficult to achieve. In this paper, we observe the initial phase of the engineering requirements elicitation. Unlike other methods that collect system requirements from users and stakeholders, we find the system requirements of the SPMI principles from SPMI guideline book. The result of this paper can be used as a choice in determining SPMI software requirements. This paper can also be used by developers and users to understand the scenario of SPMI so that could overcome the problems of understanding between this two parties.

  17. The Effect of the Adoption of the Quality Philosophy by Teachers on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandifer, Cody Clark

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if the adoption of the Deming philosophy by teachers and use of the LtoJ[R] process resulted in greater academic achievement. Results of internal consistency analysis indicated that the instrument, the "Commitment to Quality Inventory for Educators," was a reliable measure of the Deming…

  18. To QC or not to QC: the key to a consistent laboratory?

    PubMed

    Lane, Michelle; Mitchell, Megan; Cashman, Kara S; Feil, Deanne; Wakefield, Sarah; Zander-Fox, Deirdre L

    2008-01-01

    A limiting factor in every embryology laboratory is its capacity to grow 'normal' embryos. In human in vitro fertilisation (IVF), there is considerable awareness that the environment of the laboratory itself can alter the quality of the embryos produced and the industry as a whole has moved towards the implementation of auditable quality management systems. Furthermore, in some countries, such as Australia, an established quality management system is mandatory for clinical IVF practice, but such systems are less frequently found in other embryology laboratories. Although the same challenges of supporting consistent and repeatable embryo development are paramount to success in all embryology laboratories, it could be argued that they are more important in a research setting where often the measured outcomes are at an intracellular or molecular level. In the present review, we have outlined the role and importance of quality control and quality assurance systems in any embryo laboratory and have highlighted examples of how simple monitoring can provide consistency and avoid the induction of artefacts, irrespective of the laboratory's purpose, function or species involved.

  19. Internalized stigma and quality of life among persons with severe mental illness: The mediating roles of self-esteem and hope

    PubMed Central

    Mashiach–Eizenberg, Michal; Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Yanos, Philip T.; Lysaker, Paul H.; Roe, David

    2013-01-01

    Research has revealed the negative consequences of internalized stigma among people with serious mental illness (SMI), including reductions in self-esteem and hope. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between internalized stigma and subjective quality of life (QoL) by examining the mediating role of self-esteem and hope. Measures of internalized stigma, self-esteem, QoL, and hope were administrated to 179 people who had a SMI. Linear regression analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the cross-sectional data. Self-esteem mediated the relation between internalized stigma and hope. In addition, hope partially mediated the relationship between self-esteem and QoL. The findings suggest that the effect of internalized stigma upon hope and QoL may be closely related to levels of self-esteem. This may point to the need for the development of interventions that target internalized stigma as well as self-esteem. PMID:23570969

  20. Internalized stigma and quality of life among persons with severe mental illness: the mediating roles of self-esteem and hope.

    PubMed

    Mashiach-Eizenberg, Michal; Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Yanos, Philip T; Lysaker, Paul H; Roe, David

    2013-06-30

    Research has revealed the negative consequences of internalized stigma among people with serious mental illness (SMI), including reductions in self-esteem and hope. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between internalized stigma and subjective quality of life (QoL) by examining the mediating role of self-esteem and hope. Measures of internalized stigma, self-esteem, QoL, and hope were administrated to 179 people who had a SMI. Linear regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the cross-sectional data. Self-esteem mediated the relation between internalized stigma and hope. In addition, hope partially mediated the relationship between self-esteem and QoL. The findings suggest that the effect of internalized stigma upon hope and QoL may be closely related to levels of self-esteem. This may point to the need for the development of interventions that target internalized stigma as well as self-esteem. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Internal quality control of blood products: An experience from a tertiary care hospital blood bank from Southern Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Sultan, Sadia; Zaheer, Hasan Abbas; Waheed, Usman; Baig, Mohammad Amjad; Rehan, Asma; Irfan, Syed Mohammed

    2018-01-01

    Internal quality control (IQC) is the backbone of quality assurance program. In blood banking, the quality control of blood products ensures the timely availability of a blood component of high quality with maximum efficacy and minimal risk to potential recipients. The main objective of this study is to analyze the IQC of blood products as an indicator of our blood bank performance. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the blood bank of Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, from January 2014 to December 2015. A total of 100 units of each blood components were arbitrarily chosen during the study. Packed red cell units were evaluated for hematocrit (HCT); random platelet concentrates were evaluated for pH, yield, and culture; fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and cryoprecipitate (CP) were evaluated for unit volume, factor VIII, and fibrinogen concentrations. A total of 400 units were tested for IQC. The mean HCT of packed red cells was 69.5 ± 7.24, and in 98% units, it met the standard (<80% of HCT). The mean platelet yield was 8.8 ± 3.40 × 10 9 /L and pH was ≥6.2 in 98% bags; cultures were negative in 97% of units tested. Mean factor VIII and fibrinogen levels were found to be 84.24 ± 15.01 and 247.17 ± 49.69 for FFP, respectively. For CP, mean factor VIII and fibrinogen level were found to be 178.75 ± 86.30 and 420.7 ± 75.32, respectively. The IQC of blood products at our blood bank is in overall compliance and met recommended international standards. Implementation of standard operating procedures, accomplishment of standard guidelines, proper documentation with regular audit, and staff competencies can improve the quality performance of the transfusion services.

  2. Factors associated with intern fatigue.

    PubMed

    Friesen, Lindsay D; Vidyarthi, Arpana R; Baron, Robert B; Katz, Patricia P

    2008-12-01

    Prior data suggest that fatigue adversely affects patient safety and resident well-being. ACGME duty hour limitations were intended, in part, to reduce resident fatigue, but the factors that affect intern fatigue are unknown. To identify factors associated with intern fatigue following implementation of duty hour limitations. Cross-sectional confidential survey of validated questions related to fatigue, sleep, and stress, as well as author-developed teamwork questions. Interns in cognitive specialties at the University of California, San Francisco. Univariate statistics characterized the distribution of responses. Pearson correlations elucidated bivariate relationships between fatigue and other variables. Multivariate linear regression models identified factors independently associated with fatigue, sleep, and stress. Of 111 eligible interns, 66 responded (59%). In a regression analysis including gender, hours worked in the previous week, sleep quality, perceived stress, and teamwork, only poorer quality of sleep and greater perceived stress were significantly associated with fatigue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). To identify factors that may affect sleep, specifically duty hours and stress, a secondary model was constructed. Only greater perceived stress was significantly associated with diminished sleep quality (p = 0.04), and only poorer teamwork was significantly associated with perceived stress (p < 0.001). Working >80 h was not significantly associated with perceived stress, quality of sleep, or fatigue. Simply decreasing the number of duty hours may be insufficient to reduce intern fatigue. Residency programs may need to incorporate programmatic changes to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and foster teamwork in order to decrease intern fatigue and its deleterious consequences.

  3. Deepening our Understanding of Quality in Australia (DUQuA): a study protocol for a nationwide, multilevel analysis of relationships between hospital quality management systems and patient factors

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, Natalie; Clay-Williams, Robyn; Hogden, Emily; Pye, Victoria; Li, Zhicheng; Groene, Oliver; Suñol, Rosa; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Despite the growing body of research on quality and safety in healthcare, there is little evidence of the association between the way hospitals are organised for quality and patient factors, limiting our understanding of how to effect large-scale change. The ‘Deepening our Understanding of Quality in Australia’ (DUQuA) study aims to measure and examine relationships between (1) organisation and department-level quality management systems (QMS), clinician leadership and culture, and (2) clinical treatment processes, clinical outcomes and patient-reported perceptions of care within Australian hospitals. Methods and analysis The DUQuA project is a national, multilevel, cross-sectional study with data collection at organisation (hospital), department, professional and patient levels. Sample size calculations indicate a minimum of 43 hospitals are required to adequately power the study. To allow for rejection and attrition, 70 hospitals across all Australian jurisdictions that meet the inclusion criteria will be invited to participate. Participants will consist of hospital quality management professionals; clinicians; and patients with stroke, acute myocardial infarction and hip fracture. Organisation and department-level QMS, clinician leadership and culture, patient perceptions of safety, clinical treatment processes, and patient outcomes will be assessed using validated, evidence-based or consensus-based measurement tools. Data analysis will consist of simple correlations, linear and logistic regression and multilevel modelling. Multilevel modelling methods will enable identification of the amount of variation in outcomes attributed to the hospital and department levels, and the factors contributing to this variation. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained. Results will be disseminated to individual hospitals in de-identified national and international benchmarking reports with data-driven recommendations. This ground

  4. The Importance and Degree of Implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Internal Quality Assurance in Universities: The Views of Portuguese Academics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manatos, Maria J.; Rosa, Maria J.; Sarrico, Cláudia S.

    2015-01-01

    This research seeks to explore academics' perceptions of the importance and degree of implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) for internal quality assurance. It uses empirical evidence from Portugal, gathered via a questionnaire given to all university academics. Results show…

  5. The Wellbeing of Italian Peacekeeper Military: Psychological Resources, Quality of Life and Internalizing Symptoms

    PubMed Central

    Loscalzo, Yura; Giannini, Marco; Gori, Alessio; Fabio, Annamaria Di

    2018-01-01

    Working as a peacekeeper is associated with the exposure to acute and/or catastrophic events and chronic stressors. Hence, the meager literature about peacekeepers’ wellbeing has mainly analyzed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study aims to deep the analysis of the wellbeing of peacekeepers military. Based on the few studies on this population, we hypothesized that Italian peacekeeper military officers and enlisted men (n = 167; 103 males, 6 females, 58 missing) exhibit lower levels of internalizing symptoms (i.e., PTSD, depression, general anxiety, obsessions, and somatization) as compared to a control group (n = 60; 32 males, 28 females). Moreover, we hypothesized that peacekeepers have higher levels of psychological resources (i.e., self-efficacy, self-esteem, social support) and quality of life (i.e., higher life satisfaction and lower general stress). We compared the groups by means of MANOVAs on the subscales of the Psychological Treatment Inventory (PTI; Gori et al., 2015). We found that Italian peacekeepers have lower internalizing symptoms and higher levels of self-efficacy and self-esteem than the control group; however, no statistically significant differences were observed on perceived social support. Finally, peacekeepers have a higher quality of life: scores reflect higher life satisfaction and lower distress than the control group. This study is in line with previous literature supporting the claim that Italian peacekeeper military officers have sufficient psychological resources for coping with the stressful situations implied in peacekeeping missions. Future studies should deepen the analysis of the military’s psychological characteristics by comparing war veterans and peacekeeper military. PMID:29487552

  6. Fingerprint analysis and quality consistency evaluation of flavonoid compounds for fermented Guava leaf by combining high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and chemometric methods.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lu; Tian, Xiaofei; Wei, Wenhao; Chen, Gong; Wu, Zhenqiang

    2016-10-01

    Guava leaves are used in traditional herbal teas as antidiabetic therapies. Flavonoids are the main active of Guava leaves and have many physiological functions. However, the flavonoid compositions and activities of Guava leaves could change due to microbial fermentation. A high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method was applied to identify the varieties of the flavonoids in Guava leaves before and after fermentation. High-performance liquid chromatography, hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to quantitatively determine the changes in flavonoid compositions and evaluate the consistency and quality of Guava leaves. Monascus anka Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermented Guava leaves contained 2.32- and 4.06-fold more total flavonoids and quercetin, respectively, than natural Guava leaves. The flavonoid compounds of the natural Guava leaves had similarities ranging from 0.837 to 0.927. The flavonoid compounds from the Monascus anka S. cerevisiae fermented Guava leaves had similarities higher than 0.993. This indicated that the quality consistency of the fermented Guava leaves was better than that of the natural Guava leaves. High-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting and chemometric analysis are promising methods for evaluating the degree of fermentation of Guava leaves based on quality consistency, which could be used in assessing flavonoid compounds for the production of fermented Guava leaves. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Does Methodological Guidance Produce Consistency? A Review of Methodological Consistency in Breast Cancer Utility Value Measurement in NICE Single Technology Appraisals.

    PubMed

    Rose, Micah; Rice, Stephen; Craig, Dawn

    2018-06-01

    Since 2004, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) methodological guidance for technology appraisals has emphasised a strong preference for using the validated EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D) quality-of-life instrument, measuring patient health status from patients or carers, and using the general public's preference-based valuation of different health states when assessing health benefits in economic evaluations. The aim of this study was to review all NICE single technology appraisals (STAs) for breast cancer treatments to explore consistency in the use of utility scores in light of NICE methodological guidance. A review of all published breast cancer STAs was undertaken using all publicly available STA documents for each included assessment. Utility scores were assessed for consistency with NICE-preferred methods and original data sources. Furthermore, academic assessment group work undertaken during the STA process was examined to evaluate the emphasis of NICE-preferred quality-of-life measurement methods. Twelve breast cancer STAs were identified, and many STAs used evidence that did not follow NICE's preferred utility score measurement methods. Recent STA submissions show companies using EQ-5D and mapping. Academic assessment groups rarely emphasized NICE-preferred methods, and queries about preferred methods were rare. While there appears to be a trend in recent STA submissions towards following NICE methodological guidance, historically STA guidance in breast cancer has generally not used NICE's preferred methods. Future STAs in breast cancer and reviews of older guidance should ensure that utility measurement methods are consistent with the NICE reference case to help produce consistent, equitable decision making.

  8. Evaluation of the Air Quality Monitor's Performance on the International Space Station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Limero, Thomas; Reese, Eric; Ballard, Ken; Durham, Tamara

    2010-01-01

    The Air Quality Monitor (AQM) was flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as an experiment to evaluate its potential to replace the aging Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA), which ceased operations in August 2009. The AQM (Figure 1) is a small gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometer (GC/DMS) manufactured by Sionex. Data was presented at last year s ISIMS conference that detailed the preparation of the AQM for flight, including instrument calibration. Furthermore, initial AQM data was compared to VOA results from simultaneous runs of the two instruments. Although comparison with VOA data provided a measure of confidence in the AQM performance, it is the comparison with results from simultaneously acquired air samples (grab sample containers-GSCs) that will define the success (or failure) of the AQM performance. This paper will update the progress in the AQM investigation by comparing AQM data to results from the analyses of GSC samples, returned from ISS. Additionally, a couple of example will illustrate the AQM s ability to detect disruptions in the spacecraft s air quality. Discussion will also focus upon a few unexpected issues that have arisen and how these will be a addressed in the final operational unit now being built.

  9. Tidying Up International Nucleotide Sequence Databases: Ecological, Geographical and Sequence Quality Annotation of ITS Sequences of Mycorrhizal Fungi

    PubMed Central

    Tedersoo, Leho; Abarenkov, Kessy; Nilsson, R. Henrik; Schüssler, Arthur; Grelet, Gwen-Aëlle; Kohout, Petr; Oja, Jane; Bonito, Gregory M.; Veldre, Vilmar; Jairus, Teele; Ryberg, Martin; Larsson, Karl-Henrik; Kõljalg, Urmas

    2011-01-01

    Sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA operon, particularly the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, provides a powerful tool for identification of mycorrhizal fungi. The sequence data deposited in the International Nucleotide Sequence Databases (INSD) are, however, unfiltered for quality and are often poorly annotated with metadata. To detect chimeric and low-quality sequences and assign the ectomycorrhizal fungi to phylogenetic lineages, fungal ITS sequences were downloaded from INSD, aligned within family-level groups, and examined through phylogenetic analyses and BLAST searches. By combining the fungal sequence database UNITE and the annotation and search tool PlutoF, we also added metadata from the literature to these accessions. Altogether 35,632 sequences belonged to mycorrhizal fungi or originated from ericoid and orchid mycorrhizal roots. Of these sequences, 677 were considered chimeric and 2,174 of low read quality. Information detailing country of collection, geographical coordinates, interacting taxon and isolation source were supplemented to cover 78.0%, 33.0%, 41.7% and 96.4% of the sequences, respectively. These annotated sequences are publicly available via UNITE (http://unite.ut.ee/) for downstream biogeographic, ecological and taxonomic analyses. In European Nucleotide Archive (ENA; http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/), the annotated sequences have a special link-out to UNITE. We intend to expand the data annotation to additional genes and all taxonomic groups and functional guilds of fungi. PMID:21949797

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

    PubMed

    Swenson, Lance P; Rose, Amanda J

    2009-08-01

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

  11. Diet quality as measured by the Diet Quality Index-International is associated with prospective changes in body fat among Canadian children.

    PubMed

    Setayeshgar, Solmaz; Maximova, Katerina; Ekwaru, John Paul; Gray-Donald, Katherine; Henderson, Mélanie; Paradis, Gilles; Tremblay, Angelo; Veugelers, Paul

    2017-02-01

    To quantify the association of dietary quality with prospective changes in adiposity. Children participating in the QUALITY (QUebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth) study underwent examination at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. Dietary quality was assessed by the Diet Quality Index-International (DQII) using three non-consecutive 24 h diet recalls at baseline. The DQII has four main categories: dietary adequacy, variety, moderation and overall balance. Fat mass index (FMI; [fat mass (kg)]/[height (m)]2), central FMI (CFMI; [trunk fat mass (kg)]/[height (m)]2), percentage body fat (%BF; [total fat mass (kg)]/[total mass (kg)]) and percentage central BF (%CBF; [trunk fat mass (kg)]/[total mass (kg)]) were assessed through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Children were selected from schools in the greater Montreal, Sherbrooke and Quebec City metropolitan areas between 2005 and 2008, Quebec, Canada. A total of 546 children aged 8-10 years, including 244 girls and 302 boys. Regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, energy intake, physical activity and Tanner stage revealed that every 10-unit improvement in overall DQII score was associated with lower gain in CFMI (β=-0·08; 95 % CI -0·17, -0·003) and %BF (β=-0·55; 95 % CI -1·08, -0·02). Each unit improvement in dietary adequacy score was associated with lower gain in FMI (β=-0·05; 95 % CI -0·08, -0·008), CFMI (β=-0·03; 95 % CI -0·05, -0·007), %BF (β=-0·15; 95 % CI -0·28, -0·03) and %CBF (β=-0·09; 95 % CI -0·15, -0·02). Promotion of dietary quality and adequacy may reduce weight gain in childhood and prevent chronic diseases later in life.

  12. Predicting Air Quality at First Ingress into Vehicles Visiting the International Space Station.

    PubMed

    Romoser, Amelia A; Scully, Robert R; Limero, Thomas F; De Vera, Vanessa; Cheng, Patti F; Hand, Jennifer J; James, John T; Ryder, Valerie E

    2017-02-01

    NASA regularly performs ground-based offgas tests (OGTs), which allow prediction of accumulated volatile pollutant concentrations at first entry on orbit, on whole modules and vehicles scheduled to connect to the International Space Station (ISS). These data guide crew safety operations and allow for estimation of ISS air revitalization systems impact from additional pollutant load. Since volatiles released from vehicle, module, and payload materials can affect crew health and performance, prediction of first ingress air quality is important. To assess whether toxicological risk is typically over or underpredicted, OGT and first ingress samples from 10 vehicles and modules were compared. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The rate of pollutant accumulation was extrapolated over time. Ratios of analytical values and Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations were used to predict total toxicity values (T-values) at first entry. Results were also compared by compound. Frequently overpredicted was 2-butanone (9/10), whereas propanal (6/10) and ethanol (8/10) were typically underpredicted, but T-values were not substantially affected. Ingress sample collection delay (estimated by octafluoropropane introduced from ISS atmosphere) and T-value prediction accuracy correlated well (R2 = 0.9008), highlighting the importance of immediate air sample collection and accounting for ISS air dilution. Importantly, T-value predictions were conservative 70% of the time. Results also suggest that T-values can be normalized to octafluoropropane levels to adjust for ISS air dilution at first ingress. Finally, OGT and ingress sampling has allowed small leaks in vehicle fluid systems to be recognized and addressed.Romoser AA, Scully RR, Limero TF, De Vera V, Cheng PF, Hand JJ, James JT, Ryder VE. Predicting air quality at first ingress into vehicles visiting the International Space Station. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(2):104-113.

  13. A New Tool for Quality: The Internal Audit.

    PubMed

    Haycock, Camille; Schandl, Annette

    As health care systems aspire to improve the quality and value for the consumers they serve, quality outcomes must be at the forefront of this value equation. As organizations implement evidence-based practices, electronic records to standardize processes, and quality improvement initiatives, many tactics are deployed to accelerate improvement and care outcomes. This article describes how one organization utilized a formal clinical audit process to identify gaps and/or barriers that may be contributing to underperforming measures and outcomes. This partnership between quality and audit can be a powerful tool and produce insights that can be scaled across a large health care system.

  14. International stem cell collaboration: how disparate policies between the United States and the United Kingdom impact research.

    PubMed

    Luo, Jingyuan; Flynn, Jesse M; Solnick, Rachel E; Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Matthews, Kirstin R W

    2011-03-08

    As the scientific community globalizes, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of international collaboration on the quality and quantity of research produced. While it is generally assumed that international collaboration enhances the quality of research, this phenomenon is not well examined. Stem cell research is unique in that it is both politically charged and a research area that often generates international collaborations, making it an ideal case through which to examine international collaborations. Furthermore, with promising medical applications, the research area is dynamic and responsive to a globalizing science environment. Thus, studying international collaborations in stem cell research elucidates the role of existing international networks in promoting quality research, as well as the effects that disparate national policies might have on research. This study examined the impact of collaboration on publication significance in the United States and the United Kingdom, world leaders in stem cell research with disparate policies. We reviewed publications by US and UK authors from 2008, along with their citation rates and the political factors that may have contributed to the number of international collaborations. The data demonstrated that international collaborations significantly increased an article's impact for UK and US investigators. While this applied to UK authors whether they were corresponding or secondary, this effect was most significant for US authors who were corresponding authors. While the UK exhibited a higher proportion of international publications than the US, this difference was consistent with overall trends in international scientific collaboration. The findings suggested that national stem cell policy differences and regulatory mechanisms driving international stem cell research in the US and UK did not affect the frequency of international collaborations, or even the countries with which the US and UK most

  15. International Stem Cell Collaboration: How Disparate Policies between the United States and the United Kingdom Impact Research

    PubMed Central

    Solnick, Rachel E.; Ecklund, Elaine Howard; Matthews, Kirstin R. W.

    2011-01-01

    As the scientific community globalizes, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of international collaboration on the quality and quantity of research produced. While it is generally assumed that international collaboration enhances the quality of research, this phenomenon is not well examined. Stem cell research is unique in that it is both politically charged and a research area that often generates international collaborations, making it an ideal case through which to examine international collaborations. Furthermore, with promising medical applications, the research area is dynamic and responsive to a globalizing science environment. Thus, studying international collaborations in stem cell research elucidates the role of existing international networks in promoting quality research, as well as the effects that disparate national policies might have on research. This study examined the impact of collaboration on publication significance in the United States and the United Kingdom, world leaders in stem cell research with disparate policies. We reviewed publications by US and UK authors from 2008, along with their citation rates and the political factors that may have contributed to the number of international collaborations. The data demonstrated that international collaborations significantly increased an article's impact for UK and US investigators. While this applied to UK authors whether they were corresponding or secondary, this effect was most significant for US authors who were corresponding authors. While the UK exhibited a higher proportion of international publications than the US, this difference was consistent with overall trends in international scientific collaboration. The findings suggested that national stem cell policy differences and regulatory mechanisms driving international stem cell research in the US and UK did not affect the frequency of international collaborations, or even the countries with which the US and UK most

  16. Cultural competence in mental health nursing: validity and internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the multicultural mental health awareness scale-MMHAS.

    PubMed

    de Almeida Vieira Monteiro, Ana Paula Teixeira; Fernandes, Alexandre Bastos

    2016-05-17

    Cultural competence is an essential component in rendering effective and culturally responsive services to culturally and ethnically diverse clients. Still, great difficulty exists in assessing the cultural competence of mental health nurses. There are no Portuguese validated measurement instruments to assess cultural competence in mental health nurses. This paper reports a study testing the reliability and validity of the Portuguese version of the Multicultural Mental Health Awareness Scale-MMHAS in a sample of Portuguese nurses. Following a standard forward/backward translation into Portuguese, the adapted version of MMHAS, along with a sociodemographic questionnaire, were applied to a sample of 306 Portuguese nurses (299 males, 77 females; ages 21-68 years, M = 35.43, SD = 9.85 years). A psychometric research design was used with content and construct validity and reliability. Reliability was assessed using internal consistency and item-total correlations. Construct validity was determined using factor analysis. The factor analysis confirmed that the Portuguese version of MMHAS has a three-factor structure of multicultural competencies (Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills) explaining 59.51% of the total variance. Strong content validity and reliability correlations were demonstrated. The Portuguese version of MMHAS has a strong internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.958 for the total scale. The results supported the construct validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of MMHAS, proving that is a reliable and valid measure of multicultural counselling competencies in mental health nursing. The MMHAS Portuguese version can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of multicultural competency training programs in Portuguese-speaking mental health nurses. The scale can also be a useful in future studies of multicultural competencies in Portuguese-speaking nurses.

  17. Measuring the quality of life of people at the end of life: The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised.

    PubMed

    Cohen, S Robin; Sawatzky, Richard; Russell, Lara B; Shahidi, Javad; Heyland, Daren K; Gadermann, Anne M

    2017-02-01

    The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire has been widely used with people with life-threatening illnesses without modification since its publication in 1996. With use, areas for improvement have emerged; therefore, various minor modifications were tested over time. To revise the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised) while maintaining or improving its psychometric properties and length, keeping it as close as possible to the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire to enable reasonable comparison with existing McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire literature. Data sets from eight studies were used (four studies originally used to develop the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire, two to develop new McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire versions, and two with unrelated purposes). The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised was developed using analyses of measurement invariance, confirmatory factor analysis, and calculation of correlations with the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire's global quality of life item. Data were from 1702 people with life-threatening illnesses recruited from acute and palliative care units, palliative home care services, and oncology and HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised consists of 14 items (plus the global quality of life item). A new Physical subscale was created combining physical symptoms and physical well-being and a new item on physical functioning. The Existential subscale was reduced to four items. The revised Support subscale, renamed Social, focuses more on relationships. The Psychological subscale remains unchanged. Confirmatory factor analysis results provide support for the measurement structure of the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised. The overall scale has good internal consistency reliability ( α = 0.94). The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised improves on and can replace the McGill Quality of Life

  18. Quality and reporting of guidelines on the diagnosis and management of dystonia.

    PubMed

    Tamás, G; Abrantes, C; Valadas, A; Radics, P; Albanese, A; Tijssen, M A J; Ferreira, J J

    2018-02-01

    The quality of clinical practice guidelines on dystonia has not yet been assessed. Our aim was to appraise the methodological quality of guidelines worldwide and to analyze the consistency of their recommendations. We searched for clinical practice guidelines on dystonia diagnosis/treatment in the National Guideline Clearinghouse, PubMed, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Guidelines International Network and Web of Science databases. We also searched for guidelines on homepages of international neurological societies. We asked for guidelines from every Management Committee member of the BM1101 Action of the Cooperation between Science and Technology European framework and every member of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society with special interest in dystonia. Fifteen guidelines were evaluated. Among guidelines on treatment, only one from the American Academy of Neurology could be considered as high quality. Among guidelines on diagnosis and therapy, the guideline from the European Federation of Neurological Societies was recommended by the appraisers. Clinical applicability and reports of editorial independence were the greatest shortcomings. The rigor of development was poor and stakeholder involvement was also incomplete in most guidelines. Discrepancies among recommendations may result from the weight given to consensus statements and expert opinions due to the lack of evidence, as well as inaccuracy of disease classification. The quality of appraised guidelines was low. It is necessary to improve the quality of guidelines on dystonia, and the applied terminology of dystonia also needs to be standardized. © 2017 EAN.

  19. Consistent Chemical Mechanism from Collaborative Data Processing

    DOE PAGES

    Slavinskaya, Nadezda; Starcke, Jan-Hendrik; Abbasi, Mehdi; ...

    2016-04-01

    Numerical tool of Process Informatics Model (PrIMe) is mathematically rigorous and numerically efficient approach for analysis and optimization of chemical systems. It handles heterogeneous data and is scalable to a large number of parameters. The Boundto-Bound Data Collaboration module of the automated data-centric infrastructure of PrIMe was used for the systematic uncertainty and data consistency analyses of the H 2/CO reaction model (73/17) and 94 experimental targets (ignition delay times). The empirical rule for evaluation of the shock tube experimental data is proposed. The initial results demonstrate clear benefits of the PrIMe methods for an evaluation of the kinetic datamore » quality and data consistency and for developing predictive kinetic models.« less

  20. Assessing Pearl Quality Using Reflectance UV-Vis Spectroscopy: Does the Same Donor Produce Consistent Pearl Quality?

    PubMed Central

    Mamangkey, Noldy Gustaf F.; Agatonovic, Snezana; Southgate, Paul C.

    2010-01-01

    Two groups of commercial quality (“acceptable”) pearls produced using two donors, and a group of “acceptable” pearls from other donors were analyzed using reflectance UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Three pearls with different colors produced by the same donor showed different absorption spectra. Cream and gold colored pearls showed a wide absorption from 320 to about 460 nm, while there was just slight reflectance around 400 nm by the white pearl with a pink overtone. Cream and gold pearls reached a reflectance peak at 560 to 590 nm, while the white pearl with pink overtone showed slightly wider absorption in this region. Both cream and gold pearls showed an absorption peak after the reflectance peak, at about 700 nm for the cream pearl and 750 nm for the gold pearl. Two other pearls produced by the same donor (white with cream overtone and cream with various overtones) showed similar spectra, which differed in their intensity. One of these pearls had very high lustre and its spectrum showed a much higher percentage reflectance than the second pearl with inferior lustre. This result may indicate that reflectance is a useful quantitative indicator of pearl lustre. The spectra of two white pearls resulting from different donors with the same color nacre (silver) showed a reflectance at 260 nm, followed by absorption at 280 nm and another reflectance peak at 340 nm. After this peak the spectra for these pearls remained flat until a slight absorption peak around 700 nm. Throughout the visible region, all white pearls used in this study showed similar reflectance spectra although there were differences in reflectance intensity. Unlike the spectral results from white pearls, the results from yellow and gold pearls varied according to color saturation of the pearl. The results of this study show that similarities between absorption and reflectance spectra of cultured pearls resulting from the same saibo donor are negligible and could not be detected with UV

  1. Assessing pearl quality using reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy: does the same donor produce consistent pearl quality?

    PubMed

    Mamangkey, Noldy Gustaf F; Agatonovic, Snezana; Southgate, Paul C

    2010-09-20

    Two groups of commercial quality ("acceptable") pearls produced using two donors, and a group of "acceptable" pearls from other donors were analyzed using reflectance UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Three pearls with different colors produced by the same donor showed different absorption spectra. Cream and gold colored pearls showed a wide absorption from 320 to about 460 nm, while there was just slight reflectance around 400 nm by the white pearl with a pink overtone. Cream and gold pearls reached a reflectance peak at 560 to 590 nm, while the white pearl with pink overtone showed slightly wider absorption in this region. Both cream and gold pearls showed an absorption peak after the reflectance peak, at about 700 nm for the cream pearl and 750 nm for the gold pearl. Two other pearls produced by the same donor (white with cream overtone and cream with various overtones) showed similar spectra, which differed in their intensity. One of these pearls had very high lustre and its spectrum showed a much higher percentage reflectance than the second pearl with inferior lustre. This result may indicate that reflectance is a useful quantitative indicator of pearl lustre. The spectra of two white pearls resulting from different donors with the same color nacre (silver) showed a reflectance at 260 nm, followed by absorption at 280 nm and another reflectance peak at 340 nm. After this peak the spectra for these pearls remained flat until a slight absorption peak around 700 nm. Throughout the visible region, all white pearls used in this study showed similar reflectance spectra although there were differences in reflectance intensity. Unlike the spectral results from white pearls, the results from yellow and gold pearls varied according to color saturation of the pearl. The results of this study show that similarities between absorption and reflectance spectra of cultured pearls resulting from the same saibo donor are negligible and could not be detected with UV

  2. Viability of the World Health Organization quality of life measure to assess changes in quality of life following treatment for alcohol use disorder.

    PubMed

    Kirouac, Megan; Stein, Elizabeth R; Pearson, Matthew R; Witkiewitz, Katie

    2017-11-01

    Quality of life is an outcome often examined in treatment research contexts such as biomedical trials, but has been studied less often in alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment. The importance of considering QoL in substance use treatment research has recently been voiced, and measures of QoL have been administered in large AUD treatment trials. Yet, the viability of popular QoL measures has never been evaluated in AUD treatment samples. Accordingly, the present manuscript describes a psychometric examination of and prospective changes in the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL-BREF) in a large sample (N = 1383) of patients with AUD recruited for the COMBINE Study. Specifically, we examined the construct validity (via confirmatory factor analyses), measurement invariance across time, internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, and effect sizes of post-treatment changes in the WHOQOL-BREF. Confirmatory factor analyses of the WHOQOL-BREF provided acceptable fit to the current data and this model was invariant across time. Internal consistency reliability was excellent (α > .9) for the full WHOQOL-BREF for each timepoint; the WHOQOL-BREF had good convergent validity, and medium effect size improvements were found in the full COMBINE sample across time. These findings suggest that the WHOQOL-BREF is an appropriate measure to use in samples with AUD, that the WHOQOL-BREF scores may be examined over time (e.g., from pre- to post-treatment), and the WHOQOL-BREF may be used to assess improvements in quality of life in AUD research.

  3. Factors Associated with Intern Fatigue

    PubMed Central

    Vidyarthi, Arpana R.; Baron, Robert B.; Katz, Patricia P.

    2008-01-01

    ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Prior data suggest that fatigue adversely affects patient safety and resident well-being. ACGME duty hour limitations were intended, in part, to reduce resident fatigue, but the factors that affect intern fatigue are unknown. OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with intern fatigue following implementation of duty hour limitations. DESIGN Cross-sectional confidential survey of validated questions related to fatigue, sleep, and stress, as well as author-developed teamwork questions. SUBJECTS Interns in cognitive specialties at the University of California, San Francisco. MEASUREMENTS Univariate statistics characterized the distribution of responses. Pearson correlations elucidated bivariate relationships between fatigue and other variables. Multivariate linear regression models identified factors independently associated with fatigue, sleep, and stress. RESULTS Of 111 eligible interns, 66 responded (59%). In a regression analysis including gender, hours worked in the previous week, sleep quality, perceived stress, and teamwork, only poorer quality of sleep and greater perceived stress were significantly associated with fatigue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). To identify factors that may affect sleep, specifically duty hours and stress, a secondary model was constructed. Only greater perceived stress was significantly associated with diminished sleep quality (p = 0.04), and only poorer teamwork was significantly associated with perceived stress (p < 0.001). Working >80 h was not significantly associated with perceived stress, quality of sleep, or fatigue. CONCLUSIONS Simply decreasing the number of duty hours may be insufficient to reduce intern fatigue. Residency programs may need to incorporate programmatic changes to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and foster teamwork in order to decrease intern fatigue and its deleterious consequences. PMID:18807096

  4. Participatory Patterns in an International Air Quality Monitoring Initiative

    PubMed Central

    Sîrbu, Alina; Becker, Martin; Caminiti, Saverio; De Baets, Bernard; Elen, Bart; Francis, Louise; Gravino, Pietro; Hotho, Andreas; Ingarra, Stefano; Loreto, Vittorio; Molino, Andrea; Mueller, Juergen; Peters, Jan; Ricchiuti, Ferdinando; Saracino, Fabio; Servedio, Vito D. P.; Stumme, Gerd; Theunis, Jan; Tria, Francesca; Van den Bossche, Joris

    2015-01-01

    The issue of sustainability is at the top of the political and societal agenda, being considered of extreme importance and urgency. Human individual action impacts the environment both locally (e.g., local air/water quality, noise disturbance) and globally (e.g., climate change, resource use). Urban environments represent a crucial example, with an increasing realization that the most effective way of producing a change is involving the citizens themselves in monitoring campaigns (a citizen science bottom-up approach). This is possible by developing novel technologies and IT infrastructures enabling large citizen participation. Here, in the wider framework of one of the first such projects, we show results from an international competition where citizens were involved in mobile air pollution monitoring using low cost sensing devices, combined with a web-based game to monitor perceived levels of pollution. Measures of shift in perceptions over the course of the campaign are provided, together with insights into participatory patterns emerging from this study. Interesting effects related to inertia and to direct involvement in measurement activities rather than indirect information exposure are also highlighted, indicating that direct involvement can enhance learning and environmental awareness. In the future, this could result in better adoption of policies towards decreasing pollution. PMID:26313263

  5. Participatory Patterns in an International Air Quality Monitoring Initiative.

    PubMed

    Sîrbu, Alina; Becker, Martin; Caminiti, Saverio; De Baets, Bernard; Elen, Bart; Francis, Louise; Gravino, Pietro; Hotho, Andreas; Ingarra, Stefano; Loreto, Vittorio; Molino, Andrea; Mueller, Juergen; Peters, Jan; Ricchiuti, Ferdinando; Saracino, Fabio; Servedio, Vito D P; Stumme, Gerd; Theunis, Jan; Tria, Francesca; Van den Bossche, Joris

    2015-01-01

    The issue of sustainability is at the top of the political and societal agenda, being considered of extreme importance and urgency. Human individual action impacts the environment both locally (e.g., local air/water quality, noise disturbance) and globally (e.g., climate change, resource use). Urban environments represent a crucial example, with an increasing realization that the most effective way of producing a change is involving the citizens themselves in monitoring campaigns (a citizen science bottom-up approach). This is possible by developing novel technologies and IT infrastructures enabling large citizen participation. Here, in the wider framework of one of the first such projects, we show results from an international competition where citizens were involved in mobile air pollution monitoring using low cost sensing devices, combined with a web-based game to monitor perceived levels of pollution. Measures of shift in perceptions over the course of the campaign are provided, together with insights into participatory patterns emerging from this study. Interesting effects related to inertia and to direct involvement in measurement activities rather than indirect information exposure are also highlighted, indicating that direct involvement can enhance learning and environmental awareness. In the future, this could result in better adoption of policies towards decreasing pollution.

  6. Establishing Interpretive Consistency When Mixing Approaches: Role of Sampling Designs in Evaluations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Kathleen M. T.; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J.

    2013-01-01

    The goal of this chapter is to recommend quality criteria to guide evaluators' selections of sampling designs when mixing approaches. First, we contextualize our discussion of quality criteria and sampling designs by discussing the concept of interpretive consistency and how it impacts sampling decisions. Embedded in this discussion are…

  7. Treatment of Internet gaming disorder: An international systematic review and CONSORT evaluation.

    PubMed

    King, Daniel L; Delfabbro, Paul H; Wu, Anise M S; Doh, Young Yim; Kuss, Daria J; Pallesen, Ståle; Mentzoni, Rune; Carragher, Natacha; Sakuma, Hiroshi

    2017-06-01

    Treatment services for Internet gaming disorder are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, particularly in East Asia. This international systematic review was designed to appraise the quality standards of the gaming disorder treatment literature, a task previously undertaken by King et al. (2011) prior to the inclusion of Internet gaming disorder in Section III of the DSM-5 and 'Gaming disorder' in the draft ICD-11. The reporting quality of 30 treatment studies conducted from 2007 to 2016 was assessed. Reporting quality was defined according to the 2010 Consolidating Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. The results reaffirmed previous criticisms of these trials, namely: (a) inconsistencies in the definition, diagnosis, and measurement of disordered use; (b) lack of randomization and blinding; (c) lack of controls; and (d) insufficient information on recruitment dates, sample characteristics, and effect sizes. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy has a larger evidence base than other therapies, it remains difficult to make definitive statements on its benefits. Study design quality has not improved over the last decade, indicating a need for greater consistency and standardization in this area. Continuing international efforts to understand the core psychopathology of gaming disorder are vital to developing a model of best practice in treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. An internally consistent pressure calibration of geobarometers applicable to the Earth’s upper mantle using in situ XRD

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

    Beyer, Christopher; Rosenthal, Anja; Myhill, Robert

    We have performed an experimental cross calibration of a suite of mineral equilibria within mantle rock bulk compositions that are commonly used in geobarometry to determine the equilibration depths of upper mantle assemblages. Multiple barometers were compared simultaneously in experimental runs, where the pressure was determined using in-situ measurements of the unit cell volumes of MgO, NaCl, Re and h-BN between 3.6 and 10.4 GPa, and 1250 and 1500 °C. The experiments were performed in a large volume press (LVPs) in combination with synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Noble metal capsules drilled with multiple sample chambers were loaded with a range ofmore » bulk compositions representative of peridotite, eclogite and pyroxenite lithologies. By this approach, we simultaneously calibrated the geobarometers applicable to different mantle lithologies under identical and well determined pressure and temperature conditions. We identified discrepancies between the calculated and experimental pressures for which we propose simple linear or constant correction factors to some of the previously published barometric equations. As a result, we establish internally-consistent cross-calibrations for a number of garnet-orthopyroxene, garnet-clinopyroxene, Ca-Tschermaks-in-clinopyroxene and majorite geobarometers.« less

  9. Impact of Alzheimer's Disease on Caregiver Questionnaire: internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability of a new measure for assessing caregiver burden.

    PubMed

    Cole, Jason C; Ito, Diane; Chen, Yaozhu J; Cheng, Rebecca; Bolognese, Jennifer; Li-McLeod, Josephine

    2014-09-04

    There is a lack of validated instruments to measure the level of burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on caregivers. The Impact of Alzheimer's Disease on Caregiver Questionnaire (IADCQ) is a 12-item instrument with a seven-day recall period that measures AD caregiver's burden across emotional, physical, social, financial, sleep, and time aspects. Primary objectives of this study were to evaluate psychometric properties of IADCQ administered on the Web and to determine most appropriate scoring algorithm. A national sample of 200 unpaid AD caregivers participated in this study by completing the Web-based version of IADCQ and Short Form-12 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2™). The SF-12v2 was used to measure convergent validity of IADCQ scores and to provide an understanding of the overall health-related quality of life of sampled AD caregivers. The IADCQ survey was also completed four weeks later by a randomly selected subgroup of 50 participants to assess test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was implemented to test the dimensionality of the IADCQ items. Classical item-level and scale-level psychometric analyses were conducted to estimate psychometric characteristics of the instrument. Test-retest reliability was performed to evaluate the instrument's stability and consistency over time. Virtually none (2%) of the respondents had either floor or ceiling effects, indicating the IADCQ covers an ideal range of burden. A single-factor model obtained appropriate goodness of fit and provided evidence that a simple sum score of the 12 items of IADCQ can be used to measure AD caregiver's burden. Scales-level reliability was supported with a coefficient alpha of 0.93 and an intra-class correlation coefficient (for test-retest reliability) of 0.68 (95% CI: 0.50-0.80). Low-moderate negative correlations were observed between the IADCQ and scales of the SF-12v2. The study findings suggest the IADCQ has appropriate psychometric characteristics as a

  10. Software quality in 1997

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

    Jones, C.

    1997-11-01

    For many years, software quality assurance lagged behind hardware quality assurance in terms of methods, metrics, and successful results. New approaches such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD) the ISO 9000-9004 standards, the SEI maturity levels, and Total Quality Management (TQM) are starting to attract wide attention, and in some cases to bring software quality levels up to a parity with manufacturing quality levels. Since software is on the critical path for many engineered products, and for internal business systems as well, the new approaches are starting to affect global competition and attract widespread international interest. It can be hypothesized thatmore » success in mastering software quality will be a key strategy for dominating global software markets in the 21st century.« less

  11. Software for improving the quality of project management, a case study: international manufacture of electrical equipment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preradović, D. M.; Mićić, Lj S.; Barz, C.

    2017-05-01

    Production conditions in today’s world require software support at every stage of production and development of new products, for quality assurance and compliance with ISO standards. In addition to ISO standards such as usual metrics of quality, companies today are focused on other optional standards, such as CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integrated) or prescribing they own standards. However, while there is intensive progress being made in the PM (project management), there is still a significant number of projects, at the global level, that are failures. These have failed to achieve their goals, within budget or timeframe. This paper focuses on checking the role of software tools through the rate of success in projects implemented in the case of internationally manufactured electrical equipment. The results of this research show the level of contribution of the project management software used to manage and develop new products to improve PM processes and PM functions, and how selection of the software tools affects the quality of PM processes and successfully completed projects.

  12. Consistency of psychotropic drug-drug interactions listed in drug monographs.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xinyue; Hatton, Randy C; Zhu, Yanmin; Hincapie-Castillo, Juan M; Bussing, Regina; Barnicoat, Marie; Winterstein, Almut G

    With an increasing prevalence of psychotropic polypharmacy, clinicians depend on drug-drug interaction (DDI) references to ensure safe regimens, but the consistency of such information is frequently questioned. To evaluate the consistency of psychotropic DDIs documented in Clinical Pharmacology (CP), Micromedex (MM), and Lexicomp (LC) and summarize consistent psychotropic DDIs. In May 2016, we extracted severe or major psychotropic DDIs for 102 psychotropic drugs, including central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, antidepressants, an antimanic agent (lithium), antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and anxiolytics-sedatives-hypnotics from CP, MM, and LC. We then summarized the psychotropic DDIs that were included in all 3 references and with evidence quality of "excellent" or "good" based on MM. We identified 1496, 938, and 1006 unique severe or major psychotropic DDIs from CP, MM, and LC, respectively. Common adverse effects related to psychotropic DDIs include increased or decreased effectiveness, CNS depression, neurotoxicity, QT prolongation, serotonin syndrome, and multiple adverse effects. Among these interactions, only 371 psychotropic DDIs were documented in all 3 references, 59 of which had "excellent" or "good" quality of evidence based on MM. The consistency of psychotropic DDI documentation across CP, MM, and LC is poor. DDI documentations need standards that would encourage consistency among drug information references. The list of the 59 DDIs may be useful in the assessment of psychotropic polypharmacy and highlighting DDI alerts in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Internal consistency, concurrent validity, and discriminant validity of a measure of public support for policies for active living in transportation (PAL-T) in a population-based sample of adults.

    PubMed

    Fuller, Daniel; Gauvin, Lise; Fournier, Michel; Kestens, Yan; Daniel, Mark; Morency, Patrick; Drouin, Louis

    2012-04-01

    Active living is a broad conceptualization of physical activity that incorporates domains of exercise; recreational, household, and occupational activities; and active transportation. Policy makers develop and implement a variety of transportation policies that can influence choices about how to travel from one location to another. In making such decisions, policy makers act in part in response to public opinion or support for proposed policies. Measures of the public's support for policies aimed at promoting active transportation can inform researchers and policy makers. This study examined the internal consistency, and concurrent and discriminant validity of a newly developed measure of the public's support for policies for active living in transportation (PAL-T). A series of 17 items representing potential policies for promoting active transportation was generated. Two samples of participants (n = 2,001 and n = 2,502) from Montreal, Canada, were recruited via random digit dialling. Analyses were conducted on the combined data set (n = 4,503). Participants were aged 18 through 94 years (58% female). The concurrent and discriminant validity of the PAL-T was assessed by examining relationships with physical activity and smoking. To explore the usability of the PAL-T, predicted scale scores were compared to the summed values of responses. Results showed that the internal consistency of the PAL-T was 0.70. Multilevel regression demonstrated no relationship between the PAL-T and smoking status (p > 0.05) but significant relationships with utilitarian walking (p < 0.05) and cycling (p < 0.01) for at least 30 minutes on 5 days/week. The PAL-T has acceptable internal consistency and good concurrent and discriminant validity. Measuring public opinion can inform policy makers and support advocacy efforts aimed at making built environments more suitable for active transportation while allowing researchers to examine the antecedents and

  14. Quality Leadership and Quality Control

    PubMed Central

    Badrick, Tony

    2003-01-01

    Different quality control rules detect different analytical errors with varying levels of efficiency depending on the type of error present, its prevalence and the number of observations. The efficiency of a rule can be gauged by inspection of a power function graph. Control rules are only part of a process and not an end in itself; just as important are the trouble-shooting systems employed when a failure occurs. 'Average of patient normals' may develop as a usual adjunct to conventional quality control serum based programmes. Acceptable error can be based on various criteria; biological variation is probably the most sensible. Once determined, acceptable error can be used as limits in quality control rule systems. A key aspect of an organisation is leadership, which links the various components of the quality system. Leadership is difficult to characterise but its key aspects include trust, setting an example, developing staff and critically setting the vision for the organisation. Organisations also have internal characteristics such as the degree of formalisation, centralisation, and complexity. Medical organisations can have internal tensions because of the dichotomy between the bureaucratic and the shadow medical structures. PMID:18568046

  15. 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.

  16. Health system frameworks and performance indicators in eight countries: A comparative international analysis

    PubMed Central

    Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Hibbert, Peter; Blakely, Brette; Plumb, Jennifer; Hannaford, Natalie; Long, Janet Cameron; Marks, Danielle

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: Performance indicators are a popular mechanism for measuring the quality of healthcare to facilitate both quality improvement and systems management. Few studies make comparative assessments of different countries’ performance indicator frameworks. This study identifies and compares frameworks and performance indicators used in selected Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development health systems to measure and report on the performance of healthcare organisations and local health systems. Countries involved are Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and the United States. Methods: Identification of comparable international indicators and analyses of their characteristics and of their broader national frameworks and contexts were undertaken. Two dimensions of indicators – that they are nationally consistent (used across the country rather than just regionally) and locally relevant (measured and reported publicly at a local level, for example, a health service) – were deemed important. Results: The most commonly used domains in performance frameworks were safety, effectiveness and access. The search found 401 indicators that fulfilled the ‘nationally consistent and locally relevant’ criteria. Of these, 45 indicators are reported in more than one country. Cardiovascular, surgery and mental health were the most frequently reported disease groups. Conclusion: These comparative data inform researchers and policymakers internationally when designing health performance frameworks and indicator sets. PMID:28228948

  17. Feasibility, internal consistency and covariates of TICS-m (telephone interview for cognitive status-modified) in a population-based sample: findings from the KORA-Age study.

    PubMed

    Lacruz, Me; Emeny, Rt; Bickel, H; Linkohr, B; Ladwig, Kh

    2013-09-01

    Test the feasibility of the modified telephone interview for cognitive status (TICS-m) as a screening tool to detect cognitive impairment in a population-based sample of older subjects. Data were collected from 3,578 participants, age 65-94 years, of the KORA-Age study. We used analysis of covariance to test for significant sex, age and educational differences in raw TICS-m scores. Internal consistency was analysed by assessing Cronbach's alpha. Correction for education years was undertaken, and participants were divided in three subgroups following validated cut-offs. Finally, a logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of sex on cognition subgroups. Internal consistency of the TICS-m was 0.78. Study participants needed approximately 5.4 min to complete the interview. Lower raw TICS-m scores were associated with male sex, older age and lower education (all p < 0.0001). After correction for education years, 2,851 (79%) had a non-impaired cognitive status (score >31). Male sex was independently associated with having a score equal to or below 27 and 31 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.4-2.5 and OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.7, respectively). The TICS-m is a feasible questionnaire for community-dwelling older adults with normal cognitive function or moderate cognitive impairment. Lower cognitive performance was associated with being a man, being older, and having fewer years of formal education. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Development and validation of the Pediatric Stroke Quality of Life Measure.

    PubMed

    Fiume, Andrea; Deveber, Gabrielle; Jang, Shu-Hyun; Fuller, Colleen; Viner, Shani; Friefeld, Sharon

    2018-06-01

    To develop and validate a disease-specific parent proxy and child quality of life (QoL) measure for patients aged 2 to 18 years surviving cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) and arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS). Utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods, we developed a 75-item Pediatric Stroke Quality of Life Measure (PSQLM) questionnaire. We mailed the PSQLM and a standardized generic QoL measure, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), to 353 families. Stroke type, age at stroke, and neurological outcome on the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure were documented. We calculated the internal consistency, validity, and reliability of the PSQLM. The response rate was 29%, yielding a sample of 101 patients (mean age 9y 9mo [SD 4.30]; 69 AIS [68.3%], 32 CSVT [31.7%]). The internal consistency of the PSQLM was high (Cronbach's α=0.94-0.97). Construct validity for the PSQLM was moderately strong (r=0.3-0.4; p<0.003) and, as expected, correlation with the PedsQL was moderate, suggesting the PSQLM operationalizes QoL distinct from the PedsQL. Test-retest reliability at 2 weeks was very good (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 0.85-0.95; 95% confidence interval 0.83-0.97) and good agreement was established between parent and child report (ICC 0.63-0.76). The PSQLM demonstrates sound psychometric properties. Further research will seek to increase its clinical utility by reducing length and establishing responsiveness for descriptive and longitudinal evaluative assessment. A pediatric stroke-specific quality of life (QoL) measurement tool for assessments based on perceptions of importance and satisfaction. Moderate-to-high reliability and validity established for a new clinical scale evaluating QoL among children with stroke. Perceived QoL measured using the Pediatric Stroke Quality of Life Measure appears lower in children with neurological impairment. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

  19. The accuracy and consistency of nutrition care process terminology use in cases of refeeding syndrome.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Kylie L; Palmer, Michelle A; Capra, Sandra M

    2017-11-08

    Using standardised terminology in acute care has encouraged consistency in patient care and the evaluation of outcomes. As such, the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) and Nutrition Care Process Terminology (NCPT) may assist dietitian nutritionists in the delivery of high quality nutrition care worldwide; however, limited research has been conducted examining the consistency and accuracy of its use. We aimed to examine the NCPT that dietitian nutritionists would use to formulate a diagnostic statement relating to refeeding syndrome (RFS). A multimethod action research approach was used, incorporating two projects. The first was a survey examining Australian dietitian nutritionists' (n = 195) opinions regarding NCPT use in cases of RFS. To establish if results were similar internationally, an interview was then conducted with 22 dietitian nutritionists working within 10 different countries. 'Imbalance of nutrients' was only identified as a correct code by 17% of respondents in project 1. No mention of this term was made in project 2. Also 86% of respondents incorrectly selected more than one diagnostic code. The majority of respondents (80%, n = 52/65) who incorrectly selected 'Malnutrition', without also selecting 'Imbalance of nutrients', selected 'reduce intake' as an intervention, suggesting some misunderstanding in the requirement for interrelated diagnoses, interventions and goals. Our findings demonstrate that there is limited accuracy and consistency in selecting nutritional diagnostic codes in relation to RFS. Respondents also demonstrated limited knowledge regarding appropriate application of the NCP and NCPT. Implementation practices may require further refinement, as accurate and consistent use is required to procure the benefits of standardised terminology. © 2017 Dietitians Association of Australia.

  20. Combining clinical microsystems and an experiential quality improvement curriculum to improve residency education in internal medicine.

    PubMed

    Tess, Anjala V; Yang, Julius J; Smith, C Christopher; Fawcett, Caitlin M; Bates, Carol K; Reynolds, Eileen E

    2009-03-01

    Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's internal medicine residency program was admitted to the new Education Innovation Project accreditation pathway of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education to begin in July 2006. The authors restructured the inpatient medical service to create clinical microsystems in which residents practice throughout residency. Program leadership then mandated an active curriculum in quality improvement based in those microsystems. To provide the experience to every graduating resident, a core faculty in patient safety was trained in the basics of quality improvement. The authors hypothesized that such changes would increase the number of residents participating in quality improvement projects, improve house officer engagement in quality improvement work, enhance the culture of safety the residents perceive in their training environment, improve work flow on the general medicine ward rotations, and improve the overall educational experience for the residents on ward rotations.The authors describe the first 18 months of the intervention (July 2006 to January 2008). The authors assessed attitudes and the educational experience with surveys and evaluation forms. After the intervention, the authors documented residents' participation in projects that overlapped with hospital priorities. More residents reported roles in designing and implementing quality improvement changes. Residents also noted greater satisfaction with the quality of care they deliver. Fewer residents agreed or strongly agreed that the new admitting system interfered with communication. Ongoing residency program assessment showed an improved perception of workload, and educational ratings of rotations improved. The changes required few resources and can be transported to other settings.

  1. Patient-reported assessment of quality care at end of life: development and validation of Quality Care Questionnaire-End of Life (QCQ-EOL).

    PubMed

    Yun, Young Ho; Kim, Soo-Hyun; Lee, Kyoung-Min; Park, Sang Min; Lee, Chang Geol; Choi, Youn Seon; Lee, Won Sup; Kim, Si-Young; Heo, Dae Seog

    2006-09-01

    Our goal was to validate an instrument with which terminally ill patients could evaluate the quality of care they receive at the end of life (EOL). Questionnaire development followed a four-phase process: item generation and reduction, construction, pilot testing, and field-testing. Using relevance and priority criteria and pilot testing, we developed a 16-item questionnaire. Factor analyses of data from 235 patients resulted in the Quality Care Questionnaire-End of Life (QCQ-EOL) covering dignity-conserving care, care by health care professionals, individualised care, and family relationships. All subscales and total scores showed high internal consistency (Cronbach alpha range, 0.73-0.89). The ability of total score and selective subscale scores clearly differentiated patients on the basis of clinical situation, sense of dignity, and general rating of care quality. Correlations of scores between patients and caregivers were substantial. The QCQ-EOL can be adopted to assess the quality of care received by terminally ill patients.

  2. Medical faculties educational network: multidimensional quality assessment.

    PubMed

    Komenda, Martin; Schwarz, Daniel; Feberová, Jitka; Stípek, Stanislav; Mihál, Vladimír; Dušek, Ladislav

    2012-12-01

    Today, World Wide Web technology provides many opportunities in the disclosure of electronic learning and teaching content. The MEFANET project (MEdical FAculties NETwork) has initiated international, effective and open cooperation among all Czech and Slovak medical faculties in the medical education fields. This paper introduces the original MEFANET educational web portal platform. Its main aim is to present the unique collaborative environment, which combines the sharing of electronic educational resources with the use tools for their quality evaluation. It is in fact a complex e-publishing system, which consists of ten standalone portal instances and one central gateway. The fundamental principles of the developed system and used technologies are reported here, as well as procedures of a new multidimensional quality assessment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. An internally consistent set of thermodynamic data for twentyone CaO-Al2O3-SiO2- H2O phases by linear parametric programming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halbach, Heiner; Chatterjee, Niranjan D.

    1984-11-01

    The technique of linear parametric programming has been applied to derive sets of internally consistent thermodynamic data for 21 condensed phases of the quaternary system CaO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O (CASH) (Table 4). This was achieved by simultaneously processing: a) calorimetric data for 16 of these phases (Table 1), and b) experimental phase equilibria reversal brackets for 27 reactions (Table 3) involving these phases. Calculation of equilibrium P-T curves of several arbitrarily picked reactions employing the preferred set of internally consistent thermodynamic data from Table 4 shows that the input brackets are invariably satisfied by the calculations (Fig. 2a). By contrast, the same equilibria calculated on the basis of a set of thermodynamic data derived by applying statistical methods to a large body of comparable input data (Haas et al. 1981; Hemingway et al. 1982) do not necessarily agree with the experimental reversal brackets. Prediction of some experimentally investigated phase relations not included into the linear programming input database also appears to be remarkably successful. Indications are, therefore, that the thermodynamic data listed in Table 4 may be used with confidence to predict geologic phase relations in the CASH system with considerable accuracy. For such calculated phase diagrams and their petrological implications, the reader's attention is drawn to the paper by Chatterjee et al. (1984).

  4. Posterior limb of the internal capsule predicts poor quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: connectometry approach.

    PubMed

    Ghazi Sherbaf, Farzaneh; Mojtahed Zadeh, Mahtab; Haghshomar, Maryam; Aarabi, Mohammad Hadi

    2018-03-14

    Psychiatric symptoms and motor impairment are major contributions to the poor quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we applied a novel diffusion-weighted imaging approach, diffusion MRI connectometry, to investigate the correlation of quality of life, evaluated by Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ39) with the white matter structural connectivity in 27 non-demented PD patients (disease duration of 5.3 ± 2.9 years, H and Y stage = 1.5 ± 0.6, UPDRS-III = 13.7 ± 6.5, indicating unilateral and mild motor involvement). The connectometry analysis demonstrated bilateral posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC) with increased connectivity related to the higher quality of life (FDR = 0.027) in a multiple regression model. The present study suggests for the first time a neural basis of the quality of life in PD in the light of major determinants of poor quality of life in these patients: anxiety, depression, apathy and motor impairment. Results in our sample of non-demented PD patients with relatively mild motor impairment and no apparent sign of depression/anxiety also identify a unique and inexplicable association of the PLIC to the quality of life in PD patients.

  5. Human Connectome Project Informatics: quality control, database services, and data visualization

    PubMed Central

    Marcus, Daniel S.; Harms, Michael P.; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Jenkinson, Mark; Wilson, J Anthony; Glasser, Matthew F.; Barch, Deanna M.; Archie, Kevin A.; Burgess, Gregory C.; Ramaratnam, Mohana; Hodge, Michael; Horton, William; Herrick, Rick; Olsen, Timothy; McKay, Michael; House, Matthew; Hileman, Michael; Reid, Erin; Harwell, John; Coalson, Timothy; Schindler, Jon; Elam, Jennifer S.; Curtiss, Sandra W.; Van Essen, David C.

    2013-01-01

    The Human Connectome Project (HCP) has developed protocols, standard operating and quality control procedures, and a suite of informatics tools to enable high throughput data collection, data sharing, automated data processing and analysis, and data mining and visualization. Quality control procedures include methods to maintain data collection consistency over time, to measure head motion, and to establish quantitative modality-specific overall quality assessments. Database services developed as customizations of the XNAT imaging informatics platform support both internal daily operations and open access data sharing. The Connectome Workbench visualization environment enables user interaction with HCP data and is increasingly integrated with the HCP's database services. Here we describe the current state of these procedures and tools and their application in the ongoing HCP study. PMID:23707591

  6. The trust-commitment challenge in service quality-loyalty relationships.

    PubMed

    Moreira, Antonio Carrizo; Silva, Pedro Miguel

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a model to examine service quality, satisfaction, trust and commitment as loyalty antecedents in a private healthcare service. The approach was tested using structural equation modelling, involving 175 patients from a private Portuguese healthcare unit, using a revised Service Quality Assessment Scale (SQAS) scale for service quality evaluation. The scale used to evaluate service quality is valid and meaningful. Service quality proved to be a multidimensional construct and relevant to build satisfaction. The path satisfaction→trust→loyalty was validated, whereas the path satisfaction→commitment→loyalty was not statistically supported. The revised SQAS scale showed good internal consistency in healthcare context. Further trust-commitment antecedents must be examined in a private healthcare landscape to generalise the findings. Healthcare quality managers must explore the service quality dimensions to generate satisfaction among their patients. Developing trust generates positive patient attitudes and loyalty. This study explores using the SQAS scale in a private healthcare context. The authors provide further evidence that service quality is an antecedent and different from satisfaction. All the measures used proved to be valid and reliable. Trust and commitment play different roles in their relationship with loyalty.

  7. Children and adolescents' internal models of food-sharing behavior include complex evaluations of contextual factors.

    PubMed

    Markovits, Henry; Benenson, Joyce F; Kramer, Donald L

    2003-01-01

    This study examined internal representations of food sharing in 589 children and adolescents (8-19 years of age). Questionnaires, depicting a variety of contexts in which one person was asked to share a resource with another, were used to examine participants' expectations of food-sharing behavior. Factors that were varied included the value of the resource, the relation between the two depicted actors, the quality of this relation, and gender. Results indicate that internal models of food-sharing behavior showed systematic patterns of variation, demonstrating that individuals have complex contextually based internal models at all ages, including the youngest. Examination of developmental changes in use of individual patterns is consistent with the idea that internal models reflect age-specific patterns of interactions while undergoing a process of progressive consolidation.

  8. Improved quality monitoring of multi-center acupuncture clinical trials in China

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background In 2007, the Chinese Science Division of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) convened a special conference to discuss quality control for TCM clinical research. Control and assurance standards were established to guarantee the quality of clinical research. This paper provides practical guidelines for implementing strict and reproducible quality control for acupuncture randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods A standard quality control program (QCP) was established to monitor the quality of acupuncture trials. Case report forms were designed; qualified investigators, study personnel and data management personnel were trained. Monitors, who were directly appointed by the project leader, completed the quality control programs. They guaranteed data accuracy and prevented or detected protocol violations. Clinical centers and clinicians were audited, the randomization system of the centers was inspected, and the treatment processes were audited as well. In addition, the case report forms were reviewed for completeness and internal consistency, the eligibility and validity of the patients in the study was verified, and data was monitored for compliance and accuracy. Results and discussion The monitors complete their reports and submit it to quality assurance and the sponsors. Recommendations and suggestions are made for improving performance. By holding regular meetings to discuss improvements in monitoring standards, the monitors can improve quality and efficiency. Conclusions Supplementing and improving the existed guidelines for quality monitoring will ensure that large multi-centre acupuncture clinical trials will be considered as valid and scientifically stringent as pharmaceutical clinical trials. It will also develop academic excellence and further promote the international recognition of acupuncture. PMID:20035630

  9. Read Code quality assurance: from simple syntax to semantic stability.

    PubMed

    Schulz, E B; Barrett, J W; Price, C

    1998-01-01

    As controlled clinical vocabularies assume an increasing role in modern clinical information systems, so the issue of their quality demands greater attention. In order to meet the resulting stringent criteria for completeness and correctness, a quality assurance system comprising a database of more than 500 rules is being developed and applied to the Read Thesaurus. The authors discuss the requirement to apply quality assurance processes to their dynamic editing database in order to ensure the quality of exported products. Sources of errors include human, hardware, and software factors as well as new rules and transactions. The overall quality strategy includes prevention, detection, and correction of errors. The quality assurance process encompasses simple data specification, internal consistency, inspection procedures and, eventually, field testing. The quality assurance system is driven by a small number of tables and UNIX scripts, with "business rules" declared explicitly as Structured Query Language (SQL) statements. Concurrent authorship, client-server technology, and an initial failure to implement robust transaction control have all provided valuable lessons. The feedback loop for error management needs to be short.

  10. International consensus on a complications list after gastrectomy for cancer.

    PubMed

    Baiocchi, Gian Luca; Giacopuzzi, Simone; Marrelli, Daniele; Reim, Daniel; Piessen, Guillaume; Matos da Costa, Paulo; Reynolds, John V; Meyer, Hans-Joachim; Morgagni, Paolo; Gockel, Ines; Lara Santos, Lucio; Jensen, Lone Susanne; Murphy, Thomas; Preston, Shaun R; Ter-Ovanesov, Mikhail; Fumagalli Romario, Uberto; Degiuli, Maurizio; Kielan, Wojciech; Mönig, Stefan; Kołodziejczyk, Piotr; Polkowski, Wojciech; Hardwick, Richard; Pera, Manuel; Johansson, Jan; Schneider, Paul M; de Steur, Wobbe O; Gisbertz, Suzanne S; Hartgrink, Henk; van Sandick, Joanna W; Portolani, Nazario; Hölscher, Arnulf H; Botticini, Maristella; Roviello, Franco; Mariette, Christophe; Allum, William; De Manzoni, Giovanni

    2018-05-30

    Perioperative complications can affect outcomes after gastrectomy for cancer, with high mortality and morbidity rates ranging between 10 and 40%. The absence of a standardized system for recording complications generates wide variation in evaluating their impacts on outcomes and hinders proposals of quality-improvement projects. The aim of this study was to provide a list of defined gastrectomy complications approved through international consensus. The Gastrectomy Complications Consensus Group consists of 34 European gastric cancer experts who are members of the International Gastric Cancer Association. A group meeting established the work plan for study implementation through Delphi surveys. A consensus was reached regarding a set of standardized methods to define gastrectomy complications. A standardized list of 27 defined complications (grouped into 3 intraoperative, 14 postoperative general, and 10 postoperative surgical complications) was created to provide a simple but accurate template for recording individual gastrectomy complications. A consensus was reached for both the list of complications that should be considered major adverse events after gastrectomy for cancer and their specific definitions. The study group also agreed that an assessment of each surgical case should be completed at patient discharge and 90 days postoperatively using a Complication Recording Sheet. The list of defined complications (soon to be validated in an international multicenter study) and the ongoing development of an electronic datasheet app to record them provide the basic infrastructure to reach the ultimate goals of standardized international data collection, establishment of benchmark results, and fostering of quality-improvement projects.

  11. Is There a Future for Education Consistent with Agenda 21?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smyth, John

    1999-01-01

    Discusses recent experiences in developing and implementing strategies for education consistent with the concept of sustainable development at two different levels: (1) the international level characterized by Agenda 21 along with the efforts of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development to foster its progress; and (2) the national…

  12. INTERMARS: User-controlled international management system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schmitt, Harrison H.

    1986-01-01

    Existing international space law as well as the best interest of all nations are consistent with the establishment of a user-based international organization, herein called INTERMARS. INTERMARS would provide access to facilities and services at a Martian base which would be of high functional potential, quality, safety, and reliability. These opportunities would be available on an open and nondiscriminatory basis to all peaceful users and investors. INTERMARS is a model organization concept tailored to provide cooperative international management of a Martian base for the benefit of its members, users, and investors. Most importantly, INTERMARS would provide such management through a sharing of both sovereignty and opportunity rather then unilateral control by any one nation or set of competing nations. Through an Assembly of Parties, a Board of Governors, a Board of Users and Investors, and a Director General, INTERMARS would meet its primary goal as it would be in the self-interest of all members, users, and investors to do so. The internal structure and philosophy of INTERMARS would provide not only for all participants to have representation in decisions affecting its activities, but also would insure effective and responsive management. Surely this is the precedent wished for, to establish for mankind at the now not-so-distant shores of the new ocean of space.

  13. On-farm animal welfare assessment in beef bulls: consistency over time of single measures and aggregated Welfare Quality(®) scores.

    PubMed

    Kirchner, M K; Schulze Westerath, H; Knierim, U; Tessitore, E; Cozzi, G; Winckler, C

    2014-03-01

    Consistency over time of (on-farm) animal welfare assessment systems forms part of reliability, meaning that results of the assessment should be representative of the longer-term welfare state of the farm as long as the housing and management conditions have not changed considerably. This is especially important if assessments are to be used for certification purposes. It was the aim of the present study to investigate consistency over time of the Welfare Quality(®) (WQ(®)) assessment system for fattening cattle at single measure level, aggregated criterion and principle scores, and overall classification across short-term (1 month) and longer-term periods (6 months). We hypothesized that consistency over time of aggregated criterion and principle scores is higher than that of single measures. Consistency was also expected to be lower with longer intervals between assessments. Data were obtained using the WQ(®) protocol for fattening cattle during three visits (months 0, 1 and 7) on 63 beef farms in Austria, Germany and Italy. Only data from farms where no major changes in housing and management had taken place were considered for analysis. At the single measure level, Spearman rank correlations between visits were >0.7 and variance was lower within farms than between farms for six and two of 19 measures after 1 month and 6 months, respectively. After aggregation of single measures into criterion and principle scores, five and two of 10 criteria and three and one of four principles were found reliable after 1 and 6 months, respectively. At the WQ(®) principle level, this was the case for three and one of four principles. Seventy-nine per cent and 75% of the farms were allocated to the same overall welfare category after 1 month and 6 months. Possible reasons for a lack of consistency are seasonal effects or short-term fluctuations that occur under normal farm conditions, low prevalence of clinical measures and probably insufficient sample size, whereas poor

  14. Swiss (German) Version of the Actinic Keratosis Quality of Life questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Meier, Larissa S; Schubert, Maria; Göksu, Yasemin; Esmann, Solveig; Vinding, Gabrielle R; Jemec, Gregor B E; Hofbauer, Günther F L

    2018-04-18

    Actinic keratosis (AK) is a sun-induced skin lesion that may progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Recently, the Actinic Keratosis Quality of Life questionnaire (AKQoL) was designed for patients with AK in Denmark as a specific quality of life instrument for AK patients. The objective of this study was to adapt the AKQoL for the German language region of Switzerland and to evaluate its psychometric properties (validity, reliability). Translation and cultural adaptation of the questionnaire were assessed by using the technique of cognitive interviewing. During the translation process, 34 patients with AK from the Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, were interviewed in 3 sessions of cognitive interviewing. The translated questionnaire was then distributed together with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) to a second group of 113 patients for validation and reliability testing. Within this group, we measured the internal consistency by the Cronbach coefficient α and Spearman correlation coefficient between the AKQoL and the DLQI. The problems encountered during the translation process led to changes in 5 categories as described by Epstein: stylistic changes, change in breadth, change in actual meaning, change in frequency and time frame, change in intensity. We found a Cronbach α of 0.82, an acceptable internal consistency. The Spearman correlation coefficient between total scores of AKQoL and DLQI was 0.57. We culturally adapted and validated a Swiss (German) version of the AKQoL questionnaire applicable for the population of a university center in Switzerland to measure and monitor the quality of life in patients with AK. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Trading Quality across Borders: Colonial Discourse and International Quality Assurance Policies in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blanco Ramírez, Gerardo

    2014-01-01

    Accountability and quality assurance have become central discourses in higher education policy throughout the world. However, accountability and quality assurance involve power and control. Practices and ideas about quality developed in the Global North are spreading rapidly across the Global South, leading to increased uniformity in the…

  16. Evaluation of a redesign initiative in an internal-medicine residency.

    PubMed

    McMahon, Graham T; Katz, Joel T; Thorndike, Mary E; Levy, Bruce D; Loscalzo, Joseph

    2010-04-08

    Several organizations have advocated for comprehensive redesign of graduate medical training, but the effect that residency redesign will have on measures of patient satisfaction, resident and intern (trainee) satisfaction, and patient care is unknown. We designed an experimental inpatient-medicine service with reduced resident workload comprising two teams, with each team consisting of two attending physicians, two residents, and three interns. Attending physicians, selected for their teaching prowess, supervised the teams throughout the workday and during bedside team-teaching rounds. This experimental model was compared with a control model comprising two teams, with each consisting of one resident and two interns, plus multiple supervising attending physicians who volunteered to participate. Patients were alternately assigned to the experimental teams and the control teams, subject to limits on the number of patients interns are allowed to admit. Over a 12-month period, 1892 patients were assigned to the experimental teams and 2096 to the control teams; the average census per intern was 3.5 and 6.6 patients, respectively. Overall satisfaction was significantly higher among trainees on the experimental teams than among those on the control teams (78% and 55%, respectively; P=0.002). As compared with the control teams, the experimental teams were not associated with a higher average length of patient stay or readmission rate; adherence to standards for quality of inpatient care was similar in both groups of teams. Interns on the experimental teams spent more time in learning and teaching activities than did interns on the control teams (learning: 20% of total time vs. 10%, P=0.01; teaching: 8% of total time vs. 2%, P=0.006). As compared with a traditional inpatient care model, an experimental model characterized by reduced trainee workload and increased participation of attending physicians was associated with higher trainee satisfaction and increased time for

  17. Expectations and perceptions of clients concerning the quality of care provided at a Brazilian hospital facility.

    PubMed

    Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa; Trevizan, Maria Auxiliadora; de Godoy, Simone; Nogueira, Paula Cristina; Ventura, Carla Aparecida Arena; Furlan, Claudia Elizangela Bis

    2018-02-01

    To identify the expectations and perceptions of clients concerning the quality of hospital care provided to them and their respective companions at a private Brazilian hospital using SERVQUAL. The SERVQUAL questionnaire can provide information concerning expectations and perceptions of clients. In addition, it is able to identify the participation of frontline employees and how they contribute to the organization's end product (service delivery). In total, 172 inpatients for surgical reasons answered the SERVQUAL questionnaire. It consists of 23 pairs of statements, 22 of which are distributed into the dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Statement 23 refers to the overall quality of care. Exploratory analysis, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and the kappa Coefficient were calculated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and SAS 9.2. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board at the Hospital das Clínicas at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirao Preto Medical School. Most participants had a bachelor's degree and were over than 60years old. Cronbach's alpha coefficients indicated good internal consistency (α=0.93) and high levels of agreement were observed (91.10%). The SERVQUAL questionnaire was sensitive to items in each dimension for which clients' perceptions surpassed their expectations. The continuous quality assessment of health services is mandatory for nursing leadership. The nursing leadership can further explore the SERVQUAL with a view to better attending to the clients' expectations. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Assessment of patient's experiences across the interface between primary and secondary care: Consumer Quality Index Continuum of care.

    PubMed

    Berendsen, Annette J; Groenier, Klaas H; de Jong, G Majella; Meyboom-de Jong, Betty; van der Veen, Willem Jan; Dekker, Janny; de Waal, Margot W M; Schuling, Jan

    2009-10-01

    Development and validation of a questionnaire that measures patients' experiences of collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and specialists. A questionnaire was developed using the method of the consumer quality index and validated in a cross-sectional study among a random sample of patients referred to medical specialists in the Netherlands. Validation included factor analysis, ascertain internal consistency, and the discriminative ability. The response rate was 65% (1404 patients). Exploratory factor analysis indicated that four domains could be distinguished (i.e. GP Approach; GP Referral; Specialist; Collaboration). Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.51 to 0.93 indicating sufficient internal consistency to make comparison of groups of respondents possible. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the domains were <0.4, except between the domains GP Approach and GP Referral. All domains clearly produced discriminating scores for groups with different characteristics. The Consumer Quality Index (CQ-index) Continuum of Care can be a useful instrument to assess aspects of the collaboration between GPs and specialists from patients' perspective. It can be used to give feedback to both medical professionals and policy makers. Such feedback creates an opportunity for implementing specific improvements and evaluating quality improvement projects. 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  19. Appropriate Measures and Consistent Standard for High Energy Laser Beam Quality (Postprint)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-01

    another. a We follow the 99% criteria [ Siegman , Lasers , chapter 17.1] which corresponds to a... Siegman , “ Lasers ” University Science Books, 1986. • A.E. Siegman , “New developments in laser resonators”, SPIE Vol. 1224, Optical Resonators, 1990...pp. 1-14. • Anthony E. Siegman & Steven W. Townsend, “Output Beam Propagation and Beam Quality from a Multimode Stable-Cavity Laser ”, IEEE Journal

  20. International Metadata Standards and Enterprise Data Quality Metadata Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Habermann, Ted

    2016-01-01

    Well-documented data quality is critical in situations where scientists and decision-makers need to combine multiple datasets from different disciplines and collection systems to address scientific questions or difficult decisions. Standardized data quality metadata could be very helpful in these situations. Many efforts at developing data quality standards falter because of the diversity of approaches to measuring and reporting data quality. The one size fits all paradigm does not generally work well in this situation. I will describe these and other capabilities of ISO 19157 with examples of how they are being used to describe data quality across the NASA EOS Enterprise and also compare these approaches with other standards.