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

PubMed

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

2014-12-01

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

Biomechanics of fencing sport: A scoping review

PubMed Central

Chen, Tony Lin-Wei; Wong, Duo Wai-Chi; Wang, Yan; Ren, Sicong; Yan, Fei

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim of our scoping review was to identify and summarize current evidence on the biomechanics of fencing to inform athlete development and injury prevention. Design Scoping review. Method Peer-reviewed research was identified from electronic databases using a structured keyword search. Details regarding experimental design, study group characteristics and measured outcomes were extracted from retrieved studies, summarized and information regrouped under themes for analysis. The methodological quality of the evidence was evaluated. Results Thirty-seven peer-reviewed studies were retrieved, the majority being observational studies conducted with experienced and elite athletes. The methodological quality of the evidence was “fair” due to the limited scope of research. Male fencers were the prevalent group studied, with the lunge and use of a foil weapon being the principal movement evaluated. Motion capture and pedabarography were the most frequently used data collection techniques. Conclusions Elite fencers exhibited sequential coordination of upper and lower limb movements with coherent patterns of muscle activation, compared to novice fencers. These elite features of neuromuscular coordination resulted in higher magnitudes of forward linear velocity of the body center of mass and weapon. Training should focus on explosive power. Sex- and equipment-specific effects could not be evaluated based on available research. PMID:28187164

40 CFR 50.2 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS NATIONAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS § 50.2 Scope. (a) National primary and secondary ambient air quality standards under section 109 of the Act are set forth in this part. (b) National primary ambient air quality...

A Survey of Mathematics Education Technology Dissertation Scope and Quality: 1968-2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronau, Robert N.; Rakes, Christopher R.; Bush, Sarah B.; Driskell, Shannon O.; Niess, Margaret L.; Pugalee, David K.

2014-01-01

We examined 480 dissertations on the use of technology in mathematics education and developed a Quality Framework (QF) that provided structure to consistently define and measure quality. Dissertation studies earned an average of 64.4% of the possible quality points across all methodology types, compared to studies in journals that averaged 47.2%.…

76 FR 23809 - Science Advisory Board Staff Office Notification of a Public Meeting of the Clean Air Scientific...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-28

...: Scope and Methods Plan for Welfare Risk and Exposure Assessment (April 2011 Draft). DATES: The CASAC... Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment (April 2011), and Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Welfare Risk and Exposure...

10 CFR 51.10 - Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality. 51.10 Section 51.10 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION... National Environmental Policy Act-Regulations Implementing Section 102(2) § 51.10 Purpose and scope of...

10 CFR 51.10 - Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality. 51.10 Section 51.10 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION... National Environmental Policy Act-Regulations Implementing Section 102(2) § 51.10 Purpose and scope of...

10 CFR 51.10 - Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality. 51.10 Section 51.10 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION... National Environmental Policy Act-Regulations Implementing Section 102(2) § 51.10 Purpose and scope of...

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

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

Background The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. Methods A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A search was conducted in four bibliographic databases and the gray literature to identify scoping review studies. Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers using pretested forms. Results The search identified 344 scoping reviews published from 1999 to October 2012. The reviews varied in terms of purpose, methodology, and detail of reporting. Nearly three-quarter of reviews (74.1%) addressed a health topic. Study completion times varied from 2 weeks to 20 months, and 51% utilized a published methodological framework. Quality assessment of included studies was infrequently performed (22.38%). Conclusions Scoping reviews are a relatively new but increasingly common approach for mapping broad topics. Because of variability in their conduct, there is a need for their methodological standardization to ensure the utility and strength of evidence. © 2014 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:26052958

The effect of structural empowerment of nurses on quality outcomes in hospitals: a scoping review.

PubMed

Goedhart, Nicole S; van Oostveen, Catharina J; Vermeulen, Hester

2017-04-01

To assess and synthesise studies reporting direct associations between the structural empowerment of frontline nurses and quality outcomes, and to identify gaps in the current literature. The empowerment of nurses seems essential for delivering high-quality patient care. Understanding the relationship between empowerment and quality outcomes would enable nurse managers to make informed choices on improving the quality of care. A scoping review examining the relationship between the structural empowerment of nurses and the quality, effectiveness, safety, efficiency and patient-centredness of care in hospitals. Searching in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Business Source Premier and Embase identified 672 potentially relevant articles. Independent selection, quality assessment, data extraction and analysis were completed. Twelve cross-sectional studies originating from North America were included. These studies showed a variety of quality outcomes and statistics used. All studies reported positive associations between the structural empowerment of nurses, nurse assessed quality of care and patient safety climate, and work and unit effectiveness. Nurses having access to empowering structures positively affects the quality outcomes, i.e. quality, effectiveness, safety, efficiency and patient-centredness of patient care in hospitals. Nurse managers and leaders should ensure empowering work conditions for nurses in order to increase hospitals' quality of patient care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

40 CFR 132.1 - Scope, purpose, and availability of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY GUIDANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES SYSTEM § 132.1 Scope, purpose, and availability of documents. (a) This part constitutes the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (Guidance... identifies minimum water quality standards, antidegradation policies, and implementation procedures for the...

40 CFR 132.1 - Scope, purpose, and availability of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY GUIDANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES SYSTEM § 132.1 Scope, purpose, and availability of documents. (a) This part constitutes the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (Guidance... identifies minimum water quality standards, antidegradation policies, and implementation procedures for the...

40 CFR 132.1 - Scope, purpose, and availability of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY GUIDANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES SYSTEM § 132.1 Scope, purpose, and availability of documents. (a) This part constitutes the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (Guidance... identifies minimum water quality standards, antidegradation policies, and implementation procedures for the...

40 CFR 132.1 - Scope, purpose, and availability of documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY GUIDANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES SYSTEM § 132.1 Scope, purpose, and availability of documents. (a) This part constitutes the Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System (Guidance... identifies minimum water quality standards, antidegradation policies, and implementation procedures for the...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

40 CFR 1517.1 - Policy and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....1 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1517.1 Policy and scope. Consistent with the policy that the public is... the purpose of this part to open the meetings of the Council on Environmental Quality to public...

National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, Long Island-New Jersey (LINJ) Coastal Drainages Study Unit : Scope of the Long Island-New Jersey Coastal Drainages Study-Unit investigation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ayers, Mark A.

1994-01-01

Scope of the Long Island-New Jersey Coastal Drainages Study-Unit InvestigationIn 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to document the status of and trends in quality of a large representative part of the Nation's water resources and to provide a sound scientific understanding of the primary natural and human factors that affect the quality of these resources. The program is designed to produce long-term, consistent water-quality information that will be useful to policymakers and managers at national, State, and local levels.Investigations of 60 hydrologic systems (study units), which include parts of most major river basins and aquifer systems in the United States, are the building blocks of NAWQA. A framework has been established to ensure nationwide consistency in the approach to each study--in field and laboratory methods, in water-quality measurements, and in the supporting data requirements. Twenty studies were started in 1991, 20 more have begun in 1994, and 20 are scheduled to begin in 1997.A major design feature of the program that will facilitate integration of water-quality information at national, regional, and local scales is coordination between the individual study-unit teams and the national synthesis effort at all stages of the investigations. Thus, results that relate to various topics addressed in the study-unit investigations will be integrated smoothly into NAWQA's national synthesis component. Teams have been developed to address the following topics of national importance: pesticides, nutrients, and volatile organic compounds. These teams are investigating the specific issues by means of comparative studies of a large set of hydrologic systems distributed over a wide range of environmental settings found in the 60 study-units.The information below summarizes the goals and scope of the NAWQA Program and the Long Island-New Jersey Coastal Drainages study, which began in 1994.

Systematic review of scope and quality of electronic patient record data in primary care

PubMed Central

Thiru, Krish; Hassey, Alan; Sullivan, Frank

2003-01-01

Objective To systematically review measures of data quality in electronic patient records (EPRs) in primary care. Design Systematic review of English language publications, 1980-2001. Data sources Bibliographic searches of medical databases, specialist medical informatics databases, conference proceedings, and institutional contacts. Study selection Studies selected according to a predefined framework for categorising review papers. Data extraction Reference standards and measurements used to judge quality. Results Bibliographic searches identified 4589 publications. After primary exclusions 174 articles were classified, 52 of which met the inclusion criteria for review. Selected studies were primarily descriptive surveys. Variability in methods prevented meta-analysis of results. Forty eight publications were concerned with diagnostic data, 37 studies measured data quality, and 15 scoped EPR quality. Reliability of data was assessed with rate comparison. Measures of sensitivity were highly dependent on the element of EPR data being investigated, while the positive predictive value was consistently high, indicating good validity. Prescribing data were generally of better quality than diagnostic or lifestyle data. Conclusion The lack of standardised methods for assessment of quality of data in electronic patient records makes it difficult to compare results between studies. Studies should present data quality measures with clear numerators, denominators, and confidence intervals. Ambiguous terms such as “accuracy” should be avoided unless precisely defined. PMID:12750210

Training for Quality: Improving Early Childhood Programs through Systematic Inservice Training. Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Number Nine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Ann S.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) Evaluation investigated the efficacy of the High/Scope model for improving the quality of early childhood programs on a national scale. To address this question, the High/Scope Foundation undertook a multimethod evaluation that collected anecdotal records from the consultants and 793 participants in 40 ToT projects,…

Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Caliente, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Englebrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Beatty, Sarcobatus Flats, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d).more » The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Englebrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pahranagat NWR, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d). The trailermore » is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pahranagat NWR, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d). The trailermore » is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

DOE/NV/26383-LTR2008-01 Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Caliente, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Beatty, Sarcobatus Flats, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d).more » The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Tonopah Airport, Nye County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tonopah Airport, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and the Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al.,more » 2007a-d). The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Tonopah Airport, Nye County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tonopah Airport, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and the Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al.,more » 2007a-d). The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

15 CFR 996.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES General § 996.1 Purpose and scope. The National Oceanic and...

40 CFR 1501.7 - Scoping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Scoping. 1501.7 Section 1501.7 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY NEPA AND AGENCY PLANNING § 1501.7 Scoping. There... as practicable after its decision to prepare an environmental impact statement and before the scoping...

40 CFR 1501.7 - Scoping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Scoping. 1501.7 Section 1501.7 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY NEPA AND AGENCY PLANNING § 1501.7 Scoping. There... as practicable after its decision to prepare an environmental impact statement and before the scoping...

A scope classification of data quality requirements for food composition data.

PubMed

Presser, Karl; Hinterberger, Hans; Weber, David; Norrie, Moira

2016-02-15

Data quality is an important issue when managing food composition data since the usage of the data can have a significant influence on policy making and further research. Although several frameworks for data quality have been proposed, general tools and measures are still lacking. As a first step in this direction, we investigated data quality requirements for an information system to manage food composition data, called FoodCASE. The objective of our investigation was to find out if different requirements have different impacts on the intrinsic data quality that must be regarded during data quality assessment and how these impacts can be described. We refer to the resulting classification with its categories as the scope classification of data quality requirements. As proof of feasibility, the scope classification has been implemented in the FoodCASE system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 46.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Section 46.000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE 46.000 Scope of part. This part prescribes policies and procedures to ensure that supplies and services acquired under Government contract conform to the contract's quality and quantity...

15 CFR 996.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES General § 996.1 Purpose and scope. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was mandated to develop and implement a quality assurance program that is...

15 CFR 996.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES General § 996.1 Purpose and scope. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was mandated to develop and implement a quality assurance program that is...

15 CFR 996.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES General § 996.1 Purpose and scope. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was mandated to develop and implement a quality assurance program that is...

15 CFR 996.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NOAA HYDROGRAPHIC PRODUCTS AND SERVICES General § 996.1 Purpose and scope. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was mandated to develop and implement a quality assurance program that is...

Risk of bias in overviews of reviews: a scoping review of methodological guidance and four-item checklist.

PubMed

Ballard, Madeleine; Montgomery, Paul

2017-03-01

To assess the conditions under which employing an overview of systematic reviews is likely to lead to a high risk of bias. To synthesise existing guidance concerning overview practice, a scoping review was conducted. Four electronic databases were searched with a pre-specified strategy (PROSPERO 2015:CRD42015027592) ending October 2015. Included studies needed to describe or develop overview methodology. Data were narratively synthesised to delineate areas highlighted as outstanding challenges or where methodological recommendations conflict. Twenty-four papers met the inclusion criteria. There is emerging debate regarding overlapping systematic reviews; systematic review scope; quality of included research; updating; and synthesizing and reporting results. While three functions for overviews have been proposed-identify gaps, explore heterogeneity, summarize evidence-overviews cannot perform the first; are unlikely to achieve the second and third simultaneously; and can only perform the third under specific circumstances. Namely, when identified systematic reviews meet the following four conditions: (1) include primary trials that do not substantially overlap, (2) match overview scope, (3) are of high methodological quality, and (4) are up-to-date. Considering the intended function of proposed overviews with the corresponding methodological conditions may improve the quality of this burgeoning publication type. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

What is the current evidence of the impact on quality of life whilst waiting for management/treatment of orthopaedic/musculoskeletal complaints? A systematic scoping review.

PubMed

Morris, Joanne; Twizeyemariya, Asterie; Grimmer, Karen

2018-04-02

To describe quality of life (QoL) outcome measures that are reported in the literature in patients waiting for outpatient orthopaedic/musculoskeletal specialist care and how waiting impacts on QoL in these terms. A subset of studies reporting on QoL outcome measures were extracted from literature identified in a recent scoping search of Medline, Embase, Pubmed, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (Prospero registration CRD42016047332). The systematic scoping search examined impacts on patients waiting for orthopaedic specialist care. Two independent reviewers ranked study design using the National Health and Medical Research Council aetiology evidence hierarchy, and appraised study quality using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools. QoL measures were mapped against waiting period timepoints. The scoping search yielded 142 articles, of which 18 reported on impact on QoL. These studies reported only on patients waiting for hip and/or knee replacement surgery. The most recent study reported on data collected in 2006/7. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index and the SF-36 were the most commonly reported QoL measures. QoL was measured at variable timepoints in the waiting period (from a few weeks to greater than 12 months). The impact of waiting on QoL was inconsistent. The evidence base was over 10 years old, reported only on patients with hip and knee problems, and on limited QoL outcome measures, and with inconsistent findings. A better understanding of the impact on QoL for patients waiting for specialist care could be gained by using standard timepoints in the waiting period, patients with other orthopaedic conditions, comprehensive QoL measures, as well as expectations, choices and perspectives of patients waiting for specialist care.

34 CFR 603.20 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... authorities as to the quality of public postsecondary vocational education in their respective States for the... statutory standards as to the quality of public postsecondary vocational education to be undertaken by... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Scope. 603.20 Section 603.20 Education Regulations of...

The importance of having a flexible scope ISO 15189 accreditation and quality specifications based on biological variation--the case of validation of the biochemistry analyzer Dimension Vista.

PubMed

Fernandez-Calle, Pilar; Pelaz, Sandra; Oliver, Paloma; Alcaide, Maria Jose; Gomez-Rioja, Ruben; Buno, Antonio; Iturzaeta, Jose Manuel

2013-01-01

Technological innovation requires the laboratories to ensure that modifications or incorporations of new techniques do not alter the quality of their results. In an ISO 15189 accredited laboratory, flexible scope accreditation facilitates the inclusion of these changes prior to accreditation body evaluation. A strategy to perform the validation of a biochemistry analyzer in an accredited laboratory having a flexible scope is shown. A validation procedure including the evaluation of imprecision and bias of two Dimension Vista analysers 1500 was conducted. Comparability of patient results between one of them and the lately replaced Dimension RxL Max was evaluated. All studies followed the respective Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocols. 30 chemistry assays were studied. Coefficients of variation, percent bias and total error were calculated for all tests and biological variation was considered as acceptance criteria. Quality control material and patient samples were used as test materials. Interchangeability of the results was established by processing forty patients' samples in both devices. 27 of the 30 studied parameters met allowable performance criteria. Sodium, chloride and magnesium did not fulfil acceptance criteria. Evidence of interchangeability of patient results was obtained for all parameters except magnesium, NT-proBNP, cTroponin I and C-reactive protein. A laboratory having a well structured and documented validation procedure can opt to get a flexible scope of accreditation. In addition, performing these activities prior to use on patient samples may evidence technical issues which must be corrected to minimize their impact on patient results.

Understanding the HighScope Approach: Early Years Education in Practice. Understanding the... Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiltshire, Monica

2011-01-01

"Understanding the HighScope Approach" is a much needed source of information for those wishing to extend and consolidate their understanding of the HighScope Approach. It will enable the reader to analyse the essential elements of the HighScope Approach to early childhood and its relationship to quality early years practice. Exploring…

Broadening GHG accounting with LCA: application to a waste management business unit.

PubMed

Fallaha, Sophie; Martineau, Geneviève; Bécaert, Valérie; Margni, Manuele; Deschênes, Louise; Samson, Réjean; Aoustin, Emmanuelle

2009-11-01

In an effort to obtain the most accurate climate change impact assessment, greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting is evolving to include life-cycle thinking. This study (1) identifies similarities and key differences between GHG accounting and life-cycle assessment (LCA), (2) compares them on a consistent basis through a case study on a waste management business unit. First, GHG accounting is performed. According to the GHG Protocol, annual emissions are categorized into three scopes: direct GHG emissions (scope 1), indirect emissions related to electricity, heat and steam production (scope 2) and other indirect emissions (scope 3). The LCA is then structured into a comparable framework: each LCA process is disaggregated into these three scopes, the annual operating activities are assessed, and the environmental impacts are determined using the IMPACT2002+ method. By comparing these two approaches it is concluded that both LCA and GHG accounting provide similar climate change impact results as the same major GHG contributors are determined for scope 1 emissions. The emissions from scope 2 appear negligible whereas emissions from scope 3 cannot be neglected since they contribute to around 10% of the climate change impact of the waste management business unit. This statement is strengthened by the fact that scope 3 generates 75% of the resource use damage and 30% of the ecosystem quality damage categories. The study also shows that LCA can help in setting up the framework for a annual GHG accounting by determining the major climate change contributors.

Aerobic scope measurements of fishes in an era of climate change: respirometry, relevance and recommendations.

PubMed

Clark, Timothy D; Sandblom, Erik; Jutfelt, Fredrik

2013-08-01

Measurements of aerobic scope [the difference between minimum and maximum oxygen consumption rate ( and , respectively)] are increasing in prevalence as a tool to address questions relating to fish ecology and the effects of climate change. However, there are underlying issues regarding the array of methods used to measure aerobic scope across studies and species. In an attempt to enhance quality control before the diversity of issues becomes too great to remedy, this paper outlines common techniques and pitfalls associated with measurements of , and aerobic scope across species and under different experimental conditions. Additionally, we provide a brief critique of the oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance (OCLTT) hypothesis, a concept that is intricately dependent on aerobic scope measurements and is spreading wildly throughout the literature despite little evidence for its general applicability. It is the intention of this paper to encourage transparency and accuracy in future studies that measure the aerobic metabolism of fishes, and to highlight the fundamental issues with assuming broad relevance of the OCLTT hypothesis.

48 CFR 3046.790-1 - Scope (USCG).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Scope (USCG). 3046.790-1 Section 3046.790-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, HOMELAND SECURITY ACQUISITION REGULATION (HSAR) CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Warranties 3046.790-1 Scope...

48 CFR 3046.790-1 - Scope (USCG).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope (USCG). 3046.790-1 Section 3046.790-1 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, HOMELAND SECURITY ACQUISITION REGULATION (HSAR) CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Warranties 3046.790-1 Scope...

14 CFR 1216.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Scope. 1216.300 Section 1216.300 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 1216.300 Scope. This subpart sets forth NASA...

Adaptive model training system and method

DOEpatents

Bickford, Randall L; Palnitkar, Rahul M; Lee, Vo

2014-04-15

An adaptive model training system and method for filtering asset operating data values acquired from a monitored asset for selectively choosing asset operating data values that meet at least one predefined criterion of good data quality while rejecting asset operating data values that fail to meet at least the one predefined criterion of good data quality; and recalibrating a previously trained or calibrated model having a learned scope of normal operation of the asset by utilizing the asset operating data values that meet at least the one predefined criterion of good data quality for adjusting the learned scope of normal operation of the asset for defining a recalibrated model having the adjusted learned scope of normal operation of the asset.

Adaptive model training system and method

DOEpatents

Bickford, Randall L; Palnitkar, Rahul M

2014-11-18

An adaptive model training system and method for filtering asset operating data values acquired from a monitored asset for selectively choosing asset operating data values that meet at least one predefined criterion of good data quality while rejecting asset operating data values that fail to meet at least the one predefined criterion of good data quality; and recalibrating a previously trained or calibrated model having a learned scope of normal operation of the asset by utilizing the asset operating data values that meet at least the one predefined criterion of good data quality for adjusting the learned scope of normal operation of the asset for defining a recalibrated model having the adjusted learned scope of normal operation of the asset.

Quality Systems: Lessons from Early Efforts to Disseminate the Youth PQA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiva, Tom; Yohalem, Nicole

2006-01-01

During 2006, High/Scope worked with the Forum to provide training and technical assistance to several state and regional networks which are building quality improvement and accountability systems. In each community, High/Scope staff presented to local decision-makers and provided one- or two-day pilot training workshops for parishioners and…

48 CFR 46.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Scope of part. 46.000 Section 46.000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE 46.000 Scope of part. This part prescribes policies and procedures to ensure that...

48 CFR 46.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Scope of part. 46.000 Section 46.000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE 46.000 Scope of part. This part prescribes policies and procedures to ensure that...

48 CFR 46.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Scope of part. 46.000 Section 46.000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE 46.000 Scope of part. This part prescribes policies and procedures to ensure that...

The importance of having a flexible scope ISO 15189 accreditation and quality specifications based on biological variation – the case of validation of the biochemistry analyzer Dimension Vista

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Calle, Pilar; Pelaz, Sandra; Oliver, Paloma; Alcaide, Maria Jose; Gomez-Rioja, Ruben; Buno, Antonio; Iturzaeta, Jose Manuel

2013-01-01

Introduction Technological innovation requires the laboratories to ensure that modifications or incorporations of new techniques do not alter the quality of their results. In an ISO 15189 accredited laboratory, flexible scope accreditation facilitates the inclusion of these changes prior to accreditation body evaluation. A strategy to perform the validation of a biochemistry analyzer in an accredited laboratory having a flexible scope is shown. Materials and methods: A validation procedure including the evaluation of imprecision and bias of two Dimension Vista analysers 1500 was conducted. Comparability of patient results between one of them and the lately replaced Dimension RxL Max was evaluated. All studies followed the respective Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocols. 30 chemistry assays were studied. Coefficients of variation, percent bias and total error were calculated for all tests and biological variation was considered as acceptance criteria. Quality control material and patient samples were used as test materials. Interchangeability of the results was established by processing forty patients’ samples in both devices. Results: 27 of the 30 studied parameters met allowable performance criteria. Sodium, chloride and magnesium did not fulfil acceptance criteria. Evidence of interchangeability of patient results was obtained for all parameters except magnesium, NT-proBNP, cTroponin I and C-reactive protein. Conclusions: A laboratory having a well structured and documented validation procedure can opt to get a flexible scope of accreditation. In addition, performing these activities prior to use on patient samples may evidence technical issues which must be corrected to minimize their impact on patient results. PMID:23457769

48 CFR 46.800 - Scope of subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope of subpart. 46.800 Section 46.800 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Contractor Liability for Loss of or Damage to Property of the Government 46.800 Scope of...

78 FR 9107 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-07

... maintaining high-quality inspections. The railroad also believes that the waiver's expanded scope will not compromise railroad safety. In support of the expanded scope of the existing waiver, BNSF's petition further... CFR part 232. Specifically, BNSF requests to expand the scope of the existing waiver that granted...

75 FR 28592 - Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study, Missouri...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

..., navigation, irrigation, power, water supply, water quality, recreation, and fish and wildlife. ADDRESSES..., navigation, irrigation, power, water supply, water quality, recreation, and fish and wildlife. Section 108 of... judicial rulings to determine if changes to the authorized project purposes and existing federal water...

How far is mixed methods research in the field of health policy and systems in Africa? A scoping review.

PubMed

De Allegri, M; Sieleunou, I; Abiiro, G A; Ridde, V

2018-04-01

Both the academic and the policy community are calling for wider application of mixed methods research, suggesting that combined use of quantitative and qualitative methods is most suitable to assess and understand the complexities of health interventions. In spite of recent growth in mixed methods studies, limited efforts have been directed towards appraising and synthetizing to what extent and how mixed methods have been applied specifically to Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed at filling this gap in knowledge, by exploring the scope and quality of mixed methods research in the African context. We conducted a scoping review applying the framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley and modified by Levac et al. to identify and extract data from relevant studies published between 1950 and 2013. We limited our search to peer-reviewed HPSR publications in English, which combined at least one qualitative and one quantitative method and focused on Africa. Among the 105 studies that were retained for data extraction, over 60% were published after 2010. Nearly 50% of all studies addressed topics relevant to Health Systems, while Health Policy and Health Outcomes studies accounted respectively for 40% and 10% of all publications. The quality of the application of mixed methods varied greatly across studies, with a relatively small proportion of studies stating clearly defined research questions and differentiating quantitative and qualitative elements, including sample sizes and analytical approaches. The methodological weaknesses observed could be linked to the paucity of specific training opportunities available to people interested in applying mixed methods to HPSR in LMICs as well as to the limitations on word limit, scope and peer-review processes at the journals levels. Increasing training opportunities and enhancing journal flexibility may result in more and better quality mixed methods publications.

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

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.; Wood, A.

Residential quality management systems have most often been designed for new home construction. To address quality in existing homes in the form of Scopes of Work (SOW), the NAHB Research Center began with a new construction scope of work and applied it to an existing home project. This document is intended to outline the steps of translating a new home construction SOW to SOW for retrofit.

32 CFR 651.53 - Modifications of the scoping process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Modifications of the scoping process. 651.53 Section 651.53 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping...

Do researchers use pharmacists' communication as an outcome measure? A scoping review of pharmacist involvement in diabetes care.

PubMed

Babinec, Patricia M; Rock, Melanie J; Lorenzetti, Diane L; Johnson, Jeffrey A

2010-08-01

Pharmacy practice increasingly revolves around obtaining and interpreting information. We investigated whether and how pharmacy practice researchers design their studies in ways that acknowledge verbal communication between pharmacists and patients with diabetes. We conducted a scoping review of pharmacists' interventions with patients previously diagnosed as having diabetes with the aim of assessing how many used communication (quality and quantity) as an outcome measure. A scoping review identifies gaps in the literature and draws conclusions regarding the overall state of a research programme, but does not necessarily identify gaps in the quality of the studies reviewed. Quality assessment, therefore, was not conducted. MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched from 2003 to 2008 to identify relevant studies published in English. Reference lists of key studies were also scanned to identify additional studies. Randomized controlled trials and related studies of pharmacists verbal communication with diabetic patients were included. Some 413 abstracts were identified through database and reference searching. Of these, 65 studies met abstract inclusion criteria and 16 studies met full-text inclusion criteria necessary for this review. The majority of included studies report on patients' health outcomes, beliefs about drugs, self-reported health-related quality-of-life scales or some combination of these measures as indicators of pharmacists' interventions. Nine studies included information on the duration of the initial interaction between pharmacists and patients with diabetes; 13 reported on the number of follow-up contacts with pharmacists, and seven studies indicated that pharmacists participating in interventions had received training in diabetes management or in patient-centred care. No studies included or evaluated transcripts of pharmacist-patient interactions. Results reveal a gap in the existing literature. In studies of diabetes, pharmacy practice researchers do not appear to consider the influence of pharmacists' communication skills on health outcomes. Future studies should be designed to incorporate a communication research component.

Veda-scope: More comfortable than the bivalve speculum and cytologically equivalent.

PubMed

Longmore, Peter G

2004-04-01

The aim of the present study was to confirm that the Veda-scope is equivalent to the bivalve speculum in the collection of endocervical cells, as confirmation of adequate cervical sampling for Pap smear testing. The study also aimed to assess the comfort level of the Veda-scope compared to the traditional bivalve speculum and the patient preference of the Veda-scope compared to the bivalve speculum. Multicentre, randomised, controlled crossover, cytologist blinded study. The total number of subjects enrolled in the study were 250. The number of evaluable subjects were 210. In primary efficacy analysis, no significant difference was seen between the presence or absence of endocervical cells in the smears using either the Veda-scope or the bivalve speculum. There was a high concordance level between the diagnosis assigned to each specimen of a paired sample, the diagnosis agreeing in 97.6% cases. The primary reason given by many women for avoidance of regular Pap smear examinations is the discomfort or pain experienced with sample collection with the bivalve speculum. In the present study, 92% of subjects indicated a preference for the Veda-scope for Pap smear collection, while only 8.4% preferred the bivalve speculum. Subject preference was also assessed with respect to how the subject rated the comfort level of her previous Pap smear. In subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as very comfortable or comfortable, 86% expressed a preference for the Veda-scope. This rose to 93% in subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as only tolerable. The results of the present study show that Pap smear collections with the Veda-scope are of equal quality to those collected with the bivalve speculum, with an equivalent diagnostic outcome. A very strong preference for the Veda-scope was shown by the women enrolled in the present study based on the comfort levels experienced with the two devices.

Insensitivity to scope in contingent valuation studies: reason for dismissal of valuations?

PubMed

Søgaard, Rikke; Lindholt, Jes; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte

2012-11-01

The credibility of contingent valuation studies has been questioned because of the potential occurrence of scope insensitivity, i.e. that respondents do not react to higher quantities or qualities of a good. The aim of this study was to examine the extent of scope insensitivity and to assess the relevance of potential explanations that may help to shed light on how to appropriately handle this problem in contingent valuation studies. We surveyed a sample of 2004 men invited for cardiovascular disease screening. Each respondent had three contingent valuation tasks from which their sensitivity to larger risk reductions (test 1) and to change in travel costs associated with participation (test 2) could be assessed. Participants were surveyed while waiting for their screening session. Non-participants were surveyed by postal questionnaire. The sample was overall found to be sensitive to scope, testing at the conventional sample-mean level. At the individual respondent level, however, more than half of the respondents failed the tests. Potential determinants for failing the tests were examined in alternative regression models but few consistent relationships were identified. One exception was the influence of more detailed information, which was positively associated with willingness to pay and negatively associated with scope sensitivity. Possible explanations for scope insensitivity are discussed; if cognitive limitations, emotional load and mental budgeting explain scope insensitivity there are grounds for rejecting valuations, whereas other factors such as the alternative theoretical framework of regret theory may render insensitivity to scope a result of rational thinking. It is concluded that future contingent valuation studies should focus more on extracting the underlying motives for the stated preferences in order to appropriately deal with responses that are seemingly irrational, and which may lead to imprecise welfare estimates.

Twenty-One Leadership Responsibilities and Quality Management in the Context of Educational Baldrige Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibach, Kimberly L.

2014-01-01

This body of work presents the summary of findings; explanation of implications; discussion of conclusions; and recommendations about practice, policy and future research regarding principal leadership in school districts recognized as national Baldrige Award winners. This study widened the scope and definition of quality management in education…

42 CFR 478.10 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement... procedures for— (a) Reconsiderations conducted by a Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement...

42 CFR 478.10 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement... procedures for— (a) Reconsiderations conducted by a Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement...

42 CFR 478.10 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement... procedures for— (a) Reconsiderations conducted by a Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement...

42 CFR 478.10 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement... procedures for— (a) Reconsiderations conducted by a Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement...

42 CFR 478.10 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS RECONSIDERATIONS AND APPEALS Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement... procedures for— (a) Reconsiderations conducted by a Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement...

A Systemwide Approach to Improving Early Childhood Program Quality in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shouse, A. Clay; Epstein, Ann S.

This document is the final report of the McGregor-funded High/Scope training initiative, a system-wide approach to improving the quality of early childhood programs in the Detroit metropolitan area. The 3-year project was based on the validated High/Scope educational approach and training model, which advocates hands-on active learning for both…

Water-quality data-collection activities in Colorado and Ohio; Phase II, Evaluation of 1984 field and laboratory quality-assurance practices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childress, Carolyn J. Oblinger; Chaney, Thomas H.; Myers, Donna; Norris, J. Michael; Hren, Janet

1987-01-01

Serious questions have been raised by Congress about the usefulness of water-quality data for addressing issues of regional and national scope and, especially, for characterizing the current quality of the Nation's streams and ground water. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey has undertaken a pilot study in Colorado and Ohio to (1) determine the characteristics of current (1984) water-quality data-collection activities of Federal, regional, State, and local agencies, and academic institutions; and (2) determine how well the data from these activities, collected for various purposes and using different procedures, can be used to improve our ability to answer major broad-scope questions, such as:A. What are (or were) natural or near-natural water-quality conditions?B. What are existing water-quality conditions?C. How has water quality changed, and how do the changes relate to human activities?Colorado and Ohio were chosen for the pilot study largely because they represent regions with different types of waterquality concerns and programs. The study has been divided into three phases, the objectives of which are: Phase I--Inventory water-quality data-collection programs, including costs, and identify those programs that met a set of broad criteria for producing data that are potentially appropriate for water-quality assessments of regional and national scope. Phase II--Evaluate the quality assurance of field and laboratory procedures used in producing the data from programs that met the broad criteria of Phase I. Phase III--Compile the qualifying data and evaluate the adequacy of this data base for addressing selected water-quality questions of regional and national scope.Water-quality data are collected by a large number of organizations for diverse purposes ranging from meeting statutory requirements to research on water chemistry. Combining these individual data bases is an appealing and potentially cost-effective way to attempt to develop a data base adequate for regional or national water-quality assessments. However, to combine data from diverse sources, field and laboratory procedures used to produce the data need to be equivalent and need to meet specific qualityassurance standards. It is these factors that are the focus of Phase II, which is described in this report. In the first phase of this study, an inventory was made of all public organizations and academic institutions that undertook water-quality data-collection activities in Colorado and Ohio in 1984. Water-quality programs identified in Phase I were tested against a set of broad screening criteria. A total of 44 waterquality programs in Colorado and 29 programs in Ohio passed the Phase-I screen and were examined in Phase II. These programs accounted for an estimated 165,000 analyses in Colorado and 76,300 analyses in Ohio for 20 selected constituents and properties. Although qualifying programs included both surface- and ground-water sampling, they emphasized surface waters and produced few groundwater analyses (3,660 for Colorado and 470 for Ohio). For Phase II, information about field and laboratory qualityassurance practices was provided by each organization and its supporting laboratories through questionnaires. This information was evaluated against a set of specific criteria for field and laboratory practices. The criteria were developed from guidelines published by public agencies and professional organizations such as the American Public Health Association, the U.Sc, Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Each of the eight criteria that comprise the Phase-II screen fall into one of two major categories--field practices or laboratory practices.

Guidance on assessing the methodological and reporting quality of toxicologically relevant studies: A scoping review.

PubMed

Samuel, Gbeminiyi O; Hoffmann, Sebastian; Wright, Robert A; Lalu, Manoj Mathew; Patlewicz, Grace; Becker, Richard A; DeGeorge, George L; Fergusson, Dean; Hartung, Thomas; Lewis, R Jeffrey; Stephens, Martin L

2016-01-01

Assessments of methodological and reporting quality are critical to adequately judging the credibility of a study's conclusions and to gauging its potential reproducibility. To aid those seeking to assess the methodological or reporting quality of studies relevant to toxicology, we conducted a scoping review of the available guidance with respect to four types of studies: in vivo and in vitro, (quantitative) structure-activity relationships ([Q]SARs), physico-chemical, and human observational studies. Our aims were to identify the available guidance in this diverse literature, briefly summarize each document, and distill the common elements of these documents for each study type. In general, we found considerable guidance for in vivo and human studies, but only one paper addressed in vitro studies exclusively. The guidance for (Q)SAR studies and physico-chemical studies was scant but authoritative. There was substantial overlap across guidance documents in the proposed criteria for both methodological and reporting quality. Some guidance documents address toxicology research directly, whereas others address preclinical research generally or clinical research and therefore may not be fully applicable to the toxicology context without some translation. Another challenge is the degree to which assessments of methodological quality in toxicology should focus on risk of bias - as in clinical medicine and healthcare - or be broadened to include other quality measures, such as confirming the identity of test substances prior to exposure. Our review is intended primarily for those in toxicology and risk assessment seeking an entry point into the extensive and diverse literature on methodological and reporting quality applicable to their work. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Pacific northwest stream quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Sheibley, Rich W.

2015-01-01

The Pacific Northwest study will be the third regional study by the NAWQA program, and it will be of similar design and scope as the first two—the Midwest in 2013 and the Southeast in 2014 (Van Metre and others, 2012, 2014).

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Scope of Practice for the Dietetic Technician, Registered.

PubMed

2013-06-01

The Scope of Practice for the Dietetic Technician, Registered provides standards and tools to guide competence in performing nutrition and dietetics practice. Composed of statutory and individual components, the DTR's scope of practice is determined by state statute and the DTR's education, training, credentialing, and demonstrated and documented competence in practice. The Scope of Practice for the Dietetic Technician, Registered reflects the Academy's position on the DTR scope of practice and the essential technical assistance role of the DTR in providing safe timely person-centered care for the delivery of quality food and nutrition services.

The Use of Biomass for Electricity Generation: A Scoping Review of Health Effects on Humans in Residential and Occupational Settings

PubMed Central

Freiberg, Alice; Scharfe, Julia; Murta, Vanise C.; Seidler, Andreas

2018-01-01

The utilization of biomass for power generation has become more prevalent globally. To survey the status of evidence concerning resulting health impacts and to depict potential research needs, a scoping-review was conducted. Biomass life cycle phases of interest were the conversion and combustion phases. Studies from occupational and residential settings were considered. The scoping review was conducted systematically, comprising an extensive literature search, a guided screening process, in-duplicate data extraction, and critical appraisal. Two reviewers executed most review steps. Nine articles of relevance were identified. In occupational settings of biomass plants, exposure to endotoxins and fungi might be associated with respiratory disorders. An accidental leakage of hydrogen sulfide in biogas plants may lead to fatalities or severe health impacts. Living near biomass power plants (and the accompanied odorous air pollution) may result in an increased risk for several symptoms and odor annoyance, mediated by perception about air pollution or an evaluation of a resulting health risk. The methodological quality of included studies varied a lot. Overall, the body of evidence on the topic is sparse and future high-quality research is strongly recommended. PMID:29462949

Identifying process and outcome indicators of successful transitions from child to adult mental health services: protocol for a scoping review.

PubMed

Cleverley, Kristin; Bennett, Kathryn; Jeffs, Lianne

2016-07-05

A significant proportion of youth need to transition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services (AMHS); however, the transition process is not well understood and often experienced poorly by youth. In the effort to design and evaluate standards of practice for transitions, there is a need to identify key elements of a successful transition. The objectives of this scoping review are to: (1) identify definitions of successful transitions from CAMHS to AMHS; and (2) identify indicators that have been used to measure CAMHS-AMHS transition care processes and quality, and outcomes. We will search 8 electronic bibliographic databases from 1980 to 2016 (eg, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO), professional associations, policy documents, and other grey literature to identify relevant material. We will include experimental, quasi-experimental, observational studies, and non-research studies (guidelines, narrative reviews, policy documents) examining the transition from CAMHS to AMHS. 2 raters will independently screen each retrieved title and abstract for eligibility using the study inclusion criteria (level 1), and then will independently assess full-text articles to determine if these meet the inclusion criteria (level 2). Data extraction will be completed and results will be synthesised both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results of the scoping review will be used to develop a set of indicators that will be prioritised and evaluated in a Delphi consensus study. This will serve as a foundation for the development of the first instrument to assess the quality and success of CAMHS-AMHS transitions. Ethics approval is not required for this scoping study. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Identifying process and outcome indicators of successful transitions from child to adult mental health services: protocol for a scoping review

PubMed Central

Cleverley, Kristin; Bennett, Kathryn; Jeffs, Lianne

2016-01-01

Introduction A significant proportion of youth need to transition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services (AMHS); however, the transition process is not well understood and often experienced poorly by youth. In the effort to design and evaluate standards of practice for transitions, there is a need to identify key elements of a successful transition. The objectives of this scoping review are to: (1) identify definitions of successful transitions from CAMHS to AMHS; and (2) identify indicators that have been used to measure CAMHS–AMHS transition care processes and quality, and outcomes. Methods We will search 8 electronic bibliographic databases from 1980 to 2016 (eg, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO), professional associations, policy documents, and other grey literature to identify relevant material. We will include experimental, quasi-experimental, observational studies, and non-research studies (guidelines, narrative reviews, policy documents) examining the transition from CAMHS to AMHS. 2 raters will independently screen each retrieved title and abstract for eligibility using the study inclusion criteria (level 1), and then will independently assess full-text articles to determine if these meet the inclusion criteria (level 2). Data extraction will be completed and results will be synthesised both quantitatively and qualitatively. Ethics and dissemination The results of the scoping review will be used to develop a set of indicators that will be prioritised and evaluated in a Delphi consensus study. This will serve as a foundation for the development of the first instrument to assess the quality and success of CAMHS–AMHS transitions. Ethics approval is not required for this scoping study. PMID:27381213

9 CFR 355.43 - Scope and applicability of rules of practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...; INSPECTION, CERTIFICATION, AND IDENTIFICATION AS TO CLASS, QUALITY, QUANTITY, AND CONDITION Mule Meat and Animal Food, Mule Meat By-Product § 355.43 Scope and applicability of rules of practice. The rules of...

9 CFR 355.43 - Scope and applicability of rules of practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...; INSPECTION, CERTIFICATION, AND IDENTIFICATION AS TO CLASS, QUALITY, QUANTITY, AND CONDITION Mule Meat and Animal Food, Mule Meat By-Product § 355.43 Scope and applicability of rules of practice. The rules of...

9 CFR 355.43 - Scope and applicability of rules of practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...; INSPECTION, CERTIFICATION, AND IDENTIFICATION AS TO CLASS, QUALITY, QUANTITY, AND CONDITION Mule Meat and Animal Food, Mule Meat By-Product § 355.43 Scope and applicability of rules of practice. The rules of...

9 CFR 355.43 - Scope and applicability of rules of practice.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...; INSPECTION, CERTIFICATION, AND IDENTIFICATION AS TO CLASS, QUALITY, QUANTITY, AND CONDITION Mule Meat and Animal Food, Mule Meat By-Product § 355.43 Scope and applicability of rules of practice. The rules of...

Drinking water quality in Indigenous communities in Canada and health outcomes: a scoping review.

PubMed

Bradford, Lori E A; Okpalauwaekwe, Udoka; Waldner, Cheryl L; Bharadwaj, Lalita A

2016-01-01

Many Indigenous communities in Canada live with high-risk drinking water systems and drinking water advisories and experience health status and water quality below that of the general population. A scoping review of research examining drinking water quality and its relationship to Indigenous health was conducted. The study was undertaken to identify the extent of the literature, summarize current reports and identify research needs. A scoping review was designed to identify peer-reviewed literature that examined challenges related to drinking water and health in Indigenous communities in Canada. Key search terms were developed and mapped on five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE/PubMED, Web of Knowledge, SciVerse Scopus, Taylor and Francis online journal and Google Scholar). Online searches for grey literature using relevant government websites were completed. Sixteen articles (of 518; 156 bibliographic search engines, 362 grey literature) met criteria for inclusion (contained keywords; publication year 2000-2015; peer-reviewed and from Canada). Studies were quantitative (8), qualitative (5) or mixed (3) and included case, cohort, cross-sectional and participatory designs. In most articles, no definition of "health" was given (14/16), and the primary health issue described was gastrointestinal illness (12/16). Challenges to the study of health and well-being with respect to drinking water in Indigenous communities included irregular funding, remote locations, ethical approval processes, small sample sizes and missing data. Research on drinking water and health outcomes in Indigenous communities in Canada is limited and occurs on an opportunistic basis. There is a need for more research funding, and inquiry to inform policy decisions for improvements of water quality and health-related outcomes in Indigenous communities. A coordinated network looking at First Nations water and health outcomes, a database to store and create access to research findings, increased funding and time frames for funding, and more decolonizing and community-based participatory research aimed at understanding the relationship between drinking water quality and health outcomes in First Nations communities in Canada are needed.

Stepped Care to Optimize Pain care Effectiveness (SCOPE) trial study design and sample characteristics.

PubMed

Kroenke, Kurt; Krebs, Erin; Wu, Jingwei; Bair, Matthew J; Damush, Teresa; Chumbler, Neale; York, Tish; Weitlauf, Sharon; McCalley, Stephanie; Evans, Erica; Barnd, Jeffrey; Yu, Zhangsheng

2013-03-01

Pain is the most common physical symptom in primary care, accounting for an enormous burden in terms of patient suffering, quality of life, work and social disability, and health care and societal costs. Although collaborative care interventions are well-established for conditions such as depression, fewer systems-based interventions have been tested for chronic pain. This paper describes the study design and baseline characteristics of the enrolled sample for the Stepped Care to Optimize Pain care Effectiveness (SCOPE) study, a randomized clinical effectiveness trial conducted in five primary care clinics. SCOPE has enrolled 250 primary care veterans with persistent (3 months or longer) musculoskeletal pain of moderate severity and randomized them to either the stepped care intervention or usual care control group. Using a telemedicine collaborative care approach, the intervention couples automated symptom monitoring with a telephone-based, nurse care manager/physician pain specialist team to treat pain. The goal is to optimize analgesic management using a stepped care approach to drug selection, symptom monitoring, dose adjustment, and switching or adding medications. All subjects undergo comprehensive outcome assessments at baseline, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months by interviewers blinded to treatment group. The primary outcome is pain severity/disability, and secondary outcomes include pain beliefs and behaviors, psychological functioning, health-related quality of life and treatment satisfaction. Innovations of SCOPE include optimized analgesic management (including a stepped care approach, opioid risk stratification, and criteria-based medication adjustment), automated monitoring, and centralized care management that can cover multiple primary care practices. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Quality Measures in Pre-Analytical Phase of Tissue Processing: Understanding Its Value in Histopathology.

PubMed

Rao, Shalinee; Masilamani, Suresh; Sundaram, Sandhya; Duvuru, Prathiba; Swaminathan, Rajendiran

2016-01-01

Quality monitoring in histopathology unit is categorized into three phases, pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical, to cover various steps in the entire test cycle. Review of literature on quality evaluation studies pertaining to histopathology revealed that earlier reports were mainly focused on analytical aspects with limited studies on assessment of pre-analytical phase. Pre-analytical phase encompasses several processing steps and handling of specimen/sample by multiple individuals, thus allowing enough scope for errors. Due to its critical nature and limited studies in the past to assess quality in pre-analytical phase, it deserves more attention. This study was undertaken to analyse and assess the quality parameters in pre-analytical phase in a histopathology laboratory. This was a retrospective study done on pre-analytical parameters in histopathology laboratory of a tertiary care centre on 18,626 tissue specimens received in 34 months. Registers and records were checked for efficiency and errors for pre-analytical quality variables: specimen identification, specimen in appropriate fixatives, lost specimens, daily internal quality control performance on staining, performance in inter-laboratory quality assessment program {External quality assurance program (EQAS)} and evaluation of internal non-conformities (NC) for other errors. The study revealed incorrect specimen labelling in 0.04%, 0.01% and 0.01% in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. About 0.04%, 0.07% and 0.18% specimens were not sent in fixatives in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. There was no incidence of specimen lost. A total of 113 non-conformities were identified out of which 92.9% belonged to the pre-analytical phase. The predominant NC (any deviation from normal standard which may generate an error and result in compromising with quality standards) identified was wrong labelling of slides. Performance in EQAS for pre-analytical phase was satisfactory in 6 of 9 cycles. A low incidence of errors in pre-analytical phase implies that a satisfactory level of quality standards was being practiced with still scope for improvement.

Improving the Quality and Scope of EIA Data

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

Section 805(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Public Law 110-1401 requires the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to establish a five-year plan to enhance the quality and scope of its data collection necessary to ensure that the scope, accuracy, and timeliness of the information needed for efficient functioning of energy markets and related financial operations. This report is in response to section 805(b) of EISA which calls on EIA to submit to Congress the plan established under subsection (a), including a description of any improvements needed to enhance the ability of the Administrator to collect and process energy information in a manner consistent with the needs of energy markets.

Energy Efficient Crawlspace Foundation Retrofit: Mixed Humid Climate

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

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.

2013-01-01

Residential quality management systems have most often been designed for new home construction. To address quality in existing homes in the form of Scopes of Work (SOW), the NAHB Research Center began with a new construction scope of work and applied it to an existing home project. This document is intended to outline the steps of translating a new home construction SOW to SOW for retrofit and addressed crawlspace foundations in a mixed-humid climate.

Scoping review of pediatric tonsillectomy quality of life assessment instruments.

PubMed

Kao, Stephen Shih-Teng; Peters, Micah D J; Dharmawardana, Nuwan; Stew, Benjamin; Ooi, Eng Hooi

2017-10-01

Sleep-disordered breathing or recurrent tonsillitis have detrimental effects on the child's physical health and quality of life. Tonsillectomy is commonly performed to treat these common conditions and improve the child's quality of life. This scoping review aims to present a comprehensive and descriptive analysis of quality of life questionnaires as a resource for clinicians and researchers when deciding which tool to use when assessing the quality of life effects after tonsillectomy. A comprehensive search strategy was undertaken across MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Quality of life questionnaires utilized in studies investigating pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis or sleep-disordered breathing were included. Methodological quality and data extraction were conducted as per Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Ten questionnaires were identified, consisting of six generic and four disease-specific instruments. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory was the most commonly utilized generic questionnaire. The Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 was the most commonly utilized disease-specific questionnaire. This review identified a range of generic and disease-specific quality of life questionnaires utilized in pediatric patients who have undergone tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy for sleep-disordered breathing or chronic tonsillitis. Important aspects of each questionnaire have been summarized to aid researchers and clinicians in choosing the appropriate questionnaire when evaluating the quality of life effects of tonsillectomy. NA Laryngoscope, 127:2399-2406, 2017. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

T4 Syndrome: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Karas, Steve; Pannone, Albert

2017-02-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify any available evidence regarding T4 syndrome. Databases were searched from inception through October 2015 and included PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, Google Scholar, Osteomed-DR; Index to Chiropractic Literature, PROSPERO, and Chiroaccess. All studies with information about T4 syndrome that were published in a peer-reviewed journal or textbook were included. The information was organized in the format of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Studies were ranked using Sackett's levels of evidence. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria. Studied areas included theoretical pathophysiology and symptom etiology, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and outcomes of T4 syndrome. The methodological quality of included studies was low. T4 syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion that appears to be rare. It has been treated conservatively in the literature using mobilization and exercise. There is no high-quality evidence published about T4 syndrome, and we caution clinicians when considering it as a primary means to determine patient care. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The effectiveness of service delivery initiatives at improving patients' waiting times in clinical radiology departments: a systematic review.

PubMed

Olisemeke, B; Chen, Y F; Hemming, K; Girling, A

2014-12-01

We reviewed the literature for the impact of service delivery initiatives (SDIs) on patients' waiting times within radiology departments. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, INSPEC and The Cochrane Library for relevant articles published between 1995 and February, 2013. The Cochrane EPOC risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias on studies that met specified design criteria. Fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The types of SDI implemented included extended scope practice (ESP, three studies), quality management (12 studies), productivity-enhancing technologies (PETs, 29 studies), multiple interventions (11 studies), outsourcing and pay-for-performance (one study each). The uncontrolled pre- and post-intervention and the post-intervention designs were used in 54 (95%) of the studies. The reporting quality was poor: many of the studies did not test and/or report the statistical significance of their results. The studies were highly heterogeneous, therefore meta-analysis was inappropriate. The following type of SDIs showed promising results: extended scope practice; quality management methodologies including Six Sigma, Lean methodology, and continuous quality improvement; productivity-enhancing technologies including speech recognition reporting, teleradiology and computerised physician order entry systems. We have suggested improved study design and the mapping of the definitions of patient waiting times in radiology to generic timelines as a starting point for moving towards a situation where it becomes less restrictive to compare and/or pool the results of future studies in a meta-analysis.

Scoping review of potential quality indicators for hip fracture patient care

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

Scope of physician procedures independently billed by mid-level providers in the office setting.

PubMed

Coldiron, Brett; Ratnarathorn, Mondhipa

2014-11-01

Mid-level providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) were originally envisioned to provide primary care services in underserved areas. This study details the current scope of independent procedural billing to Medicare of difficult, invasive, and surgical procedures by medical mid-level providers. To understand the scope of independent billing to Medicare for procedures performed by mid-level providers in an outpatient office setting for a calendar year. Analyses of the 2012 Medicare Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master File, which reflects fee-for-service claims that were paid by Medicare, for Current Procedural Terminology procedures independently billed by mid-level providers. Outpatient office setting among health care providers. The scope of independent billing to Medicare for procedures performed by mid-level providers. In 2012, nurse practitioners and physician assistants billed independently for more than 4 million procedures at our cutoff of 5000 paid claims per procedure. Most (54.8%) of these procedures were performed in the specialty area of dermatology. The findings of this study are relevant to safety and quality of care. Recently, the shortage of primary care clinicians has prompted discussion of widening the scope of practice for mid-level providers. It would be prudent to temper widening the scope of practice of mid-level providers by recognizing that mid-level providers are not solely limited to primary care, and may involve procedures for which they may not have formal training.

42 CFR 423.150 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope. 423.150 Section 423.150 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement Requirements...

Same family, different species: methodological conduct and quality varies according to purpose for five types of knowledge synthesis.

PubMed

Tricco, Andrea C; Zarin, Wasifa; Ghassemi, Marco; Nincic, Vera; Lillie, Erin; Page, Matthew J; Shamseer, Larissa; Antony, Jesmin; Rios, Patricia; Hwee, Jeremiah; Veroniki, Areti Angeliki; Moher, David; Hartling, Lisa; Pham, Ba'; Straus, Sharon E

2018-04-01

The aim of the study was to characterize methodological conduct, reporting, and quality of five knowledge synthesis (KS) approaches. Retrospective analysis of a convenience sample of five published databases of KS approaches: overview of reviews (n = 74), scoping reviews (n = 494), rapid reviews (n = 84), systematic reviews (n = 300), and network meta-analyses (NMAs; n = 456). Data in the five published databases were abstracted by two reviewers independently, any missing data for this retrospective analysis were abstracted by one experienced reviewer. Methods were appraised using the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool. Descriptive analysis was performed. Reporting the use of a protocol ranged from 4% for rapid reviews to 32% for systematic reviews. The use of two reviewers for citation and full-text screening ranged from 20% for scoping reviews to 60% for NMAs. Data abstraction was performed in duplicate for 11% of rapid reviews and 54% of NMAs, and for risk of bias appraisal, this ranged from 6% for scoping reviews to 41% for NMAs. NMAs had the highest median percentage of maximum obtainable AMSTAR score (64%; Q1-Q3:45-73%), while scoping reviews had the lowest (25%; Q1-Q3:13-38%). NMAs consistently scored the highest on the AMSTAR tool likely because the purpose is to estimate treatment effects statistically. Scoping reviews scored the lowest (even after adjusting the score for not relevant items) likely because the purpose is to characterize the literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 480.101 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ORGANIZATION REVIEW INFORMATION Utilization and Quality Control Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs... Quality Control Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) (or the review component of a QIO subcontractor) in... sought under Title XVIII of the Act. Aggregate statistical data means any utilization, admission...

Early Childhood Reform in Seven Communities: Front-Line Practice, Agency Management, and Public Policy. [Volume I: Final Technical Report.] Studies of Education Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Tom; And Others

An era of substantial growth in investment of resources, program development, and research has led to tangible gains in the scope and quality of early childhood education programs. However, the system of early childhood education programs is plagued by unequal access and inconsistent, inadequate levels of quality. Additionally, the focus of…

Cellscope Aquatic: a Lab Quality, Portable Cellphone-Based Microscope for On-Site Collection of Algae Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, S. J.; Howard, M. D.

2016-02-01

Collecting algae samples from the field presents issues of specimen damage or degradation caused by preservation methods, handling and transport to laboratory facilities for identification. Traditionally, in-field collection of high quality microscopic images has not been possible due to the size, weight and fragility of high quality instruments and training of field staff in species identification. Scientists at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) in collaboration with the Fletcher Lab, University of California Berkeley, Department of Bioengineering, tested and translated Fletcher's original medical CellScope for use in environmental monitoring applications. Field tests conducted by SCCWRP in 2014 led to modifications of the clinical CellScope to one better suited to in-field microscopic imaging for aquatic organisms. SCCWRP subsequently developed a custom cell-phone application to acquire microscopic imagery using the "CellScope Aquatic "in combination with other cell-phone derived field data (e.g. GPS location, date, time and other field observations). Data and imagery collected in-field may be transmitted in real-time to a web-based data system for tele-taxonomy evaluation and assessment by experts in the office. These hardware and software tools was tested in field in a variety of conditions and settings by multiple algae experts during the spring and summer of 2015 to further test and refine the CellScope Aquatic platform. The CellScope Aquatic provides an easy-to-use, affordable, lightweight, professional quality, data collection platform for environmental monitoring. Our ongoing efforts will focus on development of real-time expert systems for data analysis and image processing, to provide onsite feedback to field scientists.

Image Quality Analysis of Various Gastrointestinal Endoscopes: Why Image Quality Is a Prerequisite for Proper Diagnostic and Therapeutic Endoscopy

PubMed Central

Ko, Weon Jin; An, Pyeong; Ko, Kwang Hyun; Hahm, Ki Baik; Hong, Sung Pyo

2015-01-01

Arising from human curiosity in terms of the desire to look within the human body, endoscopy has undergone significant advances in modern medicine. Direct visualization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract by traditional endoscopy was first introduced over 50 years ago, after which fairly rapid advancement from rigid esophagogastric scopes to flexible scopes and high definition videoscopes has occurred. In an effort towards early detection of precancerous lesions in the GI tract, several high-technology imaging scopes have been developed, including narrow band imaging, autofocus imaging, magnified endoscopy, and confocal microendoscopy. However, these modern developments have resulted in fundamental imaging technology being skewed towards red-green-blue and this technology has obscured the advantages of other endoscope techniques. In this review article, we have described the importance of image quality analysis using a survey to consider the diversity of endoscope system selection in order to better achieve diagnostic and therapeutic goals. The ultimate aims can be achieved through the adoption of modern endoscopy systems that obtain high image quality. PMID:26473119

Delegation in Long-term Care: Scope of practice or job description?

PubMed Central

Corazzini, Kirsten N.; Anderson, Ruth A.; Rapp, Carla Gene; Mueller, Christine; McConnell, Eleanor S.; Lekan, Deborah

2010-01-01

This study is a qualitative, descriptive study of how registered nurses (RNs) (N=33) in leadership roles in institutionalized long-term care settings delegate care, including their strategies and processes for delegating care, and their perceptions of barriers to effective delegation and potential benefits of delegation. Findings indicate two key approaches to delegation, including the “follow the job description” approach, emphasizing adherence to facility-level roles and job descriptions, and the “consider the scope of practice” approach, emphasizing consideration of multiple aspects of scope of practice and licensure, and the context of care. While the former resulted in more clarity and certainty for the RN, the latter facilitated a focus on quality of resident care outcomes as linked to the delegation process. Barriers to effective delegation were comparable among RNs using either approach to delegation, and almost all RNs could describe benefits of delegation for long-term care. PMID:25006330

Delegation in Long-term Care: Scope of practice or job description?

PubMed

Corazzini, Kirsten N; Anderson, Ruth A; Rapp, Carla Gene; Mueller, Christine; McConnell, Eleanor S; Lekan, Deborah

2010-05-31

This study is a qualitative, descriptive study of how registered nurses (RNs) (N=33) in leadership roles in institutionalized long-term care settings delegate care, including their strategies and processes for delegating care, and their perceptions of barriers to effective delegation and potential benefits of delegation. Findings indicate two key approaches to delegation, including the "follow the job description" approach, emphasizing adherence to facility-level roles and job descriptions, and the "consider the scope of practice" approach, emphasizing consideration of multiple aspects of scope of practice and licensure, and the context of care. While the former resulted in more clarity and certainty for the RN, the latter facilitated a focus on quality of resident care outcomes as linked to the delegation process. Barriers to effective delegation were comparable among RNs using either approach to delegation, and almost all RNs could describe benefits of delegation for long-term care.

40 CFR 50.2 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of safety, to protect the public health. National secondary ambient air quality standards define... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Scope. 50.2 Section 50.2 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS NATIONAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMBIENT...

42 CFR 493.643 - Fee for determination of program compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... laboratory's scope and volume of testing (excluding tests performed for quality control, quality assurance... procedure or examination for a single analyte. (Tests performed for quality control, quality assurance, and... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION LABORATORY REQUIREMENTS General Administration...

40 CFR 1501.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... at an early stage the significant environmental issues deserving of study and deemphasizing insignificant issues, narrowing the scope of the environmental impact statement accordingly. (e) Providing a... Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY NEPA AND AGENCY PLANNING § 1501.1 Purpose. The...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--QUALITY SYSTEMS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (QSIP).

EPA Science Inventory

The Arizona Consortium scoping studies were designed to be part of the total NHEXAS framework that was developed as a result of a series scientific discussions and workshops conducted by the US EPA from 1992 through 1993. Several scientific issues needed to be addressed to evalua...

World Geography Curriculum Guide: Secondary Social Studies. Bulletin 1727.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolosi, Louis J.; And Others

This world geography curriculum guide is designed to help teachers improve the quality of secondary level geography instruction. The guide contains Louisiana's social studies curriculum goals and information about the scope and sequence of the state's social studies program. Part 1 discusses the major geographical concepts of: (1) map and globe…

Palliative care in the home: a scoping review of study quality, primary outcomes, and thematic component analysis.

PubMed

Hofmeister, Mark; Memedovich, Ally; Dowsett, Laura E; Sevick, Laura; McCarron, Tamara; Spackman, Eldon; Stafinski, Tania; Menon, Devidas; Noseworthy, Tom; Clement, Fiona

2018-03-07

The aim of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of patients and families through the prevention and relief of suffering. Frequently, patients may choose to receive palliative care in the home. The objective of this paper is to summarize the quality and primary outcomes measured within the palliative care in the home literature. This will synthesize the current state of the literature and inform future work. A scoping review was completed using PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EconLit, PsycINFO, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database were searched from inception to August 2016. Inclusion criteria included: 1) care was provided in the "home of the patient" as defined by the study, 2) outcomes were reported, and 3) reported original data. Thematic component analysis was completed to categorize interventions. Fifty-three studies formed the final data set. The literature varied extensively. Five themes were identified: accessibility of healthcare, caregiver support, individualized patient centered care, multidisciplinary care provision, and quality improvement. Primary outcomes were resource use, symptom burden, quality of life, satisfaction, caregiver distress, place of death, cost analysis, or described experiences. The majority of studies were of moderate or unclear quality. There is robust literature of varying quality, assessing different components of palliative care in the home interventions, and measuring different outcomes. To be meaningful to patients, these interventions need to be consistently evaluated with outcomes that matter to patients. Future research could focus on reaching a consensus for outcomes to evaluate palliative care in the home interventions.

Project Quality Assurance Plan for research and development services provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in support of the Westinghouse Materials Company of Ohio Operable Unit 1 Stabilization Development and Treatability Studies Program

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

Gilliam, T.M.

1991-05-01

This Project Quality Assurance Plan (PQAP) sets forth the quality assurance (QA) requirements that are applied to those elements of the Westinghouse Materials Company of Ohio (WMCO) Operable Unit 1 support at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) project that involve research and development (R D) performed at ORNL. This is in compliance with the applicable criteria of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, ANSI/ASME NQA-1, as specified by Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Order 5700.6B. For this application, NQA-1 is the core QA Program requirements document. QA policy, normally found in the requirements document, is contained herein.more » The requirements of this PQAP apply to project activities that affect the quality and reliability/credibility of research, development, and investigative data and documentation. These activities include the functions of attaining quality objectives and assuring that an appropriate QA program scope is established. The scope of activities affecting quality includes organization; personnel training and qualifications; design control; procurement; material handling and storage; operating procedures; testing, surveillance, and auditing; R D investigative activities and documentation; deficiencies; corrective actions; and QA record keeping. 12 figs.« less

24 CFR 901.1 - Purpose, program scope and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... receivership agreement, if applicable). (5) To ensure quality management results from a contract between an AME... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HOUSING MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM § 901.1 Purpose, program scope and applicability. (a) Purpose. This part establishes the Public Housing Management Assessment Program (PHMAP) to...

41 CFR 101-31.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Scope of part. 101-31.000 Section 101-31.000 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 31-INSPECTION AND QUALITY...

21 CFR 26.3 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Scope. 26.3 Section 26.3 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF PHARMACEUTICAL GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE REPORTS, MEDICAL DEVICE QUALITY SYSTEM AUDIT REPORTS, AND CERTAIN...

47 CFR 1.1303 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope. 1.1303 Section 1.1303 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Procedures Implementing the National... actions that may or will have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. To the extent...

7 CFR 275.10 - Scope and purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... to enhanced funding. (b) The objectives of quality control reviews are to provide: (1) A systematic... FOOD STAMP AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM PERFORMANCE REPORTING SYSTEM Quality Control (QC) Reviews... responsible for conducting quality control reviews. For food stamp quality control reviews, a sample of...

EDITORIAL: LINKAGES AMONG LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT, QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose and scope of the landscape sciences pilot study is to establish a working group representative of NATO Member and Partner nations to exchange information about landscape science approaches useful for environmental assessment and to transfer landscape assessment techno...

Moving Forward--Shaping a Career Development Culture: Quality Standards, Quality Practice, Quality Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMahon, Mary

2004-01-01

This paper represents the second of two papers written as part of the National Standards and Accreditation of Career Practitioners project. The first, a scoping paper titled Shaping a career development culture: Quality standards, quality practice, quality outcomes (McMahon, 2004), provided information for and guided discussion at the National…

Economic Evaluations of Pathology Tests, 2010-2015: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Watts, Rory D; Li, Ian W; Geelhoed, Elizabeth A; Sanfilippo, Frank M; St John, Andrew

2017-09-01

Concerns about pathology testing such as the value provided by new tests and the potential for inappropriate utilization have led to a greater need to assess costs and benefits. Economic evaluations are a formal method of analyzing costs and benefits, yet for pathology tests, questions remain about the scope and quality of the economic evidence. To describe the extent and quality of published evidence provided by economic evaluations of pathology tests from 2010 to 2015. Economic evaluations relating to pathology tests from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed. Eight databases were searched for published studies, and details recorded for the country, clinical focus, type of testing, and consideration of sensitivity, specificity, and false test results. The reporting quality of studies was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist and cost-effectiveness ratios were analyzed for publication bias. We found 356 economic evaluations of pathology tests, most of which regarded developed countries. The most common economic evaluations were cost-utility analyses and the most common clinical focus was infectious diseases. More than half of the studies considered sensitivity and specificity, but few studies considered the impact of false test results. The average Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist score was 17 out of 24. Cost-utility ratios were commonly less than $10,000/quality-adjusted life-year or more than $200,000/quality-adjusted life-year. The number of economic evaluations of pathology tests has increased in recent years, but the rate of increase has plateaued. Furthermore, the quality of studies in the past 5 years was highly variable, and there is some question of publication bias in reporting cost-effectiveness ratios. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact assessment of land use planning driving forces on environment

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

Chen, Longgao, E-mail: chenlonggao@163.com; Yang, Xiaoyan; School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116

Land use change may exert a negative impact on environmental quality. A state–impact–state (SIS) model describing a state transform under certain impacts has been integrated into land use planning (LUP) environmental impact assessment (LUPEA). This logical model is intuitive and easy to understand, but the exploration of impact is essential to establish the indicator system and to identify the scope of land use environmental impact when it is applied to a specific region. In this study, we investigated environmental driving forces from land use planning (LUPF), along with the conception, components, scope, and impact of LUPF. This method was illustratedmore » by a case study in Zoucheng, China. Through the results, we concluded that (1) the LUPF on environment are impacts originated from the implementation of LUP on a regional environment, which are characterized by four aspects: magnitude, direction, action point, and its owner; (2) various scopes of LUPF on individual environmental elements based on different standards jointly define the final scope of LUPEA; (3) our case study in Zoucheng demonstrates the practicability of this proposed approach; (4) this method can be embedded into LUPEA with direction, magnitudes, and scopes of the LUPF on individual elements obtained, and the identified indicator system can be directly employed into LUPEA and (5) the assessment helps to identify key indicators and to set up a corresponding strategy to mitigate the negative impact of LUP on the environment, which are two important objectives of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in LUP. - Highlights: • Environmental driving forces from land use planning (LUPF) are investigated and categorized. • Our method can obtains the direction, magnitudes and scopes of environmental driving forces. • The LUPEA scope is determined by the combination of various scopes of LUPF on individual elements. • LUPF assessment can be embedded into LUPEA. • The method can help to identify key indicators and set up a strategy to mitigate negative environmental impact.« less

Water Temperature, Invertebrate Drift, and the Scope for Growth for Juvenile Spring Chinook Salmon.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovtang, J. C.; Li, H. W.

2005-05-01

We present a bioenergetic assessment of habitat quality based on the concept of the scope for growth for juvenile Chinook salmon. Growth of juvenile salmonids during the freshwater phase of their life history depends on a balance between two main factors: energy intake and metabolic costs. The metabolic demands of temperature and the availability of food play integral roles in determining the scope for growth of juvenile salmonids in stream systems. We investigated differences in size of juvenile spring Chinook salmon in relation to water temperature and invertebrate drift density in six unique study reaches in the Metolius River Basin, a tributary of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. This project was initiated to determine the relative quality and potential productivity of habitat in the Metolius Basin prior to the reintroduction of spring Chinook salmon, which were extirpated from the middle Deschutes basin in the early 1970's due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam. Variations in the growth of juvenile Chinook salmon can be described using a multiple regression model of water temperature and invertebrate drift density. We also discuss the relationships between our bioenergetic model, variations of the ideal free distribution model, and physiological growth models.

Increased Adoption of Quality Improvement Interventions to Implement Evidence-Based Practices for Pressure Ulcer Prevention in U.S. Academic Medical Centers.

PubMed

Padula, William V; Mishra, Manish K; Makic, Mary Beth F; Wald, Heidi L; Campbell, Jonathan D; Nair, Kavita V; Valuck, Robert J

2015-12-01

In 2008, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services enacted a nonpayment policy for stage III and IV hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs), which incentivized hospitals to improve prevention efforts. In response, hospitals looked for ways to support implementation of evidence-based practices for HAPU prevention, such as adoption of quality improvement (QI) interventions. The objective of this study was to quantify adoption patterns of QI interventions for supporting evidence-based practices for HAPU prevention. This study surveyed wound care specialists working at hospitals within the University HealthSystem Consortium. A questionnaire was used to retrospectively describe QI adoption patterns according to 25 HAPU-specific QI interventions into four domains: leadership, staff, information technology (IT), and performance and improvement. Respondents indicated QI interventions implemented between 2007 and 2012 to the nearest quarter and year. Descriptive statistics defined patterns of QI adoption. A t-test and statistical process control chart established statistically significant increase in adoption following nonpayment policy enactment in October 2008. Increase are described in terms of scope (number of QI domains employed) and scale (number of QI interventions within domains). Fifty-three of the 55 hospitals surveyed reported implementing QI interventions for HAPU prevention. Leadership interventions were most frequent, increasing in scope from 40% to 63% between 2008 and 2012; "annual programs to promote pressure ulcer prevention" showed the greatest increase in scale. Staff interventions increased in scope from 32% to 53%; "frequent consult driven huddles" showed the greatest increase in scale. IT interventions increased in scope from 31% to 55%. Performance and improvement interventions increased in scope from 18% to 40%, with "new skin care products . . ." increasing the most. Academic medical centers increased adoption of QI interventions following changes in nonpayment policy. These QI interventions supported adherence to implementation of pressure ulcer prevention protocols. Changes in payment policies for prevention are effective in QI efforts. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

American History Curriculum Guide: Secondary Social Studies. Bulletin 1599. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Academic Programs.

Developed to enhance the quality of secondary school U.S. history instruction, this curriculum guide provides implementation suggestions and includes the Louisiana social studies: (1) program rationale; (2) curriculum goals; and (3) program scope and sequence. The guide is divided into sections that feature the following themes: (1) toward a new…

41 CFR 101-31.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Scope of part. 101-31.000 Section 101-31.000 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 31-INSPECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL § 101-31...

41 CFR 101-31.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2011-07-01 2007-07-01 true Scope of part. 101-31.000 Section 101-31.000 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 31-INSPECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL § 101-31...

41 CFR 101-31.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Scope of part. 101-31.000 Section 101-31.000 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 31-INSPECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL § 101-31...

41 CFR 101-31.000 - Scope of part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Scope of part. 101-31.000 Section 101-31.000 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 31-INSPECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL § 101-31...

Role of hearing AIDS in tinnitus intervention: a scoping review.

PubMed

Shekhawat, Giriraj Singh; Searchfield, Grant D; Stinear, Cathy M

2013-09-01

Tinnitus can have a devastating impact on the quality of life of the sufferer. Although the mechanisms underpinning tinnitus remain uncertain, hearing loss is often associated with its onset, and hearing aids are among the most commonly used tools for its management. To conduct a scoping review to explore the role of hearing aids in tinnitus management. Scoping review based on the six-stage framework of Arksey and O'Malley (2005). Relevant studies were identified using various databases (Scopus, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, and PubMed) and hand searching of journals and a reference list of articles. Out of 277 shortlisted articles, 29 studies (18 research studies and 11 reviews) were chosen for charting of data based on their abstracts. Tinnitus assessment measures used in studies were recorded along with changes in their scores. Measures used in studies included the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire (THQ), Tinnitus Severity Index (TSI), Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire (TRQ), German version of Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and visual analogue scale (VAS) of tinnitus intensity. Where possible Cohen's d effect size statistic was calculated. Although the quality of evidence for hearing aids' effect on tinnitus is not strong, the weight of evidence (17 research studies for, 1 against) suggests merit in using hearing aids for tinnitus management. The majority of studies reviewed support the use of hearing aids for tinnitus management. Clinicians should feel reassured that some evidence shows support for the use of hearing aids for treating tinnitus, but there is still a need for stronger methodology and randomized control trials. American Academy of Audiology.

Network-Based Analysis of Software Change Propagation

PubMed Central

Wang, Rongcun; Qu, Binbin

2014-01-01

The object-oriented software systems frequently evolve to meet new change requirements. Understanding the characteristics of changes aids testers and system designers to improve the quality of softwares. Identifying important modules becomes a key issue in the process of evolution. In this context, a novel network-based approach is proposed to comprehensively investigate change distributions and the correlation between centrality measures and the scope of change propagation. First, software dependency networks are constructed at class level. And then, the number of times of cochanges among classes is minded from software repositories. According to the dependency relationships and the number of times of cochanges among classes, the scope of change propagation is calculated. Using Spearman rank correlation analyzes the correlation between centrality measures and the scope of change propagation. Three case studies on java open source software projects Findbugs, Hibernate, and Spring are conducted to research the characteristics of change propagation. Experimental results show that (i) change distribution is very uneven; (ii) PageRank, Degree, and CIRank are significantly correlated to the scope of change propagation. Particularly, CIRank shows higher correlation coefficient, which suggests it can be a more useful indicator for measuring the scope of change propagation of classes in object-oriented software system. PMID:24790557

Network-based analysis of software change propagation.

PubMed

Wang, Rongcun; Huang, Rubing; Qu, Binbin

2014-01-01

The object-oriented software systems frequently evolve to meet new change requirements. Understanding the characteristics of changes aids testers and system designers to improve the quality of softwares. Identifying important modules becomes a key issue in the process of evolution. In this context, a novel network-based approach is proposed to comprehensively investigate change distributions and the correlation between centrality measures and the scope of change propagation. First, software dependency networks are constructed at class level. And then, the number of times of cochanges among classes is minded from software repositories. According to the dependency relationships and the number of times of cochanges among classes, the scope of change propagation is calculated. Using Spearman rank correlation analyzes the correlation between centrality measures and the scope of change propagation. Three case studies on java open source software projects Findbugs, Hibernate, and Spring are conducted to research the characteristics of change propagation. Experimental results show that (i) change distribution is very uneven; (ii) PageRank, Degree, and CIRank are significantly correlated to the scope of change propagation. Particularly, CIRank shows higher correlation coefficient, which suggests it can be a more useful indicator for measuring the scope of change propagation of classes in object-oriented software system.

Drinking water quality in Indigenous communities in Canada and health outcomes: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Bradford, Lori E. A.; Bharadwaj, Lalita A.; Okpalauwaekwe, Udoka; Waldner, Cheryl L.

2016-01-01

Background Many Indigenous communities in Canada live with high-risk drinking water systems and drinking water advisories and experience health status and water quality below that of the general population. A scoping review of research examining drinking water quality and its relationship to Indigenous health was conducted. Objective The study was undertaken to identify the extent of the literature, summarize current reports and identify research needs. Design A scoping review was designed to identify peer-reviewed literature that examined challenges related to drinking water and health in Indigenous communities in Canada. Key search terms were developed and mapped on five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE/PubMED, Web of Knowledge, SciVerse Scopus, Taylor and Francis online journal and Google Scholar). Online searches for grey literature using relevant government websites were completed. Results Sixteen articles (of 518; 156 bibliographic search engines, 362 grey literature) met criteria for inclusion (contained keywords; publication year 2000–2015; peer-reviewed and from Canada). Studies were quantitative (8), qualitative (5) or mixed (3) and included case, cohort, cross-sectional and participatory designs. In most articles, no definition of “health” was given (14/16), and the primary health issue described was gastrointestinal illness (12/16). Challenges to the study of health and well-being with respect to drinking water in Indigenous communities included irregular funding, remote locations, ethical approval processes, small sample sizes and missing data. Conclusions Research on drinking water and health outcomes in Indigenous communities in Canada is limited and occurs on an opportunistic basis. There is a need for more research funding, and inquiry to inform policy decisions for improvements of water quality and health-related outcomes in Indigenous communities. A coordinated network looking at First Nations water and health outcomes, a database to store and create access to research findings, increased funding and time frames for funding, and more decolonizing and community-based participatory research aimed at understanding the relationship between drinking water quality and health outcomes in First Nations communities in Canada are needed. PMID:27478143

Health and access to care for undocumented migrants living in the European Union: a scoping review.

PubMed

Woodward, Aniek; Howard, Natasha; Wolffers, Ivan

2014-10-01

Literature on health and access to care of undocumented migrants in the European Union (EU) is limited and heterogeneous in focus and quality. Authors conducted a scoping review to identify the extent, nature and distribution of existing primary research (1990-2012), thus clarifying what is known, key gaps, and potential next steps. Authors used Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage scoping framework, with Levac, Colquhoun and O'Brien's revisions, to review identified sources. Findings were summarized thematically: (i) physical, mental and social health issues, (ii) access and barriers to care, (iii) vulnerable groups and (iv) policy and rights. Fifty-four sources were included of 598 identified, with 93% (50/54) published during 2005-2012. EU member states from Eastern Europe were under-represented, particularly in single-country studies. Most study designs (52%) were qualitative. Sampling descriptions were generally poor, and sampling purposeful, with only four studies using any randomization. Demographic descriptions were far from uniform and only two studies focused on undocumented children and youth. Most (80%) included findings on health-care access, with obstacles reported at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Major access barriers included fear, lack of awareness of rights, socioeconomics. Mental disorders appeared widespread, while obstetric needs and injuries were key reasons for seeking care. Pregnant women, children and detainees appeared most vulnerable. While EU policy supports health-care access for undocumented migrants, practices remain haphazard, with studies reporting differing interpretation and implementation of rights at regional, institutional and individual levels. This scoping review is an initial attempt to describe available primary evidence on health and access to care for undocumented migrants in the European Union. It underlines the need for more and better-quality research, increased co-operation between gatekeepers, providers, researchers and policy makers, and reduced ambiguities in health-care rights and obligations for undocumented migrants. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013.

Health and access to care for undocumented migrants living in the European Union: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Woodward, Aniek; Howard, Natasha; Wolffers, Ivan

2014-01-01

Background Literature on health and access to care of undocumented migrants in the European Union (EU) is limited and heterogeneous in focus and quality. Authors conducted a scoping review to identify the extent, nature and distribution of existing primary research (1990–2012), thus clarifying what is known, key gaps, and potential next steps. Methods Authors used Arksey and O’Malley’s six-stage scoping framework, with Levac, Colquhoun and O’Brien’s revisions, to review identified sources. Findings were summarized thematically: (i) physical, mental and social health issues, (ii) access and barriers to care, (iii) vulnerable groups and (iv) policy and rights. Results Fifty-four sources were included of 598 identified, with 93% (50/54) published during 2005–2012. EU member states from Eastern Europe were under-represented, particularly in single-country studies. Most study designs (52%) were qualitative. Sampling descriptions were generally poor, and sampling purposeful, with only four studies using any randomization. Demographic descriptions were far from uniform and only two studies focused on undocumented children and youth. Most (80%) included findings on health-care access, with obstacles reported at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Major access barriers included fear, lack of awareness of rights, socioeconomics. Mental disorders appeared widespread, while obstetric needs and injuries were key reasons for seeking care. Pregnant women, children and detainees appeared most vulnerable. While EU policy supports health-care access for undocumented migrants, practices remain haphazard, with studies reporting differing interpretation and implementation of rights at regional, institutional and individual levels. Conclusions This scoping review is an initial attempt to describe available primary evidence on health and access to care for undocumented migrants in the European Union. It underlines the need for more and better-quality research, increased co-operation between gatekeepers, providers, researchers and policy makers, and reduced ambiguities in health-care rights and obligations for undocumented migrants. PMID:23955607

Obesity studies in the circumpolar Inuit: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Galloway, Tracey; Blackett, Hilary; Chatwood, Susan; Jeppesen, Charlotte; Kandola, Kami; Linton, Janice; Bjerregaard, Peter

2012-01-01

Background Among circumpolar populations, recent research has documented a significant increase in risk factors which are commonly associated with chronic disease, notably obesity. Objective The present study undertakes a scoping review of research on obesity in the circumpolar Inuit to determine the extent obesity research has been undertaken, how well all subpopulations and geographic areas are represented, the methodologies used and whether they are sufficient in describing risk factors, and the prevalence and health outcomes associated with obesity. Design Online databases were used to identify papers published 1992–2011, from which we selected 38 publications from Canada, the United States, and Greenland that used obesity as a primary or secondary outcome variable in 30 or more non-pregnant Inuit (“Eskimo”) participants aged 2 years or older. Results The majority of publications (92%) reported cross-sectional studies while 8% examined retrospective cohorts. All but one of the studies collected measured data. Overall 84% of the publications examined obesity in adults. Those examining obesity in children focused on early childhood or adolescence. While most (66%) reported 1 or more anthropometric indices, none incorporated direct measures of adiposity. Evaluated using a customized quality assessment instrument, 26% of studies achieved an “A” quality ranking, while 18 and 39% achieved quality rankings of “B” and “C”, respectively. Conclusions While the quality of studies is generally high, research on obesity among Inuit would benefit from careful selection of methods and reference standards, direct measures of adiposity in adults and children, studies of preadolescent children, and prospective cohort studies linking early childhood exposures with obesity outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence. PMID:22765938

Performance and quality indicators for the management of non-cancer chronic pain: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Zidarov, Diana; Visca, Regina; Gogovor, Amédé; Ahmed, Sara

2016-02-19

Chronic pain is a public health problem of epidemic proportion in most countries with important physical, psychological, social and economic consequences. The management of chronic pain is complex and requires an integrated network approach between all levels of the healthcare system and the involvement of several health professionals from different disciplines. Measuring the performance of organisations that provide care to individuals with chronic pain is essential to improve quality of care and requires the use of relevant performance and quality indicators. A scoping review methodology will be used to synthesise the evidence on performance and quality indicators developed for non-cancer chronic pain management across the continuum of care. The following electronic databases will be searched from 2000 onwards: Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Review Group Specialised Register; Cochrane Library; EMBASE; PubMed; CINAHL; PsycINFO; ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. All types of studies will be included if these are concerned with performance or quality indicators in adults with chronic non-cancer pain. In addition, searches will be conducted on provincial, national and international health organisations as well as health professional and scientific associations' websites. A qualitative descriptive approach will be used to describe characteristics of each indicator. All identified indicators will be classified according to dimensions covered by Donabedian and the Triple Aim frameworks. The scoping review findings will inform the development of a performance measurement system comprising a list of performance indicators with their level of evidence which can be used by stakeholders to evaluate the quality of care for individuals with chronic non-cancer pain at the patient, institutional and system level. The results will be disseminated via several knowledge translation strategies, including 2 stakeholder meetings, publication and presentation at conferences. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Sorbent Scoping Studies

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

Chancellor, Christopher John

2016-11-14

The Los Alamos National Laboratory–Carlsbad Operations (LANL-CO) office was tasked by the DOE CBFO, Office of the Manager to perform a review of the acceptable knowledge (AK) to identify the oxidizers and sorbents in transuranic (TRU) waste streams, to conduct scoping studies on the oxidizers and sorbents identified in AK review to inform the Quality Level 1 (QL1) testing, and to conduct a series of QL1 tests to provide the scientific data to support a basis of knowledge document for determining the criteria for (1) accepting waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) without treatment, (2) determining waste thatmore » will require treatment, and (3) if treatment is required, how the treatment must be performed. The purpose of this report is to present the results of the AK review of sorbents present in active waste streams, provide a technical analysis of the sorbent list, report the results of the scoping studies for the fastest-burning organic sorbent, and provide the list of organic and inorganic sorbents to be used in the development of a Test Plan for Preparation and Testing of Sorbents Mixed with Oxidizer found in Transuranic Waste (DWT-TP-001). The companion report, DWT-RPT-001, Oxidizer Scoping Studies, has similar information for oxidizers identified during the AK review of TRU waste streams. The results of the oxidizer and sorbent scoping studies will be used to inform the QL1 test plan. The QL1 test results will support the development of a basis of knowledge document that will evaluate oxidizing chemicals and sorbents in TRU waste and provide guidance for treatment.« less

A Scoping Review of Empirical Research Relating to Quality and Effectiveness of Research Ethics Review.

PubMed

Nicholls, Stuart G; Hayes, Tavis P; Brehaut, Jamie C; McDonald, Michael; Weijer, Charles; Saginur, Raphael; Fergusson, Dean

2015-01-01

To date there is no established consensus of assessment criteria for evaluating research ethics review. We conducted a scoping review of empirical research assessing ethics review processes in order to identify common elements assessed, research foci, and research gaps to aid in the development of assessment criteria. Electronic searches of Ovid Medline, PsychInfo, and the Cochrane DSR, ACP Journal Club, DARE, CCTR, CMR, HTA, and NHSEED, were conducted. After de-duplication, 4234 titles and abstracts were reviewed. Altogether 4036 articles were excluded following screening of titles, abstracts and full text. A total of 198 articles included for final data extraction. Few studies originated from outside North America and Europe. No study reported using an underlying theory or framework of quality/effectiveness to guide study design or analyses. We did not identify any studies that had involved a controlled trial--randomised or otherwise--of ethics review procedures or processes. Studies varied substantially with respect to outcomes assessed, although tended to focus on structure and timeliness of ethics review. Our findings indicate a lack of consensus on appropriate assessment criteria, exemplified by the varied study outcomes identified, but also a fragmented body of research. To date research has been largely quantitative, with little attention given to stakeholder experiences, and is largely cross sectional. A lack of longitudinal research to date precludes analyses of change or assessment of quality improvement in ethics review.

Pharmacist-led discharge medication counselling: A scoping review.

PubMed

Bonetti, Aline F; Reis, Wálleri C; Lombardi, Natália Fracaro; Mendes, Antonio M; Netto, Harli Pasquini; Rotta, Inajara; Fernandez-Llimos, Fernando; Pontarolo, Roberto

2018-06-01

Discharge medication counselling has produced improved quality of care and health outcomes, especially by reducing medication errors and readmission rates, and improving medication adherence. However, no studies have assembled an evidence-based discharge counselling process for clinical pharmacists. Thus, the present study aims to map the components of the pharmacist-led discharge medication counselling process. We performed a scoping review by searching electronic databases (Pubmed, Scopus, and DOAJ) and conducting a manual search to identify studies published up to July 2017. Studies that addressed pharmacist-led discharge medication counselling, regardless of the population, clinical conditions, and outcomes evaluated, were included. A total of 1563 studies were retrieved, with 75 matching the inclusion criteria. Thirty-two different components were identified, and the most prevalent were the indication of the medications and adverse drug reactions, which were reported in more than 50% of the studies. The components were reported similarly by studies from the USA and the rest of the world, and over the years. However, 2 differences were identified: the use of a dosage schedule, which was more frequent in studies published in 2011 or before and in studies outside the USA; and the teach-back technique, which was used more frequently in the USA. Poor quality reporting was also observed, especially regarding the duration of the counselling, the number of patients, and the medical condition. Mapping the components of the pharmacist-led discharge counselling studies through a scoping review allowed us to reveal how this service is performed around the world. Wide variability in this process and poor reporting were identified. Future studies are needed to define the core outcome set of this clinical pharmacy service to allow the generation of robust evidence and reproducibility in clinical practice. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investing in Student Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

During 1996-97 the Education Commission of the States explored three policy areas in which state efforts to improve student achievement have been increasingly concentrated: early childhood education, teacher quality and stronger connections between the K-12 and postsecondary systems. The study surveyed the scope and intensity of state efforts in…

A scoping review of applications and outcomes of traction orthoses and constructs for the management of intra-articular fractures and fracture dislocations in the hand.

PubMed

Packham, Tara L; Ball, Pamela D; MacDermid, Joy C; Bain, James R; DalCin, Arianna

2016-01-01

Intra-articular hand fractures can have devastating consequences for movement and function. The unique nature of the injury and diverse management strategies are a challenge for conducting trials. To conduct a scoping review of traction constructs for the management of intra-articular hand fractures. We conducted a systematic search of the literature, extracting data on the scope and nature of the evidence for traction constructs. Our search yielded 87 articles addressing 3 traction constructs: (1) static traction (n = 17), (2) dynamic external fixation (n = 53), and (3) dynamic orthoses (n = 17). Active range of motion of the target joint was the most frequently reported outcome. Study designs included 36 cohorts, 21 case series, and 9 case studies: 24% contained only technical information. The current literature addressing traction constructs consists primarily of small and low-quality studies. Evidence synthesis could improve the estimation of range of motion outcomes but would not be able to identify the best treatment. Consensus on classification of fracture patterns, routine use of outcome measures, and randomized trials are needed to compare different traction constructs and inform evidence-based care. Scoping review. N/A. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic review of clinical practice guidelines to identify recommendations for rehabilitation after stroke and other acquired brain injuries

PubMed Central

Lannin, Natasha A; Hoffmann, Tammy

2018-01-01

Objectives Rehabilitation clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) contain recommendation statements aimed at optimising care for adults with stroke and other brain injury. The aim of this study was to determine the quality, scope and consistency of CPG recommendations for rehabilitation covering the acquired brain injury populations. Design Systematic review. Interventions Included CPGs contained recommendations for inpatient rehabilitation or community rehabilitation for adults with an acquired brain injury diagnosis (stroke, traumatic or other non-progressive acquired brain impairments). Electronic databases (n=2), guideline organisations (n=4) and websites of professional societies (n=17) were searched up to November 2017. Two independent reviewers used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument, and textual syntheses were used to appraise and compare recommendations. Results From 427 papers screened, 20 guidelines met the inclusion criteria. Only three guidelines were rated high (>75%) across all domains of AGREE-II; highest rated domains were ‘scope and purpose’ (85.1, SD 18.3) and ‘clarity’ (76.2%, SD 20.5). Recommendations for assessment and for motor therapies were most commonly reported, however, varied in the level of detail across guidelines. Conclusion Rehabilitation CPGs were consistent in scope, suggesting little difference in rehabilitation approaches between vascular and traumatic brain injury. There was, however, variability in included studies and methodological quality. PROSPERO registration number CRD42016026936. PMID:29490958

7 CFR 275.10 - Scope and purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... FOOD STAMP AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM PERFORMANCE REPORTING SYSTEM Quality Control (QC) Reviews... responsible for conducting quality control reviews. For food stamp quality control reviews, a sample of... terminated (called negative cases). Reviews shall be conducted on active cases to determine if households are...

Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Reducing Negative Behavioral Symptoms: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Wong, Carin; Leland, Natalie E.

2017-01-01

Background The management of negative behavioral symptoms among residents with dementia is a challenge that nursing homes face in delivering quality care. Objective Examine evidence documenting non-pharmacological interventions that reduce negative behavioral symptoms among nursing home residents with dementia and the role occupational therapy practitioners have in this area. Method A scoping review was completed for intervention studies published from 1987 to 2014, targeting negative behavioral symptoms among nursing home residents over 60 years of age with dementia. Interventions were categorized based on the AOTA Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. Results Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Four types of interventions were identified: occupation-based interventions, context and environment interventions, exercise interventions, and daily routine-based interventions. Conclusion The non-pharmacological interventions were found to align with the scope of occupational therapy. This suggests that occupational therapy practitioners can contribute to the development and evaluation of non-pharmacological interventions aimed to reduce negative behavioral symptoms. PMID:27504691

Parenting for the promotion of adolescent mental health: a scoping review of programmes targeting ethnoculturally diverse families.

PubMed

Ruiz-Casares, Mónica; Drummond, Jennifer D; Beeman, Irene; Lach, Lucyna M

2017-03-01

A scoping review of the literature on parenting programmes that target the promotion of adolescent mental health was conducted to examine the quality of the studies and unique content of programmes for parents from ethnoculturally diverse communities. PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched in April, 2011 (for all publications prior to that date) and again in August, 2015 (for publications from April, 2011 to August, 2015) using specific keywords and inclusion criteria. A hand search was also conducted. Overall, 107 studies met inclusion criteria for final data extraction and included evaluations of interventions targeted at substance use, early/risky sexual activity and behavioural problems. Eighteen of the 107 studies described programmes targeting parents of adolescents from diverse ethnocultural communities; the quality of these 18 studies was assessed using a marginally modified version of the Downs and Black Checklist (Downs & Black 1998). Their average quality assessment score was 16 out of 28. In addition, two key themes reflected in successful interventions emerged: strengthening parent-adolescent relationship through communication, and importance of community engagement in designing and implementing the intervention. Findings indicate gaps in service delivery to parents of adolescents from ethnoculturally diverse communities; there are a limited number of studies on programmes targeting ethnoculturally diverse parents of adolescents, and the quality of studies that do exist is overall low. Given increasing diversity, more emphasis should be placed on developing and modifying programmes to meet the needs of ethnoculturally diverse communities. More rigorous, standardised efforts should be made to evaluate programmes that do exist. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

NHEXAS PHASE I REGION 5 STUDY--QUALITY SYSTEMS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT STUDY (RTI/5740/02-02QSIP)

EPA Science Inventory

The RTI/EOHSI Consortium scoping studies were designed to be part of the total NHEXAS framework that was developed as a result of a series scientific discussions and workshops conducted by the US EPA from 1992 through 1993. Several scientific issues needed to be addressed to eval...

A scoping review of patient discharge from intensive care: opportunities and tools to improve care.

PubMed

Stelfox, Henry T; Lane, Dan; Boyd, Jamie M; Taylor, Simon; Perrier, Laure; Straus, Sharon; Zygun, David; Zuege, Danny J

2015-02-01

We conducted a scoping review to systematically review the literature reporting patient discharge from ICUs, identify facilitators and barriers to high-quality care, and describe tools developed to improve care. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Data were extracted on the article type, study details for research articles, patient population, phase of care during discharge, and dimensions of health-care quality. From 8,154 unique publications we included 224 articles. Of these, 131 articles (58%) were original research, predominantly case series (23%) and cohort (16%) studies; 12% were narrative reviews; and 11% were guidelines/policies. Common themes included patient and family needs/experiences (29% of articles) and the importance of complete and accurate information (26%). Facilitators of high-quality care included provider-patient communication (30%), provider-provider communication (25%), and the use of guidelines/policies (29%). Patient and family anxiety (21%) and limited availability of ICU and ward resources (26%) were reported barriers to high-quality care. A total of 47 tools to facilitate patient discharge from the ICU were identified and focused on patient evaluation for discharge (29%), discharge planning and teaching (47%), and optimized discharge summaries (23%). Common themes, facilitators and barriers related to patient and family needs/experiences, communication, and the use of guidelines/policies to standardize patient discharge from ICU transcend the literature. Candidate tools to improve care are available; comparative evaluation is needed prior to broad implementation and could be tested through local quality-improvement programs.

Quality indicators for hip fracture patients: a scoping review protocol

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

Introduction Hip fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and care of hip fracture patients places a heavy burden on healthcare systems due to prolonged recovery time. Measuring quality of care delivered to hip fracture patients is important to help target efforts to improve care for patients and efficiency of the health system. The purpose of this study is to synthesise the evidence surrounding quality of care indicators for patients who have sustained a hip fracture. Using a scoping review methodology, the research question that will be addressed is: “What patient, institutional, and system-level indicators are currently in use or proposed for measuring quality of care across the continuum for individuals following a hip fracture?”. Methods and analysis We will employ the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. The synthesis will be limited to quality of care indicators for individuals who suffered low trauma hip fracture. All English peer-reviewed studies published from the year 2000-most recent will be included. Literature search strategies will be developed using medical subject headings and text words related to hip fracture quality indicators and the search will be peer-reviewed. Numerous electronic databases will be searched. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts for inclusion, followed by screening of the full text of potentially relevant articles to determine final inclusion. Abstracted data will include study characteristics and indicator definitions. Dissemination To improve quality of care for patients and create a more efficient healthcare system, mechanisms for the measurement of quality of care are required. The implementation of quality of care indicators enables stakeholders to target areas for improvement in service delivery. Knowledge translation activities will occur throughout the review with dissemination of the project goals and findings to local, national, and international stakeholders. PMID:25335964

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

PubMed

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

2014-10-21

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

Exploring health services accessibility by indigenous women in Asia and identifying actions to improve it: a scoping review.

PubMed

Thummapol, Onouma; Park, Tanya; Barton, Sylvia

2018-05-03

The aim of this scoping review was to uncover and summarize what is known in the literature about the experiences of Indigenous women in Asia regarding access to health services. The study was informed by the scoping review methodology proposed by Arksey and O'Malley [2005. "Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework." International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8 (1): 19-32. doi: 10.1080/1364557032000119616 ]. A comprehensive search of the databases for peer-reviewed studies and grey literature was conducted between January 2000 and December 2016. The data of selected papers and abstracts were analysed by three independent researchers through a protocol of data charting, descriptive numerical summary, and thematic analysis. Sixteen articles and two abstracts met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review. These 18 peer-reviewed documents consisted of eight qualitative studies, seven quantitative studies, and three mixed-method studies, which included the peer-reviewed poster and oral presentation abstracts from international conferences. The findings were sorted and grouped under the following themes: health care access for Indigenous women in Asia, facilitators to accessing healthcare services, barriers to accessing healthcare services, and cultural contexts impacting health and access. There is limited information about the experiences, facilitators, barriers, and cultural contexts faced by Indigenous women in Asia related to health services accessibility, and even less information related to improving health services accessibility and health outcomes. This scoping review in particular highlights the dearth of literature relating to Indigenous women's postpartum health and access to postnatal supports and services. Generally, it indicates that Indigenous women in Asia are more vulnerable to poor health in comparison to non-Indigenous women, and continue to face challenges and barriers in accessing quality and equitable health services. The barriers identified in this review are useful in explaining why inequities in health and access to health care for Indigenous women living in Asia continue to exist. Recommendations for future research directions are described.

The influence of staff training and education on prosthetic and orthotic service quality: A scoping review.

PubMed

Forghany, Saeed; Sadeghi-Demneh, Ebrahim; Trinler, Ursula; Onmanee, Pornsuree; Dillon, Michael P; Baker, Richard

2018-06-01

Education and training in prosthetics and orthotics typically comply with International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics standards based on three categories of prosthetic and orthotic professionals. This scoping study sought to describe the evidence base available to answer the question, How are prosthetic and orthotic services influenced by the training of staff providing them? Scoping review. A structured search of the peer-reviewed literature catalogued in major electronic databases yielded 3039 papers. Following review of title and abstract, 93 articles were considered relevant. Full-text review reduced this number to 25. Only two articles were identified as providing direct evidence of the effects of training and education on service provision. While both suggested that there was an impact, it is difficult to see how the more specific conclusions of either could be generalised. The other 23 articles provide a useful background to a range of issues including the specification of competencies that training programmes should deliver (3 articles), descriptions of a range of training programmes and the effects of training and education on student knowledge and skills. Although it is considered axiomatic, the service quality is dependent on practitioner education and training. There is insufficient evidence to establish whether levels of training and education in prosthetics and orthotics have an effect on the quality of prosthetic and orthotic services. Clinical relevance There is very little evidence about the effects of training and education of prosthetists and orthotists on service quality. While this is a somewhat negative finding, we feel that it is important to bring this to the attention of the prosthetics and orthotics community.

Public Evaluation of a Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, W. Harold; Shapton, Karen

A marketing study was conducted in the Sauk Valley College (SVC) Illinois district. This public comprehensive community college conducted a survey to determine public perceptions of the scope and quality of its programs; extent of public involvement with SVC; prospective market for SVC; and primary information sources used by the public concerning…

Risk: The Ethics of a Creative Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargreaves, Janet

2008-01-01

Higher education in the UK espouses to develop intelligence and critical skills in undergraduates. To do this requires exposing students to challenge and thus risk. However, current models of quality assurance are risk-averse and thus potentially limit the scope of creative learning and teaching strategies. Using two case studies, this paper…

Outcomes sensitive to nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy: Systematic scoping review.

PubMed

Griffiths, Peter; Richardson, Alison; Blackwell, Rebecca

2012-07-01

There is long standing interest in identifying patient outcomes that are sensitive to nursing care and an increasing number of systems that include outcomes in order to demonstrate or monitor the quality of nursing care. We undertook scoping reviews of the literature in order to identify patient outcomes sensitive to the quality of nursing services in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy settings to guide the development of an outcomes-based quality measurement system. A 2-stage scoping review to identify potential outcome areas which were subsequently assessed for their sensitivity to nursing was carried out. Data sources included the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, the British Nursing Index, Google and Google scholar. We identified a broad range of outcomes potentially sensitive to nursing. Individual trials support many nursing interventions but we found relatively little clear evidence of effect on outcomes derived from systematic reviews and no evidence associating characteristics of nursing services with outcomes. The purpose of identifying a set of outcomes as specifically nurse-sensitive for quality measurement is to give clear responsibility and create an expectation of strong clinical leadership by nurses in terms of monitoring and acting on results. It is important to select those outcomes that nurses have most impact upon. Patient experience, nausea, vomiting, mucositis and safe medication administration were outcome areas most likely to yield sensitive measures of nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Four aspects of the scope and quality of family planning services in US publicly funded health centers: Results from a survey of health center administrators.

PubMed

Carter, Marion W; Gavin, Loretta; Zapata, Lauren B; Bornstein, Marta; Mautone-Smith, Nancy; Moskosky, Susan B

2016-10-01

This study aims to describe aspects of the scope and quality of family planning services provided by US publicly funded health centers before the release of relevant federal recommendations. Using nationally representative survey data (N=1615), we describe four aspects of service delivery: family planning services provided, contraceptive methods provided onsite, written contraceptive counseling protocols and youth-friendly services. We created a count index for each issue and used multivariable ordered logistic regression to identify health center characteristics associated with scoring higher on each. Half of the sample received Title X funding and about a third each were a community health center or health department clinic. The vast majority reported frequently providing contraceptive services (89%) and STD services (87%) for women in the past 3 months. Service provision to males was substantially lower except for STD screening. A total of 63% and 48% of health centers provided hormonal IUDs and implants onsite in the past 3 months, respectively. Forty percent of health centers included all five recommended contraceptive counseling practices in written protocols. Of youth-friendly services, active promotion of confidential services was among the most commonly reported (83%); offering weekend/evening hours was among the least (42%). In multivariable analyses, receiving Title X funding, having larger volumes of family planning clients and being a Planned Parenthood clinic were associated with higher scores on most indices. Many services were consistent with the recommendations for providing quality family planning services, but there was room for improvement across domains and health centers types. As assessed in this paper, the scope and quality of these family planning services was relatively high, particularly among Planned Parenthood clinics and Title X-funded centers. However, results point to important areas for improvement. Future studies should assess change as implementation of recent family planning service recommendations continues. Published by Elsevier Inc.

7 CFR 634.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... best management practices (BMP's) in project areas which have critical water quality problems resulting... approved agricultural portion of a 208 water quality management plan. Participation in RCWP is voluntary. (c) The program is a new USDA program and an extension of existing water-quality management programs...

40 CFR 131.1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS..., reviewing, revising, and approving water quality standards by the States as authorized by section 303(c) of... water quality standards for Great Lakes States or Great Lakes Tribes (as defined in 40 CFR 132.2) to...

7 CFR 634.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... best management practices (BMP's) in project areas which have critical water quality problems resulting... approved agricultural portion of a 208 water quality management plan. Participation in RCWP is voluntary. (c) The program is a new USDA program and an extension of existing water-quality management programs...

Defining Quality in Undergraduate Education: Directions for Future Research Informed by a Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Alison W.; Ranganathan, Shyam; Simmons, Denise R.

2018-01-01

Objectives: This research brief explores the literature addressing quality in undergraduate education to identify what previous research has said about quality and to offer future directions for research on quality in undergraduate education. Method: We conducted a scoping review to provide a broad overview of existing research. Using targeted…

[Oncological quality indicators and Colorectal Cancer Program: data from 2009-2010 of University Hospital in Ferrara, Italy].

PubMed

Giuliani, Jacopo; Marzola, Marina; Indelli, Monica; Frassoldati, Antonio

2012-02-01

The aim of this study is to analyse the oncological quality indicators on our Colorectal Cancer Program, that are reflective of the scope of care, feasible to implement and supported by evidence. We compared two different populations during the same period: patients referring to our Clinical Oncology Unit coming from Regional Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and the other population that was not in any Colorectal Cancer Program. On the basis of our experience, we concluded for high-quality care for both population. Any critical point should be carefully analysed in order to implement quality of care.

Delivering colonoscopy screening for low-income populations in Suffolk County: strategies, outcomes, and benchmarks.

PubMed

Lane, Dorothy S; Messina, Catherine R; Cavanagh, Mary F; Anderson, Joseph C

2013-08-01

Current and pending legislation provides colorectal cancer screening reimbursement for previously uninsured populations. Colonoscopy is currently the screening method most frequently recommended by physicians for insured patients. The experience of the SCOPE (Suffolk County Preventive Endoscopy) demonstration project (Project SCOPE) at Stony Brook University Medical Center provides a model for delivering colonoscopy screening to low-income populations to meet anticipated increasing demands. Project SCOPE, based in the Department of Preventive Medicine, featured internal collaboration with the academic medical center's large gastroenterology practice and external collaboration with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services' network of community health centers. Colonoscopies were performed by faculty gastroenterologists or supervised fellows. Measures of colonoscopy performance were compared with quality indicators and differences between faculty and supervised fellows were identified. During a 40-month screening period, 800 initial colonoscopies were performed. Approximately 21% of women screened were found to have adenomatous polyps compared with 36% of men. Five cancers were detected. The majority of the population screened (70%) were members of minority populations. African American individuals had a higher percentage of proximally located adenomas (78%) compared with white individuals (65%) and Hispanics (49%), based on the location of the most advanced lesion. Hispanic individuals had a 36% lower risk of adenomas compared with white individuals. Performance measures including the percentage of procedures with adequate bowel preparation, cecum reached, scope withdrawal time, and adenoma detection rate met quality benchmarks when performed by either faculty or supervised fellows. Project SCOPE's operational strategies demonstrated a feasible method for an academic medical center to provide high-quality screening colonoscopy for low-income populations. © 2013 American Cancer Society.

[Therapy of adult-onset laryngeal papilloma: integrallty submucosal dissection of the tumor by CO2 laser].

PubMed

Lei, W B; Liu, Q H; Chai, L P; Zhu, X L; Wang, Z F; Li, Q M; Tang, H C; Jiang, A Y; Wen, Y H; Wen, W P

2016-10-07

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the integrallty submucosal resection of adult-onset laryngeal papilloma by CO 2 laser. Methods: A group of 64 cases (36 males and 28 females, multipe lesions 54 cases and single lesion 10 cases, aged 18-75 years, mean age 43.13 years) with adult-onset laryngeal papilloma encountered in the first affliated hospital of Sun Yatsen university from 2009 to 2015 was retrospectively analyzed. All cases were treated with integrallty submucosal dissection of the tumor by CO 2 laser, and observed the changes of tumor integral scope, inter-operative, operative processes, postoperative voice quality, postoperative scarring, and the tracheotomy conditions, which were analysed and evaluated. Results: A total of 64 patients were followed up from 1 year to 5 years. Preoperative tumor integral scope of these patients averaged of 7.00. A total of 62 cases kept 0 score of the tumor integral scope for at least one year, which lead to a clinical cure rate of 96.9%. The inter-operative averaged of 25.7 months. The total operative processes of these patients were 87 times (mean time 1.36). Four cases resulted in postoperative scarring. However these was a good result in postoperative voice quality with a mean score 4.25. As to the changes of tumor integral scope, all cases got a declining score (mean score 6.72), which resulted in a remission rate of 100%. Conclusion: The integrallty submucosal dissection of adult-onset 1aryngeal papilloma by CO 2 laser was an effective way to reduce the tumor integral scope; lengthen their inter-operative; decrease the operative processes, avoid the occurrence of tracheotomy; and improve the postoperative voice quality. Most of the patients could even be cured ultimately.

Social Media and Rating Sites as Tools to Understanding Quality of Care: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Van de Belt, Tom H; Engelen, Lucien JLPG; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Kool, Rudolf B

2014-01-01

Background Insight into the quality of health care is important for any stakeholder including patients, professionals, and governments. In light of a patient-centered approach, it is essential to assess the quality of health care from a patient’s perspective, which is commonly done with surveys or focus groups. Unfortunately, these “traditional” methods have significant limitations that include social desirability bias, a time lag between experience and measurement, and difficulty reaching large groups of people. Information on social media could be of value to overcoming these limitations, since these new media are easy to use and are used by the majority of the population. Furthermore, an increasing number of people share health care experiences online or rate the quality of their health care provider on physician rating sites. The question is whether this information is relevant to determining or predicting the quality of health care. Objective The goal of our research was to systematically analyze the relation between information shared on social media and quality of care. Methods We performed a scoping review with the following goals: (1) to map the literature on the association between social media and quality of care, (2) to identify different mechanisms of this relationship, and (3) to determine a more detailed agenda for this relatively new research area. A recognized scoping review methodology was used. We developed a search strategy based on four themes: social media, patient experience, quality, and health care. Four online scientific databases were searched, articles were screened, and data extracted. Results related to the research question were described and categorized according to type of social media. Furthermore, national and international stakeholders were consulted throughout the study, to discuss and interpret results. Results Twenty-nine articles were included, of which 21 were concerned with health care rating sites. Several studies indicate a relationship between information on social media and quality of health care. However, some drawbacks exist, especially regarding the use of rating sites. For example, since rating is anonymous, rating values are not risk adjusted and therefore vulnerable to fraud. Also, ratings are often based on only a few reviews and are predominantly positive. Furthermore, people providing feedback on health care via social media are presumably not always representative for the patient population. Conclusions Social media and particularly rating sites are an interesting new source of information about quality of care from the patient’s perspective. This new source should be used to complement traditional methods, since measuring quality of care via social media has other, but not less serious, limitations. Future research should explore whether social media are suitable in practice for patients, health insurers, and governments to help them judge the quality performance of professionals and organizations. PMID:24566844

Social media and rating sites as tools to understanding quality of care: a scoping review.

PubMed

Verhoef, Lise M; Van de Belt, Tom H; Engelen, Lucien J L P G; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Kool, Rudolf B

2014-02-20

Insight into the quality of health care is important for any stakeholder including patients, professionals, and governments. In light of a patient-centered approach, it is essential to assess the quality of health care from a patient's perspective, which is commonly done with surveys or focus groups. Unfortunately, these "traditional" methods have significant limitations that include social desirability bias, a time lag between experience and measurement, and difficulty reaching large groups of people. Information on social media could be of value to overcoming these limitations, since these new media are easy to use and are used by the majority of the population. Furthermore, an increasing number of people share health care experiences online or rate the quality of their health care provider on physician rating sites. The question is whether this information is relevant to determining or predicting the quality of health care. The goal of our research was to systematically analyze the relation between information shared on social media and quality of care. We performed a scoping review with the following goals: (1) to map the literature on the association between social media and quality of care, (2) to identify different mechanisms of this relationship, and (3) to determine a more detailed agenda for this relatively new research area. A recognized scoping review methodology was used. We developed a search strategy based on four themes: social media, patient experience, quality, and health care. Four online scientific databases were searched, articles were screened, and data extracted. Results related to the research question were described and categorized according to type of social media. Furthermore, national and international stakeholders were consulted throughout the study, to discuss and interpret results. Twenty-nine articles were included, of which 21 were concerned with health care rating sites. Several studies indicate a relationship between information on social media and quality of health care. However, some drawbacks exist, especially regarding the use of rating sites. For example, since rating is anonymous, rating values are not risk adjusted and therefore vulnerable to fraud. Also, ratings are often based on only a few reviews and are predominantly positive. Furthermore, people providing feedback on health care via social media are presumably not always representative for the patient population. Social media and particularly rating sites are an interesting new source of information about quality of care from the patient's perspective. This new source should be used to complement traditional methods, since measuring quality of care via social media has other, but not less serious, limitations. Future research should explore whether social media are suitable in practice for patients, health insurers, and governments to help them judge the quality performance of professionals and organizations.

Association between Dietary Intake and "School-Valued" Outcomes: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, H. S. K.; Knight, C.; Nicholson, M.

2017-01-01

Approximately one in four Australian children aged 5-17 years are overweight or obese. Most of the health effects of overweight and obesity in childhood do not eventuate until into adulthood; therefore, motivation for children to have a healthy diet may be low. This scoping review examined the literature for associations between diet quality in…

10 CFR 51.10 - Purpose and scope of subpart; application of regulations of Council on Environmental Quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Responsibilities and Policy Statement on Implementation of Section 511 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act... National Environmental Policy Act-Regulations Implementing Section 102(2) § 51.10 Purpose and scope of... Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) directs that, to the fullest extent possible: (1) The policies...

42 CFR 403.732 - Condition of participation: Quality assessment and performance improvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) Access to care. (ii) Patient satisfaction. (iii) Staff performance. (iv) Complaints and grievances. (v... following: (i) Define quality assessment and performance improvement measures. (ii) Describe and outline...) Inform all patients, in writing, of the scope and responsibilities of the quality assessment and...

42 CFR 403.732 - Condition of participation: Quality assessment and performance improvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Access to care. (ii) Patient satisfaction. (iii) Staff performance. (iv) Complaints and grievances. (v... following: (i) Define quality assessment and performance improvement measures. (ii) Describe and outline...) Inform all patients, in writing, of the scope and responsibilities of the quality assessment and...

42 CFR 403.732 - Condition of participation: Quality assessment and performance improvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Access to care. (ii) Patient satisfaction. (iii) Staff performance. (iv) Complaints and grievances. (v... following: (i) Define quality assessment and performance improvement measures. (ii) Describe and outline...) Inform all patients, in writing, of the scope and responsibilities of the quality assessment and...

42 CFR 403.732 - Condition of participation: Quality assessment and performance improvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Access to care. (ii) Patient satisfaction. (iii) Staff performance. (iv) Complaints and grievances. (v... following: (i) Define quality assessment and performance improvement measures. (ii) Describe and outline...) Inform all patients, in writing, of the scope and responsibilities of the quality assessment and...

40 CFR 81.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... boundary limits as of October 31, 1990. (2) Similarly, for planning areas, air quality maintenance areas..., air quality maintenance area, air basin, or urban growth boundary as of November 15, 1990, except for..., air quality maintenance area, air basin, or urban growth boundary as of October 31, 1990. The...

40 CFR 81.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... boundary limits as of October 31, 1990. (2) Similarly, for planning areas, air quality maintenance areas..., air quality maintenance area, air basin, or urban growth boundary as of November 15, 1990, except for..., air quality maintenance area, air basin, or urban growth boundary as of October 31, 1990. The...

EPA RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS -- MODELS-3/CMAQ OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO AIR QUALITY MODELING

EPA Science Inventory

Regional and global coordinated efforts are needed to address air quality problems that are growing in complexity and scope. Models-3 CMAQ contains a community multi-scale air quality modeling system for simulating urban to regional scale pollution problems relating to troposphe...

42 CFR 423.150 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement... utilization management programs, quality assurance measures and systems, and medication therapy management... organization (QIO) activities. (f) Compliance deemed on the basis of accreditation. (g) Accreditation...

42 CFR 423.150 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement... utilization management programs, quality assurance measures and systems, and medication therapy management... organization (QIO) activities. (f) Compliance deemed on the basis of accreditation. (g) Accreditation...

42 CFR 423.150 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement Requirements... utilization management programs, quality assurance measures and systems, and medication therapy management... organization (QIO) activities. (f) Compliance deemed on the basis of accreditation. (g) Accreditation...

42 CFR 423.150 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement... utilization management programs, quality assurance measures and systems, and medication therapy management... organization (QIO) activities. (f) Compliance deemed on the basis of accreditation. (g) Accreditation...

The response of physician groups to P4P incentives.

PubMed

Mehrotra, Ateev; Pearson, Steven D; Coltin, Kathryn L; Kleinman, Ken P; Singer, Janice A; Rabson, Barbra; Schneider, Eric C

2007-05-01

Despite substantial enthusiasm among insurers and federal policy makers for pay-for-performance incentives, little is known about the current scope of these incentives or their influence on the delivery of care. To assess the scope and magnitude of pay-for-performance (P4P) incentives among physician groups and to examine whether such incentives are associated with quality improvement initiatives. Structured telephone survey of leaders of physician groups delivering primary care in Massachusetts. ASSESSED METHODS: Prevalence of P4P incentives among physician groups tied to specific measures of quality or utilization and prevalence of physician group quality improvement initiatives. Most group leaders (89%) reported P4P incentives in at least 1 commercial health plan contract. Incentives were tied to performance on Health Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) quality measures (89% of all groups), utilization measures (66%), use of information technology (52%), and patient satisfaction (37%). Among the groups with P4P and knowledge of all revenue streams, the incentives accounted for 2.2% (range, 0.3%-8.8%) of revenue. P4P incentives tied to HEDIS quality measures were positively associated with groups' quality improvement initiatives (odds ratio, 1.6; P = .02). Thirty-six percent of group leaders with P4P incentives reported that they were very important or moderately important to the group's financial success. P4P incentives are now common among physician groups in Massachusetts, and these incentives most commonly reward higher clinical quality or lower utilization of care. Although the scope and magnitude of incentives are still modest for many groups, we found an association between P4P incentives and the use of quality improvement initiatives.

Nurses' scope of practice and the implication for quality nursing care.

PubMed

Lubbe, J C Irene; Roets, Lizeth

2014-01-01

This article provides an overview of the implications for patients' health status and care needs when assessments are performed by nurses not licensed or competent to perform this task. The Waterlow scale (Judy Waterlow, The Nook, Stroke Road, Henlade, TAUNTON, TA3 5LX) scenario is used as a practice example to illustrate this case. The international nursing regulatory bodies, in South Africa called the South African Nursing Council, set the scope of practice wherein nurses are allowed to practice. Different categories of nurses are allowed to practice according to specified competencies, in alignment with their scope of practice. A retrospective quantitative study was utilized. A checklist was used to perform an audit on a random sample of 157 out of an accessible population of 849 patient files. Data were gathered in May 2012, and the analysis was done using frequencies and percentages for categorical data. Reliability and validity were ensured, and all ethical principles were adhered to. Eighty percent of risk assessments were performed by nurses not licensed or enrolled to perform this task unsupervised. Areas such as tissue malnutrition, neurological deficits, and medication were inaccurately scored, resulting in 50% of the Waterlow risk-assessment scales, as an example, being incorrectly interpreted. This has implications for quality nursing care and might put the patient and the institution at risk. Lower-category nurses and student nurses should be allowed to perform only tasks within their scope of practice for which they are licensed or enrolled. Nurses with limited formal theoretical training are not adequately prepared to perform tasks unsupervised, even in the current global nursing shortage scenario. To optimize and ensure safe and quality patient care, risk assessments should be done by a registered professional nurse, who will then coordinate the nursing care of the patient with the assistance of the lower category of nurses. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Nursing Scholarship published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Sigma Theta Tau International.

SCOPe: Manual Curation and Artifact Removal in the Structural Classification of Proteins - extended Database.

PubMed

Chandonia, John-Marc; Fox, Naomi K; Brenner, Steven E

2017-02-03

SCOPe (Structural Classification of Proteins-extended, http://scop.berkeley.edu) is a database of relationships between protein structures that extends the Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) database. SCOP is an expert-curated ordering of domains from the majority of proteins of known structure in a hierarchy according to structural and evolutionary relationships. SCOPe classifies the majority of protein structures released since SCOP development concluded in 2009, using a combination of manual curation and highly precise automated tools, aiming to have the same accuracy as fully hand-curated SCOP releases. SCOPe also incorporates and updates the ASTRAL compendium, which provides several databases and tools to aid in the analysis of the sequences and structures of proteins classified in SCOPe. SCOPe continues high-quality manual classification of new superfamilies, a key feature of SCOP. Artifacts such as expression tags are now separated into their own class, in order to distinguish them from the homology-based annotations in the remainder of the SCOPe hierarchy. SCOPe 2.06 contains 77,439 Protein Data Bank entries, double the 38,221 structures classified in SCOP. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Wide Scope, Questionable Quality: Three Reports from the Study on School Violence and Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosse, Scott; Cantor, David; Burr, Michele; Hagen, Carol A.; Hantman, Irene; Mason, Michael J.; Siler, Amy J.; von Glatz, Adrienne; Wright, Mareena McKinley

This volume presents three reports on drug-use and violence-prevention efforts and school-crime patterns in American schools. The reports are based on findings from the Study on School Violence and Prevention, which investigated the extent of problem behavior in 886 schools across the U.S. The findings indicate that schools in general were safe,…

New Initiatives for the Integration of Environmental Studies in Dutch Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooghoff, Hans

In 1988, the Dutch Parliament adopted a motion that must result in an improvement of quality and in the integration of environmental studies in education for the 5 to 16 age group within the next few years. Within the scope of basic education, certain committees received a commission from the minister of education to pay explicit attention to…

Health economic evaluations of patient education interventions a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Stenberg, Una; Vågan, Andre; Flink, Maria; Lynggaard, Vibeke; Fredriksen, Kari; Westermann, Karl Fredrik; Gallefoss, Frode

2018-06-01

To provide a comprehensive overview of health economic evaluations of patient education interventions for people living with chronic illness. Relevant literature published between 2000 and 2016 has been comprehensively reviewed, with attention paid to variations in study, intervention, and patient characteristics. Of the 4693 titles identified, 56 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this scoping review. Of the studies reviewed, 46 concluded that patient education interventions were beneficial in terms of decreased hospitalization, visits to Emergency Departments or General Practitioners, provide benefits in terms of quality-adjusted life years, and reduce loss of production. Eight studies found no health economic impact of the interventions. The results of this review strongly suggest that patient education interventions, regardless of study design and time horizon, are an effective tool to cut costs. This is a relatively new area of research, and there is a great need of more research within this field. In bringing this evidence together, our hope is that healthcare providers and managers can use this information within a broad decision-making process, as guidance in discussions of care quality and of how to provide appropriate, cost-effective patient education interventions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental Quality, the Fourth Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC.

The state of the environment and efforts to improve it are reported upon in this Fourth Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality. Broad in scope, the report covers federal and state activities during the past year, the urban environment, economics and environmental management, the law and land use regulation, environmental quality,…

INCORPORATING WETLANDS IN WATER QUALITY TRADING PROGRAMS: ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality trading has grown in popularity and scope in recent years owing to its potential as a flexible low cost way to achieve water quality goals, especially nutrient removal goals. Wetlands probide a variety of ecosystem services. They can sequester CO2, they can provide ...

A Scoping Review of Empirical Research Relating to Quality and Effectiveness of Research Ethics Review

PubMed Central

Nicholls, Stuart G.; Hayes, Tavis P.; Brehaut, Jamie C.; McDonald, Michael; Weijer, Charles; Saginur, Raphael; Fergusson, Dean

2015-01-01

Background To date there is no established consensus of assessment criteria for evaluating research ethics review. Methods We conducted a scoping review of empirical research assessing ethics review processes in order to identify common elements assessed, research foci, and research gaps to aid in the development of assessment criteria. Electronic searches of Ovid Medline, PsychInfo, and the Cochrane DSR, ACP Journal Club, DARE, CCTR, CMR, HTA, and NHSEED, were conducted. After de-duplication, 4234 titles and abstracts were reviewed. Altogether 4036 articles were excluded following screening of titles, abstracts and full text. A total of 198 articles included for final data extraction. Results Few studies originated from outside North America and Europe. No study reported using an underlying theory or framework of quality/effectiveness to guide study design or analyses. We did not identify any studies that had involved a controlled trial - randomised or otherwise – of ethics review procedures or processes. Studies varied substantially with respect to outcomes assessed, although tended to focus on structure and timeliness of ethics review. Discussion Our findings indicate a lack of consensus on appropriate assessment criteria, exemplified by the varied study outcomes identified, but also a fragmented body of research. To date research has been largely quantitative, with little attention given to stakeholder experiences, and is largely cross sectional. A lack of longitudinal research to date precludes analyses of change or assessment of quality improvement in ethics review. PMID:26225553

A writer's guide to education scholarship: Qualitative education scholarship (part 2).

PubMed

Chan, Teresa M; Ting, Daniel K; Hall, Andrew Koch; Murnaghan, Aleisha; Thoma, Brent; McEwen, Jill; Yarris, Lalena M

2018-03-01

Education scholarship can be conducted using a variety of methods, from quantitative experiments to qualitative studies. Qualitative methods are less commonly used in emergency medicine (EM) education research but are well-suited to explore complex educational problems and generate hypotheses. We aimed to review the literature to provide resources to guide educators who wish to conduct qualitative research in EM education. We conducted a scoping review to outline: 1) a list of journals that regularly publish qualitative educational papers; 2) an aggregate set of quality markers for qualitative educational research and scholarship; and 3) a list of quality checklists for qualitative educational research and scholarship. We found nine journals that have published more than one qualitative educational research paper in EM. From the literature, we identified 39 quality markers that were grouped into 10 themes: Initial Grounding Work (preparation, background); Goals, Problem Statement, or Question; Methods (general considerations); Sampling Techniques; Data Collection Techniques; Data Interpretation and Theory Generation; Measures to Optimize Rigour and Trustworthiness; Relevance to the Field; Evidence of Reflective Practice; Dissemination and Reporting. Lastly, five quality checklists were found for guiding educators in reporting their qualitative work. Many problems that EM educators face are well-suited to exploration using qualitative methods. The results of our scoping review provide publication venues, quality indicators, and checklists that may be useful to EM educators embarking on qualitative projects.

Breast cancer services in Vietnam: a scoping review.

PubMed

Jenkins, Chris; Minh, Luu Ngoc; Anh, Tran Tuan; Ngan, Tran Thu; Tuan, Ngo Tri; Giang, Kim Bao; Hoat, Luu Ngoc; Lohfeld, Lynne; Donnelly, Michael; Van Minh, Hoang; Murray, Liam

2018-01-01

Breast cancer incidence has been increasing consistently in Vietnam. Thus far, there have been no analytical reviews of research produced within this area. We sought to analyse the nature andextent of empirical studies about breast cancer in Vietnam, identifying areas for future research and systemsstrengthening. We undertook a scoping study using a five-stage framework to review published and grey literature in English and Vietnamese on breast cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. We focused specifically on research discussing the health system and service provision. Our results show that breast cancer screening is limited, with no permanent or integrated national screening activities. There is a lack of information on screening processes and on the integration of screening services with other areas of the health system. Treatment is largely centralised, and across all services there is a lack of evaluation and data collection that would be informative for recommendations seeking to improve accessibility and quality of breast cancer services. This paper is the first scoping review of breast cancer services in Vietnam. It outlines areas for future focus for policy makers and researchers with the objective of strengthening service provision to women with breast cancer across the country while also providing a methodological example for how to conduct a collaborative scoping review.

Breast cancer services in Vietnam: a scoping review

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Chris; Minh, Luu Ngoc; Anh, Tran Tuan; Ngan, Tran Thu; Tuan, Ngo Tri; Giang, Kim Bao; Hoat, Luu Ngoc; Lohfeld, Lynne; Donnelly, Michael; Van Minh, Hoang; Murray, Liam

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Breast cancer incidence has been increasing consistently in Vietnam. Thus far, there have been no analytical reviews of research produced within this area. Objectives: We sought to analyse the nature andextent of empirical studies about breast cancer in Vietnam, identifying areas for future research and systemsstrengthening. Methods: We undertook a scoping study using a five-stage framework to review published and grey literature in English and Vietnamese on breast cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. We focused specifically on research discussing the health system and service provision. Results: Our results show that breast cancer screening is limited, with no permanent or integrated national screening activities. There is a lack of information on screening processes and on the integration of screening services with other areas of the health system. Treatment is largely centralised, and across all services there is a lack of evaluation and data collection that would be informative for recommendations seeking to improve accessibility and quality of breast cancer services. Conclusions: This paper is the first scoping review of breast cancer services in Vietnam. It outlines areas for future focus for policy makers and researchers with the objective of strengthening service provision to women with breast cancer across the country while also providing a methodological example for how to conduct a collaborative scoping review. PMID:29473488

Identification of Desired Outcomes for School Nursing Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selekman, Janice; Guilday, Patricia

2003-01-01

The "Scope and Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice" states that school nurses should evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their practice. School nurses have not yet identified and adopted outcomes by which this effectiveness can be measured. This study used focus groups during a national meeting of school nurse leaders to…

A Study of Clinical Supervision Techniques and Training in Substance Abuse Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Paul L.; Hamm, Terri

2012-01-01

Data from 57 clinical supervisors in licensed substance abuse treatment programs indicate that 28% had completed formal graduate course work in clinical supervision and 33% were professionally licensed or certified. Findings raise concerns about the scope and quality of clinical supervision available to substance abuse counselors. (Contains 3…

Early Childhood Worldwide--More Alike Than Different: An Interview with David Weikart.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

1999-01-01

Presents interview with Weikart, founder and president of High/Scope Foundation, on a multi-national study of the nature, quality, and effects of children's experiences prior to formal schooling. Discusses findings related to international similarities in children and parents, engagement levels, the impact of training on teachers, parent roles,…

The Role of Communication and Cohesion in Reducing Social Loafing in Group Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Chris

2015-01-01

This study examines previously untested variables that influence social loafing in professional and technical communication group projects by determining the influence of communication quality and task cohesion on social loafing. A set-up factors model, which included group size, peer review, project scope, and method of team formation, was also…

Fuels research studies at NASA Lewis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antoine, A. C.

1982-01-01

Fuels research studies carried out in a variety of areas related to aviation propulsion, ground transportation, and stationary power generation systems are discussed. The major efforts are directed to studies on fuels for jet aircraft. These studies involve fuels preparation, fuels analysis, and fuel quality evaluations. The scope and direction of research activities in these areas is discussed, descriptions of Lewis capabilities and facilities given, and results of recent research efforts reported.

76 FR 23755 - Release of Draft Risk and Exposure Assessments and Final Integrated Review Plan for the National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-28

... titled, ``Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and... Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Welfare Risk and Exposure Assessment'' (REA Plan for the secondary... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Parts 50 and 58 [EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0699; FRL-9300-4] RIN 2060...

Workplace accommodations for people with mental illness: a scoping review.

PubMed

McDowell, Caitlin; Fossey, Ellie

2015-03-01

Disability discrimination legislation means that employees with a disability or mental illness are legally entitled to reasonable workplace accommodations that enable them to work effectively and safely. This scoping review aims to investigate the types of workplace accommodations provided for people with mental illness, and their costs and benefits. A literature search was conducted using five electronic databases. Peer reviewed research articles published between 1993 and June 2013 were included in this scoping review and their quality was assessed. Opinion papers, reports, and case descriptions were excluded. Nine studies explored workplace accommodations for people with mental illness. The most commonly reported work-related accommodations were flexible scheduling/reduced hours, modified training and supervision, and modified job duties/descriptions. The least common type of accommodation was physical modification to the workplace. For employees with persistent mental illness who were accessing a supported employment agency, the majority of accommodations related to support from the job coach or employment specialist, such as facilitating communication with the employer during hiring or on the job. The quality of the studies varied considerably and the benefits of the accommodations are not yet well documented. There is limited evidence that a larger number of workplace accommodations are associated with longer job tenure. Workplace accommodations appear to be important to support employees with mental illness, but more accessible information about how disability discrimination legislation applies to this population is needed. Future research should address the implementation and effectiveness of mental health-related workplace accommodations.

7 CFR 1728.202 - RUS Bulletin 1728H-702, RUS Specification for Quality Control and Inspection of Timber Products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... calendar year. (2) Ultimate quality control is the responsibility of the producer's management; however, a... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false RUS Bulletin 1728H-702, RUS Specification for Quality... for Quality Control and Inspection of Timber Products. (a) Scope. This specification describes in more...

Logistics and Sampling Plan for Task 2: 1979-1980 IRS Comparison Study. Quality Control Analysis of Selected Aspects of Programs Administered by the Bureau of Student Financial Assistance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Gail; Kuchak, JoAnn

The type, number, and scope of errors on Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) program applications were estimated in a replication of a 1976-1977 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Comparison Study. Information reported on BEOG applicants and IRS income tax returns was compared for various categories of applicants. The study provides information…

75 FR 19948 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Missouri River Authorized...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

..., recreation, water quality, and water supply. Public scoping for the MRAPS will begin in late May 2010. Future..., irrigation, navigation, power, recreation, water quality, and water supply. Section 108 of the Energy and... and wildlife, irrigation, power, recreation, water supply, and water quality control; defining the...

Handwriting difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorders: a scoping review.

PubMed

Kushki, Azadeh; Chau, Tom; Anagnostou, Evdokia

2011-12-01

Functional handwriting involves complex interactions among physical, cognitive and sensory systems. Impairments in many aspects of these systems are associated with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), suggesting a heightened risk of handwriting difficulties in children with ASD. This scoping review aimed to: (1) survey the existing evidence about potential contributions to compromised handwriting function in children with ASD, and (2) map out the existing studies documenting handwriting difficulties in children with ASD. The current evidence implicates impairments in fine motor control and visual-motor integration as likely contributors to handwriting difficulties in children with ASD, though the role of the latter is not well-understood. Moreover, diminished overall legibility and compromised letter formation are emerging points of convergence among existing studies of handwriting quality in children with ASD.

The expanding scope of air pollution monitoring can facilitate sustainable development.

PubMed

Knox, Andrew; Mykhaylova, Natalia; Evans, Greg J; Lee, Colin J; Karney, Bryan; Brook, Jeffrey R

2013-03-15

This paper explores technologies currently expanding the physical scope of air pollution monitoring and their potential contributions to the assessment of sustainable development. This potential lies largely in the ability of these technologies to address issues typically on the fringe of the air pollution agenda. Air pollution monitoring tends to be primarily focused on human health, and largely neglects other aspects of sustainable development. Sensor networks, with their relatively inexpensive monitoring nodes, allow for monitoring with finer spatiotemporal resolution. This resolution can support more conclusive studies of air pollution's effect on socio-ecological justice and human quality of life. Satellite observation of air pollution allows for wider geographical scope, and in doing so can facilitate studies of air pollution's effects on natural capital and ecosystem resilience. Many air pollution-related aspects of the sustainability of development in human systems are not being given their due attention. Opportunities exist for air pollution monitoring to attend more to these issues. Improvements to the resolution and scale of monitoring make these opportunities realizable. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Scoping Review of Peer-led Education in Patient Safety Training

PubMed Central

McLachlan, Andrew J.; Chen, Timothy F.

2018-01-01

Objective. To examine the literature pertaining to the use of peer-led education in patient safety. Findings. Four studies met the inclusion criteria: two were conducted in health care students and two in medical practitioners. Three studies used pre-post evaluation, with one containing a comparator group. One study a post-intervention evaluation only. All studies undertook Kirkpatrick Level 2 evaluations, showing significant improvements in attitudes and knowledge. One study undertook Level 3 and 4 evaluations, showing improvement in self-reported behaviors and engagement in quality improvement initiatives. Summary. There are few studies evaluating peer-led education in patient safety and formal and high-quality evaluations are lacking. PMID:29606704

Monitoring air quality in Southeast Alaska’s National Parks and Forests: Linking atmospheric pollutants with ecological effects

Treesearch

D. Schirokauer; L. Geiser; A. Bytnerowicz; M. Fenn; K. Dillman

2014-01-01

Air quality and air quality related values are important resources to the National Park Service (NPS) units and Wilderness areas in northern Southeast Alaska. Air quality monitoring was prioritized as a high-priority Vital Sign at the Southeast Alaska Network’s (SEAN) Inventory and Monitoring Program’s terrestrial scoping workshop (Derr and Fastie 2006). Air quality...

Medical records in equine veterinary practice.

PubMed

Werner, Susan H

2009-12-01

Quality medical records are the cornerstone of successful equine veterinary practice. The scope and integrity of the information contained in a practice's medical records influence the quality of patient care and client service and affect liability risk, practice productivity, and overall practice value.

Supporting Geographic Investigations and Visualizations and Engaging Students as Citizen Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takaki, E.

2011-12-01

Historically, citizen science projects have had to provide their own technical infrastructure to handle the data they collect. National Geographic Education Programs (funded by the National Science Foundation) has developed a free (or low cost for large projects) online data visualization and analysis tool called FieldScope, which is available to any person or group doing studies that involve geographically dispersed data. FieldScope can house and scaffold the analysis of authentic environmental data as well as augment it with other helpful layers such as precipitation, population density, water quality parameters, etc. During the session, participants will come to understand the basics of GIS, the history of FieldScope, and its unique educational features. We will spend the majority of the time exploring specific tools for analyzing authentic data, the different types of layers that make FieldScope powerful in its educational and research capacities, and examining various questions that can be addressed in a classroom or citizen science setting. We'll conclude the hands-on portion by sharing what was learned and how they were able to make meaning from the myriad of ways that data can be displayed.

The scope of private practice nursing in an Australian sample.

PubMed

Wilson, Anne; Averis, Andrea; Walsh, Ken

2004-01-01

The changing Australian health care system is creating new opportunities for nurses who work directly with clients in private practice settings. This study examines the scope of practice of a cohort of nurses in private practice. In a questionnaire sent to 106 self-employed nurse entrepreneurs, questions were asked pertaining to the participants' scope of practice, their clients, the types of services offered, and their fee structures. Questions about scope of practice were divided into domains of clinical practice, business consultancy, education, and research. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected for a final sample 54 eligible responses. Participants had been in private practice for an average of 7.6 years (range: 1-20) and reported a mean of 21 years of nursing experience (range: 4-42) before entering private practice. Over half held diplomas in specialty areas. Most participants reported clinical practice, consultancy, or education as the primary work domain; research was much less important as a work activity. Nurses reported difficulties with building client base and receiving adequate fees for service, particularly in clinical practice. Increasing awareness within the nursing profession and health sector about various aspects of private practice nursing could improve service quality for their clients.

Role and Scope of the Montana University System. Adopted June 25, 1979 by the Board of Regents, Montana University System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montana State Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, Helena.

The role and scope of the Montana University and postsecondary education system are described. It is explained that the primary goal of the Montana University System is to use as effectively as possible the resources available to it in providing high quality educational opportunities and service to the people of the state, encompassing the three…

Into the Weeds: A Critical Analysis of Game Mechanics and Learning Goals in Games for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horstman, Theresa

2013-01-01

In the broadest scope, the purpose of this research is to expose the range and complexity of how educational games support learning. In a more narrowed scope, the purpose is to develop a method to help identify the qualities of educational video games that support learning. This is accomplished by analyzing the design of the game and the…

How to Evaluate Mobile Health Applications: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Fiore, Pasquale

2017-01-01

Evaluating mobile health applications requires specific criteria. Research suggests evaluation grids and online web sites are available to provide a quick sense of ease for the health care professional wanting to use a mobile application without worrying about the quality, efficacy, and safety of the mobile application. This article will present a scoping review and explore the available resources for health care professionals.

Library Services for State Government; An Evaluation of the Resources of the Oregon State Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Mildred M.

This study outlines the types of library service required to furnish quality reference services to state agencies. The services provided by the Oregon State Library were evaluated according to the standards established by the American Library Association. Evaluation of the collection for scope and coverage in subject areas of automation,…

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

PubMed

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

2018-02-01

Introduction Historically, the quality and performance of prehospital emergency care (PEC) has been assessed largely based on surrogate, non-clinical endpoints such as response time intervals or other crude measures of care (eg, stakeholder satisfaction). However, advances in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems and services world-wide have seen their scope and reach continue to expand. This has dictated that novel measures of performance be implemented to compliment this growth. Significant progress has been made in this area, largely in the form of the development of evidence-informed quality indicators (QIs) of PEC. Problem Quality indicators represent an increasingly popular component of health care quality and performance measurement. However, little is known about the development of QIs in the PEC environment. The purpose of this study was to assess the development and characteristics of PEC-specific QIs in the literature. A scoping review was conducted through a search of PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, Maryland USA); EMBase (Elsevier; Amsterdam, Netherlands); CINAHL (EBSCO Information Services; Ipswich, Massachusetts USA); Web of Science (Thomson Reuters; New York, New York USA); and the Cochrane Library (The Cochrane Collaboration; Oxford, United Kingdom). To increase the sensitivity of the literature, a search of the grey literature and review of select websites was additionally conducted. Articles were selected that proposed at least one PEC QI and whose aim was to discuss, analyze, or promote quality measurement in the PEC environment. The majority of research (n=25 articles) was published within the last decade (68.0%) and largely originated within the USA (68.0%). Delphi and observational methodologies were the most commonly employed for QI development (28.0%). A total of 331 QIs were identified via the article review, with an additional 15 QIs identified via the website review. Of all, 42.8% were categorized as primarily Clinical, with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest contributing the highest number within this domain (30.4%). Of the QIs categorized as Non-Clinical (57.2%), Time-Based Intervals contributed the greatest number (28.8%). Population on Whom the Data Collection was Constructed made up the most commonly reported QI component (79.8%), followed by a Descriptive Statement (63.6%). Least reported were Timing of Data Collection (12.1%) and Timing of Reporting (12.1%). Pilot testing of the QIs was reported on 34.7% of QIs identified in the review. Overall, there is considerable interest in the understanding and development of PEC quality measurement. However, closer attention to the details and reporting of QIs is required for research of this type to be more easily extrapolated and generalized. Howard I , Cameron P , Wallis L , Castren M , Lindstrom V . Quality indicators for evaluating prehospital emergency care: a scoping review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(1):43-52.

Organizational boundaries of medical practice: the case of physician ownership of ancillary services

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Physician ownership of in-office ancillary services (IOASs) has come under increasing scrutiny. Advocates of argue that IOASs allow physicians to supervise the quality and coordination of care. Critics have argued that IOASs create financial incentives for physicians to increase ancillary service volume. In this paper we develop a conceptual framework to evaluate the tradeoffs associated with physician ownership of IOASs. There is some evidence supporting the existence of scope and transaction economies in IOASs. Improvement in flow and continuity of care are likely to generate scope economies and improvements in quality monitoring and reductions in consumer transaction costs are likely to generate transaction economies. Other factors include the capture of upstream and downstream profits, but these incentives are likely to be small compared to scope and transaction economies. Policy debates on the merits of IOASs should include an explicit assessment of these tradeoffs. This research was supported in part by funding from the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). PMID:22828324

Effects of Epilepsy on Language Functions: Scoping Review and Data Mining Findings.

PubMed

Dutta, Manaswita; Murray, Laura; Miller, Wendy; Groves, Doyle

2018-03-01

This study involved a scoping review to identify possible gaps in the empirical description of language functioning in epilepsy in adults. With access to social network data, data mining was used to determine if individuals with epilepsy are expressing language-related concerns. For the scoping review, scientific databases were explored to identify pertinent articles. Findings regarding the nature of epilepsy etiologies, patient characteristics, tested language modalities, and language measures were compiled. Data mining focused on social network databases to obtain a set of relevant language-related posts. The search yielded 66 articles. Epilepsy etiologies except temporal lobe epilepsy and older adults were underrepresented. Most studies utilized aphasia tests and primarily assessed single-word productions; few studies included healthy control groups. Data mining revealed several posts regarding epilepsy-related language problems, including word retrieval, reading, writing, verbal memory difficulties, and negative effects of epilepsy treatment on language. Our findings underscore the need for future specification of the integrity of language in epilepsy, particularly with respect to discourse and high-level language abilities. Increased awareness of epilepsy-related language issues and understanding the patients' perspectives about their language concerns will allow researchers and speech-language pathologists to utilize appropriate assessments and improve quality of care.

Health impact assessment in the United States: Has practice followed standards?

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

Schuchter, Joseph, E-mail: jws@berkeley.edu; Bhatia, Rajiv; Corburn, Jason

2014-07-01

As an emerging practice, Health Impact Assessment is heterogeneous in purpose, form, and scope and applied in a wide range of decision contexts. This heterogeneity challenges efforts to evaluate the quality and impact of practice. We examined whether information in completed HIA reports reflected objectively-evaluable criteria proposed by the North American HIA Practice Standards Working Group in 2009. From publically-available reports of HIAs conducted in the U.S. and published from 2009 to 2011, we excluded those that were components of, or comment letters on, Environmental Impact Assessments (5) or were demonstration projects or student exercises (8). For the remaining 23more » reports, we used practice standards as a template to abstract data on the steps of HIA, including details on the rationale, authorship, funding, decision and decision-makers, participation, pathways and methods, quality of evidence, and recommendations. Most reports described screening, scoping, and assessment processes, but there was substantial variation in the extent of these processes and the degree of stakeholder participation. Community stakeholders participated in screening or scoping in just two-thirds of the HIAs (16). On average, these HIAs analyzed 5.5 determinants related to 10.6 health impacts. Most HIA reports did not include evaluation or monitoring plans. This study identifies issues for field development and improvement. The standards might be adapted to better account for variability in resources, produce fit-for-purpose HIAs, and facilitate innovation guided by the principles. - Highlights: • Our study examined reported HIAs in the U.S. against published practice standards. • Most HIAs used some screening, scoping and assessment elements from the standards. • The extent of these processes and stakeholder participation varied widely. • The average HIA considered multiple health determinants and impacts. • Evaluation or monitoring plans were generally not included in reports.« less

Adverse Drug Reaction Identification and Extraction in Social Media: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Bellet, Florelle; Asfari, Hadyl; Souvignet, Julien; Texier, Nathalie; Jaulent, Marie-Christine; Beyens, Marie-Noëlle; Burgun, Anita; Bousquet, Cédric

2015-01-01

Background The underreporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through traditional reporting channels is a limitation in the efficiency of the current pharmacovigilance system. Patients’ experiences with drugs that they report on social media represent a new source of data that may have some value in postmarketing safety surveillance. Objective A scoping review was undertaken to explore the breadth of evidence about the use of social media as a new source of knowledge for pharmacovigilance. Methods Daubt et al’s recommendations for scoping reviews were followed. The research questions were as follows: How can social media be used as a data source for postmarketing drug surveillance? What are the available methods for extracting data? What are the different ways to use these data? We queried PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar to extract relevant articles that were published before June 2014 and with no lower date limit. Two pairs of reviewers independently screened the selected studies and proposed two themes of review: manual ADR identification (theme 1) and automated ADR extraction from social media (theme 2). Descriptive characteristics were collected from the publications to create a database for themes 1 and 2. Results Of the 1032 citations from PubMed and Embase, 11 were relevant to the research question. An additional 13 citations were added after further research on the Internet and in reference lists. Themes 1 and 2 explored 11 and 13 articles, respectively. Ways of approaching the use of social media as a pharmacovigilance data source were identified. Conclusions This scoping review noted multiple methods for identifying target data, extracting them, and evaluating the quality of medical information from social media. It also showed some remaining gaps in the field. Studies related to the identification theme usually failed to accurately assess the completeness, quality, and reliability of the data that were analyzed from social media. Regarding extraction, no study proposed a generic approach to easily adding a new site or data source. Additional studies are required to precisely determine the role of social media in the pharmacovigilance system. PMID:26163365

Iodised salt and iodine supplements for prenatal and postnatal growth: a rapid scoping of existing systematic reviews.

PubMed

Farebrother, Jessica; Naude, Celeste E; Nicol, Liesl; Andersson, Maria; Zimmermann, Michael B

2015-09-02

Iodine deficiency can adversely affect child development including stunted growth. However, the effect of iodine supplementation or fortification on prenatal and postnatal growth in children (<18 years) is unclear. We identified the potential need for a systematic review to contribute to the evidence base in this area. To avoid duplication and inform the need for a new systematic review and its protocol, we undertook a rapid scoping review of existing systematic reviews investigating the effect of iodised salt and iodine supplements on growth and other iodine-related outcomes. We searched TRIP and Epistemokinos (latest search date 15 December 2014). All English language systematic reviews reporting on the effect of iodine supplementation or fortification in any form, dose or regimen on any iodine-related health outcomes (including but not limited to growth) were included. Eligible systematic reviews could include experimental or observational studies in pregnant or lactating women or children to age 18. We tabulated the extracted data to capture the scope of questions addressed, including: author, publication year, most recent search date, participants, pre-specified treatment/exposure and comparator, pre-specified outcomes, outcomes relevant to our question and number and type of studies included. Methodological quality of included reviews was assessed using AMSTAR. Nine hundred and seventy-six records were screened and 10 reviews included. Most studies were of moderate methodological quality. Outcomes included assessments of thyroid function, iodine deficiency disorders, mental development and growth. Populations studied included pregnant women, preterm infants and children into adulthood. Most reviews looked at direct iodine supplementation or fortification, though some reviews considered iodine status, including the relationship between iodine intake and iodine biomarkers. Although five reviews pre-specified inclusion of growth outcomes, none provided synthesised evidence on the effects of iodine supplementation or fortification on prenatal and postnatal somatic growth. Our rapid scoping review demonstrates a gap in the evidence base with no existing, up-to-date systematic reviews on the effects of all forms of iodine supplementation/fortification in all of the relevant population groups on relevant growth and growth-related outcomes. A new systematic review examining this question will assist in addressing this gap.

Adverse Drug Reaction Identification and Extraction in Social Media: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Lardon, Jérémy; Abdellaoui, Redhouane; Bellet, Florelle; Asfari, Hadyl; Souvignet, Julien; Texier, Nathalie; Jaulent, Marie-Christine; Beyens, Marie-Noëlle; Burgun, Anita; Bousquet, Cédric

2015-07-10

The underreporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through traditional reporting channels is a limitation in the efficiency of the current pharmacovigilance system. Patients' experiences with drugs that they report on social media represent a new source of data that may have some value in postmarketing safety surveillance. A scoping review was undertaken to explore the breadth of evidence about the use of social media as a new source of knowledge for pharmacovigilance. Daubt et al's recommendations for scoping reviews were followed. The research questions were as follows: How can social media be used as a data source for postmarketing drug surveillance? What are the available methods for extracting data? What are the different ways to use these data? We queried PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar to extract relevant articles that were published before June 2014 and with no lower date limit. Two pairs of reviewers independently screened the selected studies and proposed two themes of review: manual ADR identification (theme 1) and automated ADR extraction from social media (theme 2). Descriptive characteristics were collected from the publications to create a database for themes 1 and 2. Of the 1032 citations from PubMed and Embase, 11 were relevant to the research question. An additional 13 citations were added after further research on the Internet and in reference lists. Themes 1 and 2 explored 11 and 13 articles, respectively. Ways of approaching the use of social media as a pharmacovigilance data source were identified. This scoping review noted multiple methods for identifying target data, extracting them, and evaluating the quality of medical information from social media. It also showed some remaining gaps in the field. Studies related to the identification theme usually failed to accurately assess the completeness, quality, and reliability of the data that were analyzed from social media. Regarding extraction, no study proposed a generic approach to easily adding a new site or data source. Additional studies are required to precisely determine the role of social media in the pharmacovigilance system.

A systematic scoping review of adherence to reporting guidelines in health care literature

PubMed Central

Samaan, Zainab; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Kosa, Daisy; Debono, Victoria Borg; Dillenburg, Rejane; Zhang, Shiyuan; Fruci, Vincent; Dennis, Brittany; Bawor, Monica; Thabane, Lehana

2013-01-01

Background Reporting guidelines have been available for the past 17 years since the inception of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement in 1996. These guidelines were developed to improve the quality of reporting of studies in medical literature. Despite the widespread availability of these guidelines, the quality of reporting of medical literature remained suboptimal. In this study, we assess the current adherence practice to reporting guidelines; determine key factors associated with better adherence to these guidelines; and provide recommendations to enhance adherence to reporting guidelines for future studies. Methods We undertook a systematic scoping review of systematic reviews of adherence to reporting guidelines across different clinical areas and study designs. We searched four electronic databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Embase, and Medline) from January 1996 to September 2012. Studies were included if they addressed adherence to one of the following guidelines: Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), Quality of Reporting of Meta-analysis (QUOROM), Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs (TREND), Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). A protocol for this study was devised. A literature search, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors in duplicate. This study reporting follows the PRISMA guidelines. Results Our search retrieved 5159 titles, of which 50 were eligible. Overall, 86.0% of studies reported suboptimal levels of adherence to reporting guidelines. Factors associated with better adherence included journal impact factor and endorsement of guidelines, publication date, funding source, multisite studies, pharmacological interventions and larger studies. Conclusion Reporting guidelines in the clinical literature are important to improve the standards of reporting of clinical studies; however, adherence to these guidelines remains suboptimal. Action is therefore needed to enhance the adherence to these standards. Strategies to enhance adherence include journal editorial policies endorsing these guidelines. PMID:23671390

Barriers and facilitators of access to maternal services for women with disabilities: scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Mheta, Doreen; Mashamba-Thompson, Tivani P

2017-05-16

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasises the increasing equitable coverage of quality health care and provision of integrated services as means of reducing maternal mortality. Despite so much effort being placed on improved access to maternity health care, studies show that women with disabilities are being systemically excluded from the mainstream maternal health services. The proposed scoping review aims to map literature on the barriers and facilitators of access to maternal services for women with disabilities. The search strategy for this scoping review study will involve electronic databases including Pubmed, MEDLINE via EBSCOhost, CINAHL Plus with full text via EBSCOhost, Africa-Wide Info via EBSCOhost, JSTOR and Proquest Health and Medical Complete. Articles will also be searched through the "Cited by" search as well as citations included in the reference lists of included articles. A two-stage mapping strategy would be conducted. Stage 1 would be to screen studies through examining their titles. Furthermore, we will screen abstracts of the identified studies descriptively and by focus and method as stipulated by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In stage 2, we will extract data from the included studies. A parallel screening and data extraction will be undertaken by two reviewers. We will access the quality of the included studies using the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT). We will use NVIVO version 10 to extract the relevant outcomes and thematic analysis of the studies. We anticipate to find relevant studies reporting evidence on the barriers and facilitators of access to maternal health services in Sub-Saharan Africa. The evidence obtained from the included studies when summarised will help guide future research. The study findings will be disseminated electronically and in print. In addition, it will be presented at conferences related to sexual reproductive health, maternal health care and reproductive health.

Taking into Account the Quality of the Relationship in HIV Disclosure.

PubMed

Smith, Charlotte; Cook, Rachel; Rohleder, Poul

2017-01-01

Despite growing interest in HIV disclosure, most theoretical frameworks and empirical studies focus on individual and social factors affecting the process, leaving the contribution of interpersonal factors relatively unexplored. HIV transmission and disclosure often occur within a couple however, and this is where disclosure has the most scope as a HIV transmission intervention. With this in mind, this study explores whether perceived relationship quality influences HIV disclosure outcomes. Ninety-five UK individuals with HIV participated in a cross-sectional survey. Retrospective data were collected on their perceived relationship quality prior to disclosing their HIV positive status, and on disclosure outcomes. Perceived relationship quality was found to significantly affect disclosure outcomes. Positive qualities in the relationship were associated with positive outcomes, whereas negative qualities were associated with negative outcomes. Results further confirmed that this association was not merely correlational, but demonstrated predictive power. Relationship quality might act as either a risk or a resilience factor in the disclosure process, and thus warrants greater attention in future research.

78 FR 20133 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Bull Mountain Unit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-03

... associated pads, access roads, gas and water pipelines, screw compressors and overhead electric lines. This... projected air quality impacts. The project was initially scoped from October 29 to December 12, 2008, for 55..., the BLM has identified the following preliminary issues: Air quality; water quality and supply...

Environmental Quality, the Third Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council on Environmental Quality, Washington, DC.

The state of the environment and efforts to improve it are reported upon in this Third Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality. Broad in scope, the report covers federal and state activities during the past year, the development of environmental indices, and legal implications of the National Environmental Policy Act. The chapter on…

75 FR 32178 - Release of Final Document Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... ``cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or... National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment... Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide AGENCY...

The dental public health implications of cosmetic dentistry: a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Doughty, J; Lala, R; Marshman, Z

2016-09-01

The popularity of cosmetic surgery has seen a rapid increase recently, with the trend mirrored in dentistry. The Department of Health expressed concerns about the potential for biological and psychosocial harm of these cosmetic procedures. Furthermore, the dental public health implications (DPH) of the growing uptake of cosmetic dental procedures have not been explored. Conduct a scoping review to explore the DPH implications of cosmetic dentistry and identify gaps for future research. A fivestage scoping review was conducted of studies identified using the search terms cosmetic AND dentistry. Data from the studies meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted, collated and summarised into themes. Fifty-seven papers met the inclusion criteria (11 cross-sectional studies, 10 literature reviews and 36 opinion pieces). The DPH implications were summarised into five emergent themes: dento-legal and ethical, marketing, psychosocial, biological and workforce. These themes revealed patients' increased expectations, expanding commercialisation of the profession, psychological risks to vulnerable patients, the iatrogenic consequences of invasive cosmetic dental procedures and workforce implications of the current trends. The scoping review found that existing literature on cosmetic dentistry is predominately anecdotal - professional opinions and discussions. Despite this, our findings demonstrated workforce training and governance implications due to increased demand for cosmetic dentistry. Further empirical research is needed to understand the DPH implications of the increasing demand and uptake of cosmetic dental procedures to guide evidence-based policy to safeguard patients and improve the quality of dental services. Copyright© 2016 Dennis Barber Ltd

Interprofessional care in intensive care settings and the factors that impact it: results from a scoping review of ethnographic studies.

PubMed

Paradis, Elise; Leslie, Myles; Gropper, Michael A; Aboumatar, Hanan J; Kitto, Simon; Reeves, Scott

2013-12-01

At the heart of safe cultures are effective interactions within and between interprofessional teams. Critical care clinicians see severely ill patients who require coordinated interprofessional care. In this scoping review, we asked: "What do we know about processes, relationships, organizational and contextual factors that shape the ability of clinicians to deliver interprofessional care in adult ICUs?" Using the 5-stage process established by Levac et al. (2010), we reviewed 981 abstracts to identify ethnographic articles that shed light on interprofessional care in the intensive care unit. The quality of selected articles is assessed using best practices in ethnographic research; their main insights evaluated in light of an interprofessional framework developed by Reeves et al (Interprofessional Teamwork for Health and Social Care. San Francisco, CA: Wiley-Blackwell; 2010). Overall, studies were of mixed quality, with an average (SD) score of 5.8 out of 10 (1.77). Insights into intensive care unit cultures include the importance of paying attention to workflow, the nefarious impact of hierarchical relationships, the mixed responses to protocols imposed from the top down, and a general undertheorization of sex and race. This review highlights several lessons for safe cultures and argues that more needs to be known about the context of critical care if quality and safety interventions are to succeed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic review of economic analyses in patient safety: a protocol designed to measure development in the scope and quality of evidence

PubMed Central

Carter, Alexander W; Mandavia, Rishi; Mayer, Erik; Marti, Joachim; Mossialos, Elias; Darzi, Ara

2017-01-01

Introduction Recent avoidable failures in patient care highlight the ongoing need for evidence to support improvements in patient safety. According to the most recent reviews, there is a dearth of economic evidence related to patient safety. These reviews characterise an evidence gap in terms of the scope and quality of evidence available to support resource allocation decisions. This protocol is designed to update and improve on the reviews previously conducted to determine the extent of methodological progress in economic analyses in patient safety. Methods and analysis A broad search strategy with two core themes for original research (excluding opinion pieces and systematic reviews) in ‘patient safety’ and ‘economic analyses’ has been developed. Medline, Econlit and National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database bibliographic databases will be searched from January 2007 using a combination of medical subject headings terms and research-derived search terms (see table 1). The method is informed by previous reviews on this topic, published in 2012. Screening, risk of bias assessment (using the Cochrane collaboration tool) and economic evaluation quality assessment (using the Drummond checklist) will be conducted by two independent reviewers, with arbitration by a third reviewer as needed. Studies with a low risk of bias will be assessed using the Drummond checklist. High-quality economic evaluations are those that score >20/35. A qualitative synthesis of evidence will be performed using a data collection tool to capture the study design(s) employed, population(s), setting(s), disease area(s), intervention(s) and outcome(s) studied. Methodological quality scores will be compared with previous reviews where possible. Effect size(s) and estimate uncertainty will be captured and used in a quantitative synthesis of high-quality evidence, where possible. Ethics and dissemination Formal ethical approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, presentations and social media. Trial registration number CRD42017057853. PMID:28821527

Physician Self-Audit: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagliardi, Anna R.; Brouwers, Melissa C.; Finelli, Antonio; Campbell, Craig E.; Marlow, Bernard A.; Silver, Ivan L.

2011-01-01

Introduction: Self-audit involves self-collection of personal performance data, reflection on gaps between performance and standards, and development and implementation of learning or quality improvement plans by individual care providers. It appears to stimulate learning and quality improvement, but few physicians engage in self-audit. The…

A Phenomenological Study of Nurse Manager Interventions Related to Workplace Bullying.

PubMed

Skarbek, Anita J; Johnson, Sandra; Dawson, Christina M

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to acquire nurse managers' perspectives as to the scope of workplace bullying, which interventions were deemed as effective and ineffective, and what environmental characteristics cultivated a healthy, caring work environment. Research has linked workplace bullying among RNs to medical errors, unsafe hospital environments, and negative patient outcomes. Limited research had been conducted with nurse managers to discern their perspectives. Six nurse managers from hospital settings participated in in-depth, semistructured interviews. Ray's theory of bureaucratic caring guided the study. These themes emerged: (a) awareness, (b) scope of the problem, (c) quality of performance, and (d) healthy, caring environment. Findings indicated mandated antibullying programs were not as effective as individual manager interventions. Systems must be in place to hold individuals accountable for their behavior. Communication, collective support, and teamwork are essential to create environments that lead to the delivery of safe, optimum patient care.

Caregiver-Provided Physical Therapy Home Programs for Children with Motor Delay: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Gorgon, Edward James R

2018-06-01

Caregiver-provided physical therapy home programs (PTHP) play an important role in enhancing motor outcomes in pediatric patient populations. This scoping review systematically mapped clinical trials of caregiver-provided PTHP that were aimed at enhancing motor outcomes in children who have or who are at risk for motor delay, with the purpose of (1) describing trial characteristics; (2) assessing methodologic quality; and (3) examining the reporting of caregiver-related components. Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest Central, CINAHL, LILACS, and OTseeker were searched up to July 31, 2017. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility. Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials on PTHP administered by parents, other family members, friends, or informal caregivers to children who had or who were at risk for motor delay were included. Two reviewers independently appraised trial quality on the PEDro scale and extracted data. Twenty-four articles representing 17 individual trials were identified. Populations and interventions investigated were heterogeneous. Most of the trials had important research design limitations and methodological issues that could limit usefulness in ascertaining the effectiveness of caregiver-provided PTHP. Few (4 of 17) trials indicated involvement of caregivers in the PTHP planning, assessed how the caregivers learned from the training or instructions provided, or carried out both. Included studies were heterogeneous, and unpublished data were excluded. Although caregiver-provided PTHP are important in addressing motor outcomes in this population, there is a lack of evidence at the level of clinical trials to guide practice. More research is urgently needed to determine the effectiveness of care-giver-provided PTHP. Future studies should address the many important issues identified in this scoping review to improve the usefulness of the trial results.

Water-quality data-collection activities in Colorado and Ohio; Phase III, evaluation of existing data for use in assessing regional water-quality conditions and trends

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norris, J. Michael; Hren, Janet; Myers, Donna N.; Chaney, Thomas H.; Childress, Carolyn J. Oblinger

1990-01-01

During the past several years, a growing number of questions have been raised by members of Congress and others about the status of current waterquality conditions in the Nation, trends in water quality, and the major factors that affect water-quality conditions and trends. One area of particular interest and concern has been the suitability of existing water-quality data for addressing these types of questions at regional and national scales. In response to these questions and concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey began a pilot study in Colorado and Ohio to (1) determine the characteristics of current water-quality data-collection activities of Federal, State, regional, and local agencies and universities; and (2) determine how well the data from these activities, collected for various purposes and using different procedures, can be used to improve our ability to address the aforementioned questions.Colorado and Ohio were chosen for the pilot study because they represent regions with different types of water-quality issues and programs. The results of the study are specific to the two States and are not intended to be extrapolated to other States.The study was divided into three phases whose objectives were:Phase I Identify and inventory 1984 water-quality data-collection programs, including costs, in Colorado and Ohio, and identify those programs that meet a set of broad criteria for producing data that potentially are appropriate for water-quality assessments of regional and national scope. Phase II Evaluate the quality assurance of field and laboratory procedures used to produce the data from programs that met the broad criteria of Phase I. Phase III Compile the qualifying data from Phase II and evaluate the extent to which the resulting data base can be used to address selected water-quality questions for the two States.This report presents the results of Phase III, focusing on (1) the number of measurements made at each data-collection site for selected constituents, (2) the areal distribution of those sites that have sufficient data for selected types of analyses, and (3) the availability of key ancillary information such as streamflow to address broad-scope questions such as:What are existing water-quality conditions?Has the water quality changed? andHow do existing water-quality conditions and changes in these conditions relate to natural factors and human-induced activities?

Systematic review of the methodological quality of clinical guideline development for the management of chronic disease in Europe.

PubMed

Knai, Cécile; Brusamento, Serena; Legido-Quigley, Helena; Saliba, Vanessa; Panteli, Dimitra; Turk, Eva; Car, Josip; McKee, Martin; Busse, Reinhard

2012-10-01

The use of evidence-based clinical guidelines is an essential component of chronic disease management. However, there is well-documented concern about variability in the quality of clinical guidelines, with evidence of persisting methodological shortcomings. The most widely accepted approach to assessing the quality of guidelines is the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument. We have conducted a systematic review of the methodological quality (as assessed by AGREE) of clinical guidelines developed in Europe for the management of chronic diseases published since 2000. The systematic review was undertaken in accordance with the Cochrane methodology. The inclusion criteria were that studies should have appraised European clinical guidelines for certain selected chronic disorders using the AGREE instrument. We searched five databases (Cab Abstracts, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Trip and EPPI). Nine studies reported in 10 papers, analysing a total of 28 European guidelines from eight countries as well as pan-European, were included. There was considerable variation in the quality of clinical guidelines across the AGREE domains. The least well addressed domains were 'editorial independence' (with a mean domain score of 41%), 'applicability' (44%), 'stakeholder involvement' (55%), and 'rigour of development' (64%), while 'clarity of presentation' (80%) and 'scope and purpose' (84%) were less problematic. This review indicates that there is considerable scope for improvement in the methods used to develop clinical guidelines for the prevention, management and treatment of chronic diseases in Europe. Given the importance of decision support strategies such as clinical guidelines in chronic disease management, improvement measures should include the explicit and transparent involvement of key stakeholders (especially scientific experts, guideline users and methodological specialists) and consideration of the implications for guideline implementation and applicability early on in the process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research Review: Psychosocial adjustment and mental health in former child soldiers – a systematic review of the literature and recommendations for future research

PubMed Central

Betancourt, Theresa S.; Borisova, Ivelina; Williams, Timothy P.; Meyers-Ohki, Sarah E.; Rubin-Smith, Julia E.; Annan, Jeannie; Kohrt, Brandon A.

2014-01-01

Aims and scope This article reviews the available quantitative research on psychosocial adjustment and mental health among children (age <18 years) associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG) – commonly referred to as child soldiers. Methods PRISMA standards for systematic reviews were used to search PubMed, PsycInfo, JSTOR, and Sociological Abstracts in February 2012 for all articles on former child soldiers and CAAFAG. Twenty-one quantitative studies from 10 countries were analyzed for author, year of publication, journal, objectives, design, selection population, setting, instruments, prevalence estimates, and associations with war experiences. Opinion pieces, editorials, and qualitative studies were deemed beyond the scope of this study. Quality of evidence was rated according to the Systematic Assessment of Quality in Observational Research (SAQOR). Findings According to SAQOR criteria, among the available published studies, eight studies were of high quality, four were of moderate quality, and the remaining nine were of low quality. Common limitations were lack of validated mental health measures, unclear methodology including undefined sampling approaches, and failure to report missing data. Only five studies included a comparison group of youth not involved with armed forces/armed groups, and only five studies assessed mental health at more than one point in time. Across studies, a number of risk and protective factors were associated with postconflict psychosocial adjustment and social reintegration in CAAFAG. Abduction, age of conscription, exposure to violence, gender, and community stigma were associated with increased internalizing and externalizing mental health problems. Family acceptance, social support, and educational/economic opportunities were associated with improved psychosocial adjustment. Conclusions Research on the social reintegration and psychosocial adjustment of former child soldiers is nascent. A number of gaps in the available literature warrant future study. Recommendations to bolster the evidence base on psychosocial adjustment in former child soldiers and other war-affected youth include more studies comprising longitudinal study designs, and validated cross-cultural instruments for assessing mental health, as well as more integrated community-based approaches to study design and research monitoring. PMID:23061830

A Case Study: The High/Scope Preschool Curriculum and Kindergarten Readiness in the Pittsgrove Township School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Loren D.

2010-01-01

The New Jersey Department of Education has been stressing the value of early childhood education for the past 12 years. Research has clearly demonstrated the value of high-quality preschool programs for preparing children for school and even later life. Particularly in light of the Core Curriculum Content Standards and elementary curriculum, which…

Quality of Blended Learning within the Scope of the Bologna Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monteiro, Angelica; Leite, Carlinda; Lima, Lurdes

2013-01-01

This article builds on existing data about the blended learning approach in higher education. It presents the theoretical framework and data of an empirical study conducted at the University of Porto in Portugal involving teachers who won the E-Learning Prize of Excellence in the period between 2006 and 2010. The main objective of this article is…

The Translation of Western Teaching Approaches in the Hong Kong Early Childhood Curriculum: A Promise for Effective Teaching?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pui-Wah, Doris Cheng

2006-01-01

This article reports data from a study about the challenges of teaching reform carried out by three in-service kindergarten teachers in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Intending to improve the quality of teaching and learning, these teachers adapted Western teaching approaches such as High Scope and Project approaches, which they had…

Frequency-Response Identification of XV-15 Tilt-Rotor Aircraft Dynamics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-01

and the rotor interference with the other 2 aircraft elements are modeled in detail. Also modeled are numerous sub- system dynamics such as the engine ...scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. (Electrical Engineering ) Approved for the University Com ittee on Graduate...Spectral Relationships .................................. 143 B.2 Numerical Study......................................... 149 B.3 Conclusions of

THE LAKE MICHIGAN MASS BALANCE PROJECT: QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN FOR MATHEMATICAL MODELLING

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the quality assurance process for the development and application of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Models. The scope includes the overall modeling framework as well as the specific submodels that are linked to form a comprehensive synthesis of physical, che...

A scoping review of the nurse practitioner workforce in oncology.

PubMed

Coombs, Lorinda A; Hunt, Lauren; Cataldo, Janine

2016-08-01

The quality of cancer care may be compromised in the near future because of work force issues. Several factors will impact the oncology health provider work force: an aging population, an increase in the number of cancer survivors, and expansion of health care coverage for the previously uninsured. Between October 2014 and March 2015, an electronic literature search of English language articles was conducted using PubMed(®) , the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (CINAHL(®) ), Web of Science, Journal Storage (JSTOR(®) ), Google Scholar, and SCOPUS(®) . Using the scoping review criteria, the research question was identified "How much care in oncology is provided by nurse practitioners (NPs)?" Key search terms were kept broad and included: "NP" AND "oncology" AND "workforce". The literature was searched between 2005 and 2015, using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 studies were identified, further review resulted in 10 relevant studies that met all criteria. Results demonstrated that NPs are utilized in both inpatient and outpatient settings, across all malignancy types and in a variety of roles. Academic institutions were strongly represented in all relevant studies, a finding that may reflect the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty work hour limitations. There was no pattern associated with state scope of practice and NP representation in this scoping review. Many of the studies reviewed relied on subjective information, or represented a very small number of NPs. There is an obvious need for an objective analysis of the amount of care provided by oncology NPs. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Medication safety programs in primary care: a scoping review.

PubMed

Khalil, Hanan; Shahid, Monica; Roughead, Libby

2017-10-01

Medication safety plays an essential role in all healthcare organizations; improving this area is paramount to quality and safety of any wider healthcare program. While several medication safety programs in the hospital setting have been described and the associated impact on patient safety evaluated, no systematic reviews have described the impact of medication safety programs in the primary care setting. A preliminary search of the literature demonstrated that no systematic reviews, meta-analysis or scoping reviews have reported on medication safety programs in primary care; instead they have focused on specific interventions such as medication reconciliation or computerized physician order entry. This scoping review sought to map the current medication safety programs used in primary care. The current scoping review sought to examine the characteristics of medication safety programs in the primary care setting and to map evidence on the outcome measures used to assess the effectiveness of medication safety programs in improving patient safety. The current review considered participants of any age and any condition using care obtained from any primary care services. We considered studies that focussed on the characteristics of medication safety programs and the outcome measures used to measure the effectiveness of these programs on patient safety in the primary care setting. The context of this review was primary care settings, primary healthcare organizations, general practitioner clinics, outpatient clinics and any other clinics that do not classify patients as inpatients. We considered all quantitative studied published in English. A three-step search strategy was utilized in this review. Data were extracted from the included studies to address the review question. The data extracted included type of medication safety program, author, country of origin, aims and purpose of the study, study population, method, comparator, context, main findings and outcome measures. The objectives, inclusion criteria and methods for this scoping review were specified in advance and documented in a protocol that was previously published. This scoping review included nine studies published over an eight-year period that investigated or described the effects of medication safety programs in primary care settings. We classified each of the nine included studies into three main sections according to whether they included an organizational, professional or patient component. The organizational component is aimed at changing the structure of the organization to implement the intervention, the professional component is aimed at the healthcare professionals involved in implementing the interventions, and the patient component is aimed at counseling and education of the patient. All of the included studies had different types of medication safety programs. The programs ranged from complex interventions including pharmacists and teams of healthcare professionals to educational packages for patients and computerized system interventions. The outcome measures described in the included studies were medication error incidence, adverse events and number of drug-related problems. Multi-faceted medication safety programs are likely to vary in characteristics. They include educational training, quality improvement tools, informatics, patient education and feedback provision. The most likely outcome measure for these programs is the incidence of medication errors and reported adverse events or drug-related problems.

Control of Pollutants in the Trans-Boundary Area of Taihu Basin, Yangtze Delta.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao; Katopodes, Nikolaos; Shen, Chunqi; Wang, Hua; Pang, Yong; Zhou, Qi

2016-12-17

This work focuses on pollution control in the trans-boundary area of Taihu Basin. Considering the unique characteristics of the river network in the study area, a new methodology of pollution control is proposed aiming at improving the water quality in the trans-boundary area and reducing conflicts between up and downstream regions. Based on monitoring data and statistical analysis, important trans-boundary cross sections identified by the regional government were selected as important areas for consideration in developing management objectives; using a 1-D mathematicmodel and an effective weight evaluation model, the trans-boundary effective control scope (TECS) of the study area was identified as the scope for pollutant control; the acceptable pollution load was then estimated using an established model targeting bi-directional flow. The results suggest that the water environmental capacity for chemical oxygen demand (COD), in order to guarantee reaching the target water quality standard in the TECS, is 160,806 t/year, and amounts to 16,098 t/year, 3493 t/year, and 39,768 t/year for ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, respectively. Our study method and results have been incorporated into the local government management project, and have been proven to be useful in designing a pollution control strategy and management policy.

Control of Pollutants in the Trans-Boundary Area of Taihu Basin, Yangtze Delta

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiao; Katopodes, Nikolaos; Shen, Chunqi; Wang, Hua; Pang, Yong; Zhou, Qi

2016-01-01

This work focuses on pollution control in the trans-boundary area of Taihu Basin. Considering the unique characteristics of the river network in the study area, a new methodology of pollution control is proposed aiming at improving the water quality in the trans-boundary area and reducing conflicts between up and downstream regions. Based on monitoring data and statistical analysis, important trans-boundary cross sections identified by the regional government were selected as important areas for consideration in developing management objectives; using a 1-D mathematicmodel and an effective weight evaluation model, the trans-boundary effective control scope (TECS) of the study area was identified as the scope for pollutant control; the acceptable pollution load was then estimated using an established model targeting bi-directional flow. The results suggest that the water environmental capacity for chemical oxygen demand (COD), in order to guarantee reaching the target water quality standard in the TECS, is 160,806 t/year, and amounts to 16,098 t/year, 3493 t/year, and 39,768 t/year for ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, respectively. Our study method and results have been incorporated into the local government management project, and have been proven to be useful in designing a pollution control strategy and management policy. PMID:27999331

Choice in School: Its Importance and Scope

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yagnamurthy, Sreekanth

2013-01-01

The author reviews various factors defining school choice, and school curricula. A key assumption behind the rhetoric logic of school choice is the notion that parents actually choose from schools of varying quality. If parents choose from high-quality schools, choice policy will enhance educational opportunities. If, however, the considered…

7 CFR 283.2 - Scope and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... agencies of Food and Nutrition Service quality control (QC) claims for Fiscal Year (“FY”) 1986 and... Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD STAMP AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM APPEALS OF QUALITY CONTROL (âQCâ) CLAIMS General § 283.2...

Does encouraging the use of wetlands in water quality trading Programs make economic sense? presentation

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality trading has grown in popularity and scope in recent years owing to its potential as a flexible, low-cost way to achieve nutrient reduction goals. Policy makers are interested in encouraging traders, primarily agricultural sources, to use restored and constructed we...

The Northeast Stream Quality Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Riva-Murray, Karen; Coles, James F.

2016-04-22

In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) is assessing stream quality in the northeastern United States. The goal of the Northeast Stream Quality Assessment (NESQA) is to assess the quality of streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to aquatic life and evaluating the relation between these stressors and biological communities. The focus of NESQA in 2016 will be on the effects of urbanization and agriculture on stream quality in all or parts of eight states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.Findings will provide the public and policymakers with information about the most critical factors affecting stream quality, thus providing insights about possible approaches to protect the health of streams in the region. The NESQA study will be the fourth regional study conducted as part of NAWQA and will be of similar design and scope to the first three, in the Midwest in 2013, the Southeast in 2014, and the Pacific Northwest in 2015 (http://txpub.usgs.gov/RSQA/).

Quality of work life: experiences of Iranian nurses.

PubMed

Vagharseyyedin, Seyyed Abolfazl; Vanaki, Zohreh; Mohammadi, Eesa

2011-03-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of Iranian nurses concerning their quality of work life. A purposive sample of nurses (n = 14) was recruited from two university hospitals. The data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis. The results indicated that the participants discerned their quality of work life by assessing how favorable were their working conditions, the level of fulfilment of their personal needs, and the impact of their working conditions on their private life and their social life. Three main themes were identified: quality of work life, as experienced from a personal perspective; quality of work life, as experienced from a sociocultural perspective; and quality of work life, as experienced from an organizational-professional perspective. The results of the present study will help Iranian nurse administrators to adopt effective strategies in order to improve nurses' quality of work life. Future research can broaden the scope of the current results and offer a more comprehensive understanding of nurses' quality of work life. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Conceptual design study of a V/STOL lift fan commercial short haul transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, R. G.; Powell, W. V., Jr.; Prizlow, J. A.

1973-01-01

Conceptual designs of V/STOL lift fan commercial short haul transport aircraft for the 1980-85 time period were studied to determine their technical and economic feasibility. The engine concepts included both integral and remote fans. The scope of the study included definition of the hover control concept for each propulsion system, aircraft design, mass properties, cruise performance, noise and ride qualities evaluation. Economic evaluation was also studied on the basis of direct-operating costs and route structure.

Conceptual design of a V/STOL lift fan commercial short haul transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Conceptual designs of V/STOL lift-fan commercial short-haul transport aircraft for the 1980-85 time period were studied to determine their technical and economic feasibility. Engine concepts studied included both integral remote fans. The scope of the study included definition of the hover control concept for each propulsion system, aircraft design, aircraft mass properties, cruise performance noise, and ride qualities evaluation. Economic evaluation was also studied on a basis of direct operating cost and route structure.

Analytic nuclear forces and molecular properties from full configuration interaction quantum Monte Carlo

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

Thomas, Robert E.; Overy, Catherine; Opalka, Daniel

Unbiased stochastic sampling of the one- and two-body reduced density matrices is achieved in full configuration interaction quantum Monte Carlo with the introduction of a second, “replica” ensemble of walkers, whose population evolves in imaginary time independently from the first and which entails only modest additional computational overheads. The matrices obtained from this approach are shown to be representative of full configuration-interaction quality and hence provide a realistic opportunity to achieve high-quality results for a range of properties whose operators do not necessarily commute with the Hamiltonian. A density-matrix formulated quasi-variational energy estimator having been already proposed and investigated, themore » present work extends the scope of the theory to take in studies of analytic nuclear forces, molecular dipole moments, and polarisabilities, with extensive comparison to exact results where possible. These new results confirm the suitability of the sampling technique and, where sufficiently large basis sets are available, achieve close agreement with experimental values, expanding the scope of the method to new areas of investigation.« less

Outcomes associated with prescribed medications in older adults with multimorbidity: protocol for a scoping review

PubMed Central

Tricco, Andrea C; Vyas, Manav; Kohli, Kapil; Soin, Sarthak; Abaeian, Mitra; Watt, Stephanie; Straus, Sharon E

2017-01-01

Introduction Multimorbidity becomes increasingly prevalent with ageing. Polypharmacy is often associated with multimorbidity because patients accrue medications to treat each individual disease; however, there is uncertainty around the generalisability of disease-specific guidelines. Namely, the extrapolation of results from studies conducted in younger patients to older adults with multimorbidity. The main objective of this scoping review is to explore our current knowledge of the outcomes that older adults with multimorbidity experience from taking prescribed medications. Methods and analysis A scoping review will be conducted to explore what is known about the outcomes experienced by older adults with multimorbidity who are taking guideline-recommended medications and to identify areas for future research. In addition to searching the grey literature, the following databases will be searched from 1990 onward: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library. Experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental studies consisting of patients ≥65 years old who have two or more comorbid conditions (explicitly grouped together for the purpose of analysis) and who are being prescribed a guideline-recommended prescription medication for a chronic condition will be considered for inclusion in our scoping review. We will describe patient (eg, mortality, morbidity, quality of life) and health system (eg, number of emergency department visits or hospitalisations, cost to third-party payer) outcomes associated with the prescription of medications for older adults who have two or more chronic comorbid conditions. Two reviewers will complete all screening and data abstraction independently. Data will be synthesised with descriptive statistics. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval is not required because this is a scoping review of published literature. Results will be disseminated through conference presentations and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. PMID:28235972

IEEE Std 730 Software Quality Assurance: Supporting CMMI-DEV v1.3, Product and Process Quality Assurance

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-27

frameworks 4 CMMI-DEV IEEE / ISO / IEC 15288 / 12207 Quality Assurance ©2011 Walz IEEE Life Cycle Processes & Artifacts • Systems Life Cycle Processes...TAG to ISO TC 176 Quality Management • Quality: ASQ, work experience • Software: three books, consulting, work experience • Systems: Telecom & DoD...and IEEE 730 SQA need to align. The P730 IEEE standards working group has expanded the scope of the SQA process standard to align with IS 12207

Identifying models of delivery, care domains and quality indicators relevant to palliative day services: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

O'Connor, Seán R; Dempster, Martin; McCorry, Noleen K

2017-05-16

With an ageing population and increasing numbers of people with life-limiting illness, there is a growing demand for palliative day services. There is a need to measure and demonstrate the quality of these services, but there is currently little agreement on which aspects of care should be used to do this. The aim of the scoping review will be to map the extent, range and nature of the evidence around models of delivery, care domains and existing quality indicators used to evaluate palliative day services. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) will be searched for evidence using consensus development methods; randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials; mixed methods; and prospective, longitudinal or retrospective case-control studies to develop or test quality indicators for evaluating palliative care within non-residential settings, including day hospices and community or primary care settings. At least two researchers will independently conduct all searches, study selection and data abstraction procedures. Meta-analyses and statistical methods of synthesis are not planned as part of the review. Results will be reported using numerical counts, including number of indicators in each care domain and by using qualitative approach to describe important indicator characteristics. A conceptual model will also be developed to summarise the impact of different aspects of quality in a palliative day service context. Methodological quality relating to indicator development will be assessed using the Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) tool. Overall strength of evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Final decisions on quality assessment will be made via consensus between review authors. Identifying, developing and implementing evidence-based quality indicators is critical to the evaluation and continued improvement of palliative care. Review findings will be used to support clinicians and policymakers make decisions on which quality indicators are most appropriate for evaluating day services at the patient and service level, and to identify areas for further research.

Known unknowns: indirect energy effects of information and communication technology

DOE PAGES

Horner, Nathaniel C.; Shehabi, Arman; Azevedo, Ines L.

2016-10-05

There has been sustained and growing interest in characterizing the net energy impact of information and communication technology (ICT), which results from indirect effects offsetting (or amplifying) the energy directly consumed by ICT equipment. These indirect effects may be either positive or negative, and there is considerable disagreement as to the direction of this sign as well as the effect magnitude. Literature in this area ranges from studies focused on a single service (such as e-commerce versus traditional retail) to macroeconomic studies attempting to characterize the overall impact of ICT. Methods. We review the literature on the indirect energy effectmore » of ICT found via Google Scholar, our own research, and input from other researchers in the field. The various studies are linked to an effect taxonomy, which is synthesized from several different hierarchies present in the literature. References are further grouped according to ICT service (e.g., e-commerce, telework) and summarized by scope, method, and quantitative and qualitative findings. Review results. Uncertainty persists in understanding the net energy effects of ICT. Results of indirect energy effect studies are highly sensitive to scoping decisions and assumptions made by the analyst. Uncertainty increases as the impact scope broadens, due to complex and interconnected effects. However, there is general agreement that ICT has large energy savings potential, but that the realization of this potential is highly dependent on deployment details and user behavior. Discussion. While the overall net effect of ICT is likely to remain unknown, this review suggests several guidelines for improving research quality in this area, including increased data collection, enhancing traditional modeling studies with sensitivity analysis, greater care in scoping, less confidence in characterizing aggregate impacts, more effort on understanding user behavior, and more contextual integration across the different levels of the effect taxonomy.« less

Known unknowns: indirect energy effects of information and communication technology

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

Horner, Nathaniel C.; Shehabi, Arman; Azevedo, Ines L.

There has been sustained and growing interest in characterizing the net energy impact of information and communication technology (ICT), which results from indirect effects offsetting (or amplifying) the energy directly consumed by ICT equipment. These indirect effects may be either positive or negative, and there is considerable disagreement as to the direction of this sign as well as the effect magnitude. Literature in this area ranges from studies focused on a single service (such as e-commerce versus traditional retail) to macroeconomic studies attempting to characterize the overall impact of ICT. Methods. We review the literature on the indirect energy effectmore » of ICT found via Google Scholar, our own research, and input from other researchers in the field. The various studies are linked to an effect taxonomy, which is synthesized from several different hierarchies present in the literature. References are further grouped according to ICT service (e.g., e-commerce, telework) and summarized by scope, method, and quantitative and qualitative findings. Review results. Uncertainty persists in understanding the net energy effects of ICT. Results of indirect energy effect studies are highly sensitive to scoping decisions and assumptions made by the analyst. Uncertainty increases as the impact scope broadens, due to complex and interconnected effects. However, there is general agreement that ICT has large energy savings potential, but that the realization of this potential is highly dependent on deployment details and user behavior. Discussion. While the overall net effect of ICT is likely to remain unknown, this review suggests several guidelines for improving research quality in this area, including increased data collection, enhancing traditional modeling studies with sensitivity analysis, greater care in scoping, less confidence in characterizing aggregate impacts, more effort on understanding user behavior, and more contextual integration across the different levels of the effect taxonomy.« less

Methods, strategies and technologies used to conduct a scoping literature review of collaboration between primary care and public health.

PubMed

Valaitis, Ruta; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Wong, Sabrina T; MacDonald, Marjorie; Meagher-Stewart, Donna; Austin, Patricia; Kaczorowski, Janusz; O-Mara, Linda; Savage, Rachel

2012-07-01

This paper describes the methods, strategies and technologies used to conduct a scoping literature review examining primary care (PC) and public health (PH) collaboration. It presents challenges encountered as well as recommendations and 'lessons learned' from conducting the review with a large geographically distributed team comprised of researchers and decision-makers using an integrated knowledge translation approach. Scoping studies comprehensively map literature in a specific area guided by general research questions. This methodology is especially useful in researching complex topics. Thus, their popularity is growing. Stakeholder consultations are an important strategy to enhance study results. Therefore, information about how best to involve stakeholders throughout the process is necessary to improve quality and uptake of reviews. This review followed Arksey and O'Malley's five stages: identifying research questions; identifying relevant studies; study selection; charting the data; and collating, summarizing and reporting results. Technological tools and strategies included: citation management software (Reference Manager®), qualitative data analysis software (NVivo 8), web conferencing (Elluminate Live!) and a PH portal (eHealthOntario), teleconferences, email and face-to-face meetings. Of 6125 papers identified, 114 were retained as relevant. Most papers originated in the United Kingdom (38%), the United States (34%) and Canada (19%). Of 80 papers that reported on specific collaborations, most were descriptive reports (51.3%). Research studies represented 34 papers: 31% were program evaluations, 9% were literature reviews and 9% were discussion papers. Key strategies to ensure rigor in conducting a scoping literature review while engaging a large geographically dispersed team are presented for each stage. The use of enabling technologies was essential to managing the process. Leadership in championing the use of technologies and a clear governance structure were necessary for their successful uptake.

Known unknowns: indirect energy effects of information and communication technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horner, Nathaniel C.; Shehabi, Arman; Azevedo, Inês L.

2016-10-01

Background. There has been sustained and growing interest in characterizing the net energy impact of information and communication technology (ICT), which results from indirect effects offsetting (or amplifying) the energy directly consumed by ICT equipment. These indirect effects may be either positive or negative, and there is considerable disagreement as to the direction of this sign as well as the effect magnitude. Literature in this area ranges from studies focused on a single service (such as e-commerce versus traditional retail) to macroeconomic studies attempting to characterize the overall impact of ICT. Methods. We review the literature on the indirect energy effect of ICT found via Google Scholar, our own research, and input from other researchers in the field. The various studies are linked to an effect taxonomy, which is synthesized from several different hierarchies present in the literature. References are further grouped according to ICT service (e.g., e-commerce, telework) and summarized by scope, method, and quantitative and qualitative findings. Review results. Uncertainty persists in understanding the net energy effects of ICT. Results of indirect energy effect studies are highly sensitive to scoping decisions and assumptions made by the analyst. Uncertainty increases as the impact scope broadens, due to complex and interconnected effects. However, there is general agreement that ICT has large energy savings potential, but that the realization of this potential is highly dependent on deployment details and user behavior. Discussion. While the overall net effect of ICT is likely to remain unknown, this review suggests several guidelines for improving research quality in this area, including increased data collection, enhancing traditional modeling studies with sensitivity analysis, greater care in scoping, less confidence in characterizing aggregate impacts, more effort on understanding user behavior, and more contextual integration across the different levels of the effect taxonomy.

A Scoping Study of Water Quality Conditions in the Missouri National Recreational River Reach from Near Gavins Point Dam to Ponca State Park, Nebraska

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-03-01

37 Plate 12. Box plots of turbidity, total suspended solids, and chlorophyll a levels for the...38 Plate 13. Box plots of turbidity, total suspended solids, and chlorophyll a levels for the...39 Plate 14. Box plots of turbidity, total suspended solids, and chlorophyll a levels for the backwater and

Educating Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs [and] A Study Guide to Educating Young Children: Exercises for Adult Learners. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann, Mary; Weikart, David P.

High/Scope preschool curriculum is a model for developing high-quality early childhood programs that encourage and support children's initiatives and active learning experiences. This revised manual for early childhood practitioners and students presents essential strategies adults can use to make active learning a reality in their programs. The…

Facile growth of a single-crystal pattern: a case study of HKUST-1.

PubMed

Li, Shaozhou; Lu, Guang; Huang, Xiao; Li, Hai; Sun, Yinghui; Zhang, Hua; Chen, Xiaodong; Huo, Fengwei

2012-12-18

In order to fabricate metal-organic framework (MOF) based devices, it is desirable to precisely position high-quality and mono-sized MOF crystals on supports. In this work, we demonstrate a facile solution procedure for the fabrication of oriented and monodispersed single-crystal MOF pattern. We expect that such capability will expand the scope of applications of MOFs to advanced fields.

Research data management in academic institutions: A scoping review.

PubMed

Perrier, Laure; Blondal, Erik; Ayala, A Patricia; Dearborn, Dylanne; Kenny, Tim; Lightfoot, David; Reka, Roger; Thuna, Mindy; Trimble, Leanne; MacDonald, Heather

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the volume, topics, and methodological nature of the existing research literature on research data management in academic institutions. We conducted a scoping review by searching forty literature databases encompassing a broad range of disciplines from inception to April 2016. We included all study types and data extracted on study design, discipline, data collection tools, and phase of the research data lifecycle. We included 301 articles plus 10 companion reports after screening 13,002 titles and abstracts and 654 full-text articles. Most articles (85%) were published from 2010 onwards and conducted within the sciences (86%). More than three-quarters of the articles (78%) reported methods that included interviews, cross-sectional, or case studies. Most articles (68%) included the Giving Access to Data phase of the UK Data Archive Research Data Lifecycle that examines activities such as sharing data. When studies were grouped into five dominant groupings (Stakeholder, Data, Library, Tool/Device, and Publication), data quality emerged as an integral element. Most studies relied on self-reports (interviews, surveys) or accounts from an observer (case studies) and we found few studies that collected empirical evidence on activities amongst data producers, particularly those examining the impact of research data management interventions. As well, fewer studies examined research data management at the early phases of research projects. The quality of all research outputs needs attention, from the application of best practices in research data management studies, to data producers depositing data in repositories for long-term use.

A Scoping Review of Physical Rehabilitation in Long-Term Care: Interventions, Outcomes, Tools.

PubMed

McArthur, Caitlin; Gibbs, Jenna C; Patel, Ruchit; Papaioannou, Alexandra; Neves, Paula; Killingbeck, Jaimie; Hirdes, John; Milligan, James; Berg, Katherine; Giangregorio, Lora

2017-12-01

Residents in long-term care (LTC) often require physical rehabilitation (PR) to maintain/improve physical function. This scoping review described the breadth of literature regarding PR in LTC to date, synthesizing PR interventions that have been evaluated, outcomes used, and tools for determining service eligibility. A structured search, conducted in six licensed databases and grey literature, identified 381 articles for inclusion. Most interventions were delivered and evaluated at the resident level and typically were multicomponent exercise programs. Performance-based measures, activities of daily living, and mood were the most frequently reported outcomes. A key knowledge gap was PR in relation to goals, such as quality of life. Future studies should reflect medically complex residents who live in LTC, and length of residents' stay should be differentiated. Intervention studies should also explore realistic delivery methods; moreover, tool development for determining service eligibility is necessary to ensure equality in rehabilitative care across the LTC sector.

Principles to guide sustainable implementation of extended-scope-of-practice physiotherapy workforce redesign initiatives in Australia: stakeholder perspectives, barriers, supports, and incentives

PubMed Central

Morris, Joanne; Grimmer, Karen; Gilmore, Lisa; Perera, Chandima; Waddington, Gordon; Kyle, Greg; Ashman, Bryan; Murphy, Karen

2014-01-01

Sustainable implementation of new workforce redesign initiatives requires strategies that minimize barriers and optimize supports. Such strategies could be provided by a set of guiding principles. A broad understanding of the concerns of all the key stakeholder groups is required before effective strategies and initiatives are developed. Many new workforce redesign initiatives are not underpinned by prior planning, and this threatens their uptake and sustainability. This study reports on a cross-sectional qualitative study that sought the perspectives of representatives of key stakeholders in a new workforce redesign initiative (extended-scope-of-practice physiotherapy) in one Australian tertiary hospital. The key stakeholder groups were those that had been involved in some way in the development, management, training, funding, and/or delivery of the initiative. Data were collected using semistructured questions, answered individually by interview or in writing. Responses were themed collaboratively, using descriptive analysis. Key identified themes comprised: the importance of service marketing; proactively addressing barriers; using readily understood nomenclature; demonstrating service quality and safety, monitoring adverse events, measuring health and cost outcomes; legislative issues; registration; promoting viable career pathways; developing, accrediting, and delivering a curriculum supporting physiotherapists to work outside of the usual scope; and progression from “a good idea” to established service. Health care facilities planning to implement new workforce initiatives that extend scope of usual practice should consider these issues before instigating workforce/model of care changes. PMID:25018637

Self-Care for Older People (SCOPE): a cluster randomized controlled trial of self-care training and health outcomes in low-income elderly in Singapore.

PubMed

Chan, Angelique; Matchar, David B; Tsao, Mary Ann; Harding, Susana; Chiu, Chi-Tsun; Tay, Bryan; Raman, Prassanna; Pietryla, Zachary; Klein, Mara K; Haldane, Victoria Elizabeth

2015-03-01

Population aging is associated with a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions. Previous studies have shown that older persons, specifically those with chronic conditions, often lack sufficient knowledge about their condition and thus frequently have poor self-care skills. Efforts to increase general health screenings and improve access to chronic condition management resources are hampered by a lack of disease and health awareness. Self-Care for Older People (SCOPE) study, a cluster randomized controlled trial in Singapore, was designed to evaluate the impact of a self-care program for chronic disease awareness and management of specific health measures and quality of life of older people over eighteen months. SCOPE provided self-care education targeted at older people with low income and low education in order to improve health-related knowledge. A total of 378 low-income older people with no or minimal disability, defined as having difficulty in one or more activities of daily living (ADL), were recruited from senior activity centers. The measurements taken included self-reported health conditions, health and disease knowledge questions, and biomarkers (HbA1c, blood pressure, peak expiratory flow, lipid panel, albumin, and creatinine). SCOPE was also designed to provide information for policy makers on chronic disease burden and healthcare facility utilization among community-dwelling older adults. NCT01672177. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Principles to guide sustainable implementation of extended-scope-of-practice physiotherapy workforce redesign initiatives in Australia: stakeholder perspectives, barriers, supports, and incentives.

PubMed

Morris, Joanne; Grimmer, Karen; Gilmore, Lisa; Perera, Chandima; Waddington, Gordon; Kyle, Greg; Ashman, Bryan; Murphy, Karen

2014-01-01

Sustainable implementation of new workforce redesign initiatives requires strategies that minimize barriers and optimize supports. Such strategies could be provided by a set of guiding principles. A broad understanding of the concerns of all the key stakeholder groups is required before effective strategies and initiatives are developed. Many new workforce redesign initiatives are not underpinned by prior planning, and this threatens their uptake and sustainability. This study reports on a cross-sectional qualitative study that sought the perspectives of representatives of key stakeholders in a new workforce redesign initiative (extended-scope-of-practice physiotherapy) in one Australian tertiary hospital. The key stakeholder groups were those that had been involved in some way in the development, management, training, funding, and/or delivery of the initiative. Data were collected using semistructured questions, answered individually by interview or in writing. Responses were themed collaboratively, using descriptive analysis. Key identified themes comprised: the importance of service marketing; proactively addressing barriers; using readily understood nomenclature; demonstrating service quality and safety, monitoring adverse events, measuring health and cost outcomes; legislative issues; registration; promoting viable career pathways; developing, accrediting, and delivering a curriculum supporting physiotherapists to work outside of the usual scope; and progression from "a good idea" to established service. Health care facilities planning to implement new workforce initiatives that extend scope of usual practice should consider these issues before instigating workforce/model of care changes.

Many roads may lead to Rome: Selected features of quality control within environmental assessment systems in the US, NL, CA, and UK

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

Günther, Markus, E-mail: markus.guenther@tu-berlin.de; Geißler, Gesa; Köppel, Johann

As there is no one-and-only concept on how to precisely define and establish quality control (QC) or quality assurance (QA) in the making of environmental assessments (EA), this paper presents selected features of international approaches that address quality in EA systems in the USA, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Based on explanative case studies, we highlight the embedding of specific quality control features within the EA systems, the objectives and processes, and relevant transparency challenges. Such features of QC/QA approaches can be considered in cases where substantial quality control and assurance efforts are still missing. Yet further researchmore » needs to be conducted on the efficacy of these approaches, which remains beyond the scope of this study. - Highlights: • We present four tools for quality control and assurance from different EA systems. • Approaches vary in institutional setting, objectives, procedures, and transparency. • Highlighted features might provide guidance in cases where QC/QA is still lacking.« less

Dairy intensification in developing countries: effects of market quality on farm-level feeding and breeding practices.

PubMed

Duncan, A J; Teufel, N; Mekonnen, K; Singh, V K; Bitew, A; Gebremedhin, B

2013-12-01

Smallholder dairy production represents a promising income generating activity for poor farmers in the developing world. Because of the perishable nature of milk, marketing arrangements for collection, distribution and sale are important for enhanced livelihoods in the smallholder dairy sector. In this study we examined the relationship between market quality and basic feeding and breeding practices at farm level. We define market quality as the attractiveness and reliability of procurement channels and associated input supply arrangements. We took as our study countries, India with its well-developed smallholder dairy sector, and Ethiopia where the smallholder dairy industry has remained relatively undeveloped despite decades of development effort. We conducted village surveys among producer groups in 90 villages across three States in India and two Regions in Ethiopia. Producer groups were stratified according to three levels of market quality - high, medium and low. Data showed that diet composition was relatively similar in India and Ethiopia with crop residues forming the major share of the diet. Concentrate feeding tended to be more prominent in high market quality sites. Herd composition changed with market quality with more dairy (exotic) cross-bred animals in high market quality sites in both India and Ethiopia. Cross-bred animals were generally more prominent in India than Ethiopia. Herd performance within breed did not change a great deal along the market quality gradient. Parameters such as calving interval and milk yield were relatively insensitive to market quality. Insemination of cross-bred cows was predominantly by artificial insemination (AI) in India and accounted for around half of cross-bred cow inseminations in Ethiopia. Data on perceptions of change over the last decade indicated that per herd and per cow productivity are both increasing in high market quality sites with a more mixed picture in medium and low-quality sites. Similarly dairy-derived income is on the increase in high market quality sites. This is accompanied by a strong increase in stall feeding at the expense of grazing. The study indicates that the first constraint to intensification of dairy production in Ethiopia is the genetic quality of the herd. There is less scope for improved AI provision in India since the cross-bred herd is mainly serviced by AI already. However, as for Ethiopia, there is considerable scope for closing yield gaps in India through improved feed use and supply. Results strongly show that well-developed markets with good procurement arrangements are key for sustainable dairy intensification.

Biosimilarity Versus Manufacturing Change: Two Distinct Concepts.

PubMed

Declerck, Paul; Farouk-Rezk, Mourad; Rudd, Pauline M

2016-02-01

As products of living cells, biologics are far more complicated than small molecular-weight drugs not only with respect to size and structural complexity but also their sensitivity to manufacturing processes and post-translational changes. Most of the information on the manufacturing process of biotherapeutics is proprietary and hence not fully accessible to the public. This information gap represents a key challenge for biosimilar developers and plays a key role in explaining the differences in regulatory pathways required to demonstrate biosimilarity versus those required to ensure that a change in manufacturing process did not have implications on safety and efficacy. Manufacturing process changes are frequently needed for a variety of reasons including response to regulatory requirements, up scaling production, change in facility, change in raw materials, improving control of quality (consistency) or optimising production efficiency. The scope of the change is usually a key indicator of the scale of analysis required to evaluate the quality. In most cases, where the scope of the process change is limited, only quality and analytical studies should be sufficient while comparative clinical studies can be required in case of major changes (e.g., cell line changes). Biosimilarity exercises have been addressed differently by regulators on the understanding that biosimilar developers start with fundamental differences being a new cell line and also a knowledge gap of the innovator's processes, including culture media, purification processes, and potentially different formulations, and are thus required to ensure that differences from innovators do not result in differences in efficacy and safety.

Self-Regulation with Rules: Lessons Learned from a New Quality Assurance Process for Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Daniel W.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the province over time has addressed problems that are generic to many jurisdictions in assuring quality -- level of aggregation, pooling, definition of new and continuing programs, scope of jurisdiction, role of governors, performance indicators, relationship to accreditation, programs versus…

Transdisciplinary Qualities in Practice Doctorates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costley, Carol; Pizzolato, Nicola

2018-01-01

Doctoral programmes in which candidates research their own practice can be characterised as having transdisciplinary (TD) qualities. While most of the emphasis in the literature and in policy on TD is on research in teams, we argue for an expansion of the scope in the conception and understanding of TD research to include the way it can be…

Accreditation and Assuring Quality in Distance Learning. CHEA Monograph Series, 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Washington, DC.

This report describes the scope and impact of distance learning on higher education and identifies the primary challenges that distance learning poses for accreditation. The responses of the accrediting community designed to assure quality in distance learning are outlined. Data from a variety of sources show that 5,655 institutions are accredited…

Measuring the Quality of Early Childhood Programs--Guidelines for Effective Evaluation Tools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Ann S.

2000-01-01

Summarizes what High/Scope discovered to be the critical characteristics of a comprehensive and valid measure of early childhood program quality. Provides suggestions for how the tool can be used, and highlights with examples. Asserts that the guidelines effectively assess efforts of child development, staff development, and soundness of…

Science Books & Films, Volume XIV, Number 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, Shari, Ed.

This document contains reviews of books for adults, children's books, and films. The materials are rated for accuracy of scientific information, scope or completeness, clarity of writing or narration, quality of illustrations or cinematic quality, and value of book or film when compared to other titles. Each review is accompanied by a coded…

[The Scope, Quality and Safety Requirements of Drug Abuse Testing].

PubMed

Küme, Tuncay; Karakükcü, Çiğdem; Pınar, Aslı; Coşkunol, Hakan

2017-01-01

The aim of this review is to inform about the scopes and requirements of drug abuse testing. Drug abuse testing is one of the tools for determination of drug use. It must fulfill the quality and safety requirements in judgmental legal and administrative decisions. Drug abuse testing must fulfill some requirements like selection of the appropriate test matrix, appropriate screening test panel, sampling in detection window, patient consent, identification of the donor, appropriate collection site, sample collection with observation, identification and control of the sample, specimen custody chain in preanalytical phase; analysis in authorized laboratories, specimen validity tests, reliable testing METHODS, strict quality control, two-step analysis in analytical phase; storage of the split specimen, confirmation of the split specimen in the objection, result custody chain, appropriate cut-off concentration, the appropriate interpretation of the result in postanalytical phase. The workflow and analytical processes of drug abuse testing are explained in last regulation of the Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Ministry of Health in Turkey. The clinical physicians have to know and apply the quality and safety requirements in drug abuse testing according to last regulations in Turkey.

Changed Lives: The Effects of the Perry Preschool Program on Youths through Age 19. Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Number Eight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berrueta-Clement, John R.; And Others

This study is the eighth in a series of reports of longitudinal research on the long-term effects of participation versus nonparticipation in a program of high quality early childhood education, on 123 black youths from families of low socioeconomic status, who were at risk of failing in school. The study finds that young people up to 19 years of…

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.

48 CFR 246.870-1 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... counterfeit electronic parts and suspect counterfeit electronic parts from entering the supply chain when... DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Contractor Liability for Loss of or Damage to Property of...

Medicare program; description of the Health Care Financing Administration's evaluation methodology for the Peer Review Organization 5th Scope of Work contracts--HCFA. General notice with comment period.

PubMed

1997-07-02

This notice describes how HCFA intends to evaluate the Peer Review Organizations (PROs) for quality improvement activities, under their 5th Scope of Work (SOW) contracts, for efficiency and effectiveness in accordance with the Social Security Act. In accordance with the provisions of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, the 5th SOW contracts with the PROs are performance-based contracts.

77 FR 36329 - Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Scoping Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-18

...In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, the Department of State (DOS) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and initiate the scoping process for the proposed agency action as specified below. The EIS will evaluate the impacts on the affected environment, including, but not limited to, socioeconomics, traffic and transportation, land use, historic and cultural resources, noise, air quality, environmental justice, and cumulative impacts.

Psychiatric Case Management in the Emergency Department.

PubMed

Turner, Stephanie B; Stanton, Marietta P

2015-01-01

The care of the mentally ill has reached a real crisis in the United States. There were more than 6.4 million visits to emergency departments (EDs) in 2010, or about 5% of total visits, involved patients whose primary diagnosis was a mental health condition or substance abuse (). That is up 28% from just 4 years earlier, according to the latest figures available from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in Rockville, MD. Using a method called scoping, the purpose of this article is to examine the range, extent, and evidence available regarding case management as an intervention in the ED to manage mental health patients, to determine whether there is sufficient quantity and quality of evidence on this topic to conduct a meta-analysis, and to identify relevant studies that balance comprehensiveness with reasonable limitations. One solution for ensuring that the costs are contained, efficiency is maintained, and quality outcomes are achieved is the placement of a case manager in the ED. According to , because the majority of hospital admissions come through the ED, it makes sense to have case managers located there to act as gatekeepers and ensure that patients who are admitted meet criteria and are placed in the proper bed with the proper status. From the scoping techniques implemented in this study, the authors came to the conclusion that case management has been and can be used to effectively treat mental health patients in the emergency room. A good number of patients with psych mental health issues are frequent visitors and repeat visitors. Case management has not been used very often as a strategy for managing patients through the ED or for follow-up after the visit. Hospitals that have developed a protocol for managing these patients outside the main patient flow have had successful results. Staff training and development on psych mental health issues have been helpful in the ED. While there are not a large number of studies available on this topic, there is sufficient evidence to warrant further examination of this research topic. The findings in this scoping study have broader implications for research, policy, and practice. The framework of this study involved an outcomes-based approach. Clinical outcomes that positively enhance patient care and save the hospital money are necessary in the current health care environment.

Addressing implementation challenges during guideline development - a case study of Swedish national guidelines for methods of preventing disease.

PubMed

Richter-Sundberg, Linda; Kardakis, Therese; Weinehall, Lars; Garvare, Rickard; Nyström, Monica E

2015-01-22

Many of the world's life threatening diseases (e.g. cancer, heart disease, stroke) could be prevented by eliminating life-style habits such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use. Incorporating evidence-based research on methods to change unhealthy lifestyle habits in clinical practice would be equally valuable. However gaps between guideline development and implementation are well documented, with implications for health care quality, safety and effectiveness. The development phase of guidelines has been shown to be important both for the quality in guideline content and for the success of implementation. There are, however, indications that guidelines related to general disease prevention methods encounter specific barriers compared to guidelines that are diagnosis-specific. In 2011 the Swedish National board for Health and Welfare launched guidelines with a preventive scope. The aim of this study was to investigate how implementation challenges were addressed during the development process of these disease preventive guidelines. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the guideline development management group. Archival data detailing the guideline development process were also collected and used in the analysis. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis as the analytical framework. The study identified several strategies and approaches that were used to address implementation challenges during guideline development. Four themes emerged from the analysis: broad agreements and consensus about scope and purpose; a formalized and structured development procedure; systematic and active involvement of stakeholders; and openness and transparency in the specific guideline development procedure. Additional factors concerning the scope of prevention and the work environment of guideline developers were perceived to influence the possibilities to address implementation issues. This case study provides examples of how guideline developers perceive and approach the issue of implementation during the development and early launch of prevention guidelines. Models for guideline development could benefit from an initial assessment of how the guideline topic, its target context and stakeholders will affect the upcoming implementation.

A systematic scoping review of complementary and alternative medicine mind and body practices to improve the health of veterans and military personnel.

PubMed

Elwy, A Rani; Johnston, Jennifer M; Bormann, Jill E; Hull, Amanda; Taylor, Stephanie L

2014-12-01

Meditation, imagery, acupuncture, and yoga are the most frequently offered mind and body practices in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Yet, the research on mind and body practices has been critiqued as being too limited in evidence and scope to inform clinical treatment. We conducted a systematic scoping review of mind and body practices used with veterans or active duty military personnel to identify gaps in the literature and make recommendations for future primary research. Following systematic literature review methodology, we searched 5 databases using 27 different National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine-defined mind and body practices as text words, keywords, and MeSH terms through June 30, 2014. We also conducted handsearches of 4 previous reviews. Active duty military members or veterans 18 years or older participating in mind and body practice interventions globally. Data were extracted from studies meeting 5 inclusion criteria. The quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using an existing checklist. Of 1819 studies identified, 89 interventions (50 RCTs) published between 1976 and 2014, conducted in 9 countries, using 152 different measures to assess 65 health and well-being outcomes met our inclusion criteria. Most interventions took place in the United States (n=78). Meditation practices (n=25), relaxation techniques including imagery (n=20), spinal manipulation including physical therapy (n=16), and acupuncture (n=11) were the most frequently studied practices. Methodological quality of most RCTs was rated poorly. Meditation and acupuncture practices are among the most frequently offered and studied mind and body practices. Future research should include yoga as it is currently understudied among veterans and military personnel. A repository of mind and body intervention outcome measures may further future research efforts, as would conducting pragmatic trials and more robust RCTs.

How to Find Lessons from the Public Health Literature: Example of a Scoping Study Protocol on the Neighborhood Environment

PubMed Central

Levasseur, Mélanie; Généreux, Mélissa; Desroches, Josiane; Carrier, Annie; Lacasse, Francis; Chabot, Éric; Abecia, Ana; Gosselin, Louise; Vanasse, Alain

2016-01-01

Background: As key determinants of many favorable health and quality of life outcomes, it is important to identify factors associated with mobility and social participation. Although several investigations have been carried out on mobility, social participation and neighborhood environment, there is no clear integration of these results. This paper presents a scoping study protocol that aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how the physical and social neighborhood environment is associated with or influences mobility and social participation in older adults. Methods: The rigorous methodological framework for scoping studies is used to synthesize and disseminate current knowledge on the associations or influence of the neighborhood environment on mobility and social participation in aging. Nine databases from public health and other fields are searched with 51 predetermined keywords. Using content analysis, all data are exhaustively analyzed, organized, and synthesized independently by two research assistants. Discussion: A comprehensive synthesis of empirical studies provides decision-makers, clinicians and researchers with current knowledge and best practices regarding neighborhood environments with a view to enhancing mobility and social participation. Such a synthesis represents an original contribution and can ultimately support decisions and development of innovative interventions and clear guidelines for the creation of age-supportive environments. Improvements in public health and clinical interventions might be the new innovation needed to foster health and quality of life for aging population. Finally, the aspects of the associations or influence of the neighborhood environment on mobility and social participation not covered by previous research are identified. Conclusions: Among factors that impact mobility and social participation, the neighborhood environment is important since interventions targeting it may have a greater impact on an individual's mobility and social participation than those targeting individual factors. Although investigations from various domains have been carried out on this topic, no clear integration of these results is available yet. PMID:27413514

Conceptual design studies of candidate V/STOL lift fan commercial short haul transport for 1980 - 1985 V/STOL lift fan study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eldridge, W. M.; Ferrell, J. A.; Mckee, J. W.; Wayne, J. E., Jr.; Zabinsky, J. M.

1973-01-01

Conceptual designs of V/STOL lift fan commercial short haul transport aircraft for the 1980-85 time period were studied to determine their technical and economic feasibility. The engine concepts included both integral and remote fans. The scope of the study included definition of the hover control concept for each propulsion system, aircraft design, aircraft mass properties, cruise performance, noise and ride qualities evaluation. Economic evaluating was also studied on a basis of direct operating costs and route structure.

Design Quality in the Context of Healthcare Environments: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Anåker, Anna; Heylighen, Ann; Nordin, Susanna; Elf, Marie

2017-07-01

We explored the concept of design quality in relation to healthcare environments. In addition, we present a taxonomy that illustrates the wide range of terms used in connection with design quality in healthcare. High-quality physical environments can promote health and well-being. Developments in healthcare technology and methodology put high demands on the design quality of care environments, coupled with increasing expectations and demands from patients and staff that care environments be person centered, welcoming, and accessible while also supporting privacy and security. In addition, there are demands that decisions about the design of healthcare architecture be based on the best available information from credible research and the evaluation of existing building projects. The basic principles of Arksey and O'Malley's model of scoping review design were used. Data were derived from literature searches in scientific databases. A total of 18 articles and books were found that referred to design quality in a healthcare context. Design quality of physical healthcare environments involves three different themes: (i) environmental sustainability and ecological values, (ii) social and cultural interactions and values, and (iii) resilience of the engineering and building construction. Design quality was clarified herein with a definition. Awareness of what is considered design quality in relation to healthcare architecture could help to design healthcare environments based on evidence. To operationalize the concept, its definition must be clear and explicit and able to meet the complex needs of the stakeholders in a healthcare context, including patients, staff, and significant others.

The Children's Workforce: A Data Scoping Study. A Report for the Department of Children, School and Family (DCSF). CEE Special Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machin, Stephen; McNally, Sandra; Ou, Dongshu

2010-01-01

There has been much policy interest on the theme of children's services in recent years. For example, the 1998 National Child Strategy explicitly aims to ensure good quality, affordable childcare for children aged 0 to 14 in every neighbourhood, including both formal childcare and support for informal arrangements. The sector has a changed a lot…

Climate change and the health of older people in Australia: A scoping review on the role of mobile applications (apps) in ameliorating impact.

PubMed

Black, Deborah A; O'Loughlin, Kate; Wilson, Leigh A

2018-06-01

Due to the impact of climate change, mobile applications (apps) providing information about the external environment have the potential to improve the health of older people. The purpose of this research was to undertake a scoping review of the evidence on the usability, feasibility and effectiveness of mobile apps to encourage access to activities outside the home in older people. A search of databases was undertaken with relevant keywords. Selected manuscripts were judged for relevance to the inclusion criteria and assessed for quality. Very few published studies examined mobile apps specifically designed to prevent, or to treat, chronic disease in ageing populations, and fewer had rigorous designs. No study addressed accessing the external environment in the context of climate change. This study demonstrates that there is a gap in the evidence about the mobile apps designed for healthy ageing and, more specifically, to improve access to the external environment. © 2018 AJA Inc.

7 CFR 3406.8 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... regional or national problems and which will result overall in strengthening the 1890 university system...-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a project's impact...

7 CFR 3406.8 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... regional or national problems and which will result overall in strengthening the 1890 university system...-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a project's impact...

7 CFR 3406.8 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... regional or national problems and which will result overall in strengthening the 1890 university system...-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a project's impact...

7 CFR 3406.8 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... regional or national problems and which will result overall in strengthening the 1890 university system...-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a project's impact...

7 CFR 3405.7 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... agricultural sciences. The goals of such joint initiatives should include maximizing the use of limited...), increasing cost-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a...

7 CFR 3405.7 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... agricultural sciences. The goals of such joint initiatives should include maximizing the use of limited...), increasing cost-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a...

7 CFR 3405.7 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... agricultural sciences. The goals of such joint initiatives should include maximizing the use of limited...), increasing cost-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale, strengthening the scope and quality of a...

40 CFR 81.400 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AREAS FOR AIR QUALITY PLANNING PURPOSES Identification of Mandatory Class I Federal Areas Where...) exceeding 5,000 acres, and national parks (NP) exceeding 6,000 acres, in existence on August 7, 1977...

Systematic review of economic analyses in patient safety: a protocol designed to measure development in the scope and quality of evidence.

PubMed

Carter, Alexander W; Mandavia, Rishi; Mayer, Erik; Marti, Joachim; Mossialos, Elias; Darzi, Ara

2017-08-18

Recent avoidable failures in patient care highlight the ongoing need for evidence to support improvements in patient safety. According to the most recent reviews, there is a dearth of economic evidence related to patient safety. These reviews characterise an evidence gap in terms of the scope and quality of evidence available to support resource allocation decisions. This protocol is designed to update and improve on the reviews previously conducted to determine the extent of methodological progress in economic analyses in patient safety. A broad search strategy with two core themes for original research (excluding opinion pieces and systematic reviews) in 'patient safety' and 'economic analyses' has been developed. Medline, Econlit and National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database bibliographic databases will be searched from January 2007 using a combination of medical subject headings terms and research-derived search terms (see table 1). The method is informed by previous reviews on this topic, published in 2012. Screening, risk of bias assessment (using the Cochrane collaboration tool) and economic evaluation quality assessment (using the Drummond checklist) will be conducted by two independent reviewers, with arbitration by a third reviewer as needed. Studies with a low risk of bias will be assessed using the Drummond checklist. High-quality economic evaluations are those that score >20/35. A qualitative synthesis of evidence will be performed using a data collection tool to capture the study design(s) employed, population(s), setting(s), disease area(s), intervention(s) and outcome(s) studied. Methodological quality scores will be compared with previous reviews where possible. Effect size(s) and estimate uncertainty will be captured and used in a quantitative synthesis of high-quality evidence, where possible. Formal ethical approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, presentations and social media. CRD42017057853. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Why Caspar Creek -- then and now?

Treesearch

Raymond M. Rice

1998-01-01

The results of every watershed experiment are a unique combination of the site, the weather, the questions asked, the quality of the data produced, and the quality of the analysis made of those data. These results narrow the scope of the environmental debate, but they will not alter the value systems of the debaters. By availing themselves of the available...

Going for the Gold: Identifying Academic-Quality Internet Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axford, Mary; Renfro, Crystal

2008-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review some of the key directories of Internet resources, with a special focus on those that announce new academic-quality resources. Significant facets of the directories that will be incorporated in the discussion include scope of coverage, update frequency, identification of any e-mail alerts or RSS feeds…

Implants for orthodontic anchorage

PubMed Central

Zheng, Xiaowen; Sun, Yannan; Zhang, Yimei; Cai, Ting; Sun, Feng; Lin, Jiuxiang

2018-01-01

Abstract Implantanchorage continues to receive much attention as an important orthodontic anchorage. Since the development of orthodontic implants, the scope of applications has continued to increase. Although multiple reviews detailing implants have been published, no comprehensive evaluations have been performed. Thus, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the effects of implants based on data published in review articles. An electronic search of the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, Ebsco and Sicencedirect for reviews with “orthodontic” and “systematic review or meta analysis” in the title, abstract, keywords, or full text was performed. A subsequent manual search was then performed to identify reviews concerning orthodontic implants. A manual search of the orthodontic journals American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AJODO), European Journal of Orthodontics (EJO), and Angle Othodontist was also performed. Such systematic reviews that evaluated the efficacy and safety of orthodontic implants were used to indicate success rates and molar movements. A total of 23 reviews were included in the analysis. The quality of each review was assessed using a measurement tool for Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), and the review chosen to summarize outcomes had a quality score of >6. Most reviews were less than moderate quality. Success rates of implants ranged in a broad scope, and movement of the maxillary first molar was superior with implants compared with traditional anchorage. PMID:29595673

An update on dental imaging.

PubMed

Whaites, E; Brown, J

1998-08-22

This paper reviews recent advances and current trends in dental radiology. Developments in the design of dental x-ray equipment which improve both radiation hygiene and image quality are described. Also discussed are new features which broaden the scope of intra-oral and panoramic radiological diagnosis in the general dental practice setting. The article concludes with the main recommendations from the latest guidelines on quality standards for radiography, selection criteria and quality assurance in general practice.

Team dynamics within quality improvement teams: a scoping review.

PubMed

Rowland, Paula; Lising, Dean; Sinclair, Lynne; Baker, G Ross

2018-03-31

This scoping review examines what is known about the processes of quality improvement (QI) teams, particularly related to how teams impact outcomes. The aim is to provide research-informed guidance for QI leaders and to inform future research questions. Databases searched included: MedLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and SCOPUS. Eligible publications were written in English, published between 1999 and 2016. Articles were included in the review if they examined processes of the QI team, were related to healthcare QI and were primary research studies. Studies were excluded if they had insufficient detail regarding QI team processes. Descriptive detail extracted included: authors, geographical region and health sector. The Integrated (Health Care) Team Effectiveness Model was used to synthesize findings of studies along domains of team effectiveness: task design, team process, psychosocial traits and organizational context. Over two stages of searching, 4813 citations were reviewed. Of those, 48 full-text articles are included in the synthesis. This review demonstrates that QI teams are not immune from dysfunction. Further, a dysfunctional QI team is not likely to influence practice. However, a functional QI team alone is unlikely to create change. A positive QI team dynamic may be a necessary but insufficient condition for implementing QI strategies. Areas for further research include: interactions between QI teams and clinical microsystems, understanding the role of interprofessional representation on QI teams and exploring interactions between QI team task, composition and process.

Assessing health impacts in complex eco-epidemiological settings in the humid tropics: The centrality of scoping

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

Winkler, Mirko S., E-mail: mirko.winkler@unibas.c; University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4003 Basel; Divall, Mark J., E-mail: mdivall@newfields.co

2011-04-15

Natural resources development projects are - and have been for more than 150 years - located in remote rural areas in developing countries, where local level data on community health is notoriously scarce. Health impact assessment (HIA) aims at identifying potential negative health consequences of such projects and providing the initial evidence-base for prevention and mitigation of diseases, injuries and risk factors, as well as promotion of positive effects. An important, but under-systematised early phase of the HIA process is scoping. It aims at organising diverse, often fragmentary, evidence and identifying potential project-related health impacts and underlying data gaps. Itmore » is also a key element in defining the terms of reference for the entire assessment. We present novel methodological features for the scoping process, emphasising the evaluation of quality of evidence, and illustrate its use in a contemporary HIA of the Simandou iron ore project in the Republic of Guinea. Assessment of data quality is integrated with specific content information via an analytical framework for the systematic identification of health outcomes and determinants of major concern. A subsequent gap analysis is utilised to assess the need for further baseline data collection and to facilitate the specification of a set of potential key performance indicators and strategies to inform the required evidence-base. We argue that scoping also plays a central role in the design of surveillance systems for longitudinal monitoring of health, equity and wellbeing following project implementation.« less

Cultural values and health service quality in China.

PubMed

Polsa, Pia; Fuxiang, Wei; Sääksjärvi, Maria; Shuyuan, Pei

2013-01-01

Several service quality studies show how cultural features may influence the way service quality is perceived. However, few studies specifically describe culture's influence on health service quality. Also, there are few studies that take into account patients' health service quality perceptions. This article seeks to present a first step to fill these gaps by examining patients' cultural values and their health service quality assessments. The study draws on published work and applies its ideas to Chinese healthcare settings. Data consist of hospital service perceptions in the People's Republic of China (PRC), a society that is socially, economically and culturally undergoing major changes. In total, 96 patients were surveyed. Data relationships were tested using partial least square (PLS) analysis. Findings show that Chinese patients' cultural values and their health service assessments are related and that the cultural values themselves seem to be changing. Additionally, further analyses provided interesting results pointing to which cultural values influenced service quality perceptions. The strongest service quality predictor was power distance. The sample is relatively small and collected from only one major hospital in China. Therefore, future research should extend the sample size and scope. Follow-up research could also include cross-cultural investigations of perceived health service quality to substantiate cultural influences on health service quality perceptions. In line with similar research in other contexts, the study confirms that power distance has a significant relationship with service quality perceptions. The study contributes to existing health service literature by offering patients' views on health service quality and by describing relationships between health service perceptions and cultural values--the study's main contribution.

SF-36 total score as a single measure of health-related quality of life: Scoping review

PubMed Central

Lins, Liliane; Carvalho, Fernando Martins

2016-01-01

According to the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire developers, a global measure of health-related quality of life such as the “SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score” cannot be generated from the questionnaire. However, studies keep on reporting such measure. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and to describe some characteristics of articles reporting the SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score in the scientific literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method was adapted to a scoping review. We performed searches in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, BVS, and Cochrane Library databases for articles using such scores. We found 172 articles published between 1997 and 2015; 110 (64.0%) of them were published from 2010 onwards; 30.0% appeared in journals with Impact Factor 3.00 or greater. Overall, 129 (75.0%) out of the 172 studies did not specify the method for calculating the “SF-36 Total Score”; 13 studies did not specify their methods but referred to the SF-36 developers’ studies or others; and 30 articles used different strategies for calculating such score, the most frequent being arithmetic averaging of the eight SF-36 domains scores. We concluded that the “SF-36 Total/Global/Overall Score” has been increasingly reported in the scientific literature. Researchers should be aware of this procedure and of its possible impacts upon human health. PMID:27757230

Effects of regulated competition on key outcomes of care: cataract surgeries in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Heijink, Richard; Mosca, Ilaria; Westert, Gert

2013-11-01

Similar to several other countries, the Netherlands implemented market-oriented health care reforms in recent years. Previous studies raised questions on the effects of these reforms on key outcomes such as quality, costs, and prices. The empirical evidence is up to now mixed. This study looked at the variation in prices, volume, and quality of cataract surgeries since the introduction of price competition in 2006. We found no price convergence over time and constant price differences between hospitals. Quality indicators generally showed positive results in cataract care, though the quality and scope of the indicators was suboptimal at this stage. Furthermore, we found limited between-hospital variation in quality and there was no clear-cut relation between prices and quality. Volume of cataract care strongly increased in the period studied. These findings indicate that health insurers may not have been able to drive prices down, make trade-offs between price and quality, and selectively contract health care without usable quality information. Positive results coming out from the 2006 reform should not be taken for granted. Looking forward, future research on similar topics and with newer data should clarify the extent to which these findings can be generalized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research data management in academic institutions: A scoping review

PubMed Central

Ayala, A. Patricia; Dearborn, Dylanne; Kenny, Tim; Lightfoot, David; Reka, Roger; Thuna, Mindy; Trimble, Leanne

2017-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to describe the volume, topics, and methodological nature of the existing research literature on research data management in academic institutions. Materials and methods We conducted a scoping review by searching forty literature databases encompassing a broad range of disciplines from inception to April 2016. We included all study types and data extracted on study design, discipline, data collection tools, and phase of the research data lifecycle. Results We included 301 articles plus 10 companion reports after screening 13,002 titles and abstracts and 654 full-text articles. Most articles (85%) were published from 2010 onwards and conducted within the sciences (86%). More than three-quarters of the articles (78%) reported methods that included interviews, cross-sectional, or case studies. Most articles (68%) included the Giving Access to Data phase of the UK Data Archive Research Data Lifecycle that examines activities such as sharing data. When studies were grouped into five dominant groupings (Stakeholder, Data, Library, Tool/Device, and Publication), data quality emerged as an integral element. Conclusion Most studies relied on self-reports (interviews, surveys) or accounts from an observer (case studies) and we found few studies that collected empirical evidence on activities amongst data producers, particularly those examining the impact of research data management interventions. As well, fewer studies examined research data management at the early phases of research projects. The quality of all research outputs needs attention, from the application of best practices in research data management studies, to data producers depositing data in repositories for long-term use. PMID:28542450

Measuring adolescent friendly health services in India: A scoping review of evaluations.

PubMed

Hoopes, Andrea J; Agarwal, Paras; Bull, Sheana; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman

2016-11-15

Initiatives to promote adolescent friendly health services (AFHS) have been taking place in India and many low- and middle-income countries for nearly two decades. Evaluations of these initiatives have been placed in the public arena from time to time, but little is known about what they say about the overall situation on AFHS in India. This study aimed to describe how efforts to provide AFHS in India have been evaluated, how well they have been evaluated, and what their findings and implications are. We conducted a scoping review of evaluations of AFHS initiatives in India from 2000 to 2014. An electronic search was carried out in Medline and EMBASE. A manual search of grey literature was also performed, and experts were contacted in order to obtain additional manuscripts and reports. Thirty evaluation reports were identified representing a broad geographic distribution. Evaluations have focused on government-sponsored AFHS programmes or independent non-governmental organization (NGO) initiatives to strengthen government services. The evaluations primarily measured programme outputs (e.g. quality and service utilization) and health behavioural outcomes (e.g. condom use). Study designs were commonly descriptive or quasi-experimental. Most evaluations found improvement in quality and utilization of services, and some demonstrated an increase in adolescent knowledge or health behaviours. Few measured positive project/programme results such as older age at first pregnancy. Strengths of evaluations were clear objectives, frequent use of multiple data sources, and assessment of programmatic outputs as well as health outcomes. Weaknesses were lack of consistency and quality. Our findings confirm that a number of evaluations of AFHS initiatives in India have been carried out. They point to service quality and in behavioural improvements in adolescents. However, their lack of consistency hinders comparison across sites, and their uneven quality means that their findings need to be interpreted with caution.

Electronic Medical Record in Central Polyclinic of Isfahan Oil Industry: A Case Study Based on Technology Acceptance Model

PubMed Central

Tavakoli, Nahid; Jahanbakhsh, Maryam; Shahin, Arash; Mokhtari, Habibollah; Rafiei, Maryam

2013-01-01

Introduction Today, health information technologies are base of health services and Electronic Medical Record is one of them. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) on EMR at Central Polyclinic Oil Industry that is a pioneer in implementation of EMR in Isfahan. Methods This study was an applied and analytical survey that it was done at the Central Polyclinic Oil Industry. Because statistical population were limited, sampling bas been done by conducting the census and the sample was according to the population. The data was collected by a researcher-made questionnaire that it was validated by experts and its reliability was confirmed by test retest. The questionnaire was developed in 5 scopes including external factors (data quality and user interface), perceived usefulness, perceived ease of usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use. The Results analyzed by SPSS. Results There was a significant relationship between data quality with PU(r=/295, p/005). Discussion The survey of the scopes in the polyclinic showed that there is relationship among user interface, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use, but data quality has no relationship with attitude. It seems the system designers didn’t consider to data quality characteristics. It is proposed that they consult with health information management professionals for improvement the existing system. PMID:23572857

Electronic medical record in central polyclinic of isfahan oil industry: a case study based on technology acceptance model.

PubMed

Tavakoli, Nahid; Jahanbakhsh, Maryam; Shahin, Arash; Mokhtari, Habibollah; Rafiei, Maryam

2013-03-01

Today, health information technologies are base of health services and Electronic Medical Record is one of them. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) on EMR at Central Polyclinic Oil Industry that is a pioneer in implementation of EMR in Isfahan. This study was an applied and analytical survey that it was done at the Central Polyclinic Oil Industry. Because statistical population were limited, sampling bas been done by conducting the census and the sample was according to the population. The data was collected by a researcher-made questionnaire that it was validated by experts and its reliability was confirmed by test retest. The questionnaire was developed in 5 scopes including external factors (data quality and user interface), perceived usefulness, perceived ease of usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use. The Results analyzed by SPSS. There was a significant relationship between data quality with PU(r=/295, p/005). The survey of the scopes in the polyclinic showed that there is relationship among user interface, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use, but data quality has no relationship with attitude. It seems the system designers didn't consider to data quality characteristics. It is proposed that they consult with health information management professionals for improvement the existing system.

Health promotion training in dental and oral health degrees: a scoping review.

PubMed

Bracksley-O'Grady, Stacey A; Dickson-Swift, Virginia A; Anderson, Karen S; Gussy, Mark G

2015-05-01

Dental diseases are a major burden on health; however, they are largely preventable. Dental treatment alone will not eradicate dental disease with a shift to prevention required. Prevention of dental diseases is a role of dental professionals, with most countries having formalized health promotion competencies for dental and oral health graduates. In spite of this, there may be minimal health promotion being undertaken in clinical practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review to identify some published studies on health promotion training in dental and oral health degrees. Key search terms were developed and used to search selected databases, which identified 84 articles. Four articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the review. Of these studies, the type of oral health promotion tasks and instructions received before the tasks varied. However, for all studies the health promotion content was focused on health education. In terms of evaluation of outcomes, only two studies evaluated the health promotion content using student reflections. More good-quality information on health promotions training is needed to inform practice.

40 CFR 55.1 - Statutory authority and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... maintain Federal and State ambient air quality standards and to comply with the provisions of part C of... authority hereunder, the Administrator will ensure that there is a rational relationship to the attainment...

A quality-refinement process for medical imaging applications.

PubMed

Neuhaus, J; Maleike, D; Nolden, M; Kenngott, H-G; Meinzer, H-P; Wolf, I

2009-01-01

To introduce and evaluate a process for refinement of software quality that is suitable to research groups. In order to avoid constraining researchers too much, the quality improvement process has to be designed carefully. The scope of this paper is to present and evaluate a process to advance quality aspects of existing research prototypes in order to make them ready for initial clinical studies. The proposed process is tailored for research environments and therefore more lightweight than traditional quality management processes. Focus on quality criteria that are important at the given stage of the software life cycle. Usage of tools that automate aspects of the process is emphasized. To evaluate the additional effort that comes along with the process, it was exemplarily applied for eight prototypical software modules for medical image processing. The introduced process has been applied to improve the quality of all prototypes so that they could be successfully used in clinical studies. The quality refinement yielded an average of 13 person days of additional effort per project. Overall, 107 bugs were found and resolved by applying the process. Careful selection of quality criteria and the usage of automated process tools lead to a lightweight quality refinement process suitable for scientific research groups that can be applied to ensure a successful transfer of technical software prototypes into clinical research workflows.

The effect of soft budget constraints on access and quality in hospital care.

PubMed

Shen, Yu-Chu; Eggleston, Karen

2009-06-01

Given an increasingly complex web of financial pressures on providers, studies have examined how hospitals' overall financial health affects different aspects of hospital operations. In our study, we develop an empirical proxy for the concept of soft budget constraint (SBC, Kornai, Kyklos 39:3-30, 1986) as an alternative financial measure of a hospital's overall financial health and offer an initial estimate of the effect of SBCs on hospital access and quality. An organization has a SBC if it can expect to be bailed out rather than shut down. Our conceptual model predicts that hospitals facing softer budget constraints will be associated with less aggressive cost control, and their quality may be better or worse, depending on the scope for damage to quality from noncontractible aspects of cost control. We find that hospitals with softer budget constraints are less likely to shut down safety net services. In addition, hospitals with softer budget constraints appear to have better mortality outcomes for elderly heart attack patients.

Sexual dysfunctions in MS in relation to neuropsychiatric aspects and its psychological treatment: A scoping review

PubMed Central

Rose, Anita; van de Vis, Wim; Engelbrecht, Jannie; Pirard, Michelle; Lau, Stefanie; Heesen, Christoph; Köpke, Sascha

2018-01-01

Objective Sexual dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a significant, but often underestimated and overlooked suffering. Interventions to treat sexual dysfunction in MS are rare. The relation between sexual dysfunction in MS and psychological as well as neuropsychological aspects is evident. However, this field of research remains markedly underdeveloped in this severe chronic illness. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the relevant knowledge in this area and to identify psychological interventions to treat sexual dysfunctions in MS. Methods A scoping review was conducted to answer the following questions: (1) Which psychological and neuropsychological factors impact on sexual dysfunction in MS and vice versa? (2) What kind of psychological interventions aiming to improve sexual dysfunctions in MS are available? A comprehensive search and review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL was completed by using a recent methodological framework for scoping reviews. Results 23 publications covering a total of 13,259 people with MS and 532 healthy controls were identified. Sexual dysfunction was found to be very common in MS and there is an obvious relation to psychological disorders as e.g. depression and anxiety and also to psychological aspects as partner relationship and quality of life. The relation between sexual dysfunction in MS and neuropsychological impairment has only rarely been studied and no clear results were found. Only two studies were identified, assessing the effectiveness of psychological intervention studies on sexual dysfunction in people with MS, and a third study presenting a secondary analysis of a study targeting depression. All three studies reported significant improvements in sexual dysfunction as well as partly in psychological variables. Conclusions There is a pressing need for the development and adequate evaluation of psychological interventions for sexual dysfunctions in MS. In addition, sexual dysfunction and its impact on psychological wellbeing should be more focussed in clinical care. Registration This review is registered with PROSPERO; Registration number: CRD42016033066. PMID:29486006

Sexual dysfunctions in MS in relation to neuropsychiatric aspects and its psychological treatment: A scoping review.

PubMed

Pöttgen, Jana; Rose, Anita; van de Vis, Wim; Engelbrecht, Jannie; Pirard, Michelle; Lau, Stefanie; Heesen, Christoph; Köpke, Sascha

2018-01-01

Sexual dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a significant, but often underestimated and overlooked suffering. Interventions to treat sexual dysfunction in MS are rare. The relation between sexual dysfunction in MS and psychological as well as neuropsychological aspects is evident. However, this field of research remains markedly underdeveloped in this severe chronic illness. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the relevant knowledge in this area and to identify psychological interventions to treat sexual dysfunctions in MS. A scoping review was conducted to answer the following questions: (1) Which psychological and neuropsychological factors impact on sexual dysfunction in MS and vice versa? (2) What kind of psychological interventions aiming to improve sexual dysfunctions in MS are available? A comprehensive search and review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL was completed by using a recent methodological framework for scoping reviews. 23 publications covering a total of 13,259 people with MS and 532 healthy controls were identified. Sexual dysfunction was found to be very common in MS and there is an obvious relation to psychological disorders as e.g. depression and anxiety and also to psychological aspects as partner relationship and quality of life. The relation between sexual dysfunction in MS and neuropsychological impairment has only rarely been studied and no clear results were found. Only two studies were identified, assessing the effectiveness of psychological intervention studies on sexual dysfunction in people with MS, and a third study presenting a secondary analysis of a study targeting depression. All three studies reported significant improvements in sexual dysfunction as well as partly in psychological variables. There is a pressing need for the development and adequate evaluation of psychological interventions for sexual dysfunctions in MS. In addition, sexual dysfunction and its impact on psychological wellbeing should be more focussed in clinical care. This review is registered with PROSPERO; Registration number: CRD42016033066.

The Quality Assessment of the 1973 Survey of Graduate Science Student Support Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daley, James M.

In this paper, the steps implemented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to upgrade the quality of the 1973 Graduate Science Student Support Survey are cited. Changes which were incorporated into the survey were intended to increase the scope and accuracy of data collected. To verify the coverage, a…

Valuing the non-market benefits of estuarine ecosystem services in a river basin context: Testing sensitivity to scope and scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinto, R.; Brouwer, R.; Patrício, J.; Abreu, P.; Marta-Pedroso, C.; Baeta, A.; Franco, J. N.; Domingos, T.; Marques, J. C.

2016-02-01

A large scale contingent valuation survey is conducted among residents in one of the largest river basins in Portugal to estimate the non-market benefits of the ecosystem services associated with implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Statistical tests of public willingness to pay's sensitivity to scope and scale are carried out. Decreasing marginal willingness to pay (WTP) is found when asking respondents to value two water quality improvement scenarios (within sample comparison), from current moderate water quality conditions to good and subsequently excellent ecological status. However, insensitivity to scale is found when asking half of the respondents to value water quality improvements in the estuary only and the other half in the whole basin (between sample comparison). Although respondents living outside the river basin value water quality improvements significantly less than respondents inside the basin, no spatial heterogeneity can be detected within the basin between upstream and downstream residents. This finding has important implications for spatial aggregation procedures across the population of beneficiaries living in the river basin to estimate its total economic value based on public WTP for the implementation of the WFD.

The GestureTek virtual reality system in rehabilitation: a scoping review.

PubMed

Glegg, Stephanie M N; Tatla, Sandy K; Holsti, Liisa

2014-03-01

To identify, to map out and to appraise research examining GestureTek virtual reality (VR) use for physical and cognitive rehabilitation and to highlight areas for future research. Scoping review methodology was used to systematically and comprehensively search the academic and grey literature for GestureTek-specific research. Consensus was achieved following two reviewers' independent inclusion screening, data extraction and appraisal. Forty-four studies evaluated the utility and efficacy of the IREX, GX, VMall and Meal Maker software for rehabilitation across a range of populations, with few adverse events reported. Stroke and cerebral palsy research dominated, while geriatrics was largely overlooked. Efficacy research provided support for balance, mobility, upper extremity, cognitive, fitness and daily living skills outcomes for specific populations with effect sizes ranging from 0.19 to 3.34. Nevertheless, few strong quality or high-level studies are available, and no clear guidelines on optimal treatment characteristics exist. Outcomes of primary interest were at ICF body function and activity levels; evaluation of transfer of training across ICF levels is needed. This literature provides preliminary evidence for the technology's efficacy for rehabilitation. Identified research gaps relate to study quality and design, treatment characteristics, populations and outcomes of interest, including transfer across ICF levels. There is limited high-level evidence to support the use of the GestureTek virtual reality system for rehabilitation. Moderate to strong quality evidence exists primarily for the stroke and cerebral palsy populations, and primarily for balance, mobility and upper extremity outcomes. A lack of consistent outcome measures in this body of literature has created "silos" of research that cannot be quantitatively combined using a meta-analytic strategy.

A scoping review of rapid review methods.

PubMed

Tricco, Andrea C; Antony, Jesmin; Zarin, Wasifa; Strifler, Lisa; Ghassemi, Marco; Ivory, John; Perrier, Laure; Hutton, Brian; Moher, David; Straus, Sharon E

2015-09-16

Rapid reviews are a form of knowledge synthesis in which components of the systematic review process are simplified or omitted to produce information in a timely manner. Although numerous centers are conducting rapid reviews internationally, few studies have examined the methodological characteristics of rapid reviews. We aimed to examine articles, books, and reports that evaluated, compared, used or described rapid reviews or methods through a scoping review. MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, internet websites of rapid review producers, and reference lists were searched to identify articles for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened literature search results and abstracted data from included studies. Descriptive analysis was conducted. We included 100 articles plus one companion report that were published between 1997 and 2013. The studies were categorized as 84 application papers, seven development papers, six impact papers, and four comparison papers (one was included in two categories). The rapid reviews were conducted between 1 and 12 months, predominantly in Europe (58 %) and North America (20 %). The included studies failed to report 6 % to 73 % of the specific systematic review steps examined. Fifty unique rapid review methods were identified; 16 methods occurred more than once. Streamlined methods that were used in the 82 rapid reviews included limiting the literature search to published literature (24 %) or one database (2 %), limiting inclusion criteria by date (68 %) or language (49 %), having one person screen and another verify or screen excluded studies (6 %), having one person abstract data and another verify (23 %), not conducting risk of bias/quality appraisal (7 %) or having only one reviewer conduct the quality appraisal (7 %), and presenting results as a narrative summary (78 %). Four case studies were identified that compared the results of rapid reviews to systematic reviews. Three studies found that the conclusions between rapid reviews and systematic reviews were congruent. Numerous rapid review approaches were identified and few were used consistently in the literature. Poor quality of reporting was observed. A prospective study comparing the results from rapid reviews to those obtained through systematic reviews is warranted.

Design Quality in the Context of Healthcare Environments: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Anåker, Anna; Heylighen, Ann; Nordin, Susanna; Elf, Marie

2016-01-01

Objective: We explored the concept of design quality in relation to healthcare environments. In addition, we present a taxonomy that illustrates the wide range of terms used in connection with design quality in healthcare. Background: High-quality physical environments can promote health and well-being. Developments in healthcare technology and methodology put high demands on the design quality of care environments, coupled with increasing expectations and demands from patients and staff that care environments be person centered, welcoming, and accessible while also supporting privacy and security. In addition, there are demands that decisions about the design of healthcare architecture be based on the best available information from credible research and the evaluation of existing building projects. Method: The basic principles of Arksey and O’Malley’s model of scoping review design were used. Data were derived from literature searches in scientific databases. A total of 18 articles and books were found that referred to design quality in a healthcare context. Results: Design quality of physical healthcare environments involves three different themes: (i) environmental sustainability and ecological values, (ii) social and cultural interactions and values, and (iii) resilience of the engineering and building construction. Design quality was clarified herein with a definition. Conclusions: Awareness of what is considered design quality in relation to healthcare architecture could help to design healthcare environments based on evidence. To operationalize the concept, its definition must be clear and explicit and able to meet the complex needs of the stakeholders in a healthcare context, including patients, staff, and significant others. PMID:28643560

[ISO 9001 certification of innovation and clinical research departments: Extending the scope of health assessment].

PubMed

Sambou, C; Guillemaut, S; Morelle, M; Achache, A; Le Corroller, A-G; Perol, D; Perrier, L

2017-04-01

The International organization for standardization (ISO) is the world leader in providing industrial and commercial standards and certifications. Beyond medical devices, four French clinical research and innovation departments have received an ISO 9001 certification (the standard for quality management). Simultaneously, medico-economic studies have become increasingly important in the public decision process. Using the clinical research and innovation department from the Léon-Bérard Cancer Center as an example, the purpose of this article is to show how the scope of the ISO 9001 certification has been extended to cover medico-economic studies. All of the processes, procedures, operating modes, documents, and indicators used by the clinical research and innovation department of the Léon-Bérard center were investigated. Literature searches were conducted using Medline keywords. The recommendations from the French national authority for health and other organizations, such as the International society for pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research (ISPOR), were also considered, as well as the recommendations of the General inspectorate of social affairs. In accordance with the national and international recommendations, two procedures were created and four procedures were revised at this center. Five indicators of quality and an evaluation chart were developed. By adopting the ISO 9001 certification into its medico-economic studies, the clinical research and innovation department of the Léon-Bérard center has used an innovative approach in the context of the growing importance of economic studies in decision-making. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A scope of the problem: Post-deployment reintegration challenges in a National Guard Unit.

PubMed

Wilcox, Sherrie L; Oh, Hyunsung; Redmond, Sarah A; Chicas, Joseph; Hassan, Anthony M; Lee, Pey-Jiuan; Ell, Kathleen

2015-01-01

More Reserve and Guard members have been activated in the past few years than in any other time in history. In addition to the high rates of psychological and behavioral challenges among military personnel, there are other equally important post-deployment reintegration challenges. Post-deployment reintegration challenges are particularly important to Reserve and Guard members, who transition rapidly from civilian-military-civilian. This study aims to describe the scope of challenges that a battalion of National Guard members (NGM) report experiencing after returning from a one-year deployment to Iraq. This article reports data from a sample of 126 NGM who recently returned from a one-year deployment to Iraq. The scope of post-deployment problems at baseline, 3- and 6-month post-deployment are presented. Overall, the rates of post-deployment psychological and behavioral problems were elevated upon returning from deployment and remained fairly constant for up to 6 months post-deployment. Approximately 30% of respondents were unsatisfied with their relationship and upwards of 30% reported family reintegration challenges. Comparisons with similar research and implications for prevention and improvement of post-deployment quality of life are addressed.

Methological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on acupuncture for stroke: A review of review.

PubMed

Chen, Xin-Lin; Mo, Chuan-Wei; Lu, Li-Ya; Gao, Ri-Yang; Xu, Qian; Wu, Min-Feng; Zhou, Qian-Yi; Hu, Yue; Zhou, Xuan; Li, Xian-Tao

2017-11-01

To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding acupuncture intervention for stroke and the primary studies within them. Two researchers searched PubMed, Cumulative index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Ovid Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Traditional Chinese Medical Database to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses about acupuncture for stroke published from the inception to December 2016. Review characteristics and the criteria for assessing the primary studies within reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using adapted Oxman and Guyatt Scale. The methodological quality of primary studies was also assessed. Thirty-two eligible reviews were identified, 15 in English and 17 in Chinese. The English reviews were scored higher than the Chinese reviews (P=0.025), especially in criteria for avoiding bias and the scope of search. All reviews used the quality criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of primary studies, but some criteria were not comprehensive. The primary studies, in particular the Chinese reviews, had problems with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, dropouts and withdrawals, intent-to-treat analysis and adverse events. Important methodological flaws were found in Chinese systematic reviews and primary studies. It was necessary to improve the methodological quality and reporting quality of both the systematic reviews published in China and primary studies on acupuncture for stroke.

MicroScope—an integrated microbial resource for the curation and comparative analysis of genomic and metabolic data

PubMed Central

Vallenet, David; Belda, Eugeni; Calteau, Alexandra; Cruveiller, Stéphane; Engelen, Stefan; Lajus, Aurélie; Le Fèvre, François; Longin, Cyrille; Mornico, Damien; Roche, David; Rouy, Zoé; Salvignol, Gregory; Scarpelli, Claude; Thil Smith, Adam Alexander; Weiman, Marion; Médigue, Claudine

2013-01-01

MicroScope is an integrated platform dedicated to both the methodical updating of microbial genome annotation and to comparative analysis. The resource provides data from completed and ongoing genome projects (automatic and expert annotations), together with data sources from post-genomic experiments (i.e. transcriptomics, mutant collections) allowing users to perfect and improve the understanding of gene functions. MicroScope (http://www.genoscope.cns.fr/agc/microscope) combines tools and graphical interfaces to analyse genomes and to perform the manual curation of gene annotations in a comparative context. Since its first publication in January 2006, the system (previously named MaGe for Magnifying Genomes) has been continuously extended both in terms of data content and analysis tools. The last update of MicroScope was published in 2009 in the Database journal. Today, the resource contains data for >1600 microbial genomes, of which ∼300 are manually curated and maintained by biologists (1200 personal accounts today). Expert annotations are continuously gathered in the MicroScope database (∼50 000 a year), contributing to the improvement of the quality of microbial genomes annotations. Improved data browsing and searching tools have been added, original tools useful in the context of expert annotation have been developed and integrated and the website has been significantly redesigned to be more user-friendly. Furthermore, in the context of the European project Microme (Framework Program 7 Collaborative Project), MicroScope is becoming a resource providing for the curation and analysis of both genomic and metabolic data. An increasing number of projects are related to the study of environmental bacterial (meta)genomes that are able to metabolize a large variety of chemical compounds that may be of high industrial interest. PMID:23193269

Square2 - A Web Application for Data Monitoring in Epidemiological and Clinical Studies

PubMed

Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Krabbe, Christine; Schössow, Janka; Albers, Martin; Radke, Dörte; Henke, Jörg

2017-01-01

Valid scientific inferences from epidemiological and clinical studies require high data quality. Data generating departments therefore aim to detect data irregularities as early as possible in order to guide quality management processes. In addition, after the completion of data collections the obtained data quality must be evaluated. This can be challenging in complex studies due to a wide scope of examinations, numerous study variables, multiple examiners, devices, and examination centers. This paper describes a Java EE web application used to monitor and evaluate data quality in institutions with complex and multiple studies, named Square 2 . It uses the Java libraries Apache MyFaces 2, extended by BootsFaces for layout and style. RServe and REngine manage calls to R server processes. All study data and metadata are stored in PostgreSQL. R is the statistics backend and LaTeX is used for the generation of print ready PDF reports. A GUI manages the entire workflow. Square 2 covers all steps in the data monitoring workflow, including the setup of studies and their structure, the handling of metadata for data monitoring purposes, selection of variables, upload of data, statistical analyses, and the generation as well as inspection of quality reports. To take into account data protection issues, Square 2 comprises an extensive user rights and roles concept.

Design and implementation air quality monitoring robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yuanhua; Li, Jie; Qi, Chunxue

2017-01-01

Robot applied in environmental protection can break through the limitations in working environment, scope and mode of the existing environmental monitoring and pollution abatement equipments, which undertake the innovation and improvement in the basin, atmosphere, emergency and pollution treatment facilities. Actually, the relevant technology is backward with limited research and investment. Though the device companies have achieved some results in the study on the water quality monitoring, pipeline monitoring and sewage disposal, this technological progress on the whole is still much slow, and the mature product has not been formed. As a result, the market urges a demand of a new type of device which is more suitable for environmental protection on the basis of robot successfully applied in other fields. This paper designs and realizes a tracked mobile robot of air quality monitoring, which can be used to monitor air quality for the pollution accident in industrial parks and regular management.

Moving Closer to EarthScope: A Major New Initiative for the Earth Sciences*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, D.; Blewitt, G.; Ekstrom, G.; Henyey, T.; Hickman, S.; Prescott, W.; Zoback, M.

2002-12-01

EarthScope is a scientific research and infrastructure initiative designed to provide a suite of new observational facilities to address fundamental questions about the evolution of continents and the processes responsible for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The integrated observing systems that will comprise EarthScope capitalize on recent developments in sensor technology and communications to provide Earth scientists with synoptic and high-resolution data derived from a variety of geophysical sensors. An array of 400 broadband seismometers will spend more than ten years crossing the contiguous 48 states and Alaska to image features that make up the internal structure of the continent and underlying mantle. Additional seismic and electromagnetic instrumentation will be available for high resolution imaging of geological targets of special interest. A network of continuously recording Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensitive borehole strainmeters will be installed along the western U.S. plate boundary. These sensors will measure how western North America is deforming, what motions occur along faults, how earthquakes start, and how magma flows beneath active volcanoes. A four-kilometer deep observatory bored directly into the San Andreas fault will provide the first opportunity to observe directly the conditions under which earthquakes occur, to collect fault rocks and fluids for laboratory study, and to monitor continuously an active fault zone at depth. All data from the EarthScope facilities will be openly available in real-time to maximize participation from the scientific community and to provide on-going educational outreach to students and the public. EarthScope's sensors will revolutionize observational Earth science in terms of the quantity, quality and spatial extent of the data they provide. Turning these data into exciting scientific discovery will require new modes of experimentation and interdisciplinary cooperation from the Earth science community. A broad sector of the university research community has joined with federal agencies to stimulate the development of facility plans and move EarthScope forward as a coordinated national initiative. With strong prospects for funding next year, the time is right for bold new ideas on how to maximize the use of these powerful new resources in the Earth scientist's toolkit. * On behalf of the EarthScope Working Group

Using Technology to Deliver Mental Health Services to Children and Youth: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Boydell, Katherine M.; Hodgins, Michael; Pignatiello, Antonio; Teshima, John; Edwards, Helen; Willis, David

2014-01-01

Objective: To conduct a scoping review on the use of technology to deliver mental health services to children and youth in order to identify the breadth of peer-reviewed literature, summarize findings and identify gaps. Method: A literature database search identified 126 original studies meeting criteria for review. Descriptive numerical summary and thematic analyses were conducted. Two reviewers independently extracted data. Results: Studies were characterized by diverse technologies including videoconferencing, telephone and mobile phone applications and Internet-based applications such as email, web sites and CD-ROMs. Conclusion: The use of technologies plays a major role in the delivery of mental health services and supports to children and youth in providing prevention, assessment, diagnosis, counseling and treatment programs. Strategies are growing exponentially on a global basis, thus it is critical to study the impact of these technologies on child and youth mental health service delivery. An in-depth review and synthesis of the quality of findings of studies on effectiveness of the use of technologies in service delivery are also warranted. A full systematic review would provide that opportunity. PMID:24872824

Using technology to deliver mental health services to children and youth: a scoping review.

PubMed

Boydell, Katherine M; Hodgins, Michael; Pignatiello, Antonio; Teshima, John; Edwards, Helen; Willis, David

2014-05-01

To conduct a scoping review on the use of technology to deliver mental health services to children and youth in order to identify the breadth of peer-reviewed literature, summarize findings and identify gaps. A literature database search identified 126 original studies meeting criteria for review. Descriptive numerical summary and thematic analyses were conducted. Two reviewers independently extracted data. Studies were characterized by diverse technologies including videoconferencing, telephone and mobile phone applications and Internet-based applications such as email, web sites and CD-ROMs. The use of technologies plays a major role in the delivery of mental health services and supports to children and youth in providing prevention, assessment, diagnosis, counseling and treatment programs. Strategies are growing exponentially on a global basis, thus it is critical to study the impact of these technologies on child and youth mental health service delivery. An in-depth review and synthesis of the quality of findings of studies on effectiveness of the use of technologies in service delivery are also warranted. A full systematic review would provide that opportunity.

40 CFR 81.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... air quality (PSD). With respect to areas identified as “Rest of State” it should be assumed that such reference comprises a single area designation for PSD baseline area purposes. However, for PM-10, the use of...

40 CFR 81.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... air quality (PSD). With respect to areas identified as “Rest of State” it should be assumed that such reference comprises a single area designation for PSD baseline area purposes. However, for PM-10, the use of...

40 CFR 81.300 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... air quality (PSD). With respect to areas identified as “Rest of State” it should be assumed that such reference comprises a single area designation for PSD baseline area purposes. However, for PM-10, the use of...

15 CFR 922.142 - Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... maximum extent practicable any advance impact on Sanctuary resources and qualities. Civil engineering and other civil works projects conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are excluded from the scope of...

37 CFR 1.81 - Drawings required in patent application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... to be patented; this drawing, or a high quality copy thereof, must be filed with the application... the original disclosure thereof for the purpose of interpretation of the scope of any claim. [43 FR...

Quality assurance of the SCOPE 1 trial in oesophageal radiotherapy.

PubMed

Wills, Lucy; Maggs, Rhydian; Lewis, Geraint; Jones, Gareth; Nixon, Lisette; Staffurth, John; Crosby, Tom

2017-11-15

SCOPE 1 was the first UK based multi-centre trial involving radiotherapy of the oesophagus. A comprehensive radiotherapy trials quality assurance programme was launched with two main aims: 1. To assist centres, where needed, to adapt their radiotherapy techniques in order to achieve protocol compliance and thereby enable their participation in the trial. 2. To support the trial's clinical outcomes by ensuring the consistent planning and delivery of radiotherapy across all participating centres. A detailed information package was provided and centres were required to complete a benchmark case in which the delineated target volumes and organs at risk, dose distribution and completion of a plan assessment form were assessed prior to recruiting patients into the trial. Upon recruiting, the quality assurance (QA) programme continued to monitor the outlining and planning of radiotherapy treatments. Completion of a questionnaire was requested in order to gather information about each centre's equipment and techniques relating to their trial participation and to assess the impact of the trial nationally on standard practice for radiotherapy of the oesophagus. During the trial, advice was available for individual planning issues, and was circulated amongst the SCOPE 1 community in response to common areas of concern using bulletins. 36 centres were supported through QA processes to enable their participation in SCOPE1. We discuss the issues which have arisen throughout this process and present details of the benchmark case solutions, centre questionnaires and on-trial protocol compliance. The range of submitted benchmark case GTV volumes was 29.8-67.8cm 3 ; and PTV volumes 221.9-513.3 cm 3 . For the dose distributions associated with these volumes, the percentage volume of the lungs receiving 20Gy (V20Gy) ranged from 20.4 to 33.5%. Similarly, heart V40Gy ranged from 16.1 to 33.0%. Incidence of incorrect outlining of OAR volumes increased from 50% of centres at benchmark case, to 64% on trial. Sixty-five percent of centres, who returned the trial questionnaire, stated that their standard practice had changed as a result of their participation in the SCOPE1 trial. The SCOPE 1 QA programme outcomes lend support to the trial's clinical conclusions. The range of patient planning outcomes for the benchmark case indicated, at the outset of the trial, the significant degree of variation present in UK oesophageal radiotherapy planning outcomes, despite the presence of a protocol. This supports the case for increasingly detailed definition of practice by means of consensus protocols, training and peer review. The incidence of minor inconsistencies of technique highlights the potential for improved QA systems and the need for sufficient resource for this to be addressed within future trials. As indicated in questionnaire responses, the QA exercise as a whole has contributed to greater consistency of oesophageal radiotherapy in the UK via the adoption into standard practice of elements of the protocol. The SCOPE1 trial is an International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial, ISRCTN47718479 .

An Exploratory Study of OEE Implementation in Indian Manufacturing Companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, J.; Soni, V. K.

2015-04-01

Globally, the implementation of Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) has proven to be highly effective in improving availability, performance rate and quality rate while reducing unscheduled breakdown and wastage that stems from the equipment. This paper investigates the present status and future scope of OEE metrics in Indian manufacturing companies through an extensive survey. In this survey, opinions of Production and Maintenance Managers have been analyzed statistically to explore the relationship between factors, perspective of OEE and potential use of OEE metrics. Although the sample has been divers in terms of product, process type, size, and geographic location of the companies, they are enforced to implement improvement techniques such as OEE metrics to improve performance. The findings reveal that OEE metrics has huge potential and scope to improve performance. Responses indicate that Indian companies are aware of OEE but they are not utilizing full potential of OEE metrics.

A broad scope knowledge based model for optimization of VMAT in esophageal cancer: validation and assessment of plan quality among different treatment centers.

PubMed

Fogliata, Antonella; Nicolini, Giorgia; Clivio, Alessandro; Vanetti, Eugenio; Laksar, Sarbani; Tozzi, Angelo; Scorsetti, Marta; Cozzi, Luca

2015-10-31

To evaluate the performance of a broad scope model-based optimisation process for volumetric modulated arc therapy applied to esophageal cancer. A set of 70 previously treated patients in two different institutions, were selected to train a model for the prediction of dose-volume constraints. The model was built with a broad-scope purpose, aiming to be effective for different dose prescriptions and tumour localisations. It was validated on three groups of patients from the same institution and from another clinic not providing patients for the training phase. Comparison of the automated plans was done against reference cases given by the clinically accepted plans. Quantitative improvements (statistically significant for the majority of the analysed dose-volume parameters) were observed between the benchmark and the test plans. Of 624 dose-volume objectives assessed for plan evaluation, in 21 cases (3.3 %) the reference plans failed to respect the constraints while the model-based plans succeeded. Only in 3 cases (<0.5 %) the reference plans passed the criteria while the model-based failed. In 5.3 % of the cases both groups of plans failed and in the remaining cases both passed the tests. Plans were optimised using a broad scope knowledge-based model to determine the dose-volume constraints. The results showed dosimetric improvements when compared to the benchmark data. Particularly the plans optimised for patients from the third centre, not participating to the training, resulted in superior quality. The data suggests that the new engine is reliable and could encourage its application to clinical practice.

MicroScope in 2017: an expanding and evolving integrated resource for community expertise of microbial genomes

PubMed Central

Vallenet, David; Calteau, Alexandra; Cruveiller, Stéphane; Gachet, Mathieu; Lajus, Aurélie; Josso, Adrien; Mercier, Jonathan; Renaux, Alexandre; Rollin, Johan; Rouy, Zoe; Roche, David; Scarpelli, Claude; Médigue, Claudine

2017-01-01

The annotation of genomes from NGS platforms needs to be automated and fully integrated. However, maintaining consistency and accuracy in genome annotation is a challenging problem because millions of protein database entries are not assigned reliable functions. This shortcoming limits the knowledge that can be extracted from genomes and metabolic models. Launched in 2005, the MicroScope platform (http://www.genoscope.cns.fr/agc/microscope) is an integrative resource that supports systematic and efficient revision of microbial genome annotation, data management and comparative analysis. Effective comparative analysis requires a consistent and complete view of biological data, and therefore, support for reviewing the quality of functional annotation is critical. MicroScope allows users to analyze microbial (meta)genomes together with post-genomic experiment results if any (i.e. transcriptomics, re-sequencing of evolved strains, mutant collections, phenotype data). It combines tools and graphical interfaces to analyze genomes and to perform the expert curation of gene functions in a comparative context. Starting with a short overview of the MicroScope system, this paper focuses on some major improvements of the Web interface, mainly for the submission of genomic data and on original tools and pipelines that have been developed and integrated in the platform: computation of pan-genomes and prediction of biosynthetic gene clusters. Today the resource contains data for more than 6000 microbial genomes, and among the 2700 personal accounts (65% of which are now from foreign countries), 14% of the users are performing expert annotations, on at least a weekly basis, contributing to improve the quality of microbial genome annotations. PMID:27899624

Fluor Hanford, Inc. Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) Quality Assurance Management Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The scope of the Fluor Hanford, Inc. Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project) is to provide technical and integration support to Fluor Hanford, Inc., including operable unit investigations at 300-FF-5 and other groundwater operable units, strategic integration, technical integration and assessments, remediation decision support, and science and technology. This Quality Assurance Management Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Fluor Hanford, Inc. Groundwater and Technical Integration Support (Master Project).

Growth, yield and compositional characteristics of Jerusalem artichoke as it relates to biomass production

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

Stauffer, M.D.; Chubey, B.B.; Dorrell, D.G.

1980-01-01

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) has shown excellent potential as a carbohydrate-rich crop. Initial investigations determined inulin and tuber yields; however, when additional studies showed that good quality pulp remained after inulin extraction and high forage yields per hectare were obtainable, the scope of investigation was broadened to assess utilization of the total plant. Plant growth, yield and compositional characteristics of Jerusalem artichoke as they relate to biomass production will be reported.

The effects of expanded nurse practitioner and physician assistant scope of practice on the cost of Medicaid patient care.

PubMed

Timmons, Edward Joseph

2017-02-01

The provision of health care to low-income Americans remains an ongoing policy challenge. In this paper, I examine how important changes to occupational licensing laws for nurse practitioners and physician assistants have affected cost and intensity of health care for Medicaid patients. The results suggest that allowing physician assistants to prescribe controlled substances is associated with a substantial (more than 11%) reduction in the dollar amount of outpatient claims per Medicaid recipient. I find little evidence that expanded scope of practice has affected proxies for care intensity such as total claims and total care days. Relaxing occupational licensing requirements by broadening the scope of practice for healthcare providers may represent a low-cost alternative to providing quality care to America's poor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward a life cycle-based, diet-level framework for food environmental impact and nutritional quality assessment: a critical review.

PubMed

Heller, Martin C; Keoleian, Gregory A; Willett, Walter C

2013-11-19

Supplying adequate human nutrition within ecosystem carrying capacities is a key element in the global environmental sustainability challenge. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used effectively to evaluate the environmental impacts of food production value chains and to identify opportunities for targeted improvement strategies. Dietary choices and resulting consumption patterns are the drivers of production, however, and a consumption-oriented life cycle perspective is useful in understanding the environmental implications of diet choices. This review identifies 32 studies that use an LCA framework to evaluate the environmental impact of diets or meals. It highlights the state of the art, emerging methodological trends and current challenges and limitations to such diet-level LCA studies. A wide range of bases for analysis and comparison (i.e., functional units) have been employed in LCAs of foods and diet; we conceptually map appropriate functional unit choices to research aims and scope and argue for a need to move in the direction of a more sophisticated and comprehensive nutritional basis in order to link nutritional health and environmental objectives. Nutritional quality indices are reviewed as potential approaches, but refinement through ongoing collaborative research between environmental and nutritional sciences is necessary. Additional research needs include development of regionally specific life cycle inventory databases for food and agriculture and expansion of the scope of assessments beyond the current focus on greenhouse gas emissions.

Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous groups.

PubMed

Rodrigues, António M M; Gardner, Andy

2013-08-01

Social groups are often composed of individuals who differ in many respects. Theoretical studies on the evolution of helping and harming behaviors have largely focused upon genetic differences between individuals. However, nongenetic variation between group members is widespread in natural populations, and may mediate differences in individuals' social behavior. Here, we develop a framework to study how variation in individual quality mediates the evolution of unconditional and conditional social traits. We investigate the scope for the evolution of social traits that are conditional on the quality of the actor and/or recipients. We find that asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of plastic traits with different individuals expressing helping and harming traits within the same group. In this context, population viscosity can mediate the evolution of social traits, and local competition can promote both helping and harming behaviors. Furthermore, asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of competition-like traits between clonal individuals. Overall, we highlight the importance of asymmetries in individual quality, including differences in reproductive value and the ability to engage in successful social interactions, in mediating the evolution of helping and harming behaviors. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in medical education.

PubMed

Chen, Fei; Lui, Angela M; Martinelli, Susan M

2017-06-01

There are inconsistent claims made about the effectiveness of the flipped classroom (FC) in medical education; however, the quality of the empirical evidence used to back up these claims is not evident. The aims of this review are to examine the scope and quality of studies on the FC teaching approach in medical education and to assess the effects of FCs on medical learning. A literature search was conducted using the major electronic databases in 2016. Peer-reviewed papers were screened and reviewed according to explicit inclusion criteria. The scope and quality of all resultant studies were evaluated. Studies identified as using controlled designs were further synthesised to assess the effects of FCs on learning. A total of 118 articles were obtained. Full texts of 82 articles were reviewed. Nine of the included 46 articles used a controlled design when examining the effects of the FC. There were generally positive perceptions of the FC approach. However, the effects of FCs on changes in knowledge and skills were less conclusive as the effect sizes ranged from d = -0.27 to 1.21, with a median of 0.08. The varying direction and magnitude of the effect sizes, together with their 95% confidence interval, which contained zero, suggested the lack of strong evidence for the effectiveness of FCs in promoting knowledge acquisition above and beyond the traditional learning methods. There has been a recent increase of research rigor and variety in measures of effectiveness in studies on the FC in medical education. The FC is a promising teaching approach to increase learners' motivation and engagement. More solid evidence on its effect on changes in knowledge and skills are warranted. Further studies should also examine the long-term effects of FCs with regard to knowledge retention and transfer of knowledge to professional practice and patient care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Coralville Reservoir Water Quality Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

Description of the Area and Scope of the Project The Coralville flood control dam is located in Johnson County, Iowa , about three miles north of Iowa City...out of the reservoir. USGS 05453100 Iowa River at Marengo, IA USGS 05453520 Iowa River below Coralville Dam near Coralville , IA max min average...26: Pesticides in Fish. Coralville Reservoir Water Quality Pesticides in Fish Reservoir (Near Lake McBride Spillway) Downstream ( Iowa

Impact of soil texture and water availability on the hydraulic control of plant and grape-berry development

Treesearch

Sara Tramontini; Cornelis van Leeuwen; Jean-Christophe Domec; Agnès Destrac-Irvine; Cyril Basteau; Marco Vitali; Olaf Mosbach-Schulz; Claudio Lovisolo

2013-01-01

All components of the soil-plant-atmosphere (s-p-a) continuum are known to control berry quality in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) via ecophysiological interactions between water uptake by roots and water loss by leaves. The scope of the present work was to explore how the main hydraulic components of grapevine influence fruit quality through changes...

The Other Side of Accountability: Measuring Students' Use of Facilities and Opportunities. AIR Forum 1979 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, C. Robert

A set of measures was developed to assess the quality of student effort in the utilization of the facilities and opportunities available in the college setting. The measures are based on the assumption that students are accountable for the amount, scope, and quality of effort they invest in using the available resources for their learning and…

System of Monitoring the Quality of Higher Education in UK Universities: Experience for Ukraine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krasilnikova, Hanna

2014-01-01

The article deals with the experience of the use of the system of internal monitoring of the quality of higher education in UK Universities. There has been analyzed the existing model of the system of higher education monitoring at the level of a higher education institution within the scope of the British higher education model, discovered by a…

Biomarkers associated with obstructive sleep apnea: A scoping review

PubMed Central

De Luca Canto, Graziela; Pachêco-Pereira, Camila; Aydinoz, Secil; Major, Paul W.; Flores-Mir, Carlos; Gozal, David

2014-01-01

Summary The overall validity of biomarkers in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains unclear. We conducted a scoping review to provide assessments of biomarkers characteristics in the context of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to identify gaps in the literature. A scoping review of studies in humans without age restriction that evaluated the potential diagnostic value of biological markers (blood, exhaled breath condensate, salivary, and urinary) in the OSA diagnosis was undertaken. Retained articles were those focused on the identification of biomarkers in subjects with OSA, the latter being confirmed with a full overnight or home-based polysomnography (PSG). Search strategies for six different databases were developed. The methodology of selected studies was classified using an adaptation of the evidence quality criteria from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Additionally the biomarkers were classified according to their potential clinical application. We identified 572 relevant studies, of which 117 met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-two studies were conducted in adults, 34 studies involved children, and one study had a sample composed of both adults and children. Most of the studies evaluated blood biomarkers. Potential diagnostic biomarkers were found in 9 pediatric studies and in 58 adults studies. Only 9 studies that reported sensitivity and specificity, which varied substantially from 43% to 100%, and from 45% to 100%, respectively. Thus, studies in adults have focused on the investigation of IL-6, TNF-α and hsCRP. There was not a specific biomarker that was tested by a majority of authors in pediatric studies, and combinatorial urine biomarker approaches have shown preliminary promising results. In adults IL-6 and IL-10 seem to have a favorable potential to become a good biomarker to identify OSA. PMID:25645128

49 CFR 520.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY... and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The... environmental aspects of proposed actions. (b) This part specifies National Highway Traffic Safety...

49 CFR 520.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY... and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The... environmental aspects of proposed actions. (b) This part specifies National Highway Traffic Safety...

49 CFR 520.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY... and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The... environmental aspects of proposed actions. (b) This part specifies National Highway Traffic Safety...

49 CFR 520.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY... and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The... environmental aspects of proposed actions. (b) This part specifies National Highway Traffic Safety...

Paradigms, Exemplars and Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Hal A.

2009-01-01

Researchers' social-cultural organization influences the scope, quality, quantity, coherence, dissemination, utilization and impact of research-based, theoretically sound knowledge. Five concepts--paradigm, exemplar, segment, network and gatekeeper--are salient to research on researchers' organization. Autobiographical reflections signal these…

49 CFR 520.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY... and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The... environmental aspects of proposed actions. (b) This part specifies National Highway Traffic Safety...

Idea Bank: Summer Music Programs for Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Tom; And Others

1989-01-01

Describes the elements of high quality summer music programs for students. Points out considerations for selection of a summer music camp, including setting daily schedule, amount of performance and private lessons, cost, faculty, and program scope. (LS)

Motivation of synthesis, with an example on groundwater quality sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogg, G. E.; Labolle, E. M.

2007-12-01

Synthesis of ideas and theories from disparate disciplines is necessary for addressing the major problems faced by society. Such integration happens neither via edict nor via lofty declarations of what is needed or what is best. It happens mainly through two mechanisms: limited scope collaborations (e.g., ~2-3 investigators) in which the researchers believe deeply in their need for each other's expertise and much larger scope collaborations driven by the 'big idea.' Perhaps the strongest motivation for broad, effective synthesis is the 'big idea' that is sufficiently important and inspiring to marshal the appropriate collaborative efforts. Examples include the Manhattan Project, the quest for cancer cures, predicting effects of climate change, and groundwater quality sustainability. The latter is posed as an example of a 'big idea' that would potentially unify research efforts in both the sciences and social sciences toward a common, pressing objective.

[Determinants of active aging according to quality of life and gender].

PubMed

Campos, Ana Cristina Viana; Ferreira e Ferreira, Efigenia; Vargas, Andréa Maria Duarte

2015-07-01

The scope of this study was to construct an indicator of active aging and assess its association with quality of life and possible determinants according to gender. The AGEQOL (Aging, Gender and Quality of Life) study was used to interview 2052 individuals aged 60 years and older residing in Sete Lagoas in the State of Minas Gerais. The association between active aging, quality of life and possible determinants was performed by multiple logistic regression with a 5% level of statistical significance separately for each gender. Most men were in the active aging group (58%), and 51.8% of women were in the normal aging group (p < 0.001). The quality of life in the Physical, Psychological, and total Score domains remained associated with the outcome in the final model for both genders. Among the men, the behavioral and community participation factors were positive predictors of active aging. Women with higher incomes, who did not suffer falls and engaged in community participation, had a better chance of belonging to the active aging group. The conclusion drawn is that quality of life and participation in groups are the main determinants of active aging, and the other factors associated with active aging are different for each gender.

Methodological Characteristics and Future Directions for Plyometric Jump Training Research: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Álvarez, Cristian; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson; Gentil, Paulo; Asadi, Abbas; Chaabene, Helmi; Moran, Jason; Meylan, Cesar; García-de-Alcaraz, Antonio; Sanchez-Sanchez, Javier; Nakamura, Fabio Y; Granacher, Urs; Kraemer, William; Izquierdo, Mikel

2018-05-01

Recently, there has been a proliferation of published articles on the effect of plyometric jump training, including several review articles and meta-analyses. However, these types of research articles are generally of narrow scope. Furthermore, methodological limitations among studies (e.g., a lack of active/passive control groups) prevent the generalization of results, and these factors need to be addressed by researchers. On that basis, the aims of this scoping review were to (1) characterize the main elements of plyometric jump training studies (e.g., training protocols) and (2) provide future directions for research. From 648 potentially relevant articles, 242 were eligible for inclusion in this review. The main issues identified related to an insufficient number of studies conducted in females, youths, and individual sports (~ 24.0, ~ 37.0, and ~ 12.0% of overall studies, respectively); insufficient reporting of effect size values and training prescription (~ 34.0 and ~ 55.0% of overall studies, respectively); and studies missing an active/passive control group and randomization (~ 40.0 and ~ 20.0% of overall studies, respectively). Furthermore, plyometric jump training was often combined with other training methods and added to participants' daily training routines (~ 47.0 and ~ 39.0% of overall studies, respectively), thus distorting conclusions on its independent effects. Additionally, most studies lasted no longer than 7 weeks. In future, researchers are advised to conduct plyometric training studies of high methodological quality (e.g., randomized controlled trials). More research is needed in females, youth, and individual sports. Finally, the identification of specific dose-response relationships following plyometric training is needed to specifically tailor intervention programs, particularly in the long term.

Visit from JAXA to NASA MSFC: The Engines Element & Ideas for Collaboration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, William D.

2013-01-01

System Design, Development, and Fabrication: Design, develop, and fabricate or procure MB-60 component hardware compliant with the imposed technical requirements and in sufficient quantities to fulfill the overall MB-60 development effort. System Development, Assembly, and Test: Manage the scope of the development, assembly, and test-related activities for MB-60 development. This scope includes engine-level development planning, engine assembly and disassembly, test planning, engine testing, inspection, anomaly resolution, and development of necessary ground support equipment and special test equipment. System Integration: Provide coordinated integration in the realms of engineering, safety, quality, and manufacturing disciplines across the scope of the MB-60 design and associated products development Safety and Mission Assurance, structural design, fracture control, materials and processes, thermal analysis. Systems Engineering and Analysis: Manage and perform Systems Engineering and Analysis to provide rigor and structure to the overall design and development effort for the MB-60. Milestone reviews, requirements management, system analysis, program management support Program Management: Manage, plan, and coordinate the activities across all portions of the MB-60 work scope by providing direction for program administration, business management, and supplier management.

Core Competencies or a Competent Core? A Scoping Review and Realist Synthesis of Invasive Bedside Procedural Skills Training in Internal Medicine.

PubMed

Brydges, Ryan; Stroud, Lynfa; Wong, Brian M; Holmboe, Eric S; Imrie, Kevin; Hatala, Rose

2017-11-01

Invasive bedside procedures are core competencies for internal medicine, yet no formal training guidelines exist. The authors conducted a scoping review and realist synthesis to characterize current training for lumbar puncture, arthrocentesis, paracentesis, thoracentesis, and central venous catheterization. They aimed to collate how educators justify using specific interventions, establish which interventions have the best evidence, and offer directions for future research and training. The authors systematically searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ERIC through April 2015. Studies were screened in three phases; all reviews were performed independently and in duplicate. The authors extracted information on learner and patient demographics, study design and methodological quality, and details of training interventions and measured outcomes. A three-step realist synthesis was performed to synthesize findings on each study's context, mechanism, and outcome, and to identify a foundational training model. From an initial 6,671 studies, 149 studies were further reduced to 67 (45%) reporting sufficient information for realist synthesis. Analysis yielded four types of procedural skills training interventions. There was relative consistency across contexts and significant differences in mechanisms and outcomes across the four intervention types. The medical procedural service was identified as an adaptable foundational training model. The observed heterogeneity in procedural skills training implies that programs are not consistently developing residents who are competent in core procedures. The findings suggest that researchers in education and quality improvement will need to collaborate to design training that develops a "competent core" of proceduralists using simulation and clinical rotations.

Data Management and Data Quality in PERCH, a Large International Case-Control Study of Severe Childhood Pneumonia.

PubMed

Watson, Nora L; Prosperi, Christine; Driscoll, Amanda J; Higdon, Melissa M; Park, Daniel E; Sanza, Megan; DeLuca, Andrea N; Awori, Juliet O; Goswami, Doli; Hammond, Emily; Hossain, Lokman; Johnson, Catherine; Kamau, Alice; Kuwanda, Locadiah; Moore, David P; Neyzari, Omid; Onwuchekwa, Uma; Parker, David; Sapchookul, Patranuch; Seidenberg, Phil; Shamsul, Arifin; Siazeele, Kazungu; Srisaengchai, Prasong; Sylla, Mamadou; Levine, Orin S; Murdoch, David R; O'Brien, Katherine L; Wolff, Mark; Deloria Knoll, Maria

2017-06-15

The Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study is the largest multicountry etiology study of pediatric pneumonia undertaken in the past 3 decades. The study enrolled 4232 hospitalized cases and 5325 controls over 2 years across 9 research sites in 7 countries in Africa and Asia. The volume and complexity of data collection in PERCH presented considerable logistical and technical challenges. The project chose an internet-based data entry system to allow real-time access to the data, enabling the project to monitor and clean incoming data and perform preliminary analyses throughout the study. To ensure high-quality data, the project developed comprehensive quality indicator, data query, and monitoring reports. Among the approximately 9000 cases and controls, analyzable laboratory results were available for ≥96% of core specimens collected. Selected approaches to data management in PERCH may be extended to the planning and organization of international studies of similar scope and complexity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Health Care Exceptionalism? Performance and Allocation in the US Health Care Sector

PubMed Central

Chandra, Amitabh; Finkelstein, Amy; Sacarny, Adam; Syverson, Chad

2016-01-01

The conventional wisdom for the healthcare sector is that idiosyncratic features leave little scope for market forces to allocate consumers to higher performance producers. However, we find robust evidence - across several different conditions and performance measures - that higher quality hospitals have higher market shares and grow more over time. The relationship between performance and allocation is stronger among patients who have greater scope for hospital choice, suggesting that patient demand plays an important role in allocation. Our findings suggest that healthcare may have more in common with “traditional” sectors subject to market forces than often assumed. PMID:27784907

Service quality and asymmetric information in the regulation of monopolies: The Chilean electricity distribution industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melo, Oscar Alfredo

This study is an enquiry about the role that service quality, asymmetric information, scope of regulation and regulator's preferences play in the regulation of monopolies, with an application to the case of the Chilean electricity distribution industry. In Chapter 1, I present the problem of regulating a monopolist and introduce the special conditions that the electricity sector has. Later I discuss the main characteristics of the electricity system that operates in Chile. The literature on regulation is reviewed in Chapter 2. A special emphasis is given to the problems of quality and information, and the lack of its proper joint treatment. In Chapter 3, I develop four theoretical models of regulation that explicitly consider the regulation of price and quality versus price-only regulation, and a symmetric versus asymmetric information structure where only the regulator knows its true costs. In these models, I also consider the effect of a regulator that may have a preference between consumers and the regulated monopolistic firms. I conclude that with symmetric information and independent of the scope of regulation, having a regulator that prefers consumers or producers does not affect the efficiency of the outcome. I also show that the regulator's inability to set quality, thus regulating only price, leads to an inefficient outcome, away from the first best solution that can be achieved by regulating both price and quality, even with asymmetric information, as long as the regulator does not have a "biased" preference for consumers or the monopolistic producers. If the regulator has a "bias," then the equilibrium will be inefficient with asymmetric information. But the effect on equilibrium price and quality depends on the direction of the effect of quality on the marginal effect of price in demand. More importantly, no closed-form solution can be derived unless drastic simplifications are made. To further investigate the outcome of the models, I use numerical simulation in Chapter 4, assuming flexible functional forms and alternative sets of parameters that represent the scenarios of interest. The results show that when the regulator is biased toward consumers (producers), symmetric information models yield higher (lower) quality except for the most efficient firm. Chapter 5 uses data from the electricity sector in Chile and estimates the price and quality elasticity of demand and finds a positive effect of quality on the price elasticity of demand.

Social-Ecological Correlates in Adult Autism Outcome Studies: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Anderson, Kristy A; Roux, Anne M; Kuo, Alice; Shattuck, Paul T

2018-04-01

The transition into adulthood is a critical period in the life course that shapes later outcomes. Many adults on the autism spectrum fare poorly across a wide range of quality of life indicators. Understanding the multilevel factors that influence transition outcomes is necessary to develop strategies that promote better outcomes. In this scoping review, we characterize the use of social-ecological factors in adult autism outcome studies, identify understudied areas of research, and provide recommendations for future research. We conducted a literature search for studies in which the relationship between social-ecological factors and transition outcomes among transition-age youth with autism was assessed. We organized variables used in studies across 5 levels of influence: family-, interpersonal-, institutional-, community-, and policy-level factors. Our findings reveal that both breadth and depth of social-ecological factors usage in autism outcomes studies is limited because of the narrow inclusion of variables across social-ecological levels, the overreliance on a limited number of national data sets, and the overall lack of variation in research design. We propose 9 recommendations to inform the development of multilevel studies. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Trends of infodemiology studies: a scoping review.

PubMed

Zeraatkar, Kimia; Ahmadi, Maryam

2018-06-01

The health care industry is rich in data and information. Web technologies, such as search engines and social media, have provided an opportunity for the management of user generated data in real time in the form of infodemiology studies. The aim of this study was to investigate infodemiology studies conducted during 2002-2016, and compare them based on developed, developing and in transition countries. This scoping review was conducted in 2017 with the help of the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, Wiley and Springer databases were searched between the years 2002 and 2016. Finally, 56 articles were included in the review and analysed. The initial infodemiology studies pertain to the quality assessment of the hospital's websites. Most of the studies were on developed countries, based on flu, and published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. The infodemiology approach provides unmatched opportunities for the management of health data and information generated by the users. Using this potential will provide unique opportunities for the health information need assessment in real time by health librarians and thereby provide evidence based health information to the people. © 2018 Health Libraries Group.

[Description of the ISO 9001/2000 certification process in the parenteral nutrition area].

PubMed

Miana Mena, M T; Fontanals Martínez, S; López Púa, Y; López Suñé, E; Codina Jané, C; Ribas Sala, J

2007-01-01

In order to guarantee quality and safety and to increase user satisfaction, healthcare organisations have integrated quality management systems into their structures. This study describes the process for introducing the UNE-EN-ISO-9001/2000 standard in the parenteral nutrition area. A multidisciplinary group established the scope of the standard, focusing on transcription, preparation, dispensation and microbiological control. A detailed procedure describing the sequences of circuits and associated activities, the responsible staff and the action guidelines to be followed was established. Quality and activity markers were also established. This process has enabled a standard system to be implemented, with its operation perfectly described and documented, allowing its stages to be traceable and supervised. As there is no record of the data obtained beforehand, no direct comparison can be made; its evolution must therefore be analysed in the future.

Specifying Quality of Service for Distributed Systems Based Upon Behavior Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-01

Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE June 2002 3 . REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Dissertation 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: Title (Mix case letters) Specifying...213 3 . Linux .................................................................................................214 5. Ensemble...FIGURE 3 . RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SCOPE............................................................................................................. 18

42 CFR 440.200 - Basis, purpose, and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... residence or otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law; (4) Section 1903(v)(2... quality of services; (3) Section 1903(v)(1), which provides that no payment may be made to a State under...

7 CFR 3406.8 - Joint project proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1890 INSTITUTION CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS PROGRAM... the scope and quality of a project's impact, and promoting coalition building likely to transcend the...

77 FR 21776 - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for “Reporting Patient Safety Events Challenge”

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-11

... Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) create a safe environment for health care providers to collect... the scope of their employment. (5) Shall not be an HHS employee working on their applications or...

5 CFR 850.101 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

....101 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS... processing system created by the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM's) Retirement Systems Modernization (RSM) initiative. RSM is OPM's strategic initiative to improve the quality and timeliness of services...

PathoScope 2.0: a complete computational framework for strain identification in environmental or clinical sequencing samples

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Recent innovations in sequencing technologies have provided researchers with the ability to rapidly characterize the microbial content of an environmental or clinical sample with unprecedented resolution. These approaches are producing a wealth of information that is providing novel insights into the microbial ecology of the environment and human health. However, these sequencing-based approaches produce large and complex datasets that require efficient and sensitive computational analysis workflows. Many recent tools for analyzing metagenomic-sequencing data have emerged, however, these approaches often suffer from issues of specificity, efficiency, and typically do not include a complete metagenomic analysis framework. Results We present PathoScope 2.0, a complete bioinformatics framework for rapidly and accurately quantifying the proportions of reads from individual microbial strains present in metagenomic sequencing data from environmental or clinical samples. The pipeline performs all necessary computational analysis steps; including reference genome library extraction and indexing, read quality control and alignment, strain identification, and summarization and annotation of results. We rigorously evaluated PathoScope 2.0 using simulated data and data from the 2011 outbreak of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli O104:H4. Conclusions The results show that PathoScope 2.0 is a complete, highly sensitive, and efficient approach for metagenomic analysis that outperforms alternative approaches in scope, speed, and accuracy. The PathoScope 2.0 pipeline software is freely available for download at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pathoscope/. PMID:25225611

Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Edition: An Executive Summary.

PubMed

2018-04-25

Wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nursing was recognized as a nursing specialty by the American Nurses Association in February 2010, and the Society published the original scope and standards of WOC nursing practice in May 2010. The Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd Edition is the definitive resource promoting excellence in professional practice, quality care, and improved patient outcomes in WOC specialty practice. It can be used to articulate the value of WOC nurses to administrators, legislators, payers, patients, and others. The second edition also provides an overview of the scope of WOC nursing practice including a description of the specialty, the history and evolution of WOC nursing, characteristics of WOC nursing practice, and description of the trispecialty. The document describes various WOC nurse roles, populations served, practice settings, care coordination, and collaboration. Educational preparation, levels of practice within WOC specialty nursing, certification, mandate for continuous professional development, ethics, current trends, future considerations and challenges, and standards of WOC nursing practice and professional performance with competencies for each standard are provided. The purpose of this Executive Summary is to describe the process for developing the scope and standards document, provide an overview of the scope of WOC nursing practice, and list the standards of practice and professional performance along with the competencies for each level of WOC nurse provider. The original document is available from the WOCN Society's online book store (www.wocn.org).

Global initiatives for improving hospital care for children: state of the art and future prospects.

PubMed

Campbell, Harry; Duke, Trevor; Weber, Martin; English, Mike; Carai, Susanne; Tamburlini, Giorgio

2008-04-01

Deficiencies in the quality of health care are major limiting factors to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals for child and maternal health. Quality of patient care in hospitals is firmly on the agendas of Western countries but has been slower to gain traction in developing countries, despite evidence that there is substantial scope for improvement, that hospitals have a major role in child survival, and that inequities in quality may be as important as inequities in access. There is now substantial global experience of strategies and interventions that improve the quality of care for children in hospitals with limited resources. The World Health Organization has developed a toolkit that contains adaptable instruments, including a framework for quality improvement, evidence-based clinical guidelines in the form of the Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children, teaching material, assessment, and mortality audit tools. These tools have been field-tested by doctors, nurses, and other child health workers in many developing countries. This collective experience was brought together in a global World Health Organization meeting in Bali in 2007. This article describes how many countries are achieving improvements in quality of pediatric care, despite limited resources and other major obstacles, and how the evidence has progressed in recent years from documenting the nature and scope of the problems to describing the effectiveness of innovative interventions. The challenges remain to bring these and other strategies to scale and to support research into their use, impact, and sustainability in different environments.

Eugenics from the New Deal to the Great Society: genetics, demography and population quality.

PubMed

Ramsden, Edmund

2008-12-01

The relationship between biological and social scientists as regards the study of human traits and behavior has often been perceived in terms of mutual distrust, even antipathy. In the interwar period, population study seemed an area that might allow for closer relations between them-united as they were by a concern to improve the eugenic quality of populations. Yet these relations were in tension: by the early post-war era, social demographers were denigrating the contributions of biologists to the study of population problems as embodying the elitist ideology of eugenics. In response to this loss of credibility, the eugenics movement pursued a simultaneous program of withdrawal and expansion: its leaders helped focus concern with biological quality onto the developing field of medical genetics, while at the same moment, extended their scope to improving the social quality of populations through birth control policies, guided by demography. While this approach maintained boundaries between the social and the biological, in the 1960s, a revitalized American Eugenics Society helped reunite leading demographers and geneticists. This paper will assess the reasons for this period of influence for eugenics, and explore its implications for the social and biological study of human populations.

The Relationship History Calendar: Improving the Scope and Quality of Data on Youth Sexual Behavior*

PubMed Central

Luke, Nancy; Clark, Shelley; Zulu, Eliya

2012-01-01

Most survey data on sexual activities are obtained via face-to-face interviews, which are prone to misreporting of socially unacceptable behaviors. Demographers have developed various private response methods to minimize social desirability bias and improve the quality of reporting; however, these methods often limit the complexity of information collected. We designed a life history calendar—the Relationship History Calendar (RHC)—to increase the scope of data collected on sexual relationships and behavior while enhancing their quality. The RHC records detailed, 10-year retrospective information on sexual relationship histories. The structure and interview procedure draw on qualitative techniques, which could reduce social desirability bias. We evaluate the quality of data collected with the RHC compared to a standard face-to-face survey instrument through a field experiment conducted among 1275 youth in Kisumu, Kenya. The results suggest that the RHC reduces social desirability bias and improves reporting on multiple measures, including higher rates of abstinence among males and multiple recent sexual partnerships among females. The RHC fosters higher levels of rapport and respondent enjoyment, which appear to be the mechanisms through which social desirability bias is minimized. The RHC is an excellent alternative to private response methods and could potentially be adapted into large-scale surveys. PMID:21732169

The relationship history calendar: improving the scope and quality of data on youth sexual behavior.

PubMed

Luke, Nancy; Clark, Shelley; Zulu, Eliya M

2011-08-01

Most survey data on sexual activities are obtained via face-to-face interviews, which are prone to misreporting of socially unacceptable behaviors. Demographers have developed various private response methods to minimize social desirability bias and improve the quality of reporting; however, these methods often limit the complexity of information collected. We designed a life history calendar-the Relationship History Calendar (RHC)-to increase the scope of data collected on sexual relationships and behavior while enhancing their quality. The RHC records detailed, 10-year retrospective information on sexual relationship histories. The structure and interview procedure draw on qualitative techniques, which could reduce social desirability bias. We compare the quality of data collected with the RHC with a standard face-to-face survey instrument through a field experiment conducted among 1,275 youth in Kisumu, Kenya. The results suggest that the RHC reduces social desirability bias and improves reporting on multiple measures, including higher rates of abstinence among males and multiple recent sexual partnerships among females. The RHC fosters higher levels of rapport and respondent enjoyment, which appear to be the mechanisms through which social desirability bias is minimized. The RHC is an excellent alternative to private response methods and could potentially be adapted for large-scale surveys.

URBAN STORMWATER INVESTIGATIONS BY THE U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jennings, Marshall E.

1985-01-01

Urban stormwater hydrology studies in the U. S. Geological Survey are currently focused on compilation of national data bases containing flood-peak and short time-interval rainfall, discharge and water-quality information for urban watersheds. Current data bases, updated annually, are nationwide in scope. Supplementing the national data files are published reports of interpretative analyses, a map report and research products including improved instrumentation and deterministic modeling capabilities. New directions of Survey investigations include gaging programs for very small catchments and for stormwater detention facilities.

Examining Young Students' Problem Scoping in Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Jessica; Spencer, Kathleen; Hammer, David

2014-01-01

Problem scoping--determining the nature and boundaries of a problem--is an essential aspect of the engineering design process. Some studies from engineering education suggest that beginning students tend to skip problem scoping or oversimplify a problem. However, the ways these studies often characterize students' problem scoping often do not…

The Advantages of High/Scope: Helping Children Lead Successful Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.; Weikart, David P.

1999-01-01

The High/Scope educational approach emphasizes child-initiated learning activities for preschool/elementary school children. A research study shows that compared to children receiving direct instruction, High/Scope kids later showed more prosocial and less antisocial behaviors. Another study showed that poor High/Scope students had better…

What are scoping studies? A review of the nursing literature.

PubMed

Davis, Kathy; Drey, Nick; Gould, Dinah

2009-10-01

Scoping studies are increasingly undertaken as distinct activities. The interpretation, methodology and expectations of scoping are highly variable. This suggests that conceptually, scoping is a poorly defined ambiguous term. The distinction between scoping as an integral preliminary process in the development of a research proposal or a formative, methodologically rigorous activity in its own right has not been extensively examined. The aim of this review is to explore the nature and status of scoping studies within the nursing literature and develop a working definition to ensure consistency in the future use of scoping as a research related activity. This paper follows an interpretative scoping review methodology. An explicit systematic search strategy included literary and web-based key word searches and advice from key researchers. Electronic sources included bibliographic and national research register databases and a general browser. The scoping studies varied widely in terms of intent, procedural and methodological rigor. An atheoretical stance was common although explicit conceptual clarification and development of a topic was limited. Four different levels of inquiry ranging from preliminary descriptive surveys to more substantive conceptual approaches were conceptualised. These levels reflected differing dimensional distinctions in which some activities constitute research whereas in others the scoping activities appear to fall outside the remit of research. Reconnaissance emerges as a common synthesising construct to explain the purpose of scoping. Scoping studies in relation to nursing are embryonic and continue to evolve. Its main strengths lie in its ability to extract the essence of a diverse body of evidence giving it meaning and significance that is both developmental and intellectually creative. As with other approaches to research and evidence synthesis a more standardized approach is required.

Evidence-Based Advances in Reptile Medicine.

PubMed

Mitchell, Mark A; Perry, Sean M

2017-09-01

Evidence-based medicine allows veterinarians to practice high-quality medicine, because the basis for all decision making is quantitative, objective, and reproducible. Case reports and case series are limited in their scope and application. Cross-sectional studies, likewise, cannot provide answers to specific variable testing with a temporal application. It is essential for the reptile specialty to expand into case-control studies, cohort studies, and experimental/intervention studies. Unfortunately, much of the reptile literature remains limited to descriptive studies. This article reviews current evidence-based topics in reptile medicine and shares how everyone practicing in the field can contribute to improving this specialty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 3282.201 - Scope and purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... manufacturers of manufactured homes for sale to purchasers in the United States with respect to certification of manufactured home designs, inspection of designs, quality assurance programs, and manufactured home production... DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURED HOME PROCEDURAL AND ENFORCEMENT REGULATIONS Manufacturer Inspection and Certification...

7 CFR 622.2 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., water quality management, ground water supply, agricultural pollution control, and other water management. (d) After a final plan for works of improvement is agreed upon between NRCS and the sponsors and... proper utilization of land, flood prevention, agricultural water management including irrigation and...

Homeschooling Comes of Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lines, Patricia M.

2000-01-01

The rapidly growing homeschooling movement has been around for centuries. No definitive data exist on the scope of homeschooling, but limited data note that homeschooling families are generally religious, conservative, middle income, educated whites. People often consider homeschooling after disappointments with public school quality. Homeschooled…

32 CFR 651.52 - Aids to information gathering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... dissemination of analyses and information as they evolve. ... 32 National Defense 4 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Aids to information gathering. 651.52 Section...) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping...

32 CFR 651.52 - Aids to information gathering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... dissemination of analyses and information as they evolve. ... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Aids to information gathering. 651.52 Section...) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping...

[Non-pharmacological treatment of dementia in geriatric psychiatry care units : Scoping review].

PubMed

Göhner, Anne; Hüll, Michael; Voigt-Radloff, Sebastian

2018-02-01

The number of persons suffering from dementia will continuously increase in the coming years; therefore, evidence-based interventions are needed in geriatric psychiatric care. When evidence is poor scoping reviews may help to identify knowledge gaps and needs for research. To present an overview of clinical trials on non-pharmacological treatment for elderly with dementia in hospitals, wards and nursing homes, specializing in gerontopsychiatric care. A systematic search was carried out by one of the authors for clinical trials (randomized controlled, controlled and single group pre-post design, English and German, 1998-2014) in PsycINFO, PubMED, PSYNDEX and the Cochrane Library as well as a manual search in two relevant German peer-reviewed journals. Two authors included studies according to a priori defined inclusion criteria. One author extracted data after consulting the second author in cases of ambiguity. The risk of bias of the studies was not assessed. A total of 77 studies were identified, 29 studies on restructured treatment pathways or settings, 14 trials on environmental changes and 34 studies on therapeutic single or group interventions. Both the methodological quality of the studies and the evidence for the efficacy of non-pharmacological treatment were limited. There are clear indications for an advantage of specialized environments and treatment settings for the elderly with dementia in hospitals, wards and nursing homes. There are consistent indications for positive effects of psychosocial activation alone or in combination with cognitive or physical activation, partly with high-quality study designs. This is consistent with the German S3 guidelines for dementia. For single interventions, such as electroconvulsive therapy or horticultural activities, the level of evidence remains limited.

Dietary self-efficacy predicts AHEI diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes.

PubMed

Ferranti, Erin Poe; Narayan, K M Venkat; Reilly, Carolyn M; Foster, Jennifer; McCullough, Marjorie; Ziegler, Thomas R; Guo, Ying; Dunbar, Sandra B

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of intrapersonal influences of diet quality as defined by the Health Belief Model constructs in women with recent histories of gestational diabetes. A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used to analyze relationships between diet quality and intrapersonal variables, including perceptions of threat of type 2 diabetes mellitus development, benefits and barriers of healthy eating, and dietary self-efficacy, in a convenience sample of 75 community-dwelling women (55% minority; mean age, 35.5 years; SD, 5.5 years) with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Diet quality was defined by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Multiple regression was used to identify predictors of AHEI diet quality. Women had moderate AHEI diet quality (mean score, 47.6; SD, 14.3). Only higher levels of education and self-efficacy significantly predicted better AHEI diet quality, controlling for other contributing variables. There is a significant opportunity to improve diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Improving self-efficacy may be an important component to include in nutrition interventions. In addition to identifying other important individual components, future studies of diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus are needed to investigate the scope of influence beyond the individual to potential family, social, and environmental factors. © 2014 The Author(s).

MicroScope in 2017: an expanding and evolving integrated resource for community expertise of microbial genomes.

PubMed

Vallenet, David; Calteau, Alexandra; Cruveiller, Stéphane; Gachet, Mathieu; Lajus, Aurélie; Josso, Adrien; Mercier, Jonathan; Renaux, Alexandre; Rollin, Johan; Rouy, Zoe; Roche, David; Scarpelli, Claude; Médigue, Claudine

2017-01-04

The annotation of genomes from NGS platforms needs to be automated and fully integrated. However, maintaining consistency and accuracy in genome annotation is a challenging problem because millions of protein database entries are not assigned reliable functions. This shortcoming limits the knowledge that can be extracted from genomes and metabolic models. Launched in 2005, the MicroScope platform (http://www.genoscope.cns.fr/agc/microscope) is an integrative resource that supports systematic and efficient revision of microbial genome annotation, data management and comparative analysis. Effective comparative analysis requires a consistent and complete view of biological data, and therefore, support for reviewing the quality of functional annotation is critical. MicroScope allows users to analyze microbial (meta)genomes together with post-genomic experiment results if any (i.e. transcriptomics, re-sequencing of evolved strains, mutant collections, phenotype data). It combines tools and graphical interfaces to analyze genomes and to perform the expert curation of gene functions in a comparative context. Starting with a short overview of the MicroScope system, this paper focuses on some major improvements of the Web interface, mainly for the submission of genomic data and on original tools and pipelines that have been developed and integrated in the platform: computation of pan-genomes and prediction of biosynthetic gene clusters. Today the resource contains data for more than 6000 microbial genomes, and among the 2700 personal accounts (65% of which are now from foreign countries), 14% of the users are performing expert annotations, on at least a weekly basis, contributing to improve the quality of microbial genome annotations. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using fuzzy multiple-attribute decision making techniques.

PubMed

Singh, Ajit Pratap; Chakrabarti, Sumanta; Kumar, Sumit; Singh, Anjaney

2017-08-01

This paper deals with assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using two techniques. Initially, air quality indices were evaluated using a modified EPA method. The indices were also evaluated using a fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) method. The results obtained from the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method were compared to that obtained from the modified EPA method. To illustrate the applicability of the methodology proposed herein, a case study has been presented. Air samples have been collected at 10 sampling sites located along Haora River. Six important air pollutants, namely, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended particulate matter (SPM), PM 10 , and lead, were monitored continuously, and air quality maps were generated on the GIS platform. Comparison of the methodologies has clearly highlighted superiority and robustness of the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method in determining air quality indices under study. It has effectively addressed the inherent uncertainties involved in the evaluation, modeling, and interpretation of sampling data, which was beyond the scope of the traditional weighted approaches employed otherwise. The FCA method is robust and prepares a credible platform of air quality evaluation and identification, in face of the uncertainties that remain eclipsed in the traditional approaches like the modified EPA method. The insights gained through the present study are believed to be of pivotal significance in guiding the development and implementation of effective environmental remedial action plans in the study area.

A scoping review of weight bias by community pharmacists towards people with obesity and mental illness.

PubMed

Murphy, Andrea L; Gardner, David M

2016-07-01

Community pharmacists are accessible health care professionals who are increasingly offering weight management programs. People living with serious mental illness have markedly higher rates of obesity and associated illness outcomes than the general population, providing pharmacists who are interested in offering weight management services with an identifiable patient subgroup with increased health needs. Issues with stigma within obesity and mental illness care are prevalent and can lead to inequities and reduced quality of care. We conducted a scoping review to map and characterize the available information from published and grey literature sources regarding community pharmacists and weight bias towards obese people with lived experience of mental illness. A staged approach to the scoping review was used. Six articles and 6 websites were abstracted after we removed duplicates and applied our inclusion and exclusion criteria. The published studies that we found indicated that pharmacists and pharmacy students do demonstrate implicit and explicit weight bias. Very limited research is available regarding weight bias in pharmacists and stigma towards people with obesity, and we found no information on these phenomena relating to people with lived experience of mental illness. Investigations are needed to characterize the extent and nature of anti-fat bias and attitudes by pharmacists and the consequences of these attitudes for patient care.

Boundary spanning by nurse managers: effects of managers' characteristics and scope of responsibility on teamwork.

PubMed

Meyer, Raquel M; O'Brien-Pallas, Linda; Doran, Diane; Streiner, David; Ferguson-Paré, Mary; Duffield, Christine

2014-06-01

Increasing role complexity has intensified the work of managers in supporting healthcare teams. This study examined the influence of front-line managers' characteristics and scope of responsibility on teamwork. Scope of responsibility considers the breadth of the manager's role. A descriptive, correlational design was used to collect cross-sectional survey and administrative data in four acute care hospitals. A convenience sample of 754 staff completed the Relational Coordination Scale as a measure of teamwork that focuses on the quality of communication and relationships. Nurses (73.9%), allied health professionals (14.7%) and unregulated staff (11.7%) worked in 54 clinical areas, clustered under 30 front-line managers. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modelling. Leadership practices, clinical support roles and compressed operational hours had positive effects on teamwork. Numbers of non-direct report staff and areas assigned had negative effects on teamwork. Teamwork did not vary by span, managerial experience, worked hours, occupational diversity or proportion of full-time employees. Large, acute care teaching hospitals can enable managers to foster teamwork by enhancing managers' leadership practices, redesigning the flow or reporting structure for non-direct reports, optimizing managerial hours relative to operational hours, allocating clinical support roles, reducing number of areas assigned and, potentially, introducing co-manager models. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

Does knowledge brokering improve the quality of rapid review proposals? A before and after study.

PubMed

Moore, Gabriel; Redman, Sally; D'Este, Catherine; Makkar, Steve; Turner, Tari

2017-01-28

Rapid reviews are increasingly being used to help policy makers access research in short time frames. A clear articulation of the review's purpose, questions, scope, methods and reporting format is thought to improve the quality and generalisability of review findings. The aim of the study is to explore the effectiveness of knowledge brokering in improving the perceived clarity of rapid review proposals from the perspective of potential reviewers. To conduct the study, we drew on the Evidence Check program, where policy makers draft a review proposal (a pre knowledge brokering proposal) and have a 1-hour session with a knowledge broker, who re-drafts the proposal based on the discussion (a post knowledge brokering proposal). We asked 30 reviewers who had previously undertaken Evidence Check reviews to examine the quality of 60 pre and 60 post knowledge brokering proposals. Reviewers were blind to whether the review proposals they received were pre or post knowledge brokering. Using a six-point Likert scale, reviewers scored six questions examining clarity of information about the review's purpose, questions, scope, method and format and reviewers' confidence that they could meet policy makers' needs. Each reviewer was allocated two pre and two post knowledge brokering proposals, randomly ordered, from the 60 reviews, ensuring no reviewer received a pre and post knowledge brokering proposal from the same review. The results showed that knowledge brokering significantly improved the scores for all six questions addressing the perceived clarity of the review proposal and confidence in meeting policy makers' needs; with average changes of 0.68 to 1.23 from pre to post across the six domains. This study found that knowledge brokering increased the perceived clarity of information provided in Evidence Check rapid review proposals and the confidence of reviewers that they could meet policy makers' needs. Further research is needed to identify how the knowledge brokering process achieves these improvements and to test the applicability of the findings in other rapid review programs.

Functional Performance Testing and Patient Reported Outcomes following ACL Reconstruction: A Systematic Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Herrington, Lee

2014-01-01

Objective. A systematic scoping review of the literature to identify functional performance tests and patient reported outcomes for patients who undergo anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and rehabilitation that are used in clinical practice and research during the last decade. Methods. A literature search was conducted. Electronic databases used included Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, and AMED. The inclusion criteria were English language, publication between April 2004 and April 2014, and primary ACL reconstruction with objective and/or subjective outcomes used. Two authors screened the selected papers for title, abstract, and full-text in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of all papers was assessed by a checklist of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Results. A total of 16 papers were included with full-text. Different authors used different study designs for functional performance testing which led to different outcomes that could not be compared. All papers used a measurement for quantity of functional performance except one study which used both quantity and quality outcomes. Several functional performance tests and patient reported outcomes were identified in this review. Conclusion. No extensive research has been carried out over the past 10 years to measure the quality of functional performance testing and control stability of patients following ACL reconstruction. However this study found that the measurement of functional performance following ACL reconstruction consisting of a one-leg hop for a set distance or a combination of different hops using limb symmetry index (LSI) was a main outcome parameter of several studies. A more extensive series of tests is suggested to measure both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of functional performance after the ACL reconstruction. The KOOS and the IKDC questionnaires are both measures that are increasingly being used for ACL reconstruction throughout the last decade. PMID:27379330

Twelve Months of Air Quality Monitoring at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Southwestern Rural Nevada, U.S.A (EMSI April 2007)

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

Engelbrecht, Johann P; Shafer, David S; Campbell, Dave

The one year of air quality monitoring data collected at the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was the final part of the air quality "Scoping Studies" for the Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI) in southern and central Nevada. The objective of monitoring at Ash Meadows was to examine aerosol and meteorological data, seasonal trends in aerosol and meteorological parameters as well as to examine evidence for long distance transport of some constituents. The 9,307 hectare refuge supports more than 50 springs and 24 endemic species, including the only population of the federally listed endangered Devil’s Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis)more » (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1990). Ash Meadows NWR is located in a Class II air quality area, and the aerosol measurements collected with this study are compared to those of Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) sites. Measurements taken at Ash Meadows NWR over a period of 12 months provide new baseline air quality and meteorological information for rural southwestern Nevada, specifically Nye County and the Amargosa Valley.« less

Determinants of patient choice of healthcare providers: a scoping review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In several northwest European countries, a demand-driven healthcare system has been implemented that stresses the importance of patient healthcare provider choice. In this study, we are conducting a scoping review aiming to map out what is known about the determinants of patient choice of a wide range of healthcare providers. As far as we know, not many studies are currently available that attempt to draw a general picture of how patients choose a healthcare provider and of the status of research on this subject. This study is therefore a valuable contribution to the growing amount of literature about patient choice. Methods We carried out a specific type of literature review known as a scoping review. Scoping reviews try to examine the breadth of knowledge that is available about a particular topic and therefore do not make selections or apply quality constraints. Firstly, we defined our research questions and searched the literature in Embase, Medline and PubMed. Secondly, we selected the literature, and finally we analysed and summarized the information. Results Our review shows that patients’ choices are determined by a complex interplay between patient and provider characteristics. A variety of patient characteristics determines whether patients make choices, are willing and able to choose, and how they choose. Patients take account of a variety of structural, process and outcome characteristics of providers, differing in the relative importance they attach to these characteristics. Conclusions There is no such thing as the typical patient: different patients make different choices in different situations. Comparative information seems to have a relatively limited influence on the choices made by many patients and patients base their decisions on a variety of provider characteristics instead of solely on outcome characteristics. The assumptions made in health policy about patient choice may therefore be an oversimplification of reality. Several knowledge gaps were identified that need follow-up research. PMID:22913549

New Geodetic Infrastructure for Australia: The NCRIS / AuScope Geospatial Component

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tregoning, P.; Watson, C. S.; Coleman, R.; Johnston, G.; Lovell, J.; Dickey, J.; Featherstone, W. E.; Rizos, C.; Higgins, M.; Priebbenow, R.

2009-12-01

In November 2006, the Australian Federal Government announced AUS15.8M in funding for geospatial research infrastructure through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). Funded within a broader capability area titled ‘Structure and Evolution of the Australian Continent’, NCRIS has provided a significant investment across Earth imaging, geochemistry, numerical simulation and modelling, the development of a virtual core library, and geospatial infrastructure. Known collectively as AuScope (www.auscope.org.au), this capability area has brought together Australian’s leading Earth scientists to decide upon the most pressing scientific issues and infrastructure needs for studying Earth systems and their impact on the Australian continent. Importantly and at the same time, the investment in geospatial infrastructure offers the opportunity to raise Australian geodetic science capability to the highest international level into the future. The geospatial component of AuScope builds onto the AUS15.8M of direct funding through the NCRIS process with significant in-kind and co-investment from universities and State/Territory and Federal government departments. The infrastructure to be acquired includes an FG5 absolute gravimeter, three gPhone relative gravimeters, three 12.1 m radio telescopes for geodetic VLBI, a continent-wide network of continuously operating geodetic quality GNSS receivers, a trial of a mobile SLR system and access to updated cluster computing facilities. We present an overview of the AuScope geospatial capability, review the current status of the infrastructure procurement and discuss some examples of the scientific research that will utilise the new geospatial infrastructure.

Trends in Contemporary Holistic Nursing Research: 2010-2015.

PubMed

Delaney, Colleen; McCaffrey, Ruth G; Barrere, Cynthia; Kenefick Moore, Amy; Dunn, Dorothy J; Miller, Robin J; Molony, Sheila L; Thomas, Debra; Twomey, Teresa C; Susan Zhu, Xiaoyuan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe and summarize the characteristics of contemporary holistic nursing research (HNR) published nationally. A descriptive research design was used for this study. Data for this study came from a consecutive sample of 579 studies published in six journals determined as most consistent with the scope of holistic nursing from 2010 to 2015. The Johns Hopkins level of evidence was used to identify evidence generated, and two criteria-power analysis for quantitative research and trustworthiness for qualitative research-were used to describe overall quality of HNR. Of the studies, 275 were considered HNR and included in the analysis. Caring, energy therapies, knowledge and attitudes, and spirituality were the most common foci, and caring/healing, symptom management, quality of life, and depression were the outcomes most often examined. Of the studies, 56% were quantitative, 39% qualitative, and 5% mixed-methods designs. Only 32% of studies were funded. Level III evidence (nonexperimental, qualitative) was the most common level of evidence generated. Findings from this study suggest ways in which holistic nurse researchers can strengthen study designs and thus improve the quality of scientific evidence available for application into practice and improve health outcomes.

Autism Spectrum Disorder in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comprehensive Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Franz, Lauren; Chambers, Nola; von Isenburg, Megan; de Vries, Petrus J.

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is recognized as a global public health concern, yet almost everything we know about ASD comes from high-income countries. Here we performed a scoping review of all research on ASD ever published in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in order to identify ASD knowledge gaps in this part of the world. Fifty-three publications met inclusion criteria. Themes included the phenotype, genetics and risk factors for ASD in SSA, screening and diagnosis, professional knowledge, interventions for ASD, parental perceptions, and social-cognitive neuroscience. No epidemiological, early intervention, school-based or adult studies were identified. For each identified theme, we aimed to summarize results and make recommendations to fill the knowledge gaps. The quality of study methodologies was generally not high. Few studies used standardized diagnostic instruments, and intervention studies were typically small-scale. Overall, findings suggest a substantial need for large-scale clinical, training, and research programmes to improve the lives of people who live with ASD in SSA. However, SSA also has the potential to make unique and globally-significant contributions to the etiology and treatments of ASD through implementation, interventional, and comparative genomic science. PMID:28266791

75 FR 14138 - Notice of Scope Rulings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... steel plate with metallurgically and economically insignificant amounts of boron added, produced by... Fold-Away Truck, Relius Tray-Shelf Utility Cart, Economical Steel Cart, Solid Platform Dolly and Flush...: Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People's Republic of China Requestor...

Information Concerning Preparation of Specifications for Carpeting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilliland, John W.

This paper argues for detailed, written carpeting specifications to assure that schools obtain quality products at competitive prices. The advantages of and specifications for school carpeting are given. A sample written specification contains items on: scope, general features, materials, acoustic characteristics, identification and acoustic…

24 CFR 50.11 - Responsibility of the HUD approving official.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... official shall make an independent evaluation of the environmental issues, take responsibility for the scope and content of the compliance finding, EA or EIS, and make the environmental finding, where... and Urban Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General Policy...

ANAB, Certification and Scope of Accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025:2005) for the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document certifies that the EPA National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory has been assessed by the ANSI-ASQ National Accredation Board and accredited in meeting ISO-IEC 17025:2005 quality standards.

21 CFR 26.32 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... PHARMACEUTICAL GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE REPORTS, MEDICAL DEVICE QUALITY SYSTEM AUDIT REPORTS, AND CERTAIN... bodies (CAB's) assessed to be equivalent: (1) Under the U.S. system, surveillance/postmarket and initial/preapproval inspection reports; (2) Under the U.S. system, premarket (510(k)) product evaluation reports; (3...

75 FR 69671 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-15

... behavior. All 147 networked crisis centers will complete the Web-based Crisis Center Survey annually. The Survey requests information about organizational structure, staffing, scope of services, call center operations, quality assurance, community outreach/marketing, telephone equipment, data collection, and...

32 CFR 651.52 - Aids to information gathering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... dissemination of analyses and information as they evolve. ... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Aids to information gathering. 651.52 Section 651...) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping...

32 CFR 651.52 - Aids to information gathering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... dissemination of analyses and information as they evolve. ... 32 National Defense 4 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Aids to information gathering. 651.52 Section 651...) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping...

32 CFR 651.52 - Aids to information gathering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... dissemination of analyses and information as they evolve. ... 32 National Defense 4 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Aids to information gathering. 651.52 Section 651...) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping...

75 FR 41881 - Notice of Intent To Prepare a Shoreline Restoration and Management Plan/Environmental Impact...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

... addressed in the SRMP include: Restoration or replication of natural shoreline sand movement; foredune/dune... lakeshore; and improved water quality. DATES: Any comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS...

77 FR 19273 - National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-30

... distance education.) Requested Scope: The accreditation of nursing education programs in the United States... preaccreditation (Accreditation Candidate) throughout the United States of education programs in audiology and... States offering undergraduate programs through both campus- based instruction and distance education...

Management issues in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Rice, Robert David; Bailey, Gay

2009-05-01

To describe the leadership and management challenges of creating and maintaining a comprehensive hematopoietic stem cell transplant program. Research studies, review articles, databases, and web sites. Nurses at all levels of practice must conceptualize and execute expert specialized care through all phases of transplantation. Attention must be paid to specialized functions such as care coordination and case management, as well as scope of practice. Focus must be given to quality assessment and improvement. As the field of transplant grows and evolves, expert nursing leadership will be required to manage the continuum of care as patients move between health care settings. The increased emphasis on outpatient care, cost containment, and consumer and regulatory demand for quality will continue to challenge nurse leaders to manage creative enterprises.

Race and psychiatric services in post-apartheid South Africa: a preliminary study of psychiatrists' perceptions.

PubMed

Kohn, Robert; Szabo, Christopher P; Gordon, Alan; Allwood, Clifford W

2004-03-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine the perception of the quality of psychiatric services five years after apartheid, and specifically whether care for black patients had improved. A survey was distributed to South African psychiatrists during a national congress and by mail. The questionnaire focused on the quality of psychiatric care in general, for black and white patients, the racial composition of each respondent's psychiatric practice currently, and the racial composition of the psychiatric practice during apartheid. Psychiatric services in South Africa were viewed as deteriorating. The end of apartheid has done little to improve the quality of psychiatric care for both black and white patients. Although less pronounced, racial inequality in psychiatric care continues to exist. Psychiatric practices continue to be overrepresented with white patients. There remains a differential in quality of psychiatric care and further monitoring should continue. Continued efforts to improve racial equality and the need for greater awareness of cultural issues need to be addressed. Limitations of this study included possible social desirability bias, use of subjective rather than objective measures, and a survey that was limited in scope.

Evidence-based characteristics of nurse-managed health centers for quality and outcomes.

PubMed

Holt, Jeana; Zabler, Bev; Baisch, Mary Jo

2014-01-01

There are approximately 250 nurse-managed health centers (NMHC) in the United States, but there are few consistent descriptions of their functions and even fewer reports of their outcomes. Because NMHCs have been identified as a unique and effectual health care delivery care model (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), a description of their characteristics and a framework for outcome evaluation are required for their continued evolution and expansion. This study identifies the principal characteristics of U.S. NMHCs described in the professional literature through an integrative review and classifies these characteristics through a multistage qualitative analysis in relation to Donabedian's structure-process-outcomes model, a well-established model for evaluating quality in health care. This study yielded an evidence-based definition of NMHCs that is more reflective of current NMHC practice across settings and recognizes the full scope of nursing practice that is considered one solution to the health care crisis in the country. Using the results from this study, NMHCs will be able to structure self-evaluations of quality care and compare their quality related to structure, processes, and outcomes with other primary health care delivery systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Remedial investigation/feasibility study for the Clinch River/Poplar Creek operable unit. Volume 5. Appendixes G, H, I, J

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

NONE

1995-09-01

The Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Program for Phase 2 of the Clinch River Remedial Investigation (CRRI) was designed to comply with both Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5700.6C and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) QAMS-005/80 (EPA 1980a) guidelines. QA requirements and the general QA objectives for Phase 2 data were defined in the Phase 2 Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP)-Quality Assurance Project Plan, and scope changes noted in the Phase 2 Sampling and Analysis Plan Addendum. The QA objectives for Phase 2 data were the following: (1) Scientific data generated will withstand scientific and legal scrutiny. (2) Data will be gatheredmore » using appropriate procedures for sample collection, sample handling and security, chain of custody (COC), laboratory analyses, and data reporting. (3) Data will be of known precision and accuracy. (4) Data will meet data quality objectives (DQOs) defined in the Phase 2 SAP.« less

Just telling and selling: current limitations in the use of digital media in public health: a scoping review.

PubMed

Clar, C; Dyakova, M; Curtis, K; Dawson, C; Donnelly, P; Knifton, L; Clarke, A

2014-12-01

To undertake a scoping review and to map research in the area of digital media use in public health. Scoping review. PubMed, PsycINFO, Google and major textbooks of public health communication and health psychology were searched for primary studies or systematic reviews examining the use of digital media in a health context. Searches focussed on studies published between the start of 2000 and the end of June 2013. Abstracts of reviews of public health interventions were examined with respect to target groups, health topic, intervention characteristics, media used, study design, issues of quality and ethics, and outcomes. To map this area of work fully, this information was supplemented by adding information from primary studies. Areas were identified where systematic review evidence was scarce or non-existent by comparing the final map with information from the reviews analysed. 221 systematic reviews related to digital media use in a public health context were included. Most reviews included studies with an experimental design and general 'at risk' target populations. Specific settings were not specified in the majority of reviews. A large variety of health topics were covered. About a quarter of reviews did not specify a health topic but were concerned with broader issues of health promotion, disease prevention, or health education. Over half of the reviews focussed on eHealth and telemedicine, and another third were concerned with mass media - social marketing. Reviews most frequently reported behaviour-related outcomes or conducted some form of content analysis or analysis of the use of particular media. Research gaps were identified relating to community-based research, participation and empowerment, active media use (especially with respect to visual media und use of specific visual methodologies), and the use of salutogenic or assets-based approaches. The available research relating to digital media use in public health is dominated by studies relating to eHealth, telehealth or social marketing; emphasising the passive reception of messages and a focus on individual behaviour change approaches. Issues of quality and ethics need to be taken into account more consistently. Further research is needed with respect to more participatory methods, particularly those which would seek to use digital media as a means to harness individual and community assets. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobile Bay turbidity study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crozier, G. F.; Schroeder, W. W.

1978-01-01

The termination of studies carried on for almost three years in the Mobile Bay area and adjacent continental shelf are reported. The initial results concentrating on the shelf and lower bay were presented in the interim report. The continued scope of work was designed to attempt a refinement of the mathematical model, assess the effectiveness of optical measurement of suspended particulate material and disseminate the acquired information. The optical characteristics of particulate solutions are affected by density gradients within the medium, density of the suspended particles, particle size, particle shape, particle quality, albedo, and the angle of refracted light. Several of these are discussed in detail.

The European initiative for quality management in lung cancer care.

PubMed

Blum, Torsten G; Rich, Anna; Baldwin, David; Beckett, Paul; De Ruysscher, Dirk; Faivre-Finn, Corinne; Gaga, Mina; Gamarra, Fernando; Grigoriu, Bogdan; Hansen, Niels C G; Hubbard, Richard; Huber, Rudolf Maria; Jakobsen, Erik; Jovanovic, Dragana; Konsoulova, Assia; Kollmeier, Jens; Massard, Gilbert; McPhelim, John; Meert, Anne-Pascale; Milroy, Robert; Paesmans, Marianne; Peake, Mick; Putora, Paul-Martin; Scherpereel, Arnaud; Schönfeld, Nicolas; Sitter, Helmut; Skaug, Knut; Spiro, Stephen; Strand, Trond-Eirik; Taright, Samya; Thomas, Michael; van Schil, Paul E; Vansteenkiste, Johan F; Wiewrodt, Rainer; Sculier, Jean-Paul

2014-05-01

Lung cancer is the commonest cause of cancer-related death worldwide and poses a significant respiratory disease burden. Little is known about the provision of lung cancer care across Europe. The overall aim of the Task Force was to investigate current practice in lung cancer care across Europe. The Task Force undertook four projects: 1) a narrative literature search on quality management of lung cancer; 2) a survey of national and local infrastructure for lung cancer care in Europe; 3) a benchmarking project on the quality of (inter)national lung cancer guidelines in Europe; and 4) a feasibility study of prospective data collection in a pan-European setting. There is little peer-reviewed literature on quality management in lung cancer care. The survey revealed important differences in the infrastructure of lung cancer care in Europe. The European guidelines that were assessed displayed wide variation in content and scope, as well as methodological quality but at the same time there was relevant duplication. The feasibility study demonstrated that it is, in principle, feasible to collect prospective demographic and clinical data on patients with lung cancer. Legal obligations vary among countries. The European Initiative for Quality Management in Lung Cancer Care has provided the first comprehensive snapshot of lung cancer care in Europe.

Effecting change in primary care management of respiratory conditions: a global scoping exercise and literature review of educational interventions to inform the IPCRG's E-Quality initiative.

PubMed

McDonnell, Juliet; Williams, Siân; Chavannes, Niels H; Correia de Sousa, Jaime; Fardy, H John; Fletcher, Monica; Stout, James; Tomlins, Ron; Yusuf, Osman M; Pinnock, Hilary

2012-12-01

This discussion paper describes a scoping exercise and literature review commissioned by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) to inform their E-Quality programme which seeks to support small-scale educational projects to improve respiratory management in primary care. Our narrative review synthesises information from three sources: publications concerning the global context and health systems development; a literature search of Medline, CINAHL and Cochrane databases; and a series of eight interviews conducted with members of the IPCRG faculty. Educational interventions sit within complex healthcare, economic, and policy contexts. It is essential that any development project considers the local circumstances in terms of economic resources, political circumstances, organisation and administrative capacities, as well as the specific quality issue to be addressed. There is limited evidence (in terms of changed clinician behaviour and/or improved health outcomes) regarding the merits of different educational and quality improvement approaches. Features of educational interventions that were most likely to show some evidence of effectiveness included being carefully designed, multifaceted, engaged health professionals in their learning, provided ongoing support, were sensitive to local circumstances, and delivered in combination with other quality improvement strategies. To be effective, educational interventions must consider the complex healthcare systems within which they operate. The criteria for the IPCRG E-Quality awards thus require applicants not only to describe their proposed educational initiative but also to consider the practical and local barriers to successful implementation, and to propose a robust evaluation in terms of changed clinician behaviour or improved health outcomes.

Structural barriers to South African volunteer home-based caregivers providing quality care: the need for a policy for caregivers not affiliated to primary healthcare clinics.

PubMed

Morton, David; Mayekiso, Thoko; Cunningham, Peter

2018-03-01

Community home-based care (CHBC) is a critical component of non-formal care in communities in Africa that have a high prevalence of HIV and tuberculosis (TB). Community carers consisting primarily of volunteers are critical role players in African healthcare systems and particularly in South Africa's strategy to fight HIV and AIDS. This paper explores the structural barriers volunteer caregivers need to overcome to provide quality CHBC. The researchers used two focus group discussions with key informants (each with four participants), and semi-structured interviews with six key informants to collect data relating to the meaning of quality CHBC. The data were coded using Tesch's data analysis technique. A major theme that emerged from the results was "Addressing structural challenges to improve the quality of CHBC". Subthemes underpinning this theme were: 1) lack of standardised training of volunteer caregivers; 2) the need for a scope of practice, parameters and legal boundaries; 3) lack of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of CHBC; and 4) the importance of mentoring and supervision in CHBC. CHBC policy should address the need for standardised training programmes for caregivers, so that they are equipped with multiple skills. Furthermore CHBC policy must emphasise mentoring as well as M&E to encourage quality care. Finally, the policy should provide a clear scope of practice for caregivers to regulate their competencies and boundaries.

Children's missed healthcare appointments: professional and organisational responses.

PubMed

Appleton, Jane; Powell, Catherine; Coombes, Lindsey

2016-09-01

This National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) funded UK study sought to examine organisational and professional responses to children's missed healthcare appointments. The study comprised two parts: phase I was a web-based scoping and systematic analysis of UK National Health Service healthcare organisations' internal policies on missed appointments. Phase II involved a case study of how missed appointments were managed within one hospital trust, including interviews with hospital-based staff, review of organisational data and examination of policies and 'systems' in place. Policies accessed were of variable quality when benchmarked against a predetermined set of evidence-based standards. Additional material (eg, board minutes) gleaned through the searches found an apparent disconnect between nationally determined safeguarding requirements and strategies to reduce the cost pressures arising from missed appointments. Findings from the case study included the continuing use of the adult-centric term 'did not attend' (DNA), the challenges that may be inherent in attending appointments (with concomitant sympathy for parents) and a need to further explore general practitioner responses to DNA notifications, particularly given the acknowledged association between missed appointments and child maltreatment. The web-based scoping exercise yielded a small number of organisational policies. These were of variable quality when rated against predetermined standards. Other material gathered through the search strategy found evidence that 'missed appointment' strategies aimed at reducing costs did not always acknowledge the discrete needs of children. The case study findings contribute to an understanding of the complexities and challenges of responding to a missed appointment and the importance of taking a child-centred approach. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Use of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire in research and clinical practice: a comprehensive scoping review.

PubMed

Sydora, Beate C; Fast, Hilary; Campbell, Sandy; Yuksel, Nese; Lewis, Jacqueline E; Ross, Sue

2016-09-01

The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire was developed as a validated research tool to measure condition-specific QOL in early postmenopausal women. We conducted a comprehensive scoping review to explore the extent of MENQOL's use in research and clinical practice to assess its value in providing effective, adequate, and comparable participant assessment information. Thirteen biomedical and clinical databases were systematically searched with "menqol" as a search term to find articles using MENQOL or its validated derivative MENQOL-Intervention as investigative or clinical tools from 1996 to November 2014 inclusive. Review articles, conference abstracts, proceedings, dissertations, and incomplete trials were excluded. Additional articles were collected from references within key articles. Three independent reviewers extracted data reflecting study design, intervention, sample characteristics, MENQOL questionnaire version, modifications and language, recall period, and analysis detail. Data analyses included categorization and descriptive statistics. The review included 220 eligible papers of various study designs, covering 39 countries worldwide and using MENQOL translated into more than 25 languages. A variety of modifications to the original questionnaire were identified, including omission or addition of items and alterations to the validated methodological analysis. No papers were found that described MENQOL's use in clinical practice. Our study found an extensive and steadily increasing use of MENQOL in clinical and epidemiological research over 18 years postpublication. Our results stress the importance of proper reporting and validation of translations and variations to ensure outcome comparison and transparency of MENQOL's use. The value of MENQOL in clinical practice remains unknown.

Coping with cancer-related cognitive dysfunction: a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Sleight, Alix

2016-01-01

Cancer-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) impacts memory, attention, concentration, language, multi-tasking, and organizational skills and decreases participation and quality of life for cancer survivors. The objectives of this article are: (1) to outline the neuroscience of CRCD, its risk factors, and its effect on participation; and (2) to identify and summarize the literature on rehabilitation interventions and coping techniques for CRCD in cancer survivors. A scoping review of articles cited in PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and CINAHL was performed. To be included, articles must have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal between 1996 and 2014, written in English, and included a quantitative or qualitative non-pharmacological study of interventions and/or coping strategies for adult cancer survivors experiencing CRCD. Ten articles met the inclusion criteria for final review. Six studies tested the efficacy of rehabilitation treatments on CRCD. Three involved cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), while three tested neuropsychological and/or cognitive training interventions. Four qualitative studies investigated coping strategies used by survivors with CRCD. CBT-based treatments and neuropsychological/cognitive training methods may ameliorate symptoms of CRCD. The most commonly-reported coping strategy is utilization of assistive technology and memory aids. Further research is needed about efficacious rehabilitation techniques for this population. Implications for Rehabilitation Cancer-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) may impact up to 50% of cancer survivors. CRCD can significantly decrease participation and quality of life during survivorship. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and neuropsychological/cognitive training methods may ameliorate symptoms of CRCD. The most common coping strategy reported by cancer survivors with CRCD is the use of assistive technology and memory aids.

[Scope of two educational strategies to develop the clinical aptitude of the family physician].

PubMed

Reyes-Ruiz, María Esther; García-Mangas, José Alberto; Pérez-Ilagor, Víctor Manuel

2014-01-01

The evaluation of the clinical aptitude is expressed in challenging clinical situations and the scope of learning is conditioned by the quality of the educational strategy. The aim of this study was to value the scope of two different educational approaches, in order to develop the clinical aptitude of 20 family physicians. Quasi experimental design, in which 20 general physicians in training process of Family Medicine were randomized: a teaching-centered strategy (TCS) was applied in 10, and a learning-centered strategy (LCS) in the remaining 10. The application of both strategies lasted 24 hours, and the same content was used on them. While applying TCS, it was employed an exposition with questions (which privileged the transmission of information). While implementing LCS, it was used discussion in small groups (which favored the point of view and the confrontation). To validate the evaluation, it was used the Kuder-Richardson formula 20, with a reliability of 0.91. Before the intervention, TCS group had a median of 124 and LCS group, 105 (p = 0.19). After the intervention, TCS group showed a median of 126, and LCS group of 156 (p = 0.012). Both groups were compared using Mann Whitney U, and the same subjects were also compared with the matched pairs Wilcoxon test. The differences were statistically significant, which it does not differ from earlier studies. The clinical aptitude reaches best development in the LCS when tested against TCS.

A Scoping Review of Scoping Reviews: Advancing the Approach and Enhancing the Consistency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2014-01-01

Background: The scoping review has become an increasingly popular approach for synthesizing research evidence. It is a relatively new approach for which a universal study definition or definitive procedure has not been established. The purpose of this scoping review was to provide an overview of scoping reviews in the literature. Methods: A…

Appendix B: Methodology. [2014 Teacher Prep Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Julie; Walsh, Kate; McKee, Arthur

2014-01-01

The "NCTQ Teacher Prep Review" evaluates the quality of programs that provide preservice preparation of public school teachers. This appendix describes the scope, methodology, timeline, staff, and standards involved in the production of "Teacher Prep Review 2014." Data collection, validation, and analysis for the report are…

42 CFR 1004.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Health OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL-HEALTH CARE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OIG AUTHORITIES IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS AND PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY A QUALITY... of services under Medicare; (2) Establishing criteria and procedures for the reports required from...

18 CFR 740.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... authorized by the Act and those related programs of other Federal agencies; (2) Integration of water conservation with State water management planning; (3) Integration of water quantity and water quality planning; (4) Integration of ground and surface water planning; (5) Planning for protection and management of...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

32 CFR 651.47 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping Process § 651.47 Public... analyzing environmental considerations. This requirement can be met at the very beginning of the process by...

32 CFR 651.47 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping Process § 651.47 Public... analyzing environmental considerations. This requirement can be met at the very beginning of the process by...

32 CFR 651.47 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping Process § 651.47 Public... analyzing environmental considerations. This requirement can be met at the very beginning of the process by...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

32 CFR 651.47 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ARMY ACTIONS (AR 200-2) Public Involvement and the Scoping Process § 651.47 Public... analyzing environmental considerations. This requirement can be met at the very beginning of the process by...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

7 CFR 650.9 - NEPA and interagency planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... determined by the USDA Environmental Coordinator, Office of Environmental Quality Activities. (3) If NRCS and... cooperating agencies in preparing the environmental evaluation. This assistance will broaden the expertise in... significant environmental issues in its environmental evaluation. Formalized scoping is used to insure that an...

76 FR 12126 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... behavior. All 147 networked crisis centers will complete the Web-based Crisis Center Survey annually. The Survey requests information about organizational structure, staffing, scope of services, call center operations, quality assurance, community outreach/marketing, telephone equipment, data collection, and...

Quality of physical resources of health facilities in Indonesia: a panel study 1993-2007.

PubMed

Diana, Aly; Hollingworth, Samantha A; Marks, Geoffrey C

2013-10-01

The merits of mixed public and private health systems are debated. Although private providers have become increasingly important in the Indonesian health system, there is no comprehensive assessment of the quality of private facilities. This study examined the quality of physical resources of public and private facilities in Indonesia from 1993 to 2007. Data from the Indonesian Family Life Surveys in 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2007 were used to evaluate trends in the quality of physical resources for public and private facilities, stratified by urban/rural areas and Java-Bali/outer Java-Bali regions. The quality of six categories of resources was measured using an adapted MEASURE Evaluation framework. Overall quality was moderate, but higher in public than in private health facilities in all years regardless of the region. The higher proportion of nurses and midwives in private practice was a determinant of scope of services and facilities available. There was little improvement in quality of physical resources following decentralization. Despite significant increases in public investment in health between 2000 and 2006 and the potential benefits of decentralization (2001), the quality of both public and private health facilities in Indonesia did not improve significantly between 1993 and 2007. As consumers commonly believe the quality is better in private facilities and are increasingly using them, it is essential to improve quality in both private and public facilities. Implementation of minimum standards and effective partnerships with private practice are considered important.

Determinants of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: A scoping review of the evidence.

PubMed

Kolanowski, Ann; Boltz, Marie; Galik, Elizabeth; Gitlin, Laura N; Kales, Helen C; Resnick, Barbara; Van Haitsma, Kimberly S; Knehans, Amy; Sutterlin, Jane E; Sefcik, Justine S; Liu, Wen; Petrovsky, Darina V; Massimo, Lauren; Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Andrea; MacAndrew, Margaret; Brewster, Glenna; Nalls, Vycki; Jao, Ying-Ling; Duffort, Naomi; Scerpella, Danny

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are prevalent in people with neurodegenerative diseases. In this scoping review the Kales, Gitlin and Lykestos framework is used to answer the question: What high quality evidence exists for the patient, caregiver and environmental determinants of five specific BPSD: aggression, agitation, apathy, depression and psychosis? An a priori review protocol was developed; 692 of 6013 articles retrieved in the search were deemed eligible for review. Gough's Weight of Evidence Framework and the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias were used. The findings from 56 high quality/low bias articles are summarized. Each symptom had its own set of determinants, but many were common across several symptoms: neurodegeneration, type of dementia, severity of cognitive impairments, and declining functional abilities, and to a lesser extent, caregiver burden and communication. Research and policy implications are relevant to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Technology in Care at Home Affects Patient Self-Care and Self-Management: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Peeters, José M.; Wiegers, Therese A.; Friele, Roland D.

2013-01-01

The use of technology in care at home has potential benefits such as improved quality of care. This includes greater focus on the patients’ role in managing their health and increased patient involvement in the care process. The objective of this scoping review is to analyse the existing evidence for effects of technology in home-based care on patients’ self-care and self-management. Using suitable search terms we searched the databases of Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Picarta and NIVEL dating from 2002 to 2012. Thirty-three studies (six review studies and twenty-seven individual studies) were selected. Effects were extracted from each study and were classified. In almost all the studies, the concepts self-care and self-management are not clearly defined or operationalized. Therefore, based on a meta-analysis, we made a new classification of outcome measures, with hierarchical levels: (1) competence (2) illness-management (3) independence (social participation, autonomy). In general, patient outcomes appear to be positive or promising, but most studies were pilot studies. We did not find strong evidence that technology in care at home has (a positive) effect on patient self-care and self-management according to the above classification. Future research is needed to clarify how technology can be used to maximize its benefits. PMID:24173139

Improving competencies in evidence-based dementia care: Results from a pilot study on a novel inter-professional training course (the KOMPIDEM project).

PubMed

Balzer, Katrin; Schröder, Rhian; Junghans, Anne; Stahl, Ute; Träder, Jens-Martin; Köpke, Sascha

2016-01-01

In order to address well-known challenges in dementia care, an inter-professional course was developed to improve medical students' and nursing students' competencies in the provision of evidence-based care for people with dementia. The course comprises lectures, problem-based learning (PbL) tutorials and visitations to care facilities. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the acceptance and feasibility of the inter-professional course. Alongside preliminary implementation of the newly developed course, a pre-post survey was carried out involving all participating students. The questionnaire contained standardized and open-ended questions on participants' views regarding the quality and relevance of several course components and characteristics. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. When the course was offered the first time, multiple barriers became evident, leading to premature course termination and subsequent revision of the curriculum. When the revised course was offered, 10 medical students and 8 nursing students participated. The course proved feasible, and the median overall quality was rated as "2" (IQR 2-3) at a rating scale ranging from 1 (very good) to 6 (inadequate). Following aspects were most frequently judged positively: the course's inter-professional scope, the visitations to care facilities and the PbL tutorials. Potential for improvement was particularly noted with regard to a more distinct focus on well-defined, mainly practical learning outcomes. There were no indications of systematic between-group differences in the medical and nursing students' perceptions of the course program. The results confirmed the feasibility of the inter-professional course on dementia care and the relevance of its inter-professional scope. However, to ensure sustainable course implementation in the long term, further program adaptations based on current findings and further evaluation studies focusing on objective parameters of the process and outcome quality are required.

Advanced practice physiotherapy in patients with musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The convergence of rising health care costs and physician shortages have made health care transformation a priority in many countries resulting in the emergence of new models of care that often involve the extension of the scope of practice for allied health professionals. Physiotherapists in advanced practice/extended scope roles have emerged as key providers in such new models, especially in settings providing services to patients with musculoskeletal disorders. However, evidence of the systematic evaluation of advance physiotherapy practice (APP) models of care is scarce. A systematic review was done to update the evaluation of physiotherapists in APP roles in the management of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Methods Structured literature search was conducted in 3 databases (Medline, Cinahl and Embase) for articles published between 1980 and 2011. Included studies needed to present original quantitative data that addressed the impact or the effect of APP care. A total of 16 studies met all inclusion criteria and were included. Pairs of raters used four structured quality appraisal methodological tools depending on design of studies to analyse included studies. Results Included studies varied in designs and objectives and could be categorized in four areas: diagnostic agreement or accuracy compared to medical providers, treatment effectiveness, economic efficiency or patient satisfaction. There was a wide range in the quality of studies (from 25% to 93%), with only 43% of papers reaching or exceeding a score of 70% on the methodological quality rating scales. Their findings are however consistent and suggest that APP care may be as (or more) beneficial than usual care by physicians for patients with musculoskeletal disorders, in terms of diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, use of healthcare resources, economic costs and patient satisfaction. Conclusions The emerging evidence suggests that physiotherapists in APP roles provide equal or better usual care in comparison to physicians in terms of diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, use of healthcare resources, economic costs and patient satisfaction. There is a need for more methodologically sound studies to evaluate the effectiveness APP care. PMID:22716771

Cost-effectiveness analysis of flexible optical scopes for tracheal intubation: a descriptive comparative study of reusable and single-use scopes.

PubMed

Gupta, Deepak; Wang, Hong

2011-12-01

To calculate the costs per intubation of reusable fiberoptic scopes versus single-use intubation scopes. Open-label retrospective study. University-affiliated hospital. The one-year intubation records of intubations performed with reusable intubation scopes, the one-year maintenance costs of these scopes, and their three-year repair cost records were analyzed. A total of 166 intubations were performed with reusable fiberoptic scopes in 2009. Calculations to assess the costs per intubation based on the documented records at our institution were made. The total cost of an intubation, the repair-to-intubation ratio, and the repair cost per intubation were determined. The total cost of an intubation at our institution in 2009, using reusable scopes, was $119.75 [US dollars (USD)], which included $20.15 (purchasing), $53.48 (repair), $33.16 (maintenance), and $12.96 (labor). The repair-to-intubation ratio was 1:55. Repair costs were $53.48 per intubation and $2,959.44 per instance of repair. The Ambu aScope, a single-use intubation scope, is a new addition to video laryngoscopy. The price should range within 10% of our intubation cost ($120.00 to $132.00 per single-use intubation scope). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (NAMRSS) external quality assessment studies: 2011-2016].

PubMed

Süzük Yıldız, Serap; Şimşek, Hüsniye; Çöplü, Nilay; Gülay, Zeynep

2017-07-01

Establishment of sustainable and evidence-based surveillance systems are recommended for prevention of microbial resistance by the World Health Organization (WHO). As a necessity of these surveillance systems, participants are recommended to implement an external quality assessment (EQA) program. In this scope, National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (NARSS) has been established within the Public Health Institute of Turkey (PHIT) in our country since 2011. In the scope of this surveillance, NARSS EQA program has been implemented in a cycle per year and four isolates were sent to participants per cycle every year since 2011. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the six years results of the EQA programs being implemented on NARSS participants between 2011 and 2016. The surveillance system consisted of 118 laboratories. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecium/faecalis and Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria included in scope of the surveillance were sent to participants. Identification of bacteria to the species level, verification of the antibiotic susceptibility test results and existence of specified resistance of the isolates performed with valid test methods required from the participants. Identified isolates were cultured with routine microbiological methods and sent to participants in ambient temperature in triple carrying pouches inside suitable carrying media via PTT Cargo. The results were entered by means of passwords prepared by PHIT and sent to the web based system. The analysis of results were made with SPSS program. A total of twenty-three isolates were sent to participants between 2011 and 2016. It was determined that participants commonly preferred automated systems for bacterial identification and antibiotic sensitivity test results. The use of MALDI TOF MS system was determined to be raised up to 15.65% in 2016. It has been determined that usually little mistakes were done in bacterial identification but the error rate was high especially in antimicrobial susceptibility test results with close clinical threshold values. Although not required for antibiotic susceptibility test results, it was determined that phenotypic tests have been used more widely in determining the specific resistance mechanisms that are important for epidemiological data. It was determined that 80% of participants have used EUCAST standards in 2016. As a result of this research, we have observed that EQA studies of NARSS EQA are a good performance tool for sustainable and evidence based surveillance studies, that the national antimicrobial resistance data quality is sufficiently good and that the data can be shared on international platforms. In addition, the regular maintenance of national surveillance studies shown that laboratories have positive reflections on self improvement in achieving up to date and accurate results.

Information and communication technology-enabled person-centered care for the "big five" chronic conditions: scoping review.

PubMed

Wildevuur, Sabine E; Simonse, Lianne W L

2015-03-27

Person-centered information and communication technology (ICT) could encourage patients to take an active part in their health care and decision-making process, and make it possible for patients to interact directly with health care providers and services about their personal health concerns. Yet, little is known about which ICT interventions dedicated to person-centered care (PCC) and connected-care interactions have been studied, especially for shared care management of chronic diseases. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent, range, and nature of these research activities and identify research gaps in the evidence base of health studies regarding the "big 5" chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. The objective of this paper was to review the literature and to scope the field with respect to 2 questions: (1) which ICT interventions have been used to support patients and health care professionals in PCC management of the big 5 chronic diseases? and (2) what is the impact of these interventions, such as on health-related quality of life and cost efficiency? This research adopted a scoping review method. Three electronic medical databases were accessed: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. The research reviewed studies published between January 1989 and December 2013. In 5 stages of systematic scanning and reviewing, relevant studies were identified, selected, and charted. Then we collated, summarized, and reported the results. From the initial 9380 search results, we identified 350 studies that qualified for inclusion: diabetes mellitus (n=103), cardiovascular disease (n=89), chronic respiratory disease (n=73), cancer (n=67), and stroke (n=18). Persons with one of these chronic conditions used ICT primarily for self-measurement of the body, when interacting with health care providers, with the highest rates of use seen in chronic respiratory (63%, 46/73) and cardiovascular (53%, 47/89) diseases. We found 60 relevant studies (17.1%, 60/350) on person-centered shared management ICT, primarily using telemedicine systems as personalized ICT. The highest impact measured related to the increase in empowerment (15.4%, 54/350). Health-related quality of life accounted for 8%. The highest impact connected to health professionals was an increase in clinical outcome (11.7%, 41/350). The impacts on organization outcomes were decrease in hospitalization (12.3%, 43/350) and increase of cost efficiency (10.9%, 38/350). This scoping review outlined ICT-enabled PCC in chronic disease management. Persons with a chronic disease could benefit from an ICT-enabled PCC approach, but ICT-PCC also yields organizational paybacks. It could lead to an increase in health care usage, as reported in some studies. Few interventions could be regarded as "fully" addressing PCC. This review will be especially helpful to those deciding on areas where further development of research or implementation of ICT-enabled PCC may be warranted.

Information and Communication Technology–Enabled Person-Centered Care for the “Big Five” Chronic Conditions: Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Simonse, Lianne WL

2015-01-01

Background Person-centered information and communication technology (ICT) could encourage patients to take an active part in their health care and decision-making process, and make it possible for patients to interact directly with health care providers and services about their personal health concerns. Yet, little is known about which ICT interventions dedicated to person-centered care (PCC) and connected-care interactions have been studied, especially for shared care management of chronic diseases. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent, range, and nature of these research activities and identify research gaps in the evidence base of health studies regarding the “big 5” chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. Objective The objective of this paper was to review the literature and to scope the field with respect to 2 questions: (1) which ICT interventions have been used to support patients and health care professionals in PCC management of the big 5 chronic diseases? and (2) what is the impact of these interventions, such as on health-related quality of life and cost efficiency? Methods This research adopted a scoping review method. Three electronic medical databases were accessed: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. The research reviewed studies published between January 1989 and December 2013. In 5 stages of systematic scanning and reviewing, relevant studies were identified, selected, and charted. Then we collated, summarized, and reported the results. Results From the initial 9380 search results, we identified 350 studies that qualified for inclusion: diabetes mellitus (n=103), cardiovascular disease (n=89), chronic respiratory disease (n=73), cancer (n=67), and stroke (n=18). Persons with one of these chronic conditions used ICT primarily for self-measurement of the body, when interacting with health care providers, with the highest rates of use seen in chronic respiratory (63%, 46/73) and cardiovascular (53%, 47/89) diseases. We found 60 relevant studies (17.1%, 60/350) on person-centered shared management ICT, primarily using telemedicine systems as personalized ICT. The highest impact measured related to the increase in empowerment (15.4%, 54/350). Health-related quality of life accounted for 8%. The highest impact connected to health professionals was an increase in clinical outcome (11.7%, 41/350). The impacts on organization outcomes were decrease in hospitalization (12.3%, 43/350) and increase of cost efficiency (10.9%, 38/350). Conclusions This scoping review outlined ICT-enabled PCC in chronic disease management. Persons with a chronic disease could benefit from an ICT-enabled PCC approach, but ICT-PCC also yields organizational paybacks. It could lead to an increase in health care usage, as reported in some studies. Few interventions could be regarded as “fully” addressing PCC. This review will be especially helpful to those deciding on areas where further development of research or implementation of ICT-enabled PCC may be warranted. PMID:25831199

36 CFR 1010.12 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Section 1010.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PRESIDIO TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1010.12 Public... announcements in the Trust's monthly newsletter, postings on its web site (www.presidiotrust.gov), placement of... public scoping meetings will be given in a timely manner. Interested persons may also obtain information...

36 CFR 1010.12 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Section 1010.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PRESIDIO TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1010.12 Public... announcements in the Trust's monthly newsletter, postings on its web site (www.presidiotrust.gov), placement of... public scoping meetings will be given in a timely manner. Interested persons may also obtain information...

Japanese Higher-Education Reformers Weigh Elitism, Academic Laxness, and "Exam Hell."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fararo, Kim

1987-01-01

Reform proposals for Japan's large higher education system include diminishing the trauma of university entrance examinations, strengthening the quality and diversity of undergraduate education, improving graduate school offerings, establishing a lifelong education system, and expanding the scope of international exchange programs. Politics are…

HUMAN AND ECOLOIGCAL RISK: CORRELATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIORNMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: ASSOCIATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK: CORRELATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: ASSOCIATIONS AMONG HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

Higher Education in the Sustainable Development Goals Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Taya Louise

2017-01-01

Agenda 2030 for sustainable development focuses attention on lifelong learning opportunities for all. The new targets expand on their predecessors, the Millennial Development Goals, by both widening and deepening the scope of system-wide quality education systems. Whilst the Millennial Development Goals focused attention on universal primary…

36 CFR 1010.12 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Section 1010.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PRESIDIO TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1010.12 Public... announcements in the Trust's monthly newsletter, postings on its web site (www.presidiotrust.gov), placement of... public scoping meetings will be given in a timely manner. Interested persons may also obtain information...

36 CFR 1010.12 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Section 1010.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PRESIDIO TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1010.12 Public... announcements in the Trust's monthly newsletter, postings on its web site (www.presidiotrust.gov), placement of... public scoping meetings will be given in a timely manner. Interested persons may also obtain information...

Management of microbial food safety in the Arab countries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microbial food safety remains a major economical and public health concern in the Arab countries. Over the several past years, many of these countries have attempted to revise and upgrade food quality control and surveillance programs. However, these systems vary in scope and effectiveness. This rev...

42 CFR 1004.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Health OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL-HEALTH CARE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OIG AUTHORITIES IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS AND PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY A QUALITY... expensive, medically appropriate type of setting or level of care available. Exclusion means that items and...

Science and Engineering Indicators 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, 2010

2010-01-01

The Science Indicators series was designed to provide a broad base of quantitative information about U.S. science, engineering, and technology for use by policymakers, researchers, and the general public. "Science and Engineering Indicators 2010" contains analyses of key aspects of the scope, quality, and vitality of the Nation's science…

HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: ASSOCIATIONS AMONH HUMAN HEALTH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING DATA

EPA Science Inventory

While all life is affected by the quality of the environment, environmental risk factors for human and wildlife health are typically assessed using independent processes that are dissimilar in scale and scope. However, the integrated analysis of human, ecological, and environmen...

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Apatite Investigation at the 100-NR-2 Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by staff working on the 100-NR-2 Apatite Project. The U.S. Department of Energy, Fluor Hanford, Inc., Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Washington Department of Ecology agreed that the long-term strategy for groundwater remediation at 100-N would include apatite sequestration as the primary treatment, followed by a secondary treatment. The scope of this project covers the technical support needed before, during, and after treatment of the targeted subsurface environment using a new high-concentration formulation.

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

A.S. Larin; V.V. Demenko; V.L. Voitanik

In recent Giprokoks designs for the reconstruction of coke-sorting systems, high-productivity vibrational-inertial screens have been employed. This permits single-stage screening and reduction in capital and especially operating expenditures, without loss of coke quality. In two-stage screening, >80 mm coke (for foundry needs) is additionally separated, with significant improvement in quality of the metallurgical coke (25-80 mm). New designs for the reconstruction of coke-sorting systems employ mechanical treatment of the coke outside the furnace, which offers new scope for stabilization of coke quality and permits considerable improvement in mechanical strength and granulometric composition of the coke by mechanical crushing.

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.

The Implementation and Evaluation of Health Promotion Services and Programs to Improve Cultural Competency: A Systematic Scoping Review.

PubMed

Jongen, Crystal Sky; McCalman, Janya; Bainbridge, Roxanne Gwendalyn

2017-01-01

Cultural competency is a multifaceted intervention approach, which needs to be implemented at various levels of health-care systems to improve quality of care for culturally and ethnically diverse populations. One level of health care where cultural competency is required is in the provision of health promotion services and programs targeted to diverse patient groups who experience health-care and health inequalities. To inform the implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs and services to improve cultural competency, research must assess both intervention strategies and intervention outcomes. This scoping review was completed as part of a larger systematic literature search conducted on evaluations of cultural competence interventions in health care in Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Seventeen peer-reviewed databases, 13 websites and clearinghouses, and 11 literature reviews were searched. Overall, 64 studies on cultural competency interventions were found, with 22 being health promotion programs and services. A process of thematic analysis was utilized to identify key intervention strategies and outcomes reported in the literature. The review identified three overarching strategies utilized in health promotion services and programs to improve cultural competency: community-focused strategies, culturally focused strategies, and language-focused strategies. Studies took different approaches to delivering culturally competent health interventions, with the majority incorporating multiple strategies from each overarching category. There were various intermediate health-care and health outcomes reported across the included studies. Most commonly reported were positive reports of patient satisfaction, patient/participant service access, and program/study retention rates. The health outcome results indicate positive potential of health promotion services and programs to improve cultural competency to impact cardiovascular disease and mental health outcomes. However, due to measurement and study quality issues, it is difficult to determine the extent of the impacts. Examined together, these intervention strategies and outcomes provide a framework that can be used by service providers and researchers in the implementation and evaluation of health promotion services and programs to improve cultural competency. While there is evidence indicating the effectiveness of such health promotion interventions in improving intermediate and health outcomes, further attention is needed to issues of measurement and study quality.

Authentic leadership in healthcare: a scoping review.

PubMed

Malila, Niina; Lunkka, Nina; Suhonen, Marjo

2018-02-05

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review peer-reviewed original research articles on authentic leadership (AL) in health care to identify potential research gaps and present recommendations for future research. The objectives are to examine and map evidence of the main characteristics, research themes and methodologies in the studies. AL is a leader's non-authoritarian, ethical and transparent behaviour pattern. Design/methodology/approach A scoping review with thematic analysis was conducted. A three-step search strategy was used with database and manual searches. The included studies were composed of English language peer-reviewed original research articles referring to both AL and health care. Findings In total, 29 studies were included. The studies favoured Canadian nurses in acute care hospitals. AL was understood as its original definition. The review identified four research themes: well-being at work, patient care quality, work environment and AL promotion. Quantitative research methodology with the authentic leadership questionnaire and cross-sectional design were prevalent. Research limitations/implications Future research needs more variation in research themes, study populations, settings, organisations, work sectors, geographical origins and theory perspectives. Different research methodologies, such as qualitative and mixed methods research and longitudinal designs, should be used more. Originality/value This is presumably the first literature review to map the research on AL in health care.

Access to oral health care services among adults with learning disabilities: a scoping review.

PubMed

Naseem, Mustafa; Shah, Altaf H; Khiyani, Muhammad Faheem; Khurshid, Zohaib; Zafar, Muhammad Sohail; Gulzar, Shabnam; AlJameel, AlBandary H; Khalil, Hesham S

2016-01-01

The prevalence of oral diseases including dental caries and periodontal conditions is remarkably higher in people with disabilities. The provision of accessible oral health services for people with learning disabilities may be challenging. The objectives of the review were to identify barriers in accessing oral health care that persists within society, enabling or disabling people with learning disabilities. Using the Arksey O'Malley framework, a scoping review was conducted on PubMed/Medline, OVIDSP, and EMBASE. Studies were evaluated and short-listed based on the inclusion criteria, which consisted of: (1) study participants or population with learning disabilities, (2) aged 16 years or over, (3) reporting on access to oral health services, (4) published in the English language. Those that justified the inclusion criteria were carefully chosen after a blind peer-reviewed process when relevance and quality were debated. Nine studies were eventually included from searches. Tabulation of data was done under the heading of study type, outcomes, the year of publication and patient selection. The majority of studies provided a biomedical overview of access for adults with learning disabilities. The concept of access for people with disability is still ill-defined and obscure. Access to oral health care and needs of people with learning disabilities are complex and multi-facet.

Burnout and Scope of Practice in New Family Physicians.

PubMed

Weidner, Amanda K H; Phillips, Robert L; Fang, Bo; Peterson, Lars E

2018-05-01

Family physicians report some of the highest levels of burnout, but no published work has considered whether burnout is correlated with the broad scope of care that family physicians may provide. We examined the associations between family physician scope of practice and self-reported burnout. Secondary analysis of the 2016 National Family Medicine Graduate Survey respondents who provided outpatient continuity care (N = 1,617). We used bivariate analyses and logistic regression to compare self-report of burnout and measures of scope of practice including: inpatient medicine, obstetrics, pediatric ambulatory care, number of procedures and/or clinical content areas, and providing care outside the principal practice site. Forty-two percent of respondents reported feeling burned out from their work once a week or more. In bivariate analysis, elements of scope of practice associated with higher burnout rates included providing more procedures/clinical content areas (mean procedures/clinical areas: 7.49 vs 7.02; P = .02) and working in more settings than the principal practice site (1+ additional settings: 57.6% vs 48.4%: P = .001); specifically in the hospital (31.4% vs 24.2%; P = .002) and patient homes (3.3% vs 1.5%; P = .02). In adjusted analysis, practice characteristics significantly associated with lower odds of burnout were practicing inpatient medicine (OR = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56-0.87; P = .0017) and obstetrics (OR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47-0.88; P = .0058). Early career family physicians who provide a broader scope of practice, specifically, inpatient medicine, obstetrics, or home visits, reported significantly lower rates of burnout. Our findings suggest that comprehensiveness is associated with less burnout, which is critical in the context of improving access to good quality, affordable care while maintaining physician wellness. © 2018 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Water-resources activities in New York, 1987-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marshall, Mary P.; Finch, Anne J.

1988-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted more than 35 water resources projects in New York in 1987-88. These studies, done largely through cooperative joint-funding programs with the state, County, and local agencies, encompass statewide networks of measurement stations that provide continuous records of streamflow, groundwater levels, and water quality; they also address regional and local problems as well as critical problems of national scope. Some of the questions addressed by these studies are the effect of sewers on groundwater levels and streamflow on Long Island; the occurrence and transport of PCB residues within the upper Hudson River basin; the effect of acid rain on streams in the Catskill Mountains; the frequency and magnitude of floods statewide; the role of wetlands in improving the chemical quality of landfill leachate; the direction of groundwater movement from waste disposal sites near the Niagara River; and the location and potential well yields of stratified-drift aquifers in upstate New York. (USGS)

LED Surgical Task Lighting Scoping Study: A Hospital Energy Alliance Project

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

Tuenge, Jason R.

Tungsten-halogen (halogen) lamps have traditionally been used to light surgical tasks in hospitals, even though they are in many respects ill-suited to the application due to the large percentage of radiant energy outside the visible spectrum and issues with color rendering/quality. Light-emitting diode (LED) technology offers potential for adjustable color and improved color rendition/quality, while simultaneously reducing side-effects from non-visible radiant energy. It also has the potential for significant energy savings, although this is a fairly narrow application in the larger commercial building energy use sector. Based on analysis of available products and Hospital Energy Alliance member interest, it ismore » recommended that a product specification and field measurement procedure be developed for implementation in demonstration projects.« less

The CRC Contribution to Research Training: Report of a Scoping Study for the Cooperative Research Centres Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Nigel

2012-01-01

This report summarises findings from a scoping study conducted for the Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRCA) by the Centre for the Study of Higher Education. The purpose of the scoping study is to inform the research training activities of Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs). While previous studies have focussed on the outcomes supported…

Association between perceptions of public drinking water quality and actual drinking water quality: A community-based exploratory study in Newfoundland (Canada).

PubMed

Ochoo, Benjamin; Valcour, James; Sarkar, Atanu

2017-11-01

Studying public perception on drinking water quality is crucial for managing of water resources, generation of water quality standards, and surveillance of the drinking-water quality. However, in policy discourse, the reliability of public perception concerning drinking water quality and associated health risks is questionable. Does the public perception of water quality equate with the actual water quality? We investigated public perceptions of water quality and the perceived health risks and associated with the actual quality of public water supplies in the same communities. The study was conducted in 45 communities of Newfoundland (Canada) in 2012. First, a telephone survey of 100 households was conducted to examine public perceptions of drinking water quality of their respective public sources. Then we extracted public water quality reports of the same communities (1988-2011) from the provincial government's water resources portal. These reports contained the analysis of 2091 water samples, including levels of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs), nutrients, metals, ions and physical parameters. The reports showed that colour, manganese, total dissolved solids, iron, turbidity, and DBPs were the major detected parameters in the public water. However, the majority of the respondents (>56%) were either completely satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of drinking water. Older, higher educated and high-income group respondents were more satisfied with water quality than the younger, less educated and low-income group respondents. The study showed that there was no association with public satisfaction level and actual water quality of the respective communities. Even, in the communities, supplied by the same water system, the respondents had differences in opinion. Despite the effort by the provincial government to make the water-test results available on its website for years, the study showed existing disconnectedness between public perception of drinking water quality and actual quality. We had little scope to explore the possible explanations, and hence further studies are required to verify the age, gender educational status and income differential about the satisfaction of public service like water supply. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Science & Engineering Indicators. National Science Board. NSB 14-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, 2014

2014-01-01

The "Science and Engineering Indicators" series was designed to provide a broad base of quantitative information about U.S. science, engineering, and technology for use by policymakers, researchers, and the general public. "Science and Engineering Indicators 2014" contains analyses of key aspects of the scope, quality, and…

Community Participation in International Development Education Quality Improvement Efforts: Current Paradoxes and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendall, Nancy; Kaunda, Zikani; Friedson-Rideneur, Sophia

2015-01-01

International development organizations increasingly use "participatory development" approaches to improve the effectiveness of their programs. Participatory frameworks are commonly limited in scope and funder-driven; these top-down approaches to participation have proven to be both ineffective, and at times, contradictory in their…

36 CFR § 1010.12 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Section § 1010.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property PRESIDIO TRUST ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1010.12... announcements in the Trust's monthly newsletter, postings on its web site (www.presidiotrust.gov), placement of... public scoping meetings will be given in a timely manner. Interested persons may also obtain information...

Ace Project as a Project Management Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Melinda; Guynes, Carl S.; Simard, Karine

2010-01-01

The primary challenge of project management is to achieve the project goals and objectives while adhering to project constraints--usually scope, quality, time and budget. The secondary challenge is to optimize the allocation and integration of resources necessary to meet pre-defined objectives. Project management software provides an active…

Workplace Factors That Shape Information Technology Project Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Dan Schilling

2013-01-01

Information technology (IT) project success depends on having a project manager with effective decision making, leadership, and project management skills. Project success also depends on completing the project in a given budget, time, and scope. Despite these critical qualities of a successful project manager, little research has explored the…

Students' Perceptions of a "Quality" Advisory Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halbert, Kelsey

2015-01-01

The current research education context in Australia is one of increased pressures for timely completion with a spotlight on the scope and depth of training and a profound increase in enrolments. These factors inevitably shape the supervision experiences of doctoral candidates. This paper discusses student perceptions of supervision. Supervision is…

School Improvement Teams. The Best of ERIC on Educational Management, Number 102.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR.

The reports included in this annotated bibliography of 11 publications on school improvement teams suggest that ownership and commitment to improvement are natural consequences of shared planning and decisionmaking, that overcentralization has severely limited the scope of teachers' professional discretion, and that quality circles--stressing…

78 FR 50401 - National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-19

... relationship between (1) accreditation of institutions of higher education and the certification and... Act (FACA) and Section 114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended. Meeting... Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) (Current and Requested Scope: The accreditation of...

40 CFR 52.1520 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... plan. (a) Purpose and scope. This section sets forth the applicable State Implementation Plan for New... provisions for retention and availability of air quality data Statewide 3/23/1972 7/27/1972, 37 FR 15080 See..., 1998 stating a negative declaration for the aerospace coating operations Control Techniques Guideline...

40 CFR 52.1520 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... plan. (a) Purpose and scope. This section sets forth the applicable State Implementation Plan for New... provisions for retention and availability of air quality data Statewide 3/23/1972 7/27/1972, 37 FR 15080 See..., 1998 stating a negative declaration for the aerospace coating operations Control Techniques Guideline...

42 CFR 1004.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS AND PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY A QUALITY... instances which presents an imminent danger to the health, safety, or well-being of a program patient or places the program patient unnecessarily in high-risk situations. Health care service or services means...

42 CFR 1004.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS AND PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY A QUALITY... instances which presents an imminent danger to the health, safety, or well-being of a program patient or places the program patient unnecessarily in high-risk situations. Health care service or services means...

42 CFR 1004.1 - Scope and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS AND PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY A QUALITY... instances which presents an imminent danger to the health, safety, or well-being of a program patient or places the program patient unnecessarily in high-risk situations. Health care service or services means...

AQMEII Phase 3 in the context of HTAP2: Scope, Objectives and Findings

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation provides an overview of the third phase of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) and its coordination with the work under the task force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (HTAP). It also provides a number of examples of analy...

Triple Value System Dynamics Modeling to Help Stakeholders Engage with Food-Energy-Water Problems

EPA Science Inventory

Triple Value (3V) Community scoping projects and Triple Value Simulation (3VS) models help decision makers and stakeholders apply systems-analysis methodology to complex problems related to food production, water quality, and energy use. 3VS models are decision support tools that...