The ethics of aggregation and hormone replacement therapy.

PubMed

Lyerly, A D; Myers, E R; Faden, R R

2001-01-01

The use of aggregated quality of life estimates in the formation of public policy and practice guidelines raises concerns about the moral relevance of variability in values in preferences for health care. This variability may reflect unique and deeply held beliefs that may be lost when averaged with the preferences of other individuals. Feminist moral theories which argue for attention to context and particularity underline the importance of ascertaining the extent to which differences in preferences for health states reveal information which is morally relevant to clinicians and policymakers. To facilitate these considerations, we present an empirical study of preferences for the timing and occurrence of health states associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Sixteen women between the ages of 45 and 55 were enrolled in this pilot study. Their preferences regarding five health states associated with HRT (menopausal symptoms. side effects of HRT, breast cancer, myocardial infarction, and osteoporosis) were assessed in quantitative terms known as utilities. Two standard methods, the visual analog scale (VAS) and the standard gamble (SG), were used to assess utility and time preference (calculated as a discount rate). The wide variability of responses underlines the importance of tailoring health care to individual women's preferences. Policy guidelines which incorporate utility analysis must recognize the normative limitations of aggregated preferences, and the moral relevance of individual conceptions of health.

Understanding Digital Technology Access and Use Among New York State Residents to Enhance Dissemination of Health Information

PubMed Central

Gerstner, Gena; Pergolino, Kristen; Graham, Yvonne; Strogatz, David

2016-01-01

Background Many state and local health departments, as well as community organizations, have been using new technologies to disseminate health information to targeted populations. Yet little data exist that show access and use patterns, as well as preferences for receiving health information, at the state level. Objective This study was designed to obtain information about media and technology use, and health information seeking patterns, from a sample of New York State (NYS) residents. Methods A cross-sectional telephone survey (with mobile phones and landlines) was developed to assess media and technology access, use patterns, and preferences for receiving health information among a sample of 1350 residents in NYS. The survey used random digit dialing methodology. A weighted analysis was conducted utilizing Stata/SE software. Results Data suggest that NYS residents have a high level of computer and Internet use; 82% have at least one working computer at home, and 85% use the Internet at least sometimes. Mobile phone use is also high; 90% indicated having a mobile phone, and of those 63% have a smartphone. When asked about preferences for receiving health information from an organization, many people preferred websites (49%); preferences for other sources varied by demographic characteristics. Conclusions Findings suggest that the Internet and other technologies are viable ways to reach NYS residents, but agencies and organizations should still consider using traditional methods of communication in some cases, and determine appropriate channels based on the population of interest. PMID:27227163

Consumer preference for dinoprostone vaginal gel using stated preference discrete choice modelling.

PubMed

Taylor, Susan; Armour, Carol

2003-01-01

To assess consumer preference for two methods of induction of labour using stated preference discrete choice modelling. The methods of induction were artificial rupture of the membranes (ARM) plus oxytocin and dinoprostone (prostaglandin E(2)) vaginal gel, followed by oxytocin if necessary. Consumer preference was measured in terms of willingness to pay for each of the attributes. These attributes were the method of administration, place of care, length of time from induction to delivery, need for epidural anaesthetic, type of delivery and cost. Levels were assigned to each of the attributes. Pregnant women attending a public hospital antenatal clinic were asked to read a description of the two methods and then to choose between them in 18 different scenarios in which the levels of the attributes were varied. Women were willing to pay 11 Australian dollars for a 1% reduction in the chance of needing oxytocin as well as the gel and 55 Australian dollars for every 1 hour reduction in the length of time from induction to delivery. For a 1% reduction in the chance of needing an epidural anaesthetic or Caesarean section, women expressed a willingness to pay of 20 Australian dollars and 90 Australian dollars, respectively. All estimates were obtained in 1998 and expressed in Australian dollars (1 Australian dollar = 0.63 US dollars). Women valued the less invasive method of administration of the gel and the associated greater freedom of movement during labour. However, they valued the shorter time from induction to delivery associated with ARM plus oxytocin more highly. A policy which allows women access to the gel for up to two doses would accommodate this consumer preference.

Estimating the value of non-use benefits from small changes in the provision of ecosystem services.

PubMed

Dutton, Adam; Edwards-Jones, Gareth; Macdonald, David W

2010-12-01

The unit of trade in ecosystem services is usually the use of a proportion of the parcels of land associated with a given service. Valuing small changes in the provision of an ecosystem service presents obstacles, particularly when the service provides non-use benefits, as is the case with conservation of most plants and animals. Quantifying non-use values requires stated-preference valuations. Stated-preference valuations can provide estimates of the public's willingness to pay for a broad conservation goal. Nevertheless, stated-preference valuations can be expensive and do not produce consistent measures for varying levels of provision of a service. Additionally, the unit of trade, land use, is not always linearly related to the level of ecosystem services the land might provide. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a method to estimate the value of a marginal change in the provision of a non-use ecosystem service--in this case conservation of plants or animals associated with a given land-cover type. Our method serves as a tool for calculating transferable valuations of small changes in the provision of ecosystem services relative to the existing provision. Valuation is achieved through stated-preference investigations, calculation of a unit value for a parcel of land, and the weighting of this parcel by its ability to provide the desired ecosystem service and its effect on the ability of the surrounding land parcels to provide the desired service. We used the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) as a case study to illustrate the method. The average present value of a meter of water vole habitat was estimated at UK £ 12, but the marginal value of a meter (based on our methods) could range between £ 0 and £ 40 or more. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Preparation of uniform nanoparticles of ultra-high purity metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, metals, and metal alloys

DOEpatents

Woodfield, Brian F.; Liu, Shengfeng; Boerio-Goates, Juliana; Liu, Qingyuan; Smith, Stacey Janel

2012-07-03

In preferred embodiments, metal nanoparticles, mixed-metal (alloy) nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles and mixed-metal oxide nanoparticles are provided. According to embodiments, the nanoparticles may possess narrow size distributions and high purities. In certain preferred embodiments, methods of preparing metal nanoparticles, mixed-metal nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles and mixed-metal nanoparticles are provided. These methods may provide tight control of particle size, size distribution, and oxidation state. Other preferred embodiments relate to a precursor material that may be used to form nanoparticles. In addition, products prepared from such nanoparticles are disclosed.

Apparatus for and method of eliminating single event upsets in combinational logic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gambles, Jody W. (Inventor); Hass, Kenneth J. (Inventor); Cameron, Kelly B. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

An apparatus for and method of eliminating single event upsets (or SEU) in combinational logic are used to prevent error propagation as a result of cosmic particle strikes to the combinational logic. The apparatus preferably includes a combinational logic block electrically coupled to a delay element, a latch and an output buffer. In operation, a signal from the combinational logic is electrically coupled to a first input of the latch. In addition, the signal is routed through the delay element to produce a delayed signal. The delayed signal is routed to a second input of the latch. The latch used in the apparatus for preventing SEU preferably includes latch outputs and a feature that the latch outputs will not change state unless both latch inputs are correct. For example, the latch outputs may not change state unless both latch inputs have the same logical state. When a cosmic particle strikes the combinational logic, a transient disturbance with a predetermined length may appear in the signal. However, a function of the delay element is to preferably provide a time delay greater than the length of the transient disturbance. Therefore, the transient disturbance will not reach both latch inputs simultaneously. As a result, the latch outputs will not permanently change state in error due to the transient disturbance. In addition, the output buffer preferably combines the latch outputs in such a way that the correct state is preserved at all times. Thus, combinational logic with protection from SEU is provided.

Revealed and stated preference valuation and transfer: A within-sample comparison of water quality improvement values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrini, Silvia; Schaafsma, Marije; Bateman, Ian

2014-06-01

Benefit transfer (BT) methods are becoming increasingly important for environmental policy, but the empirical findings regarding transfer validity are mixed. A novel valuation survey was designed to obtain both stated preference (SP) and revealed preference (RP) data concerning river water quality values from a large sample of households. Both dichotomous choice and payment card contingent valuation (CV) and travel cost (TC) data were collected. Resulting valuations were directly compared and used for BT analyses using both unit value and function transfer approaches. WTP estimates are found to pass the convergence validity test. BT results show that the CV data produce lower transfer errors, below 20% for both unit value and function transfer, than TC data especially when using function transfer. Further, comparison of WTP estimates suggests that in all cases, differences between methods are larger than differences between study areas. Results show that when multiple studies are available, using welfare estimates from the same area but based on a different method consistently results in larger errors than transfers across space keeping the method constant.

Effective Partnering in Conducting Benefit-Risk Patient Preference Studies: Perspectives From a Patient Advocacy Organization, a Pharmaceutical Company, and Academic Stated-Preference Researchers.

PubMed

Wolka, Anne M; Fairchild, Angelyn O; Reed, Shelby D; Anglin, Greg; Johnson, F Reed; Siegel, Michael; Noel, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Formal incorporation of patients' perspectives is becoming increasingly important in medical product development and decision making. This article shares practical advice regarding how patient advocacy organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, and academic experts in stated-preference research can effectively partner on benefit-risk patient preference studies. The authors partnered on a benefit-risk patient preference study related to the treatment of psoriasis. The authors from Duke Clinical Research Institute also share their experiences in collaborating with numerous other organizations in conducting benefit-risk patient preference studies. Upon initiation of the study partnership with appropriate experts, training is important to ensure all collaborators have a common understanding of the methodology, what objectives stated-preference methods can support, and expectations for the project. To the extent possible, partners should align on and document relevant clinical and logistical details prior to study implementation. During study implementation, partners should use good communication practices and document and maintain a record of any changes to the original plan. Presentation of the study results should be tailored to the particular audience, with the appropriate partner leading the presentation based on its format and audience. Partners from patient advocacy organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, and academia can effectively collaborate on benefit-risk patient preference studies with sufficient planning and ongoing communication. This article is a call for action for other organizations to engage in sharing of experiences regarding effective partnering in quantifying patient preferences in medical product development.

Contraceptive use and preferences of young married women in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Thulaseedharan, Jissa Vinoda

2018-01-01

As in other states of India, female sterilization is the most widely used contraceptive method in Kerala where women have higher levels of education compared to most other states in India. This paper describes the use and preferences of contraceptive methods among young married women in Trivandrum district, Kerala, India. A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among 203 young married women (18-28 years) during January-March 2015 using multistage cluster sampling method. Statistical analysis was mainly descriptive, and chi-squared test was used to test the statistical significance of the relationship between sociodemographic factors and contraceptive use. The average age at marriage for women was 21.3 years, and 23% of women had more than one child. Current use of any contraceptive methods was 58%. Female sterilization was preferred by 13% and it was significantly higher among women aged 25-28 years than in those aged 18-24 years (20% vs 2.6%, p <0.001). Female sterilization was significantly lower among women with higher levels of education than in women with an education level of plus two or below (5.8% vs 19%, p =0.006). Women were mostly in favor of female sterilization (91%), and a significantly lower proportion of highly educated women preferred female sterilization than women with an education of 12 years or below (85% vs 95.7%, p =0.008). A considerable number of females in the age group 25-28-years opting for sterilization and the unique preference for female sterilization when the family size is complete show the predominant reliance on female sterilization among young women. Higher education delays sterilization in young women due to delayed marriage and childbirth. Women empowerment, proper information and assuring availability and accessibility to different methods can gradually change the dominant preference for female-oriented permanent method of contraception.

Health utility scores of colorectal cancer based on societal preference in Japan.

PubMed

Shiroiwa, Takeru; Fukuda, Takashi; Tsutani, Kiichiro

2009-10-01

We measured health utility scores of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients from a societal perspective in Japan. Twenty-five states of health were described: four metastatic states without severe adverse events (AEs), 16 metastatic states with Grade 3/4 AEs, four adjuvant states, and one terminal state. A total of 1,500 respondents stratified by age and gender were recruited randomly from the largest Web-panel in Japan. Respondents were allocated randomly to three of the 25 health states and answered questionnaires by standard gamble (SG) and time trade-off (TTO) methods. Although utility scores of metastatic CRC receiving XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) chemotherapy were 0.48(SG and TTO) (with stoma) and 0.57(SG) or 0.59(TTO) (without stoma), utility scores of those receiving FOLFOX4 (5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy were 0.42(SG) or 0.43(TTO) (with stoma) and 0.52(SG) or 0.53(TTO) (without stoma). These differences between XELOX and FOLFOX4 were statistically significant (P = 0.0198 in SG and P = 0.0059 in TTO). Stage 3/4 AEs decreased utility scores to 0.35-0.4 and 0.4-0.45 in the presence and absence of stoma, respectively. XELOX was generally considered a significantly preferable chemotherapy regimen compared to FOLFOX4 for CRC in Japan. Almost all Grade 3/4 AEs and stoma significantly decreased utility scores. These differences are dependent on the accuracy of the health state description and to confirm these results. In future research, it would be preferable that preference-based HRQoL measures are used directly in patients if utility scores are practically measurable by such method.

Estimating a Preference-Based Index from the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure (CORE-OM)

PubMed Central

Brazier, John E.; Rowen, Donna; Barkham, Michael

2013-01-01

Background. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) is used to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological therapies in people with common mental disorders. The objective of this study was to estimate a preference-based index for this population using CORE-6D, a health state classification system derived from the CORE-OM consisting of a 5-item emotional component and a physical item, and to demonstrate a novel method for generating states that are not orthogonal. Methods. Rasch analysis was used to identify 11 emotional health states from CORE-6D that were frequently observed in the study population and are, thus, plausible (in contrast, conventional statistical design might generate implausible states). Combined with the 3 response levels of the physical item of CORE-6D, they generate 33 plausible health states, 18 of which were selected for valuation. A valuation survey of 220 members of the public in South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, was undertaken using the time tradeoff (TTO) method. Regression analysis was subsequently used to predict values for all possible states described by CORE-6D. Results. A number of multivariate regression models were built to predict values for the 33 health states of CORE-6D, using the Rasch logit value of the emotional state and the response level of the physical item as independent variables. A cubic model with high predictive value (adjusted R2 = 0.990) was selected to predict TTO values for all 729 CORE-6D health states. Conclusion. The CORE-6D preference-based index will enable the assessment of cost-effectiveness of interventions for people with common mental disorders using existing and prospective CORE-OM data sets. The new method for generating states may be useful for other instruments with highly correlated dimensions. PMID:23178639

Entrepreneurial Decision Making Styles and Learning Strategies Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hestand, Yana

2012-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: The scope of this study was the decision making styles and the learning strategies preferences among entrepreneurs. The study utilized a descriptive research design. Internet was utilized as a data collection tool, Participant in the study were 240 entrepreneurs from the Oklahoma state, Tulsa county members of the SBA.…

Does Methodological Guidance Produce Consistency? A Review of Methodological Consistency in Breast Cancer Utility Value Measurement in NICE Single Technology Appraisals.

PubMed

Rose, Micah; Rice, Stephen; Craig, Dawn

2018-06-01

Since 2004, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) methodological guidance for technology appraisals has emphasised a strong preference for using the validated EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D) quality-of-life instrument, measuring patient health status from patients or carers, and using the general public's preference-based valuation of different health states when assessing health benefits in economic evaluations. The aim of this study was to review all NICE single technology appraisals (STAs) for breast cancer treatments to explore consistency in the use of utility scores in light of NICE methodological guidance. A review of all published breast cancer STAs was undertaken using all publicly available STA documents for each included assessment. Utility scores were assessed for consistency with NICE-preferred methods and original data sources. Furthermore, academic assessment group work undertaken during the STA process was examined to evaluate the emphasis of NICE-preferred quality-of-life measurement methods. Twelve breast cancer STAs were identified, and many STAs used evidence that did not follow NICE's preferred utility score measurement methods. Recent STA submissions show companies using EQ-5D and mapping. Academic assessment groups rarely emphasized NICE-preferred methods, and queries about preferred methods were rare. While there appears to be a trend in recent STA submissions towards following NICE methodological guidance, historically STA guidance in breast cancer has generally not used NICE's preferred methods. Future STAs in breast cancer and reviews of older guidance should ensure that utility measurement methods are consistent with the NICE reference case to help produce consistent, equitable decision making.

Societal Preferences for EQ-5D Health States from a Brazilian Population Survey.

PubMed

Viegas Andrade, Mônica; Noronha, Kenya; Kind, Paul; Maia, Ana Carolina; Miranda de Menezes, Renata; De Barros Reis, Carla; Nepomuceno Souza, Michelle; Martins, Diego; Gomes, Lucas; Nichele, Daniel; Calazans, Julia; Mascarenhas, Tamires; Carvalho, Lucas; Lins, Camila

2013-12-01

To elicit preference weights for a subset of EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire health states from a representative sample for the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using a time trade-off (TTO) method and to analyze these data so as to estimate social preference weights for the complete set of 243 states. Data came from a valuation study with 3362 literate individuals aged between 18 and 64 years living in urban areas. The present study was based on quota sampling by age and sex. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in participants' own homes. A total of 99 EQ-5D questionnaire health states were selected, presorted into 26 blocks of six unique health states. Each participant valued one block together with the full health, worst health, and dead states. Each health state was evaluated by more than 100 individuals. TTO data were modeled at both individual and aggregate levels by using ordinary least squares and random effects methods. Values estimated by different models yielded very similar results with satisfactory goodness-of-fit statistics: the mean absolute error was around 0.03 and fewer than 25% of the states had a mean absolute error greater than 0.05. Dummies coefficients for each level within the EQ-5D questionnaire dimensions of health displayed an internally consistent ordering, with the mobility dimension demonstrating the largest value decrement. The values of mean observed transformed TTO values range from 0.869 to-0.235. The study demonstrates the feasibility of conducting face-to-face interviews using TTO in a Brazilian population setting. The estimated values for EQ-5D questionnaire health states based on this Minas Gerais survey represent an important first step in establishing national Brazilian social preference weights for the EQ-5D questionnaire. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Choosing your health insurance package: a method for measuring the public's preferences for changes in the national health insurance plan.

PubMed

Victoor, Aafke; Hansen, Johan; van den Akker-van Marle, M Elske; van den Berg, Bernard; van den Hout, Wilbert B; de Jong, Judith D

2014-08-01

With rising healthcare expenditure and limited budgets available, countries are having to make choices about the content of health insurance plans. The views of the general population can help determine such priorities. In this article, we investigate whether preferences of the general population regarding the content of health insurance plans could be measured with the help of a stated preference method: the Basket Method (BM). In this method, people use an online tool to include or exclude healthcare interventions from their hypothetical insurance package; this then affects their monthly premium. The study was conducted in the Netherlands. In total, 1007 members of two panels managed by the NIVEL filled out an online questionnaire that included the BM. The suitability of the BM was tested with the help of five criteria, e.g. the BM's ability to distinguish between healthcare interventions. Our results suggest that the BM is suitable for measuring preferences of the general population regarding the content of the health insurance plan, as it performs well on most criteria. Policy makers can use these preferences when deciding the content of the health insurance plan. Its contents will then be more aligned to the population's needs and preferences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Exploration of the Leadership Style Preferences among African American Women Administrators of the 1890 Cooperative Extension System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Shelvy L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify and explore the leadership style preferences among current African American Administrators of the 1890 Land-Grant Cooperative Extension system. The population used in this study was African American women administrators from eighteen mostly southern states. The researcher used a…

Aluminum oxyhydroxide based separator/electrolyte and battery system, and a method making the same

DOEpatents

Gerald, II, Rex E.; Klingler, Robert J [Glenview, IL; Rathke, Jerome W [Homer Glen, IL

2011-03-08

The instant invention relates a solid-state electrochemical cell and a novel separator/electrolyte incorporated therein. A preferred embodiment of the invented electrochemical cell generally comprises a unique metal oxyhydroxide based (i.e. AlOOH) separator/electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a first electrode and a second electrode. A preferred novel separator/electrolyte comprises a nanoparticulate metal oxyhydroxide, preferably AlOOH and a salt which are mixed and then pressed together to form a monolithic metal oxyhydroxide-salt membrane.

Using Discrete Choice Experiments to Inform the Benefit-Risk Assessment of Medicines: Are We Ready Yet?

PubMed

Vass, Caroline M; Payne, Katherine

2017-09-01

There is emerging interest in the use of discrete choice experiments as a means of quantifying the perceived balance between benefits and risks (quantitative benefit-risk assessment) of new healthcare interventions, such as medicines, under assessment by regulatory agencies. For stated preference data on benefit-risk assessment to be used in regulatory decision making, the methods to generate these data must be valid, reliable and capable of producing meaningful estimates understood by decision makers. Some reporting guidelines exist for discrete choice experiments, and for related methods such as conjoint analysis. However, existing guidelines focus on reporting standards, are general in focus and do not consider the requirements for using discrete choice experiments specifically for quantifying benefit-risk assessments in the context of regulatory decision making. This opinion piece outlines the current state of play in using discrete choice experiments for benefit-risk assessment and proposes key areas needing to be addressed to demonstrate that discrete choice experiments are an appropriate and valid stated preference elicitation method in this context. Methodological research is required to establish: how robust the results of discrete choice experiments are to formats and methods of risk communication; how information in the discrete choice experiment can be presented effectually to respondents; whose preferences should be elicited; the correct underlying utility function and analytical model; the impact of heterogeneity in preferences; and the generalisability of the results. We believe these methodological issues should be addressed, alongside developing a 'reference case', before agencies can safely and confidently use discrete choice experiments for quantitative benefit-risk assessment in the context of regulatory decision making for new medicines and healthcare products.

Using a multidimensional unfolding approach to assess multiple sclerosis patient preferences for disease-modifying therapy: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Sempere, Angel Perez; Vera-Lopez, Vanesa; Gimenez-Martinez, Juana; Ruiz-Beato, Elena; Cuervo, Jesús; Maurino, Jorge

2017-01-01

Purpose Multidimensional unfolding is a multivariate method to assess preferences using a small sample size, a geometric model locating individuals and alternatives as points in a joint space. The objective was to evaluate relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patient preferences toward key disease-modifying therapy (DMT) attributes using multidimensional unfolding. Patients and methods A cross-sectional pilot study in RRMS patients was conducted. Drug attributes included relapse prevention, disease progression prevention, side-effect risk and route and schedule of administration. Assessment of preferences was performed through a five-card game. Patients were asked to value attributes from 1 (most preferred) to 5 (least preferred). Results A total of 37 patients were included; the mean age was 38.6 years, and 78.4% were female. Disease progression prevention was the most important factor (51.4%), followed by relapse prevention (40.5%). The frequency of administration had the lowest preference rating for 56.8% of patients. Finally, 19.6% valued the side-effect risk attribute as having low/very low importance. Conclusion Patients’ perspective for DMT attributes may provide valuable information to facilitate shared decision-making. Efficacy attributes were the most important drug characteristics for RRMS patients. Multidimensional unfolding seems to be a feasible approach to assess preferences in multiple sclerosis patients. Further elicitation studies using multidimensional unfolding with other stated choice methods are necessary to confirm these findings. PMID:28615928

Preferred Methods of Learning for Nursing Students in an On-Line Degree Program.

PubMed

Hampton, Debra; Pearce, Patricia F; Moser, Debra K

Investigators have demonstrated that on-line courses result in effective learning outcomes, but limited information has been published related to preferred teaching strategies. Delivery of on-line courses requires various teaching methods to facilitate interaction between students, content, and technology. The purposes of this study were to understand student teaching/learning preferences in on-line courses to include (a) differences in preferred teaching/learning methods for on-line nursing students across generations and (b) which teaching strategies students found to be most engaging and effective. Participants were recruited from 2 accredited, private school nursing programs (N=944) that admit students from across the United States and deliver courses on-line. Participants provided implied consent, and 217 (23%) students completed the on-line survey. Thirty-two percent of the students were from the Baby Boomer generation (1946-1964), 48% from Generation X (1965-1980), and 20% from the Millennial Generation (born after 1980). The preferred teaching/learning methods for students were videos or narrated PowerPoint presentations, followed by synchronous Adobe Connect educations sessions, assigned journal article reading, and e-mail dialog with the instructor. The top 2 methods identified by participants as the most energizing/engaging and most effective for learning were videos or narrated PowerPoint presentations and case studies. The teaching/learning method least preferred by participants and that was the least energizing/engaging was group collaborative projects with other students; the method that was the least effective for learning was wikis. Baby Boomers and Generation X participants had a significantly greater preference for discussion board (P<.0167) than millennial students. Millennial students also had a greater preference for simulation than did Baby Boomer and Generation X students and rated on-line games as significantly more energizing/engaging and more effective for learning (P<.0167) than did Baby Boomer and Generation X students. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that there are distinct student preferences and generational differences in preferred teaching/learning methods for on-line students. Faculty need to incorporate various teaching methodologies within on-line courses to include both synchronous and asynchronous activities and interactive and passive methodologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 1219.102 - Method of payment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Method of payment. 1219.102 Section 1219.102... Resources Revenue DISTRIBUTION AND DISBURSEMENT OF ROYALTIES, RENTALS, AND BONUSES § 1219.102 Method of... Transfer (EFT). Should a State prefer to receive its payment by EFT, it should request this payment method...

Environmental Systems Conflict Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hipel, K. W.

2017-12-01

The Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) is applied to a real-life groundwater contamination dispute to demonstrate how one can realistically model and analyze the controversy in order to obtain an enhanced understanding and strategic insights for permitting one to make informed decisions. This highly divisive conflict is utilized to explain a rich range of inherent capabilities of GMCR, as well as worthwhile avenues for extensions, which make GMCR a truly powerful decision technology for addressing challenging conflict situations. For instance, a flexible preference elicitation method called option prioritization can be employed to obtain the relative preferences of each decision maker (DM) in the dispute over the states or scenarios which can occur, based upon preference statements regarding the options or courses of actions available to the DMs. Solution concepts, reflecting the way a chess player thinks in terms of moves and counter-moves, are defined to mirror the ways humans may behave under conflict, varying from short to long term thinking. After ascertaining the best outcome that a DM can achieve on his or her own in a conflict, coalition analysis algorithms are available to check if a DM can fare even better via cooperating with others. The ability of GMCR to take into account emotions, strength of preference, attitudes, misunderstandings (referred to as hypergames), and uncertain preferences (unknown, fuzzy, grey and probabilistic) greatly broadens its scope of applicability. Techniques for tracing how a conflict can evolve over time from a status quo state to a final specified outcome, as well as how to handle hierarchical structures, such as when a central government interacts with its provinces or states, further enforces the comprehensive nature of GMCR. Within ongoing conflict research mimicking how physical systems are analyzed, methods for inverse engineering of preferences are explained for determining the preferences required by one or more DMs in order for a desirable resolution to be reached. In the behavioral engine problem, the manner in which a DM may be thinking strategically under conflict can be calculated given the input preferences and a selected equilibrium.

Facial profile esthetic preferences: perception in two Brazilian states

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Marina Detoni Vieira; da Silveira, Bruno Lopes; Mattos, Cláudia Trindade; Marquezan, Mariana

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the regional influence on the perception of facial profile esthetics in Rio de Janeiro state (RJ) and Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), Brazil. METHODS: Two Caucasian models, a man and a woman, with balanced facial profiles, had their photographs digitally manipulated so as to produce seven different profiles. First year dental students (laypeople) assessed the images and classified them according to their esthetic preference. RESULTS: The result of the t test for independent samples showed differences among states for certain facial profiles. The female photograph identified with the letter 'G' (mandibular retrusion) received higher scores in RS state (p = 0.006). No differences were found for male photographs (p > 0.007). The evaluators' sex seemed not to influence their esthetic perception (p > 0.007). Considering all evaluators together, ANOVA/Tukey's test showed differences among the profiles (p ≤ 0.05) for both male and female photographs. The female photograph that received the highest score was the one identified with the letter 'F' (dentoalveolar bimaxillary retrusion/ straight profile). For the male profiles, photograph identified with the letter 'E' (dentoalveolar bimaxillary protrusion/ straight profile) received the best score. CONCLUSION: Regional differences were observed regarding preferences of facial profile esthetics. In Rio de Janeiro state, more prominent lips were preferred while in Rio Grande do Sul state, profiles with straight lips were favored. Class III profiles were considered less attractive. PMID:26154461

A New Method of Random Environmental Walking for Assessing Behavioral Preferences for Different Lighting Applications

PubMed Central

Patching, Geoffrey R.; Rahm, Johan; Jansson, Märit; Johansson, Maria

2017-01-01

Accurate assessment of people’s preferences for different outdoor lighting applications is increasingly considered important in the development of new urban environments. Here a new method of random environmental walking is proposed to complement current methods of assessing urban lighting applications, such as self-report questionnaires. The procedure involves participants repeatedly walking between different lighting applications by random selection of a lighting application and preferred choice or by random selection of a lighting application alone. In this manner, participants are exposed to all lighting applications of interest more than once and participants’ preferences for the different lighting applications are reflected in the number of times they walk to each lighting application. On the basis of an initial simulation study, to explore the feasibility of this approach, a comprehensive field test was undertaken. The field test included random environmental walking and collection of participants’ subjective ratings of perceived pleasantness (PP), perceived quality, perceived strength, and perceived flicker of four lighting applications. The results indicate that random environmental walking can reveal participants’ preferences for different lighting applications that, in the present study, conformed to participants’ ratings of PP and perceived quality of the lighting applications. As a complement to subjectively stated environmental preferences, random environmental walking has the potential to expose behavioral preferences for different lighting applications. PMID:28337163

Choosing Learning Methods Suitable for Teaching and Learning in Computer Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Estelle; Breed, Marnus; Hauman, Ilette; Homann, Armando

2013-01-01

Our aim is to determine which teaching methods students in Computer Science and Information Systems prefer. There are in total 5 different paradigms (behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, design-based and humanism) with 32 models between them. Each model is unique and states different learning methods. Recommendations are made on methods that…

Efficiency trade-offs of steady-state methods using FEM and FDM. [iterative solutions for nonlinear flow equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gartling, D. K.; Roache, P. J.

1978-01-01

The efficiency characteristics of finite element and finite difference approximations for the steady-state solution of the Navier-Stokes equations are examined. The finite element method discussed is a standard Galerkin formulation of the incompressible, steady-state Navier-Stokes equations. The finite difference formulation uses simple centered differences that are O(delta x-squared). Operation counts indicate that a rapidly converging Newton-Raphson-Kantorovitch iteration scheme is generally preferable over a Picard method. A split NOS Picard iterative algorithm for the finite difference method was most efficient.

Systematic Review of Patients' and Parents' Preferences for ADHD Treatment Options and Processes of Care.

PubMed

Schatz, Nicole K; Fabiano, Gregory A; Cunningham, Charles E; dosReis, Susan; Waschbusch, Daniel A; Jerome, Stephanie; Lupas, Kellina; Morris, Karen L

2015-12-01

Patient preferences are an important topic of study with respect to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) interventions, as there are multiple treatment choices available, multiple developmental levels to consider, and multiple potential individuals involved in treatment (children, parents, and adults with ADHD). Stated preference methods such as discrete choice experiment (DCE), best-worst scaling (BWS), and other utility value methods such as standard gamble interview (SGI) and time trade-off (TTO) are becoming more common in research addressing preferences for ADHD treatments. A synthesis of this research may facilitate improved patient-centered and family-centered treatment for ADHD. The purpose of this review was to synthesize reports across existing DCE, BWS, TTO, and SGI studies to assess which aspects of ADHD treatment are most studied as well as most preferred and influential in treatment decisions. MEDLINE, PsycINFO. A total of 41 studies referring to preferences for ADHD treatment were identified through the initial search and contact with researchers. Of these, 13 reported ADHD treatment preference data from a study using DCE, BWS, or SGI methods. No TTO studies were identified that met inclusion criteria. Methods and designs varied considerably across studies. Relatively few studies focused on preferences among children, adolescents, and adults compared with those that focused on the preferences of parents of children with ADHD. The majority of studies focused primarily on medication treatments, with many fewer focused on psychosocial treatments. Some studies indicated that parents of children with ADHD prefer to avoid stimulant medications in favor of behavioral or psychosocial interventions. Others report that parents see medication as a preferred treatment. Treatment outcome is a particularly salient attribute for treatment decisions for many informants. Potential outcomes of various treatments play a proximal role in patients' and families' decisions for ADHD treatment. Because the majority of studies focus on medication treatments for children with ADHD, more research is necessary to understand preferences related to behavioral and other psychosocial treatments both as stand-alone interventions and used in combination with medication. Additional research is also needed to assess the treatment preferences of adults with ADHD. In general, DCE, BWS, and SGI methods allow measurement of patient preferences in a manner that approximates the uncertainty and trade-offs inherent in real-world treatment decision making and provides valuable information to inform patient-centered and family-centered treatment.

Method of separating thorium from plutonium

DOEpatents

Clifton, David G.; Blum, Thomas W.

1984-01-01

A method of chemically separating plutonium from thorium. Plutonium and thorium to be separated are dissolved in an aqueous feed solution, preferably as the nitrate salts. The feed solution is acidified and sodium nitrite is added to the solution to adjust the valence of the plutonium to the +4 state. A chloride salt, preferably sodium chloride, is then added to the solution to induce formation of an anionic plutonium chloride complex. The anionic plutonium chloride complex and the thorium in solution are then separated by ion exchange on a strong base anion exchange column.

Method of separating thorium from plutonium

DOEpatents

Clifton, D.G.; Blum, T.W.

A method of chemically separating plutonium from thorium is claimed. Plutonium and thorium to be separated are dissolved in an aqueous feed solution, preferably as the nitrate salts. The feed solution is acidified and sodium nitrite is added to the solution to adjust the valence of the plutonium to the +4 state. A chloride salt, preferably sodium chloride, is then added to the solution to induce formation of an anionic plutonium chloride complex. The anionic plutonium chloride complex and the thorium in solution are then separated by ion exchange on a strong base anion exchange column.

Method of separating thorium from plutonium

DOEpatents

Clifton, D.G.; Blum, T.W.

1984-07-10

A method is described for chemically separating plutonium from thorium. Plutonium and thorium to be separated are dissolved in an aqueous feed solution, preferably as the nitrate salts. The feed solution is acidified and sodium nitrite is added to the solution to adjust the valence of the plutonium to the +4 state. A chloride salt, preferably sodium chloride, is then added to the solution to induce formation of an anionic plutonium chloride complex. The anionic plutonium chloride complex and the thorium in solution are then separated by ion exchange on a strong base anion exchange column.

Preferred parental method of post-operative tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy follow-up (phone call vs. clinic visit).

PubMed

Anderson, Martin E; Brancazio, Brianna; Mehta, Deepak K; Georg, Matthew; Choi, Sukgi S; Jabbour, Noel

2017-01-01

Tonsillectomy is the second most common procedure performed in the United States. Over 530,000 tonsillectomies are performed on children under 15 years of age in the United States, accounting for 16% of surgeries in this age group, resulting in missed school for patients of school-age and also resulting in missed work for caregivers. This study compared parent preferences for in-clinic follow-up (CFU) to telephone interview follow-up (TFU) after tonsillectomy. One hundred twenty-one parents of children who underwent a tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy were recruited to complete a survey about their child's post-operative visit. Statistical analyses were performed using t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and Fischer's exact tests where appropriate. 60.3% of the surveys were completed as a TFU and the remainder were completed as a CFU. There were no statistical differences in the children's age, the time to follow-up, satisfaction with their follow-up, or the frequency of unresolved symptoms. Of parents receiving TFU, 91.8% disagreed they would have preferred a CFU, with 86.3% strongly disagreeing, and only 5.5% expressing that they would have preferred a CFU. Of the parents with CFU, 47.9% expressed a preference for a TFU. For CFU, 43.9% of parents missed work and 58.1% of their school-age children missed school. Our study results indicate that parents receiving phone follow-up strongly preferred this method to an in-clinic follow-up, and that nearly half of all parents receiving in-clinic follow-up would have preferred a telephone follow-up. In select patients, telephone follow-up after tonsillectomy may increase patient satisfaction and decrease days of missed work and school. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stated product formulation preferences for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among women in the VOICE-D (MTN-003D) study

PubMed Central

Luecke, Ellen H; Cheng, Helen; Woeber, Kubashni; Nakyanzi, Teopista; Mudekunye-Mahaka, Imelda C; van der Straten, Ariane

2016-01-01

Introduction The effectiveness of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) requires consistent and correct product use, thus a deeper understanding of women's stated product formulation preferences, and the correlates of those preferences, can help guide future research. VOICE-D (MTN-003D), a qualitative ancillary study conducted after the VOICE trial, retrospectively explored participants’ tablet and gel use, as well as their preferences for other potential PrEP product formulations. Methods We conducted an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from VOICE-D participants. During in-depth interviews, women were presented with pictures and descriptions of eight potential PrEP product formulations, including the oral tablet and vaginal gel tested in VOICE, and asked to discuss which product formulations they would prefer to use and why. Seven of the original product formulations displayed were combined into preferred product formulation categories based on exploratory factor and latent class analyses. We examined demographic and behavioural correlates of these preferred product formulation categories. In-depth interviews with participants were conducted, coded, and analysed for themes related to product preference. Results Of the 68 female participants who completed in-depth interviews (22 South Africa, 24 Zimbabwe, 22 Uganda), median age was 28 (range 21–41), 81% were HIV negative, and 49% were married or living with a partner. Four preferred product formulation categories were identified via exploratory factor analysis: 1) oral tablets; 2) vaginal gel; 3) injectable, implant, or vaginal ring; and 4) vaginal film or suppository. A majority of women (81%) expressed a preference for product formulations included in category 3. Characteristics significantly associated with each preferred product category differed. Attributes described by participants as being important in a preferred product formulation included duration of activity, ease of use, route of administration, clinic- versus self-administration, and degree of familiarity with product. Conclusions While there was interest in a variety of potential PrEP product formulations, a majority of VOICE-D participants preferred long-acting methods. More research is needed to gain insight into end-users’ product formulation preference to inform messaging and market segmentation for different PrEP products and resources to invest in products that target populations are most interested in using. Clinical Trial Number: NCT02358616 PMID:27247202

Understanding Digital Technology Access and Use Among New York State Residents to Enhance Dissemination of Health Information.

PubMed

Manganello, Jennifer A; Gerstner, Gena; Pergolino, Kristen; Graham, Yvonne; Strogatz, David

2016-01-01

Many state and local health departments, as well as community organizations, have been using new technologies to disseminate health information to targeted populations. Yet little data exist that show access and use patterns, as well as preferences for receiving health information, at the state level. This study was designed to obtain information about media and technology use, and health information seeking patterns, from a sample of New York State (NYS) residents. A cross-sectional telephone survey (with mobile phones and landlines) was developed to assess media and technology access, use patterns, and preferences for receiving health information among a sample of 1350 residents in NYS. The survey used random digit dialing methodology. A weighted analysis was conducted utilizing Stata/SE software. Data suggest that NYS residents have a high level of computer and Internet use; 82% have at least one working computer at home, and 85% use the Internet at least sometimes. Mobile phone use is also high; 90% indicated having a mobile phone, and of those 63% have a smartphone. When asked about preferences for receiving health information from an organization, many people preferred websites (49%); preferences for other sources varied by demographic characteristics. Findings suggest that the Internet and other technologies are viable ways to reach NYS residents, but agencies and organizations should still consider using traditional methods of communication in some cases, and determine appropriate channels based on the population of interest.

Valuing SF-6D Health States Using a Discrete Choice Experiment.

PubMed

Norman, Richard; Viney, Rosalie; Brazier, John; Burgess, Leonie; Cronin, Paula; King, Madeleine; Ratcliffe, Julie; Street, Deborah

2014-08-01

SF-6D utility weights are conventionally produced using a standard gamble (SG). SG-derived weights consistently demonstrate a floor effect not observed with other elicitation techniques. Recent advances in discrete choice methods have allowed estimation of utility weights. The objective was to produce Australian utility weights for the SF-6D and to explore the application of discrete choice experiment (DCE) methods in this context. We hypothesized that weights derived using this method would reflect the largely monotonic construction of the SF-6D. We designed an online DCE and administered it to an Australia-representative online panel (n = 1017). A range of specifications investigating nonlinear preferences with respect to additional life expectancy were estimated using a random-effects probit model. The preferred model was then used to estimate a preference index such that full health and death were valued at 1 and 0, respectively, to provide an algorithm for Australian cost-utility analyses. Physical functioning, pain, mental health, and vitality were the largest drivers of utility weights. Combining levels to remove illogical orderings did not lead to a poorer model fit. Relative to international SG-derived weights, the range of utility weights was larger with 5% of health states valued below zero. s. DCEs can be used to investigate preferences for health profiles and to estimate utility weights for multi-attribute utility instruments. Australian cost-utility analyses can now use domestic SF-6D weights. The comparability of DCE results to those using other elicitation methods for estimating utility weights for quality-adjusted life-year calculations should be further investigated. © The Author(s) 2013.

Modern Sexism and Preference for a Coach among Select National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Female Athletes: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenawalt, Nancy Jo

2012-01-01

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods research study was to examine the relationship of modern sexism to a female athlete's preference for a coach based on the sex of the coach. Female athletes (N = 155) from one National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institution in the Northeastern United States participated in the…

Temporal Stability of Stated Preferences: The Case of Junior Nursing Jobs.

PubMed

Doiron, Denise; Yoo, Hong Il

2017-06-01

With the growing use of discrete choice experiments (DCEs) in health workforce research, the reliability of elicited job preferences is a growing concern. We provide the first empirical evidence on the temporal stability of such preferences using a unique longitudinal survey of Australian nursing students and graduate nurses. The respondents completed DCEs on nursing positions in two survey waves. Each position is described by salary and 11 non-salary attributes, and the two waves are spaced 15months apart on average. Between the waves, most final-year students finished their degrees and started out as graduate nurses. Thus, the survey covers a long timespan that includes an important period of career transition. The relative importance of different job attributes appears stable enough to support the use of DCEs to identify key areas of policy intervention. There is virtually no change in the groupings of influential job characteristics. Conclusions regarding the stability of willingness-to-pay, however, are different because of unstable preferences for salary. The instability of preferences for salary was also found previously in the context of comparing alternative elicitation methods. This prompts us to push for further work on the reliability of stated preferences over monetary attributes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preferences for teaching methods in a baccalaureate nursing program: how second-degree and traditional students differ.

PubMed

Walker, Jean T; Martin, Tina M; Haynie, Lisa; Norwood, Anne; White, Jill; Grant, LaVerne

2007-01-01

Accelerated baccalaureate nursing programs are in great demand in the United States. Currently there are 197 such programs, but little research has been conducted on student characteristics and program outcomes. This quantitative study explores preferences of second-degree students and traditional generic students with regard to teaching methods and relationships with faculty. The results indicate that statistically significant differences exist between the two groups of students. Three areas of significance are ability for self-directed learning, expectations of faculty and classroom structure, and obtaining a grade that really matters.

Radiology scheduling: preferences of users of radiologic services and impact on referral base and extension.

PubMed

Mozumdar, Biswita C; Hornsby, Douglas Neal; Gogate, Adheet S; Intriere, Lisa A; Hanson, Richard; McGreal, Karen; Kelly, Pauline; Ros, Pablo

2003-08-01

To study end-user attitudes and preferences with respect to radiology scheduling systems and to assess implications for retention and extension of the referral base. A study of the institution's historical data indicated reduced satisfaction with the process of patient scheduling in recent years. Sixty physicians who referred patients to a single, large academic radiology department received the survey. The survey was designed to identify (A) the preferred vehicle for patient scheduling (on-line versus telephone scheduling) and (B) whether ease of scheduling was a factor in physicians referring patients to other providers. Referring physicians were asked to forward the survey to any appropriate office staff member in case the latter scheduled appointments for patients. Users were asked to provide comments and suggestions for improvement. The statistical method used was the analysis of proportions. Thirty-three responses were received, corresponding to a return rate of 55%. Twenty-six of the 33 respondents (78.8%, P < .01) stated they were willing to try an online scheduling system; 16 of which tried the system. Twelve of the 16 (75%, P < .05) preferred the on-line application to the telephone system, stating logistical simplification as the primary reason for preference. Three (18.75%) did not consider online scheduling to be more convenient than traditional telephone scheduling. One respondent did not indicate any preference. Eleven of 33 users (33.33%, P < .001) stated that they would change radiology service providers if expectations of scheduling ease are not met. On-line scheduling applications are becoming the preferred scheduling vehicle. Augmenting their capabilities and availability can simplify the scheduling process, improve referring physician satisfaction, and provide a competitive advantage. Referrers are willing to change providers if scheduling expectations are not met.

A Bayesian hierarchical model for discrete choice data in health care.

PubMed

Antonio, Anna Liza M; Weiss, Robert E; Saigal, Christopher S; Dahan, Ely; Crespi, Catherine M

2017-01-01

In discrete choice experiments, patients are presented with sets of health states described by various attributes and asked to make choices from among them. Discrete choice experiments allow health care researchers to study the preferences of individual patients by eliciting trade-offs between different aspects of health-related quality of life. However, many discrete choice experiments yield data with incomplete ranking information and sparsity due to the limited number of choice sets presented to each patient, making it challenging to estimate patient preferences. Moreover, methods to identify outliers in discrete choice data are lacking. We develop a Bayesian hierarchical random effects rank-ordered multinomial logit model for discrete choice data. Missing ranks are accounted for by marginalizing over all possible permutations of unranked alternatives to estimate individual patient preferences, which are modeled as a function of patient covariates. We provide a Bayesian version of relative attribute importance, and adapt the use of the conditional predictive ordinate to identify outlying choice sets and outlying individuals with unusual preferences compared to the population. The model is applied to data from a study using a discrete choice experiment to estimate individual patient preferences for health states related to prostate cancer treatment.

Increasing the appeal and utilization of services for alcohol and drug problems: what consumers and their social networks prefer.

PubMed

Tucker, Jalie A; Foushee, H Russell; Simpson, Cathy A

2009-01-01

A large gap exists in the United States between population need and the utilization of treatment services for substance-related problems. Surveying consumer preferences may provide valuable information for developing more attractive services with greater reach and impact on population health. A state-level telephone survey using random digit dialling sampling methods assessed preferences for available professional, mutual help, and lay resources, as well as innovative computerized and self-help resources that enhance anonymity (N=439 households in Alabama). Respondents preferred help that involved personal contact compared to computerized help or self-help, but were indifferent whether personalized help was dispensed by professional or lay providers. Attractive service features included lower cost, insurance coverage, confidentiality, rapid and convenient appointments, and addressing functional problems and risks of substance misuse. Respondents in households with a member who misused substances rated services more negatively, especially if services had been used. The findings highlight the utility of viewing substance misusers and their social networks as consumers, and the implications for improving the system of care and for designing and marketing services that are responsive to user preferences are discussed.

Parents' reported preference scores for childhood atopic dermatitis disease states

PubMed Central

Friedman, Joëlle Y; Reed, Shelby D; Weinfurt, Kevin P; Kahler, Kristijan H; Walter, Emmanuel B; Schulman, Kevin A

2004-01-01

Background We sought to elicit preference weights from parents for health states corresponding to children with various levels of severity of atopic dermatitis. We also evaluated the hypothesis that parents with children who had been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis would assign different preferences to the health state scenarios compared with parents who did not have a child with atopic dermatitis. Methods Subjects were parents of children aged 3 months to 18 years. The sample was derived from the General Panel, Mommies Sub-Panel, and Chronic Illness Sub-Panel of Harris Interactive. Participants rated health scenarios for atopic dermatitis, asthma, and eyeglasses on a visual analog scale, imagining a child was experiencing the described state. Results A total of 3539 parents completed the survey. Twenty-nine percent had a child with a history of atopic dermatitis. Mean preference scores for atopic dermatitis were as follows: mild, 91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.7 to 91.5); mild/moderate, 84 (95%CI, 83.5 to 84.4); moderate, 73 (95%CI, 72.5 to 73.6); moderate/severe, 61 (95%CI, 60.6 to 61.8); severe, 49 (95% CI, 48.7 to 50.1); asthma, 58 (95%CI, 57.4 to 58.8); and eyeglasses, 87(95%CI, 86.3 to 87.4). Conclusions Parents perceive that atopic dermatitis has a negative effect on quality of life that increases with disease severity. Estimates of parents' preferences can provide physicians with insight into the value that parents place on their children's treatment and can be used to evaluate new medical therapies for atopic dermatitis. PMID:15491500

Strength-based Supervision: Frameworks, Current Practice, and Future Directions A Wu-wei Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jeffrey K.; Chen, Mei-Whei

1999-01-01

Discusses a method of counseling supervision similar to the wu-wei practice in Zen and Taoism. Suggests that this strength-based method and an understanding of isomorphy in supervisory relationships are the preferred practice for the supervision of family counselors. States that this model of supervision potentiates the person-of-the-counselor.…

Original Intent, Judicial Subjectivism, and the Establishment Clause: Implications for Educational Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seigler, Timothy John

2005-01-01

The purpose of this article is to 1) examine the interpretive method applied to the United States Constitution referred of as"Original Intent" and the degree, if any, to which it is superior in objectivity than other methods, 2) discuss whether the application of the interpretive method would have an effect preferred by conservative or…

Stated Preference Methods for Valuation of Forest Attributes

Treesearch

Thomas P. Holmes; Kevin J. Boyle

2003-01-01

The valuation methods described in this chapter are based on the idea that forest ecosystems produce a wide variety of goods and services that are valued by people. Rather than focusing attention on the holistic value of forest ecosystems as is done in contingent valuation studies, attribute-based valuation methods (ABMs) focus attention on a set of attributes that...

An analysis of parameter sensitivities of preference-inspired co-evolutionary algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Rui; Mansor, Maszatul M.; Purshouse, Robin C.; Fleming, Peter J.

2015-10-01

Many-objective optimisation problems remain challenging for many state-of-the-art multi-objective evolutionary algorithms. Preference-inspired co-evolutionary algorithms (PICEAs) which co-evolve the usual population of candidate solutions with a family of decision-maker preferences during the search have been demonstrated to be effective on such problems. However, it is unknown whether PICEAs are robust with respect to the parameter settings. This study aims to address this question. First, a global sensitivity analysis method - the Sobol' variance decomposition method - is employed to determine the relative importance of the parameters controlling the performance of PICEAs. Experimental results show that the performance of PICEAs is controlled for the most part by the number of function evaluations. Next, we investigate the effect of key parameters identified from the Sobol' test and the genetic operators employed in PICEAs. Experimental results show improved performance of the PICEAs as more preferences are co-evolved. Additionally, some suggestions for genetic operator settings are provided for non-expert users.

Is Best-Worst Scaling Suitable for Health State Valuation? A Comparison with Discrete Choice Experiments.

PubMed

Krucien, Nicolas; Watson, Verity; Ryan, Mandy

2017-12-01

Health utility indices (HUIs) are widely used in economic evaluation. The best-worst scaling (BWS) method is being used to value dimensions of HUIs. However, little is known about the properties of this method. This paper investigates the validity of the BWS method to develop HUI, comparing it to another ordinal valuation method, the discrete choice experiment (DCE). Using a parametric approach, we find a low level of concordance between the two methods, with evidence of preference reversals. BWS responses are subject to decision biases, with significant effects on individuals' preferences. Non parametric tests indicate that BWS data has lower stability, monotonicity and continuity compared to DCE data, suggesting that the BWS provides lower quality data. As a consequence, for both theoretical and technical reasons, practitioners should be cautious both about using the BWS method to measure health-related preferences, and using HUI based on BWS data. Given existing evidence, it seems that the DCE method is a better method, at least because its limitations (and measurement properties) have been extensively researched. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Computational Study of Electron-Molecule Collisions Related to Low-Temperature Plasmas.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Winifred M.

1997-10-01

Computational study of electron-molecule collisions not only complements experimental measurements, but can also be used to investigate processes not readily accessible experimentally. A number of ab initio computational methods are available for this type of calculations. Here we describe a recently developed technique, the finite element Z-matrix method. Analogous to the R-matrix method, it partitions the space into regions and employs real matrix elements. However, unlike the implementation of the R-matrix method commonly used in atomic and molecular physics,(C. J. Gillan, J. Tennyson, and P. G. Burke, Chapter 10 in Computational Methods for Electron-Molecule Collisions), W. M. Huo and F. A. Gianturco, Editors, Plenum, New York (1995), p. 239. the Z-matrix method is fully variational.(D. Brown and J. C. Light, J. Chem. Phys. 101), 3723 (1994). In the present implementation, a mixed basis of finite elements and Gaussians is used to represent the continuum electron, thus offering full flexibility without imposing fixed boundary conditions. Numerical examples include the electron-impact dissociation of N2 via the metastable A^3Σ_u^+ state, a process which may be important in the lower thermosphere, and the dissociation of the CF radical, a process of interest to plasma etching. To understand the dissociation pathways, large scale quantum chemical calculations have been carried out for all target states which dissociate to the lowest five limits in the case of N_2, and to the lowest two limits in the case of CF. For N_2, the structural calculations clearly show the preference for predissociation if the initial state is the ground X^1Σ_g^+ state, but direct dissociation appears to be preferable if the initial state is the A^3Σ_u^+ state. Multi-configuration SCF target functions are used in the collisional calculation,

A cross-national comparison of Hong Kong and U.S. student beliefs and preferences in end-of-life care: implications for social work education and hospice practice.

PubMed

Reese, Dona J; Chan, Cecilia L W; Chan, Wallace C H; Wiersgalla, Diane

2010-01-01

In this mixed methods study, the authors explored differences and similarities in beliefs about death and dying as well as end-of-life care preferences among social work students in Hong Kong and the United States. A convenience sample of 176 social work students from Hong Kong and 58 from the United States was recruited to complete a quantitative questionnaire with three open-ended questions. Findings revealed differences as well as similarities in beliefs about death and dying and that a larger proportion of Hong Kong students as compared to U.S. students preferred curative rather than palliative care. Implications for social work education and hospice practice in both countries include the need for social work student and practitioner self-awareness in order to prepare for culturally competent practice and policies that are relevant across cultures.

Accounting for Scale Heterogeneity in Healthcare-Related Discrete Choice Experiments when Comparing Stated Preferences: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Wright, Stuart J; Vass, Caroline M; Sim, Gene; Burton, Michael; Fiebig, Denzil G; Payne, Katherine

2018-02-28

Scale heterogeneity, or differences in the error variance of choices, may account for a significant amount of the observed variation in the results of discrete choice experiments (DCEs) when comparing preferences between different groups of respondents. The aim of this study was to identify if, and how, scale heterogeneity has been addressed in healthcare DCEs that compare the preferences of different groups. A systematic review identified all healthcare DCEs published between 1990 and February 2016. The full-text of each DCE was then screened to identify studies that compared preferences using data generated from multiple groups. Data were extracted and tabulated on year of publication, samples compared, tests for scale heterogeneity, and analytical methods to account for scale heterogeneity. Narrative analysis was used to describe if, and how, scale heterogeneity was accounted for when preferences were compared. A total of 626 healthcare DCEs were identified. Of these 199 (32%) aimed to compare the preferences of different groups specified at the design stage, while 79 (13%) compared the preferences of groups identified at the analysis stage. Of the 278 included papers, 49 (18%) discussed potential scale issues, 18 (7%) used a formal method of analysis to account for scale between groups, and 2 (1%) accounted for scale differences between preference groups at the analysis stage. Scale heterogeneity was present in 65% (n = 13) of studies that tested for it. Analytical methods to test for scale heterogeneity included coefficient plots (n = 5, 2%), heteroscedastic conditional logit models (n = 6, 2%), Swait and Louviere tests (n = 4, 1%), generalised multinomial logit models (n = 5, 2%), and scale-adjusted latent class analysis (n = 2, 1%). Scale heterogeneity is a prevalent issue in healthcare DCEs. Despite this, few published DCEs have discussed such issues, and fewer still have used formal methods to identify and account for the impact of scale heterogeneity. The use of formal methods to test for scale heterogeneity should be used, otherwise the results of DCEs potentially risk producing biased and potentially misleading conclusions regarding preferences for aspects of healthcare.

Development of a preference-based index from the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25.

PubMed

Rentz, Anne M; Kowalski, Jonathan W; Walt, John G; Hays, Ron D; Brazier, John E; Yu, Ren; Lee, Paul; Bressler, Neil; Revicki, Dennis A

2014-03-01

Understanding how individuals value health states is central to patient-centered care and to health policy decision making. Generic preference-based measures of health may not effectively capture the impact of ocular diseases. Recently, 6 items from the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 were used to develop the Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index health state classification, which defines visual function health states. To describe elicitation of preferences for health states generated from the Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index health state classification and development of an algorithm to estimate health preference scores for any health state. Nonintervention, cross-sectional study of the general community in 4 countries (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and United States). A total of 607 adult participants were recruited from local newspaper advertisements. In the United Kingdom, an existing database of participants from previous studies was used for recruitment. Eight of 15,625 possible health states from the Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index were valued using time trade-off technique. A θ severity score was calculated for Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index-defined health states using item response theory analysis. Regression models were then used to develop an algorithm to assign health state preference values for all potential health states defined by the Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index. Health state preference values for the 8 states ranged from a mean (SD) of 0.343 (0.395) to 0.956 (0.124). As expected, preference values declined with worsening visual function. Results indicate that the Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index describes states that participants view as spanning most of the continuum from full health to dead. Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index health state classification produces health preference scores that can be estimated in vision-related studies that include the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25. These preference scores may be of value for estimating utilities in economic and health policy analyses.

Long-term behavior of integral abutment bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Integral abutment (IA) construction has become the preferred method over conventional construction for use with typical : highway bridges. However, the use of these structures is limited due to state mandated length and skew limitations. To : expand ...

A framework for estimating health state utility values within a discrete choice experiment: modeling risky choices.

PubMed

Robinson, Angela; Spencer, Anne; Moffatt, Peter

2015-04-01

There has been recent interest in using the discrete choice experiment (DCE) method to derive health state utilities for use in quality-adjusted life year (QALY) calculations, but challenges remain. We set out to develop a risk-based DCE approach to derive utility values for health states that allowed 1) utility values to be anchored directly to normal health and death and 2) worse than dead health states to be assessed in the same manner as better than dead states. Furthermore, we set out to estimate alternative models of risky choice within a DCE model. A survey was designed that incorporated a risk-based DCE and a "modified" standard gamble (SG). Health state utility values were elicited for 3 EQ-5D health states assuming "standard" expected utility (EU) preferences. The DCE model was then generalized to allow for rank-dependent expected utility (RDU) preferences, thereby allowing for probability weighting. A convenience sample of 60 students was recruited and data collected in small groups. Under the assumption of "standard" EU preferences, the utility values derived within the DCE corresponded fairly closely to the mean results from the modified SG. Under the assumption of RDU preferences, the utility values estimated are somewhat lower than under the assumption of standard EU, suggesting that the latter may be biased upward. Applying the correct model of risky choice is important whether a modified SG or a risk-based DCE is deployed. It is, however, possible to estimate a probability weighting function within a DCE and estimate "unbiased" utility values directly, which is not possible within a modified SG. We conclude by setting out the relative strengths and weaknesses of the 2 approaches in this context. © The Author(s) 2014.

Estimating Domestic Values for EQ-5D Health States Using Survey Data From External Sources.

PubMed

Chuang, Ling-Hsiang; Zarate, Victor; Kind, Paul

2009-02-01

Health status measures used to quantify outcomes for economic evaluation must be capable of representing health gain in a single index, usually calibrated in terms of the social preferences elicited from "the relevant population." The general problem faced in the majority of countries where social preferences are required for cost-effectiveness analysis is the absence of a value set based on domestic data sources. This article establishes a methodology for estimating domestic visual analog scale (VAS)-based values for EQ-5D health states by adjusting data sets from countries where valuation studies have been carried out. building upon the relationship between the values for respondents' real health states and hypothetical health states, 2 models are investigated. One assumes that the link between VAS scores for real and hypothetical health state is constant across 2 countries (R1), whereas the other adopts the assumption that the relationship of VAS scores for hypothetical heath states between 2 countries functionally corresponds to variation in scores for real health states (R2). Data from national UK and US population surveys were selected to test both methods. The R2 model performed better in generating estimated scores that were closer to observed values. The R2 model seems to offer a viable method for estimating domestic values of health. Such a method could help to bridge the gap between countries as well as region within a country.

Australian Public Preferences for the Funding of New Health Technologies: A Comparison of Discrete Choice and Profile Case Best-Worst Scaling Methods.

PubMed

Whitty, Jennifer A; Ratcliffe, Julie; Chen, Gang; Scuffham, Paul A

2014-07-01

Ethical, economic, political, and legitimacy arguments support the consideration of public preferences in health technology decision making. The objective was to assess public preferences for funding new health technologies and to compare a profile case best-worst scaling (BWS) and traditional discrete choice experiment (DCE) method. An online survey consisting of a DCE and BWS task was completed by 930 adults recruited via an Internet panel. Respondents traded between 7 technology attributes. Participation quotas broadly reflected the population of Queensland, Australia, by gender and age. Choice data were analyzed using a generalized multinomial logit model. The findings from both the BWS and DCE were generally consistent in that respondents exhibited stronger preferences for technologies offering prevention or early diagnosis over other benefit types. Respondents also prioritized technologies that benefit younger people, larger numbers of people, those in rural areas, or indigenous Australians; that provide value for money; that have no available alternative; or that upgrade an existing technology. However, the relative preference weights and consequent preference orderings differed between the DCE and BWS models. Further, poor correlation between the DCE and BWS weights was observed. While only a minority of respondents reported difficulty completing either task (22.2% DCE, 31.9% BWS), the majority (72.6%) preferred the DCE over BWS task. This study provides reassurance that many criteria routinely used for technology decision making are considered to be relevant by the public. The findings clearly indicate the perceived importance of prevention and early diagnosis. The dissimilarity observed between DCE and profile case BWS weights is contrary to the findings of previous comparisons and raises uncertainty regarding the comparative merits of these stated preference methods in a priority-setting context. © The Author(s) 2014.

Nursing students' preferences of strategies surrounding cinenurducation in a first year child growth and development courses: A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Oh, Jina; Steefel, Lorraine

2016-01-01

Use of film in the classroom (cinenurducation) promotes nursing students' motivation and understanding of concepts about child growth and development; however, consensus has not been reached regarding students' preferred strategies and what they view as effective. To identify nursing students' preferences for pedagogical strategies surrounding film use in a Child Growth and Development course. A mixed methods study encompassing a concurrent triangulation strategy was undertaken. Eighty-three students attending the first year nursing class in the fall semester 2012 at a private University in South Korea participated. Films or film clips were shown either before or after pedagogical strategies including lecture, presentation, personal essay, group report, or group discussion, followed by a questionnaire to assess student preferences and their opinions on the impact of strategies on motivation and learning. A focus group with 10 participants provided their opinions. Although the preference for the time when films were watched showed no significant difference (t=.388, p=.699), participants preferred the following pedagogical methods: watching films with a group, saying this was more effective compared to watching films alone (t=5.488, p<.001); full movie over film clips (t=2.869, p=.005); and personal essay over group report (t=2.755, p=.007). Focus group participants also stated that it was more effective to watch the entire movie rather than film clips with the group, and preferred personal essays to group reports. Use of nursing students' preferred learning strategies surrounding cinenurducation helped them gain conceptual knowledge in a Child Growth and Development course. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Valuing improvements to threatened and endangered marine species: an application of stated preference choice experiments.

PubMed

Wallmo, Kristy; Lew, Daniel K

2011-07-01

Non-market valuation research has produced value estimates for over forty threatened and endangered (T&E) species, including mammals, fish, birds, and crustaceans. Increasingly, Stated Preference Choice Experiments (SPCE) are utilized for valuation, as the format offers flexibility for policy analysis and may reduce certain types of response biases relative to the more traditional Contingent Valuation method. Additionally, SPCE formats can allow respondents to make trade-offs among multiple species, providing information on the distinctiveness of preferences for different T&E species. In this paper we present results of an SPCE involving three U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species: the Puget Sound Chinook salmon, the Hawaiian monk seal, and the smalltooth sawfish. We estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for improving each species' ESA listing status and statistically compare these values between the three species using a method of convolutions approach. Our results suggest that respondents have distinct preferences for the three species, and that WTP estimates differ depending on the species and the level of improvement to their ESA status. Our results should be of interest to researchers and policy-makers, as we provide value estimates for three species that have limited, if any, estimates available in the economics literature, as well as new information about the way respondents make trade-offs among three taxonomically different species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding What Makes Americans Dissatisfied With Their Health Care System: An International Comparison.

PubMed

Hero, Joachim O; Blendon, Robert J; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Campbell, Andrea L

2016-03-01

For decades, public satisfaction with the health care system has been lower in the United States than in other high-income countries. To better understand the distinctive nature of US health system satisfaction, we compared the determinants of satisfaction with the health system in the United States to those in seventeen other high-income countries by applying regression decomposition methods to survey data collected in the period 2011-13. We found that concerns related to "accessing most-preferred care" (the extent to which people feel that they can access their top preferences at a time of need) were more important to satisfaction in the United States than in other high-income countries, while the reverse was true for satisfaction with recent interactions with the health system. Differences among US socioeconomic groups in survey responses regarding access to most-preferred care suggest that wide variation in insurance coverage and generosity may play a role in these differences. While reductions in the uninsured population and the movement toward minimum health plan standards could help address some concerns about access to preferred care, our results raise the possibility of public backlash as market forces push plans toward more restricted access and higher cost sharing. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

The Role of Electronic Portfolios in the Hiring of K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strawhecker, Jane; Messersmith, Ken; Balcom, Amanda

2008-01-01

This mixed-method study explored the perspectives of principals involved in the hiring process of K-12 teachers in one Midwestern state. Participants' survey data was used to examine the pros and cons of portfolios, to determine preferences in portfolio contents and electronic delivery method, and to investigate what predictors significantly…

Method and apparatus for waste destruction using supercritical water oxidation

DOEpatents

Haroldsen, Brent Lowell; Wu, Benjamin Chiau-pin

2000-01-01

The invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for initiating and sustaining an oxidation reaction. A hazardous waste, is introduced into a reaction zone within a pressurized containment vessel. An oxidizer, preferably hydrogen peroxide, is mixed with a carrier fluid, preferably water, and the mixture is heated until the fluid achieves supercritical conditions of temperature and pressure. The heating means comprise cartridge heaters placed in closed-end tubes extending into the center region of the pressure vessel along the reactor longitudinal axis. A cooling jacket surrounds the pressure vessel to remove excess heat at the walls. Heating and cooling the fluid mixture in this manner creates a limited reaction zone near the center of the pressure vessel by establishing a steady state density gradient in the fluid mixture which gradually forces the fluid to circulate internally. This circulation allows the fluid mixture to oscillate between supercritical and subcritical states as it is heated and cooled.

Beyond Happiness and Satisfaction: Toward Well-Being Indices Based on Stated Preference*

PubMed Central

Benjamin, Daniel J.; Kimball, Miles S.; Heffetz, Ori; Szembrot, Nichole

2014-01-01

This paper proposes foundations and a methodology for survey-based tracking of well-being. First, we develop a theory in which utility depends on “fundamental aspects” of well-being, measurable with surveys. Second, drawing from psychologists, philosophers, and economists, we compile a comprehensive list of such aspects. Third, we demonstrate our proposed method for estimating the aspects’ relative marginal utilities—a necessary input for constructing an individual-level well-being index—by asking ~4,600 U.S. survey respondents to state their preference between pairs of aspect bundles. We estimate high relative marginal utilities for aspects related to family, health, security, values, freedom, happiness, and life satisfaction. PMID:25404760

Site preference of alloying elements in DO22-Ni3V phase: Phase-field and first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ding-Ni; Shangguan, Qian-Qian; Liu, Fu; Zhang, Ming-Yi

2015-07-01

Site preference of alloying elements in DO22-Ni3V phase was investigated using phase-field and first-principles method. The concentrations of alloying elements on sublattices of DO22-Ni3V phase were quantitatively studied using phase-field model based on microscopic diffusion equations. The phase-field computation results demonstrate that the concentration differences of alloying elements on the NiI and NiII site are attributed to the coordination environment difference. Host atoms Ni and substitutional ternary additions Al prefer to occupy NiI site. Antisite atoms V show site preference on the NiII site. Further reason of site preference of alloying elements on the two different Ni sites were studied using first-principles method to calculate the electronic structure of DO22-Ni3V phase. Calculation of density of states, orbitals population and charge population of the optimized Ni3V structure found that the electronic structures of NiI and NiII sites are different. Electronic structure difference, which is caused by coordination environment difference, is the essential reason for site selectivity behaviors of alloying elements on NiI and NiII sites.

Women's Contraceptive Preference-Use Mismatch

PubMed Central

He, Katherine; Dalton, Vanessa K.; Zochowski, Melissa K.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Family planning research has not adequately addressed women's preferences for different contraceptive methods and whether women's contraceptive experiences match their preferences. Methods: Data were drawn from the Women's Healthcare Experiences and Preferences Study, an Internet survey of 1,078 women aged 18–55 randomly sampled from a national probability panel. Survey items assessed women's preferences for contraceptive methods, match between methods preferred and used, and perceived reasons for mismatch. We estimated predictors of contraceptive preference with multinomial logistic regression models. Results: Among women at risk for pregnancy who responded with their preferred method (n = 363), hormonal methods (non-LARC [long-acting reversible contraception]) were the most preferred method (34%), followed by no method (23%) and LARC (18%). Sociodemographic differences in contraception method preferences were noted (p-values <0.05), generally with minority, married, and older women having higher rates of preferring less effective methods, compared to their counterparts. Thirty-six percent of women reported preference-use mismatch, with the majority preferring more effective methods than those they were using. Rates of match between preferred and usual methods were highest for LARC (76%), hormonal (non-LARC) (65%), and no method (65%). The most common reasons for mismatch were cost/insurance (41%), lack of perceived/actual need (34%), and method-specific preference concerns (19%). Conclusion: While preference for effective contraception was common among this sample of women, we found substantial mismatch between preferred and usual methods, notably among women of lower socioeconomic status and women using less effective methods. Findings may have implications for patient-centered contraceptive interventions. PMID:27710196

Fast- or Slow-inactivated State Preference of Na+ Channel Inhibitors: A Simulation and Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Karoly, Robert; Lenkey, Nora; Juhasz, Andras O.; Vizi, E. Sylvester; Mike, Arpad

2010-01-01

Sodium channels are one of the most intensively studied drug targets. Sodium channel inhibitors (e.g., local anesthetics, anticonvulsants, antiarrhythmics and analgesics) exert their effect by stabilizing an inactivated conformation of the channels. Besides the fast-inactivated conformation, sodium channels have several distinct slow-inactivated conformational states. Stabilization of a slow-inactivated state has been proposed to be advantageous for certain therapeutic applications. Special voltage protocols are used to evoke slow inactivation of sodium channels. It is assumed that efficacy of a drug in these protocols indicates slow-inactivated state preference. We tested this assumption in simulations using four prototypical drug inhibitory mechanisms (fast or slow-inactivated state preference, with either fast or slow binding kinetics) and a kinetic model for sodium channels. Unexpectedly, we found that efficacy in these protocols (e.g., a shift of the “steady-state slow inactivation curve”), was not a reliable indicator of slow-inactivated state preference. Slowly associating fast-inactivated state-preferring drugs were indistinguishable from slow-inactivated state-preferring drugs. On the other hand, fast- and slow-inactivated state-preferring drugs tended to preferentially affect onset and recovery, respectively. The robustness of these observations was verified: i) by performing a Monte Carlo study on the effects of randomly modifying model parameters, ii) by testing the same drugs in a fundamentally different model and iii) by an analysis of the effect of systematically changing drug-specific parameters. In patch clamp electrophysiology experiments we tested five sodium channel inhibitor drugs on native sodium channels of cultured hippocampal neurons. For lidocaine, phenytoin and carbamazepine our data indicate a preference for the fast-inactivated state, while the results for fluoxetine and desipramine are inconclusive. We suggest that conclusions based on voltage protocols that are used to detect slow-inactivated state preference are unreliable and should be re-evaluated. PMID:20585544

Quantum decimation in Hilbert space: Coarse graining without structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Ashmeet; Carroll, Sean M.

2018-03-01

We present a technique to coarse grain quantum states in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space. Our method is distinguished from other approaches by not relying on structures such as a preferred factorization of Hilbert space or a preferred set of operators (local or otherwise) in an associated algebra. Rather, we use the data corresponding to a given set of states, either specified independently or constructed from a single state evolving in time. Our technique is based on principle component analysis (PCA), and the resulting coarse-grained quantum states live in a lower-dimensional Hilbert space whose basis is defined using the underlying (isometric embedding) transformation of the set of fine-grained states we wish to coarse grain. Physically, the transformation can be interpreted to be an "entanglement coarse-graining" scheme that retains most of the global, useful entanglement structure of each state, while needing fewer degrees of freedom for its reconstruction. This scheme could be useful for efficiently describing collections of states whose number is much smaller than the dimension of Hilbert space, or a single state evolving over time.

SibRank: Signed bipartite network analysis for neighbor-based collaborative ranking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shams, Bita; Haratizadeh, Saman

2016-09-01

Collaborative ranking is an emerging field of recommender systems that utilizes users' preference data rather than rating values. Unfortunately, neighbor-based collaborative ranking has gained little attention despite its more flexibility and justifiability. This paper proposes a novel framework, called SibRank that seeks to improve the state of the art neighbor-based collaborative ranking methods. SibRank represents users' preferences as a signed bipartite network, and finds similar users, through a novel personalized ranking algorithm in signed networks.

Rural practice preferences among medical students in Ghana: a discrete choice experiment

PubMed Central

Johnson, Jennifer C; Gyakobo, Mawuli; Agyei-Baffour, Peter; Asabir, Kwesi; Kotha, S Rani; Kwansah, Janet; Nakua, Emmanuel; Snow, Rachel C; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli

2010-01-01

Abstract Objective To determine how specific job attributes influenced fourth year medical students’ stated preference for hypothetical rural job postings in Ghana. Methods Based on discussions with medical student focus groups and physicians in practice and in the Ministry of Health, we created a discrete choice experiment (DCE) that assessed how students’ stated preference for certain rural postings was influenced by various job attributes: a higher salary, free superior housing, an educational allowance for children, improved equipment, supportive management, shorter contracts before study leave and a car. We conducted the DCE among all fourth year medical students in Ghana using a brief structured questionnaire and used mixed logit models to estimate the utility of each job attribute. Findings Complete data for DCE analysis were available for 302 of 310 (97%) students. All attribute parameter estimates differed significantly from zero and had the expected signs. In the main effects mixed logit model, improved equipment and supportive management were most strongly associated with job preference (β = 1.42; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.17 to 1.66, and β = 1.17; 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.39, respectively), although shorter contracts and salary bonuses were also associated. Discontinuing the provision of basic housing had a large negative influence (β = −1.59; 95% CI: −1.88 to −1.31). In models including gender interaction terms, women’s preferences were more influenced by supportive management and men’s preferences by superior housing. Conclusion Better working conditions were strongly associated with the stated choice of hypothetical rural postings among fourth year Ghanaian medical students. Studies are needed to find out whether job attributes determine the actual uptake of rural jobs by graduating physicians. PMID:20458371

OXIDATIVE METHOD OF SEPARATING PLUTONIUM FROM NEPTUNIUM

DOEpatents

Beaufait, L.J. Jr.

1958-06-10

A method is described of separating neptunium from plutonium in an aqueous solution containing neptunium and plutonium in valence states not greater than +4. This may be accomplished by contacting the solution with dichromate ions, thus oxidizing the neptunium to a valence state greater than +4 without oxidizing any substantial amount of plutonium, and then forming a carrier precipitate which carries the plutonium from solution, leaving the neptunium behind. A preferred embodiment of this invention covers the use of lanthanum fluoride as the carrier precipitate.

Mental Simulation of Visceral States Affects Preferences and Behavior

PubMed Central

Steinmetz, Janina; Tausen, Brittany M.; Risen, Jane L.

2017-01-01

Preferences and behavior are heavily influenced by one’s current visceral experience, yet people often fail to anticipate such effects. Although research suggests that this gap is difficult to overcome—to act as if in another visceral state—research on mental simulation has demonstrated that simulations can substitute for experiences, albeit to a weaker extent. We examine whether mentally simulating visceral states can impact preferences and behavior. We show that simulating a specific visceral state (e.g., being cold or hungry) shifts people’s preferences for relevant activities (Studies 1a-2) and choices of food portion sizes (Study 3). Like actual visceral experiences, mental simulation only affects people’s current preferences but not their general preferences (Study 4). Finally, people project simulated states onto similar others, as is the case for actual visceral experiences (Study 5). Thus, mental simulation may help people anticipate their own and others’ future preferences, thereby improving their decision making. PMID:29161953

Workshop: Valuation of Ecological Benefits: Improving the Science Behind Policy Decisions (2005)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Two-day workshop includes research examining the benefits of improved coastal water quality, the value of improved fresh water quality, advances in the stated preference valuation method, balancing conservation and urban growth, and valuing biodiversity.

Workshop: Valuing and Managing Ecosystems: Economic Research Sponsored by NSF/EPA (1998)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Materials from first workshop in series of Environmental Policy and Economics Workshops. Focus on valuing and managing ecosystems, with papers on use of stated preference methods, examining markets for diverse biologic resources and conservation measures.

An online survey to study the relationship between patients’ health literacy and coping style and their preferences for self-management-related information

PubMed Central

Vosbergen, Sandra; Peek, Niels; Mulder-Wiggers, Johanna MR; Kemps, Hareld MC; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A; Jaspers, Monique WM; Lacroix, Joyca PW

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate patients’ preferences for message features and assess their relationships with health literacy, monitor–blunter coping style, and other patient-dependent characteristics. Methods Patients with coronary heart disease completed an internet-based survey, which assessed health literacy and monitor–blunter coping style, as well as various other patient characteristics such as sociodemographics, disease history, and explicit information preferences. To assess preferences for message features, nine text sets differing in one of nine message features were composed, and participants were asked to state their preferences. Results The survey was completed by 213 patients. For three of the nine text sets, a relationship was found between patient preference and health literacy or monitor–blunter coping style. Patients with low health literacy preferred the text based on patient experience. Patients with a monitoring coping style preferred information on short-term effects of their treatment and mentioning of explicit risks. Various other patient characteristics such as marital status, social support, disease history, and age also showed a strong association. Conclusion Individual differences exist in patients’ preferences for message features, and these preferences relate to patient characteristics such as health literacy and monitor–blunter coping style. PMID:24851044

Learning to rank for blind image quality assessment.

PubMed

Gao, Fei; Tao, Dacheng; Gao, Xinbo; Li, Xuelong

2015-10-01

Blind image quality assessment (BIQA) aims to predict perceptual image quality scores without access to reference images. State-of-the-art BIQA methods typically require subjects to score a large number of images to train a robust model. However, subjective quality scores are imprecise, biased, and inconsistent, and it is challenging to obtain a large-scale database, or to extend existing databases, because of the inconvenience of collecting images, training the subjects, conducting subjective experiments, and realigning human quality evaluations. To combat these limitations, this paper explores and exploits preference image pairs (PIPs) such as the quality of image Ia is better than that of image Ib for training a robust BIQA model. The preference label, representing the relative quality of two images, is generally precise and consistent, and is not sensitive to image content, distortion type, or subject identity; such PIPs can be generated at a very low cost. The proposed BIQA method is one of learning to rank. We first formulate the problem of learning the mapping from the image features to the preference label as one of classification. In particular, we investigate the utilization of a multiple kernel learning algorithm based on group lasso to provide a solution. A simple but effective strategy to estimate perceptual image quality scores is then presented. Experiments show that the proposed BIQA method is highly effective and achieves a performance comparable with that of state-of-the-art BIQA algorithms. Moreover, the proposed method can be easily extended to new distortion categories.

The Role of Trait and State Absorption in the Enjoyment of Music

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Little is known about the role of state versus trait characteristics on our enjoyment of music. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of state and trait absorption upon preference for music, particularly preference for music that evokes negative emotions. The sample consisted of 128 participants who were asked to listen to two pieces of self-selected music and rate the music on variables including preference and felt and expressed emotions. Participants completed a brief measure of state absorption after listening to each piece, and a trait absorption inventory. State absorption was strongly positively correlated with music preference, whereas trait absorption was not. Trait absorption was related to preference for negative emotions in music, with chi-square analyses demonstrating greater enjoyment of negative emotions in music among individuals with high trait absorption. This is the first study to show that state and trait absorption have separable and distinct effects on a listener’s music experience, with state characteristics impacting music enjoyment in the moment, and trait characteristics influencing music preference based on its emotional content. PMID:27828970

The Role of Trait and State Absorption in the Enjoyment of Music.

PubMed

Hall, Sarah E; Schubert, Emery; Wilson, Sarah J

2016-01-01

Little is known about the role of state versus trait characteristics on our enjoyment of music. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of state and trait absorption upon preference for music, particularly preference for music that evokes negative emotions. The sample consisted of 128 participants who were asked to listen to two pieces of self-selected music and rate the music on variables including preference and felt and expressed emotions. Participants completed a brief measure of state absorption after listening to each piece, and a trait absorption inventory. State absorption was strongly positively correlated with music preference, whereas trait absorption was not. Trait absorption was related to preference for negative emotions in music, with chi-square analyses demonstrating greater enjoyment of negative emotions in music among individuals with high trait absorption. This is the first study to show that state and trait absorption have separable and distinct effects on a listener's music experience, with state characteristics impacting music enjoyment in the moment, and trait characteristics influencing music preference based on its emotional content.

Effects of forcefield and sampling method in all-atom simulations of inherently disordered proteins: Application to conformational preferences of human amylin

PubMed Central

Peng, Enxi; Todorova, Nevena

2017-01-01

Although several computational modelling studies have investigated the conformational behaviour of inherently disordered protein (IDP) amylin, discrepancies in identifying its preferred solution conformations still exist between various forcefields and sampling methods used. Human islet amyloid polypeptide has long been a subject of research, both experimentally and theoretically, as the aggregation of this protein is believed to be the lead cause of type-II diabetes. In this work, we present a systematic forcefield assessment using one of the most advanced non-biased sampling techniques, Replica Exchange with Solute Tempering (REST2), by comparing the secondary structure preferences of monomeric amylin in solution. This study also aims to determine the ability of common forcefields to sample a transition of the protein from a helical membrane bound conformation into the disordered solution state of amylin. Our results demonstrated that the CHARMM22* forcefield showed the best ability to sample multiple conformational states inherent for amylin. It is revealed that REST2 yielded results qualitatively consistent with experiments and in quantitative agreement with other sampling methods, however far more computationally efficiently and without any bias. Therefore, combining an unbiased sampling technique such as REST2 with a vigorous forcefield testing could be suggested as an important step in developing an efficient and robust strategy for simulating IDPs. PMID:29023509

Effects of forcefield and sampling method in all-atom simulations of inherently disordered proteins: Application to conformational preferences of human amylin.

PubMed

Peng, Enxi; Todorova, Nevena; Yarovsky, Irene

2017-01-01

Although several computational modelling studies have investigated the conformational behaviour of inherently disordered protein (IDP) amylin, discrepancies in identifying its preferred solution conformations still exist between various forcefields and sampling methods used. Human islet amyloid polypeptide has long been a subject of research, both experimentally and theoretically, as the aggregation of this protein is believed to be the lead cause of type-II diabetes. In this work, we present a systematic forcefield assessment using one of the most advanced non-biased sampling techniques, Replica Exchange with Solute Tempering (REST2), by comparing the secondary structure preferences of monomeric amylin in solution. This study also aims to determine the ability of common forcefields to sample a transition of the protein from a helical membrane bound conformation into the disordered solution state of amylin. Our results demonstrated that the CHARMM22* forcefield showed the best ability to sample multiple conformational states inherent for amylin. It is revealed that REST2 yielded results qualitatively consistent with experiments and in quantitative agreement with other sampling methods, however far more computationally efficiently and without any bias. Therefore, combining an unbiased sampling technique such as REST2 with a vigorous forcefield testing could be suggested as an important step in developing an efficient and robust strategy for simulating IDPs.

Long-term behavior of integral abutment bridges : appendix A, construction plans.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Integral abutment (IA) construction has become the preferred method over conventional construction for use with typical highway bridges. However, the use of these structures is limited due to state mandated length and skew limitations. To expand thei...

Public stated preferences and predicted uptake for genome-based colorectal cancer screening

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Emerging developments in nanomedicine allow the development of genome-based technologies for non-invasive and individualised screening for diseases such as colorectal cancer. The main objective of this study was to measure user preferences for colorectal cancer screening using a nanopill. Methods A discrete choice experiment was used to estimate the preferences for five competing diagnostic techniques including the nanopill and iFOBT. Alternative screening scenarios were described using five attributes namely: preparation involved, sensitivity, specificity, complication rate and testing frequency. Fourteen random and two fixed choice tasks, each consisting of three alternatives, were offered to 2225 individuals. Data were analysed using the McFadden conditional logit model. Results Thirteen hundred and fifty-six respondents completed the questionnaire. The most important attributes (and preferred levels) were the screening technique (nanopill), sensitivity (100%) and preparation (no preparation). Stated screening uptake for the nanopill was 79%, compared to 76% for iFOBT. In the case of screening with the nanopill, the percentage of people preferring not to be screened would be reduced from 19.2% (iFOBT) to 16.7%. Conclusions Although the expected benefits of nanotechnology based colorectal cancer screening are improved screening uptake, assuming more accurate test results and less preparation involved, the relative preference of the nanopill is only slightly higher than the iFOBT. Estimating user preferences during the development of diagnostic technologies could be used to identify relative performance, including perceived benefits and harms compared to competitors allowing for significant changes to be made throughout the process of development. PMID:24642027

Understanding medication compliance and persistence from an economics perspective.

PubMed

Elliott, Rachel A; Shinogle, Judith A; Peele, Pamela; Bhosle, Monali; Hughes, Dyfrig A

2008-01-01

An increased understanding of the reasons for noncompliance and lack of persistence with prescribed medication is an important step to improve treatment effectiveness, and thus patient health. Explanations have been attempted from epidemiological, sociological, and psychological perspectives. Economic models (utility maximization, time preferences, health capital, bilateral bargaining, stated preference, and prospect theory) may contribute to the understanding of medication-taking behavior. Economic models are applied to medication noncompliance. Traditional consumer choice models under a budget constraint do apply to medication-taking behavior in that increased prices cause decreased utilization. Nevertheless, empiric evidence suggests that budget constraints are not the only factor affecting consumer choice around medicines. Examination of time preference models suggests that the intuitive association between time preference and medication compliance has not been investigated extensively, and has not been proven empirically. The health capital model has theoretical relevance, but has not been applied to compliance. Bilateral bargaining may present an alternative model to concordance of the patient-prescriber relationship, taking account of game-playing by either party. Nevertheless, there is limited empiric evidence to test its usefulness. Stated preference methods have been applied most extensively to medicines use. Evidence suggests that patients' preferences are consistently affected by side effects, and that preferences change over time, with age and experience. Prospect theory attempts to explain how new information changes risk perceptions and associated behavior but has not been applied empirically to medication use. Economic models of behavior may contribute to the understanding of medication use, but more empiric work is needed to assess their applicability.

Campaign 76: A Report of Political Attitudes and Preferences of North Carolina State University Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Donald H.

North Carolina State University students were surveyed to assess their political attitudes and preferences prior to the 1976 general election and to compare results with those obtained in a 1972 survey. Information was obtained on: voter registration, party affiliation, political views, candidate preference for president, candidate preference for…

Assessment of the societal and individual preferences for fertility treatment in Australia: study protocol for stated preference discrete choice experiments

PubMed Central

Donnolley, Natasha; Shanahan, Marian; Chambers, Georgina M

2018-01-01

Introduction In Australia, societal and individual preferences for funding fertility treatment remain largely unknown. This has resulted in a lack of evidence about willingness to pay (WTP) for fertility treatment by either the general population (the funders) or infertile individuals (who directly benefit). Using a stated preference discrete choice experiment (SPDCE) approach has been suggested as a more appropriate method to inform economic evaluations of fertility treatment. We outline the protocol for an ongoing study which aims to assess fertility treatment preferences of both the general population and infertile individuals, and indirectly estimate their WTP for fertility treatment. Methods and analysis Two separate but related SPDCEs will be conducted for two population samples—the general population and infertile individuals—to elicit preferences for fertility treatment to indirectly estimate WTP. We describe the qualitative work to be undertaken to design the SPDCEs. We will use D-efficient fractional experimental designs informed by prior coefficients from the pilot surveys. The mode of administration for the SPDCE is also discussed. The final results will be analysed using mixed logit or latent class model. Ethics and dissemination This study is being funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project grant AP1104543 and has been approved by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee (HEC 17255) and a fertility clinic’s ethics committee. Findings of the study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and presented at various conferences. A lay summary of the results will be made publicly available on the University of New South Wales National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit website. Our results will contribute to the development of an evidence-based policy framework for the provision of cost-effective and patient-centred fertility treatment in Australia. PMID:29444788

Communicating with Biobank Participants: Preferences for Receiving and Providing Updates to Researchers

PubMed Central

Mester, Jessica L.; Mercer, MaryBeth; Goldenberg, Aaron; Moore, Rebekah A.; Eng, Charis; Sharp, Richard R.

2015-01-01

Background Research biobanks collect biological samples and health information. Previous work shows that biobank participants desire general study updates, but preferences regarding the method or frequency of these communications have not been explored. Thus, we surveyed participants in a long-standing research biobank. Methods Eligible participants were drawn from a study of patients with personal/family history suggestive of Cowden syndrome, a poorly-recognized inherited cancer syndrome. Participants gave blood samples and access to medical records and received individual results but had no other study interactions. The biobank had 3618 participants at sampling. Survey eligibility included age ≥18 years, enrollment within the biobank’s first five years, normal PTEN analysis, and contiguous United States address. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified predictors of participant interest in internet-based vs. offline methods and methods allowing participant-researcher interaction vs. one-way communication. Independent variables were narrowed by independent Pearson correlations by cutoff p<0.2, with p<0.02 considered significant. Results Surveys were returned from 840/1267 (66%) eligible subjects. Most (97%) wanted study updates with 92% wanting updates at least once a year. Participants preferred paper (66%) or emailed (62%) newsletter methods with 95% selecting one of these. Older, less-educated, and lower-income respondents strongly preferred offline approaches (p<0.001). Most (93%) had no concerns about receiving updates and 97% were willing to provide health updates to researchers. Conclusion Most participants were comfortable receiving and providing updated information. Demographic factors predicted communication preferences. Impact Researchers should make plans for ongoing communication early in study development and funders should support the necessary infrastructure for these efforts. PMID:25597748

MORTALITY RISK VALUATION AND STATED PREFERENCE METHODS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The purposes of this project are: (1) to improve understanding of cognitive processes involved in the valuation of mortality risk reductions that occur in an environmental pollution context, and (2) to translate this understanding into survey language appropriate for future stat...

Long-term behavior of integral abutment bridges : appendix D, Bowen lab soil borings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Integral abutment (IA) construction has become the preferred method over conventional construction for use with typical highway bridges. However, the use of these structures is limited due to state mandated length and skew limitations. To expand thei...

Student Perspectives on Study Skills in a Turkish State Secondary School Sample from Adana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutlu, M. Oguz; Korkmaz, Sadiye

2013-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to examine the preferences of 8th grade students who had high academic grades in several study skills categories. The study group consisted of 23 8th grade students who were attending a state secondary school in the province of Adana, Turkey, during the 2012-2013 academic year. The research method was qualitative.…

Applying Q-methodology to select and define attributes for non-market valuation: A case study from Northwest Wyoming, United States

Treesearch

Christopher A. Armatas; Tyron J. Venn; Alan E. Watson

2014-01-01

The underlying validity of stated preference non-market valuation methods relies on the analyst's ability to identify, select, define, and articulate the goods being valued in a way that is relevant and understandable to the respondent, which requires detailed understanding of the respondents' experiences and points of view. Poor articulation of the good...

Geotechnical Descriptions of Rock and Rock Masses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

determined in the field on core speci ns by the standard Rock Testing Handbook Methods . afls GA DTIC TAB thannounod 13 Justifiatlo By Distributin...to provide rock strength descriptions from the field. The point-load test has proven to be a reliable method of determining rock strength properties...report should qualify the reported spacing values by stating the methods used to determine spacing. Preferably the report should make the determination

Experimental measurement of preferences in health and healthcare using best-worst scaling: an overview.

PubMed

Mühlbacher, Axel C; Kaczynski, Anika; Zweifel, Peter; Johnson, F Reed

2016-12-01

Best-worst scaling (BWS), also known as maximum-difference scaling, is a multiattribute approach to measuring preferences. BWS aims at the analysis of preferences regarding a set of attributes, their levels or alternatives. It is a stated-preference method based on the assumption that respondents are capable of making judgments regarding the best and the worst (or the most and least important, respectively) out of three or more elements of a choice-set. As is true of discrete choice experiments (DCE) generally, BWS avoids the known weaknesses of rating and ranking scales while holding the promise of generating additional information by making respondents choose twice, namely the best as well as the worst criteria. A systematic literature review found 53 BWS applications in health and healthcare. This article expounds possibilities of application, the underlying theoretical concepts and the implementation of BWS in its three variants: 'object case', 'profile case', 'multiprofile case'. This paper contains a survey of BWS methods and revolves around study design, experimental design, and data analysis. Moreover the article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the three types of BWS distinguished and offered an outlook. A companion paper focuses on special issues of theory and statistical inference confronting BWS in preference measurement.

Women's birth place preferences in the United Kingdom: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the quantitative literature.

PubMed

Hollowell, Jennifer; Li, Yangmei; Malouf, Reem; Buchanan, James

2016-08-08

Current clinical guidelines and national policy in England support offering 'low risk' women a choice of birth setting, but despite an increase in provison of midwifery units in England the vast majority of women still give birth in obstetric units and there is uncertainty around how best to configure services. There is therefore a need to better understand women's birth place preferences. The aim of this review was to summarise the recent quantitative evidence on UK women's birth place preferences with a focus on identifying the service attributes that 'low risk' women prefer and on identifying which attributes women prioritise when choosing their intended maternity unit or birth setting. We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index, Social Science Index, CINAHL and ASSIA to identify quantitative studies published in scientific journals since 1992 and designed to describe and explore women's preferences in relation to place of birth. We included experimental stated preference studies, surveys and mixed-methods studies containing relevant quantitative data, where participants were 'low risk' or 'unselected' groups of women with experience of UK maternity services. We included five experimental stated preference studies and four observational surveys, including a total of 4201 respondents. Most studies were old with only three conducted since 2000. Methodological quality was generally poor. The attributes and preferences most commonly explored related to pain relief, continuity of midwife, involvement/availability of medical staff, 'homely' environment/atmosphere, decision-making style, distance/travel time and need for transfer. Service attributes that were almost universally valued by women included local services, being attended by a known midwife and a preference for a degree of control and involvement in decision-making. A substantial proportion of women had a strong preference for care in a hospital setting where medical staff are not necessarily involved in their care, but are readily available. The majority of women appear to value some service attributes while preferences differ for others. Policy makers, commissioners and service providers might usefully consider how to extend the availability of services that most women value while offering a choice of options that enable women to access services that best fit their needs and preferences.

Coincidence theory: Seeking a perceptual preference for just intonation, equal temperament, and Pythagorean intonation in excerpts for wind instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Derle Ray

Coincidence theory states that when the components of harmony are in enhanced alignment the sound will be more consonant to the human auditory system. An objective method of examining the components of harmony is by investigating alignment of the mathematics of a particular sound or harmony. The study examined preference responses to excerpts tuned in just intonation, Pythagorean intonation, and equal temperament. Musical excerpts were presented in pairs and study subjects simply picked one version from the pair that they perceived as the most consonant. Results of the study revealed an overall preference for equal temperament in contradiction to coincidence theory. Several additional areas for research are suggested to further investigate the results of this study.

Perspectives of Chinese healthcare providers on medical abortion.

PubMed

Gan, Kang; Zhang, Yuhan; Jiang, Xiaomei; Meng, Yucui; Hou, Liyan; Cheng, Yimin

2011-07-01

To evaluate Chinese healthcare providers' knowledge regarding medical abortion, to understand provider preferences for abortion methods, and to investigate the role of remuneration on providers' decision making. Between November 2009 and May 2010, 658 abortion service providers from family-planning service centers and hospitals in Shenzhen and Henan, China, were surveyed via self-administered questionnaires. The knowledge score (out of a maximum of 32) regarding medical abortion was 16-20 for 60.9% of the providers; 20.4% of the providers preferred medical abortion to surgical abortion, whereas 35.0% preferred surgical abortion. Overall, 72.2% of providers stated that they did not receive any commission for providing medical abortion or surgical abortion. Most healthcare providers believed that surgical abortion was preferable to medical abortion. Efforts should be made to overcome the perceived disadvantages of medical abortion. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Musical preferences during and after relaxation and exercise.

PubMed

North, A C; Hargreaves, D J

2000-01-01

Effects of the listening context on responses to music largely have been neglected despite the prevalence of music listening in our everyday lives. This article reports 2 studies in which participants chose music of high or low arousal potential during (Experiment 1) or immediately after (Experiment 2) exercise or relaxation. In Experiment 1, participants preferred appropriate arousal-polarizing music over arousal-moderating music. In Experiment 2, participants preferred arousal-moderating music over arousal-polarizing music, such that their listening times contrasted clearly with those in the first study even though the same music and methods were used. Thus musical preferences interact with the listening situation, and participants' music selections represent an attempt to optimize their responses to that situation. When motivated to maintain a state of polarized arousal, listeners use music to achieve this; when they have no such goal, they use music to moderate arousal.

Collaborative Filtering Recommendation on Users' Interest Sequences.

PubMed

Cheng, Weijie; Yin, Guisheng; Dong, Yuxin; Dong, Hongbin; Zhang, Wansong

2016-01-01

As an important factor for improving recommendations, time information has been introduced to model users' dynamic preferences in many papers. However, the sequence of users' behaviour is rarely studied in recommender systems. Due to the users' unique behavior evolution patterns and personalized interest transitions among items, users' similarity in sequential dimension should be introduced to further distinguish users' preferences and interests. In this paper, we propose a new collaborative filtering recommendation method based on users' interest sequences (IS) that rank users' ratings or other online behaviors according to the timestamps when they occurred. This method extracts the semantics hidden in the interest sequences by the length of users' longest common sub-IS (LCSIS) and the count of users' total common sub-IS (ACSIS). Then, these semantics are utilized to obtain users' IS-based similarities and, further, to refine the similarities acquired from traditional collaborative filtering approaches. With these updated similarities, transition characteristics and dynamic evolution patterns of users' preferences are considered. Our new proposed method was compared with state-of-the-art time-aware collaborative filtering algorithms on datasets MovieLens, Flixster and Ciao. The experimental results validate that the proposed recommendation method is effective and outperforms several existing algorithms in the accuracy of rating prediction.

Collaborative Filtering Recommendation on Users’ Interest Sequences

PubMed Central

Cheng, Weijie; Yin, Guisheng; Dong, Yuxin; Dong, Hongbin; Zhang, Wansong

2016-01-01

As an important factor for improving recommendations, time information has been introduced to model users’ dynamic preferences in many papers. However, the sequence of users’ behaviour is rarely studied in recommender systems. Due to the users’ unique behavior evolution patterns and personalized interest transitions among items, users’ similarity in sequential dimension should be introduced to further distinguish users’ preferences and interests. In this paper, we propose a new collaborative filtering recommendation method based on users’ interest sequences (IS) that rank users’ ratings or other online behaviors according to the timestamps when they occurred. This method extracts the semantics hidden in the interest sequences by the length of users’ longest common sub-IS (LCSIS) and the count of users’ total common sub-IS (ACSIS). Then, these semantics are utilized to obtain users’ IS-based similarities and, further, to refine the similarities acquired from traditional collaborative filtering approaches. With these updated similarities, transition characteristics and dynamic evolution patterns of users’ preferences are considered. Our new proposed method was compared with state-of-the-art time-aware collaborative filtering algorithms on datasets MovieLens, Flixster and Ciao. The experimental results validate that the proposed recommendation method is effective and outperforms several existing algorithms in the accuracy of rating prediction. PMID:27195787

Curriculum Orientations of Virtual Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singleton, Nicole Y.

2013-01-01

This study explored the curriculum orientation preferences of K-12 public school teachers who provided instruction in virtual settings (n = 47) in a midwestern state. Curriculum orientations were explored using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative assessments data revealed a pattern of curriculum orientations similar to teachers working in…

Long-term behavior of integral abutment bridges : appendix C, US231 over railroad spur soil borings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Integral abutment (IA) construction has become the preferred method over conventional construction for use with typical highway bridges. However, the use of these structures is limited due to state mandated length and skew limitations. To expand thei...

Alcoholic Beverage Preference and Dietary Habits in Elderly across Europe: Analyses within the Consortium on Health and Ageing: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States (CHANCES) Project

PubMed Central

Sluik, Diewertje; Jankovic, Nicole; O’Doherty, Mark G.; Geelen, Anouk; Schöttker, Ben; Rolandsson, Olov; Kiefte-de Jong, Jessica C.; Ferrieres, Jean; Bamia, Christina; Fransen, Heidi P.; Boer, Jolanda M. A.; Eriksson, Sture; Martínez, Begoña; Huerta, José María; Kromhout, Daan; de Groot, Lisette C. P. G. M.; Franco, Oscar H.; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Boffetta, Paolo; Kee, Frank; Feskens, Edith J. M.

2016-01-01

Introduction The differential associations of beer, wine, and spirit consumption on cardiovascular risk found in observational studies may be confounded by diet. We described and compared dietary intake and diet quality according to alcoholic beverage preference in European elderly. Methods From the Consortium on Health and Ageing: Network of Cohorts in Europe and the United States (CHANCES), seven European cohorts were included, i.e. four sub-cohorts from EPIC-Elderly, the SENECA Study, the Zutphen Elderly Study, and the Rotterdam Study. Harmonized data of 29,423 elderly participants from 14 European countries were analyzed. Baseline data on consumption of beer, wine, and spirits, and dietary intake were collected with questionnaires. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI). Intakes and scores across categories of alcoholic beverage preference (beer, wine, spirit, no preference, non-consumers) were adjusted for age, sex, socio-economic status, self-reported prevalent diseases, and lifestyle factors. Cohort-specific mean intakes and scores were calculated as well as weighted means combining all cohorts. Results In 5 of 7 cohorts, persons with a wine preference formed the largest group. After multivariate adjustment, persons with a wine preference tended to have a higher HDI score and intake of healthy foods in most cohorts, but differences were small. The weighted estimates of all cohorts combined revealed that non-consumers had the highest fruit and vegetable intake, followed by wine consumers. Non-consumers and persons with no specific preference had a higher HDI score, spirit consumers the lowest. However, overall diet quality as measured by HDI did not differ greatly across alcoholic beverage preference categories. Discussion This study using harmonized data from ~30,000 elderly from 14 European countries showed that, after multivariate adjustment, dietary habits and diet quality did not differ greatly according to alcoholic beverage preference. PMID:27548323

Stated product formulation preferences for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among women in the VOICE-D (MTN-003D) study.

PubMed

Luecke, Ellen H; Cheng, Helen; Woeber, Kubashni; Nakyanzi, Teopista; Mudekunye-Mahaka, Imelda C; van der Straten, Ariane

2016-01-01

The effectiveness of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) requires consistent and correct product use, thus a deeper understanding of women's stated product formulation preferences, and the correlates of those preferences, can help guide future research. VOICE-D (MTN-003D), a qualitative ancillary study conducted after the VOICE trial, retrospectively explored participants' tablet and gel use, as well as their preferences for other potential PrEP product formulations. We conducted an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from VOICE-D participants. During in-depth interviews, women were presented with pictures and descriptions of eight potential PrEP product formulations, including the oral tablet and vaginal gel tested in VOICE, and asked to discuss which product formulations they would prefer to use and why. Seven of the original product formulations displayed were combined into preferred product formulation categories based on exploratory factor and latent class analyses. We examined demographic and behavioural correlates of these preferred product formulation categories. In-depth interviews with participants were conducted, coded, and analysed for themes related to product preference. Of the 68 female participants who completed in-depth interviews (22 South Africa, 24 Zimbabwe, 22 Uganda), median age was 28 (range 21-41), 81% were HIV negative, and 49% were married or living with a partner. Four preferred product formulation categories were identified via exploratory factor analysis: 1) oral tablets; 2) vaginal gel; 3) injectable, implant, or vaginal ring; and 4) vaginal film or suppository. A majority of women (81%) expressed a preference for product formulations included in category 3. Characteristics significantly associated with each preferred product category differed. Attributes described by participants as being important in a preferred product formulation included duration of activity, ease of use, route of administration, clinic- versus self-administration, and degree of familiarity with product. While there was interest in a variety of potential PrEP product formulations, a majority of VOICE-D participants preferred long-acting methods. More research is needed to gain insight into end-users' product formulation preference to inform messaging and market segmentation for different PrEP products and resources to invest in products that target populations are most interested in using. NCT02358616.

Advance Care Planning and Health Care Preferences of Community-Dwelling Elders: The Framingham Heart Study

PubMed Central

McCarthy, Ellen P.; Pencina, Michael J.; Kelly-Hayes, Margaret; Evans, Jane C.; Oberacker, Elizabeth J.; D’Agostino, Ralph B.; Burns, Risa B.; Murabito, Joanne M.

2009-01-01

Objectives To describe self-reported advance care planning, health care preferences, use of advance directives, and health perceptions in a very elderly community-dwelling sample. Methods Surviving participants of the original cohort of the Framingham Heart Study who were cognitively intact and attended a routine research exam between February 2004 and October 2005. Participants were queried about discussions about end of life care, preferences for care, documentation of advance directives, and health perceptions. Results Among 220 community-dwelling respondents, 67% were women with a mean age of 88 years (range 84-100). Overall 69% discussed their wishes for medical care at the end of life with someone, but only 17% discussed their wishes with a physician or health care provider. Two-thirds had a health care proxy, 55% had a living will, and 41% had both. Most (80%) respondents preferred comfort care over life-extending care, and 71% preferred to die at home; however, substantially fewer respondents said they would rather die than receive specific life-prolonging interventions [chronic ventilator (63%) or feeding tube (64%)]. Many were willing to endure distressing health states, with less than half indicating that they would rather die than live out their life in a great deal of pain (46%) or be confused/forgetful (45%) all of the time. Conclusions Although the vast majority of very elderly community-dwellers in this sample appear to prefer comfort measures at the end of life, many said they were willing to endure specific life-prolonging interventions and distressing health states to avoid death. Our results highlight the need for physicians better understand patients’ preferences and goals of care to help them make informed decisions at the end of life. PMID:18840800

Eliciting consumer preferences for health plans.

PubMed

Booske, B C; Sainfort, F; Hundt, A S

1999-10-01

To examine (1) what people say is important to them in choosing a health plan; (2) the effect, if any, that giving health plan information has on what people say is important to them; and (3) the effect of preference elicitation methods on what people say is important. A random sample of 201 Wisconsin state employees who participated in a health plan choice experiment during the 1995 open enrollment period. We designed a computer system to guide subjects through the review of information about health plan options. The system began by eliciting the stated preferences of the subjects before they viewed the information, at time 0. Subjects were given an opportunity to revise their preference structures first after viewing summary information about four health plans (time 1) and then after viewing more extensive, detailed information about the same options (time 2). At time 2, these individuals were also asked to rate the relative importance of a predefined list of health plan features presented to them. Data were collected on the number of attributes listed at each point in time and the importance weightings assigned to each attribute. In addition, each item on the attribute list was content analyzed. The provision of information changes the preference structures of individuals. Costs (price) and coverage dominated the attributes cited both before and after looking at health plan information. When presented with information on costs, quality, and how plans work, many of these relatively well educated consumers revised their preference structures; yet coverage and costs remained the primary cited attributes. Although efforts to provide health plan information should continue, decisions on the information to provide and on making it available are not enough. Individuals need help in understanding, processing, and using the information to construct their preferences and make better decisions.

Comparison and statistical analysis of four write stability metrics in bulk CMOS static random access memory cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Hao; Mizutani, Tomoko; Saraya, Takuya; Hiramoto, Toshiro

2015-04-01

The commonly used four metrics for write stability were measured and compared based on the same set of 2048 (2k) six-transistor (6T) static random access memory (SRAM) cells by the 65 nm bulk technology. The preferred one should be effective for yield estimation and help predict edge of stability. Results have demonstrated that all metrics share the same worst SRAM cell. On the other hand, compared to butterfly curve with non-normality and write N-curve where no cell state flip happens, bit-line and word-line margins have good normality as well as almost perfect correlation. As a result, both bit line method and word line method prove themselves preferred write stability metrics.

Choice experiments

Treesearch

Thomas P Holmes; Wiktor L Adamawicz; Fredrik Carlsson

2017-01-01

There has been an explosion of interest during the past two decades in a class of nonmarket stated-preference valuation methods known as choice experiments. The overall objective of a choice experiment is to estimate economic values for characteristics (or attributes) of an environmental good that is the subject of policy analysis, where...

Long-term behavior of integral abutment bridges : appendix B, SR18 over the Mississinewa River Bridge soil borings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Integral abutment (IA) construction has become the preferred method over conventional construction for use with typical highway bridges. However, the use of these structures is limited due to state mandated length and skew limitations. To expand thei...

Long-term behavior of integral abutment bridges : appendix E, INDOT design manual : selected recommendations for integral abutment bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Integral abutment (IA) construction has become the preferred method over conventional construction for use with typical highway bridges. However, the use of these structures is limited due to state mandated length and skew limitations. To expand thei...

METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES IN THE ANALYSIS OF RESIDENTIAL PREFERENCES, RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE1

PubMed Central

Bruch, Elizabeth E.; Mare, Robert D.

2011-01-01

This paper reviews methods for analyzing both individual preferences and choices about where to live, and the implications of these choices for residential patterns. Although these methods are discussed in the context of residential choice, they can be applied more broadly to individual choices in a range of social contexts where behavior is interdependent. We review a variety of types of data on residential preferences and mobility and discuss appropriate statistical models for these data. We discuss the analysis of ranked and other types of clustered data; functional form issues; problems of unobserved heterogeneity in individuals and in neighborhoods; and strengths and weaknesses of stated preference data versus observations of actual mobility behavior. We also discuss specific problems with residential mobility data, including the treatment of one’s current location as a potential choice, how to specify the choice set of potential movers, the aggregation of units (such as dwelling units into neighborhoods) and the need to take account of variations in neighborhood size, the problem of very large choice sets and possible sampling solutions; and the link between residential mobility and patterns of neighborhood change. PMID:23476098

The DEP-6D, a new preference-based measure to assess health states of dependency.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Míguez, E; Abellán-Perpiñán, J M; Alvarez, X C; González, X M; Sampayo, A R

2016-03-01

In medical literature there are numerous multidimensional scales to measure health states for dependence in activities of daily living. However, these scales are not preference-based and are not able to yield QALYs. On the contrary, the generic preference-based measures are not sensitive enough to measure changes in dependence states. The objective of this paper is to propose a new dependency health state classification system, called DEP-6D, and to estimate its value set in such a way that it can be used in QALY calculations. DEP-6D states are described as a combination of 6 attributes (eat, incontinence, personal care, mobility, housework and cognition problems), with 3-4 levels each. A sample of 312 Spanish citizens was surveyed in 2011 to estimate the DEP-6D preference-scoring algorithm. Each respondent valued six out of the 24 states using time trade-off questions. After excluding those respondents who made two or more inconsistencies (6% out of the sample), each state was valued between 66 and 77 times. The responses present a high internal and external consistency. A random effect model accounting for main effects was the preferred model to estimate the scoring algorithm. The DEP-6D describes, in general, more severe problems than those usually described by means of generic preference-based measures. The minimum score predicted by the DEP-6D algorithm is -0.84, which is considerably lower than the minimum value predicted by the EQ-5D and SF-6D algorithms. The DEP-6D value set is based on community preferences. Therefore it is consistent with the so-called 'societal perspective'. Moreover, DEP-6D preference weights can be used in QALY calculations and cost-utility analysis. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessing the Effects of Participant Preference and Demographics in the Usage of Web-based Survey Questionnaires by Women Attending Screening Mammography in British Columbia

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Increased usage of Internet applications has allowed for the collection of patient reported outcomes (PROs) and other health data through Web-based communication and questionnaires. While these Web platforms allow for increased speed and scope of communication delivery, there are certain limitations associated with this technology, as survey mode preferences vary across demographic groups. Objective To investigate the impact of demographic factors and participant preferences on the use of a Web-based questionnaire in comparison with more traditional methods (mail and phone) for women participating in screening mammography in British Columbia, Canada. Methods A sample of women attending the Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia (SMPBC) participated in a breast cancer risk assessment project. The study questionnaire was administered through one of three modes (ie, telephone, mail, or website platform). Survey mode preferences and actual methods of response were analyzed for participants recruited from Victoria General Hospital. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the association of demographic factors (ie, age, education level, and ethnicity) with certain survey response types. Results A total of 1192 women successfully completed the study questionnaire at Victoria General Hospital. Mail was stated as the most preferred survey mode (509/1192, 42.70%), followed by website platform (422/1192, 35.40%), and telephone (147/1192, 12.33%). Over 80% (955/1192) of participants completed the questionnaire in the mode previously specified as their most preferred; mail was the most common method of response (688/1192, 57.72%). Mail was also the most preferred type of questionnaire response method when participants responded in a mode other than their original preference. The average age of participants who responded via the Web-based platform (age 52.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 52.1-53.7) was significantly lower than those who used mail and telephone methods (age 55.9, 95% CI 55.2-56.5; P<.001); each decade of increased age was associated with a 0.97-fold decrease in the odds of using the website platform (P<.001). Web-based participation was more likely for those who completed higher levels of education; each interval increase leading to a 1.83 increase in the odds of website platform usage (P<.001). Ethnicity was not shown to play a role in participant preference for the website platform (P=.96). Conclusions It is beneficial to consider participant survey mode preference when planning to collect PROs and other patient health data. Younger participants and those of higher education level were more likely to use the website platform questionnaire; Web-based participation failed to vary across ethnic group. Because mail questionnaires were still the most preferred survey mode, it will be important to employ strategies, such as user-friendly design and Web-based support, to ensure that the patient feedback being collected is representative of the population being served. PMID:27005707

Reducing preference reversals: The role of preference imprecision and nontransparent methods.

PubMed

Pinto-Prades, José Luis; Sánchez-Martínez, Fernando Ignacio; Abellán-Perpiñán, José María; Martínez-Pérez, Jorge E

2018-05-16

Preferences elicited with matching and choice usually diverge (as characterised by preference reversals), violating a basic rationality requirement, namely, procedure invariance. We report the results of an experiment that shows that preference reversals between matching (Standard Gamble in our case) and choice are reduced when the matching task is conducted using nontransparent methods. Our results suggest that techniques based on nontransparent methods are less influenced by biases (i.e., compatibility effects) than transparent methods. We also observe that imprecision of preferences influences the degree of preference reversals. The preference reversal phenomenon is less strong in subjects with more precise preferences. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PRODUCTION OF URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE

DOEpatents

Shaw, W.E.; Spenceley, R.M.; Teetzel, F.M.

1959-08-01

A method is presented for producing uranium tetrafluoride from the gaseous hexafluoride by feeding the hexafluoride into a high temperature zone obtained by the recombination of molecularly dissociated hydrogen. The molal ratio of hydrogen to uranium hexnfluoride is preferably about 3 to 1. Uranium tetrafluoride is obtained in a finely divided, anhydrous state.

Patient preferences for medicine administration for acute agitation: results from an internet-based survey of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in two Nordic countries.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Tine Rikke; Emborg, Charlotte; Dahlen, Karianne; Bøgelund, Mette; Carlborg, Andreas

2018-01-01

The objective was to elicit patient preferences for medicine administration method in the management of acute agitation episodes among patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The patients' experiences of acute agitation episodes and their management of episodes were also explored. Data were collected via an anonymous, internet-based survey of residents in Denmark or Sweden with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (October 2014 to December 2014). Inclusion criteria were having a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and being above 18 years of age. The questionnaire included questions about preferences for medication attributes, experiences with pharmacological treatment for agitation and involvement in treatment plans. A total of 237 diagnosed patients (61 with schizophrenia; 176 with bipolar disorder) completed the questionnaire. Agitation episodes were experienced by 90% of the respondents. In total, 83% of the respondents reported having received treatment with tablets. When patients were presented with the attributes of an inhalation method, respondents stated that the fast onset of action, low risk of adverse reactions and least invasive form of drug delivery were positive attributes of treatment with inhalation. Inhalation is a new delivery route for treatment of acute agitation in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Inhalation is the preferred treatment method for acute agitation among Danish and Swedish patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

Preferences and Experiences of Traditional and Nontraditional University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Kathryn; Frogge, George

2017-01-01

This study compared and contrasted preferences and experiences of traditional and nontraditional students. Students at a midsized state university in the southeast region of the United States were surveyed to determine the number of hours spent working off campus, hours spent studying, their preferred learning format, and current grade point…

Concepts of ‘personalization’ in personalized medicine: implications for economic evaluation

PubMed Central

Rogowski, Wolf; Payne, Katherine; Schnell-Inderst, Petra; Manca, Andrea; Rochau, Ursula; Jahn, Beate; Alagoz, Oguzhan; Leidl, Reiner; Siebert, Uwe

2015-01-01

Context This paper assesses if, and how, existing methods for economic evaluation are applicable to the evaluation of PM and if not, where extension to methods may be required. Method Structured workshop with a pre-defined group of experts (n=47), run using a modified nominal group technique. Workshop findings were recorded using extensive note taking and summarised using thematic data analysis. The workshop was complemented by structured literature searches. Results The key finding emerging from the workshop, using an economic perspective, was that two distinct, but linked, interpretations of the concept of PM exist (personalization by ‘physiology’ or ‘preferences’). These interpretations involve specific challenges for the design and conduct of economic evaluations. Existing evaluative (extra-welfarist) frameworks were generally considered appropriate for evaluating PM. When ‘personalization’ is viewed as using physiological biomarkers, challenges include: representing complex care pathways; representing spill-over effects; meeting data requirements such as evidence on heterogeneity; choosing appropriate time horizons for the value of further research in uncertainty analysis. When viewed as tailoring medicine to patient preferences, further work is needed regarding: revealed preferences, e.g. treatment (non)adherence; stated preferences, e.g. risk interpretation and attitude; consideration of heterogeneity in preferences; and the appropriate framework (welfarism vs. extra-welfarism) to incorporate non-health benefits. Conclusion Ideally, economic evaluations should take account of both interpretations of PM and consider physiology and preferences. It is important for decision makers to be cognizant of the issues involved with the economic evaluation of PM to appropriately interpret the evidence and target future research funding. PMID:25249200

Method and apparatus for executing a shift in a hybrid transmission

DOEpatents

Gupta, Pinaki; Kaminsky, Lawrence A; Demirovic, Besim

2013-09-03

A method for executing a transmission shift in a hybrid transmission including first and second electric machines includes executing a shift-through-neutral sequence from an initial transmission state to a target transmission state including executing an intermediate shift to neutral. Upon detecting a change in an output torque request while executing the shift-through-neutral sequence, possible recovery shift paths are identified. Available ones of the possible recovery shift paths are identified and a shift cost for each said available recovery shift path is evaluated. The available recovery shift path having a minimum shift cost is selected as a preferred recovery shift path and is executed to achieve a non-neutral transmission state.

PREPARATION OF PLUTONIUM

DOEpatents

Kolodney, M.

1959-07-01

Methods are presented for the electro-deposition of plutonium from fused mixtures of plutonium halides and halides of the alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. Th salts, preferably chlorides and with the plutonium prefer ably in the trivalent state, are placed in a refractory crucible such as tantalum or molybdenam and heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to 600 to 850 deg C, the higher temperatatures being used to obtain massive plutonium and the lower for the powder form. Electrodes of graphite or non reactive refractory metals are used, the crucible serving the cathode in one apparatus described in the patent.

METHOD OF MAINTAINING PLUTONIUM IN A HIGHER STATE OF OXIDATION DURING PROCESSING

DOEpatents

Thompson, S.G.; Miller, D.R.

1959-06-30

This patent deals with the oxidation of tetravalent plutonium contained in an aqueous acid solution together with fission products to the hexavalent state, prior to selective fission product precipitation, by adding to the solution bismuthate or ceric ions as the oxidant and a water-soluble dichromate as a holding oxidant. Both oxidant and holding oxidant are preferably added in greater than stoichiometric quantities with regard to the plutonium present.

Hunger enhances consistent economic choices in non-human primates.

PubMed

Yamada, Hiroshi

2017-05-24

Hunger and thirst are fundamental biological processes that drive consumption behavior in humans and non-human animals. While the existing literature in neuroscience suggests that these satiety states change how consumable rewards are represented in the brain, it remains unclear as to how they change animal choice behavior and the underlying economic preferences. Here, I used combined techniques from experimental economics, psychology, and neuroscience to measure food preferences of marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus), a recently developed primate model for neuroscience. Hunger states of animals were manipulated by scheduling feeding intervals, resulting in three different conditions: sated, non-sated, and hungry. During these hunger states, animals performed pairwise choices of food items, which included all possible pairwise combinations of five different food items except for same-food pairs. Results showed that hunger enhanced economic rationality, evident as a decrease of transitivity violations (item A was preferred to item B, and B to C, but C was preferred to A). Further analysis demonstrated that hungry monkeys chose more-preferred items over less-preferred items in a more deterministic manner, while the individual food preferences appeared to remain stable across hunger states. These results suggest that hunger enhances consistent choice behavior and shifts animals towards efficient outcome maximization.

Health Care Providers’ Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Lesbian Women and Gay Men

PubMed Central

Riskind, Rachel G.; Nosek, Brian A.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We examined providers’ implicit and explicit attitudes toward lesbian and gay people by provider gender, sexual identity, and race/ethnicity. Methods. We examined attitudes toward heterosexual people versus lesbian and gay people in Implicit Association Test takers: 2338 medical doctors, 5379 nurses, 8531 mental health providers, 2735 other treatment providers, and 214 110 nonproviders in the United States and internationally between May 2006 and December 2012. We characterized the sample with descriptive statistics and calculated Cohen d, a standardized effect size measure, with 95% confidence intervals. Results. Among heterosexual providers, implicit preferences always favored heterosexual people over lesbian and gay people. Implicit preferences for heterosexual women were weaker than implicit preferences for heterosexual men. Heterosexual nurses held the strongest implicit preference for heterosexual men over gay men (Cohen d = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = 1.28, 1.32 among female nurses; Cohen d = 1.38; 95% confidence interval = 1.32, 1.44 among male nurses). Among all groups, explicit preferences for heterosexual versus lesbian and gay people were weaker than implicit preferences. Conclusions. Implicit preferences for heterosexual people versus lesbian and gay people are pervasive among heterosexual health care providers. Future research should investigate how implicit sexual prejudice affects care. PMID:26180976

Veteran satisfaction and treatment preferences in response to a posttraumatic stress disorder specialty clinic orientation group.

PubMed

Schumm, Jeremiah A; Walter, Kristen H; Bartone, Anne S; Chard, Kathleen M

2015-06-01

To maximize accessibility to evidence-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has widely disseminated cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy to VA clinicians. However, there is a lack of research on veteran preferences when presented with a range of psychotherapy and medication options. This study uses a mixed-method approach to explore veteran satisfaction with a VA PTSD specialty clinic pre-treatment orientation group, which provides education about available PTSD treatment options. This study also tested differences in treatment preference in response to the group. Participants were 183 US veterans. Most were White, male, and referred to the clinic by a VA provider. Results indicated high satisfaction with the group in providing an overview of services and helping to inform treatment choice. Most preferred psychotherapy plus medications (63.4%) or psychotherapy only (30.1%). Participants endorsed a significantly stronger preference for CPT versus other psychotherapies. PE was significantly preferred over nightmare resolution therapy and present-centered therapy, and both PE and cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy were preferred over virtual reality exposure therapy. Results suggest that by informing consumers about evidence-based treatments for PTSD, pre-treatment educational approaches may increase consumer demand for these treatment options. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Impact of Referral Source and Study Applicants’ Preference for Randomly Assigned Service on Research Enrollment, Service Engagement, and Evaluative Outcomes

PubMed Central

Macias, Cathaleene; Barreira, Paul; Hargreaves, William; Bickman, Leonard; Fisher, William; Aronson, Elliot

2009-01-01

Objective The inability to blind research participants to their experimental conditions is the Achilles’ heel of mental health services research. When one experimental condition receives more disappointed participants, or more satisfied participants, research findings can be biased in spite of random assignment. The authors explored the potential for research participants’ preference for one experimental program over another to compromise the generalizability and validity of randomized controlled service evaluations as well as cross-study comparisons. Method Three Cox regression analyses measured the impact of applicants’ service assignment preference on research project enrollment, engagement in assigned services, and a service-related outcome, competitive employment. Results A stated service preference, referral by an agency with a low level of continuity in outpatient care, and willingness to switch from current services were significant positive predictors of research enrollment. Match to service assignment preference was a significant positive predictor of service engagement, and mismatch to assignment preference was a significant negative predictor of both service engagement and employment outcome. Conclusions Referral source type and service assignment preference should be routinely measured and statistically controlled for in all studies of mental health service effectiveness to provide a sound empirical base for evidence-based practice. PMID:15800153

Millennial Dental Hygiene Students' Learning Preferences Compared to Non-Millennial Faculty Members' Teaching Methods: A National Study.

PubMed

Turner, April M; Prihoda, Thomas J; English, Dana K; Chismark, Aubreé; Jacks, Mary E

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare the learning preferences of millennial dental hygiene students (born between 1982 and 2002) in the U.S. with the teaching methods used by their non-millennial instructors. Cross-sectional surveys were developed with 21-item, five-point Likert scales to examine students' preferences for and faculty use of lecture, collaborative activities, technology, independent work, and group discussion. Surveys were emailed to U.S. dental hygiene program directors in September 2015. The respondents totaled 800 students and 343 faculty members-approximately 5% of all dental hygiene students and 6.8% of all dental hygiene faculty members in the U.S. The results showed that the responding faculty members (88.7%) used case studies more than the students (61.2%) preferred and that the students (71.4%) preferred games when learning more than the faculty members (57.2%) used them (p<0.0001). Student respondents (82.1%) preferred handouts for lecture more than did the faculty respondents (58.8%; p<0.0001). Faculty respondents expected students to read before class 39.3% more than student respondents read (p<0.0001). Student respondents preferred study guides for exams 39.2% more than the faculty respondents provided them (p<0.0001). Participating faculty members (84.0%) had students work in groups more than these students preferred (57.8%), and 92% of these faculty members used group activities in class (p<0.0001). The responses of the millennial dental hygiene students in this study were consistent with previous research on millennial traits. This study found areas of disagreement between students and faculty members on the use of case studies, study guides, and group work. Although these students stated they preferred lecture over group work, trends in education stress using active learning over lecture.

Guide on the Effective Block Approach for the Fatigue Life Assessment of Metallic Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Load Interpretation Truncation Validation coupon test program NDI Non-Destructive Inspection QF Quantitative Fractography RAAF Royal Australian...even more-so with the advent of quantitative fractography . 3 LEFM forms the basis of most state-of-art CG models. UNCLASSIFIED 1 UNCLASSIFIED DSTO...preferred method for obtaining the CGR data is by quantitative fractography (QF). This method is well suited to small cracks where other measurement

Algorithms for Learning Preferences for Sets of Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagstaff, Kiri L.; desJardins, Marie; Eaton, Eric

2010-01-01

A method is being developed that provides for an artificial-intelligence system to learn a user's preferences for sets of objects and to thereafter automatically select subsets of objects according to those preferences. The method was originally intended to enable automated selection, from among large sets of images acquired by instruments aboard spacecraft, of image subsets considered to be scientifically valuable enough to justify use of limited communication resources for transmission to Earth. The method is also applicable to other sets of objects: examples of sets of objects considered in the development of the method include food menus, radio-station music playlists, and assortments of colored blocks for creating mosaics. The method does not require the user to perform the often-difficult task of quantitatively specifying preferences; instead, the user provides examples of preferred sets of objects. This method goes beyond related prior artificial-intelligence methods for learning which individual items are preferred by the user: this method supports a concept of setbased preferences, which include not only preferences for individual items but also preferences regarding types and degrees of diversity of items in a set. Consideration of diversity in this method involves recognition that members of a set may interact with each other in the sense that when considered together, they may be regarded as being complementary, redundant, or incompatible to various degrees. The effects of such interactions are loosely summarized in the term portfolio effect. The learning method relies on a preference representation language, denoted DD-PREF, to express set-based preferences. In DD-PREF, a preference is represented by a tuple that includes quality (depth) functions to estimate how desired a specific value is, weights for each feature preference, the desired diversity of feature values, and the relative importance of diversity versus depth. The system applies statistical concepts to estimate quantitative measures of the user s preferences from training examples (preferred subsets) specified by the user. Once preferences have been learned, the system uses those preferences to select preferred subsets from new sets. The method was found to be viable when tested in computational experiments on menus, music playlists, and rover images. Contemplated future development efforts include further tests on more diverse sets and development of a sub-method for (a) estimating the parameter that represents the relative importance of diversity versus depth, and (b) incorporating background knowledge about the nature of quality functions, which are special functions that specify depth preferences for features.

Priorities and prospect theory.

PubMed

Happich, M; Mazurek, B

2002-01-01

Whose preferences are to be used for cost-effectiveness analysis? It has been recommended that community preferences for health states are the most appropriate ones for use in a reference case analysis. However, critics maintain that persons are not able properly to judge a health state if they have not experienced the condition themselves. This problem is analyzed here in the framework of Prospect Theory. It can be argued that the differing reference points of patients and the general public are responsible for deviating results. In addition, we argue that risk attitudes with respect to health-related quality of life are an indicator of reference points. If patients and the general public refer to the same reference point, i.e., they have the same risk attitude, the hypothesis is that deviations no longer significantly differ. Evaluations of the health condition of tinnitus by 210 patients and 210 unaffected persons were compared. The Time Tradeoff and Standard Gamble methods were applied to elicit preferences. Risk attitude was measured with the question of whether participants would undergo a treatment that could either improve or worsen their health condition, both with an equal chance (five possible answers between "in no case" and "in any case"). Affected persons indicated significantly higher values for tinnitus-related quality of life according to the Standard Gamble method. The difference between Time Tradeoff values was less dramatic but still significant. In addition, nonaffected persons are more risk-averse than affected persons. However, differences in evaluations are not significant considering single risk groups (e.g., those who answered "in no case"). Prospect Theory is a reasonable framework for considering the question of whose preferences count. If this result can be generalized for other diseases as well, it allows the mathematical combination of "objective" evaluations by the general public with the illness experience of patients. These evaluations should be weighted with patients' risk attitudes, i.e., community preferences can be used if they are corrected for risk attitudes.

A Latent Class Analysis to Identify Variation in Caregivers' Preferences for their Child's Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Treatment: Do Stated Preferences Match Current Treatment?

PubMed

Ng, Xinyi; Bridges, John F P; Ross, Melissa M; Frosch, Emily; Reeves, Gloria; Cunningham, Charles E; dosReis, Susan

2017-04-01

To investigate variation in caregiver preferences for their child's attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care and to determine if their stated preferences align with current care management. Caregivers of a child aged 4-14 years and in care for ADHD were recruited from pediatric outpatient clinics and advocacy groups across the state of Maryland. Participants completed a survey collecting demographics, the child's treatment, and caregiver preferences-elicited using a best-worst scaling experiment (case 2). Latent class analysis was used to identify distinct preference segments and bivariate analyses were used to compare the association between segment membership with what the child was currently receiving for their ADHD. Participants (n = 184) were predominantly White (68%) and the child's mother (84%). Most children had ADHD for 2 or more years (79%). Caregiver preferences were distinguished by two segments: continuous medication (36%) and minimal medication (64%). The two groups had very different preferences for when medication was administered (p < 0.001), but they had similar preferences for provider-oriented and non-medication interventions (p > 0.05 for the caregiver behavior training, provider communication, provider specialty, and out-of-pocket costs). One third of the sample did not receive the preferred individualized education program and 42% of the minimal medication group reported using medication 7 days a week all year round. Although behavior management training and school accommodations aspects of an ADHD care plan are more important to caregivers than evidence-based medication, fewer families had access to educational accommodations. Further research is needed to clarify how stated preferences for care align with treatments used in actual practice settings.

Promoting advance planning for health care and research among older adults: A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Family members are often required to act as substitute decision-makers when health care or research participation decisions must be made for an incapacitated relative. Yet most families are unable to accurately predict older adult preferences regarding future health care and willingness to engage in research studies. Discussion and documentation of preferences could improve proxies' abilities to decide for their loved ones. This trial assesses the efficacy of an advance planning intervention in improving the accuracy of substitute decision-making and increasing the frequency of documented preferences for health care and research. It also investigates the financial impact on the healthcare system of improving substitute decision-making. Methods/Design Dyads (n = 240) comprising an older adult and his/her self-selected proxy are randomly allocated to the experimental or control group, after stratification for type of designated proxy and self-report of prior documentation of healthcare preferences. At baseline, clinical and research vignettes are used to elicit older adult preferences and assess the ability of their proxy to predict those preferences. Responses are elicited under four health states, ranging from the subject's current health state to severe dementia. For each state, we estimated the public costs of the healthcare services that would typically be provided to a patient under these scenarios. Experimental dyads are visited at home, twice, by a specially trained facilitator who communicates the dyad-specific results of the concordance assessment, helps older adults convey their wishes to their proxies, and offers assistance in completing a guide entitled My Preferences that we designed specifically for that purpose. In between these meetings, experimental dyads attend a group information session about My Preferences. Control dyads attend three monthly workshops aimed at promoting healthy behaviors. Concordance assessments are repeated at the end of the intervention and 6 months later to assess improvement in predictive accuracy and cost savings, if any. Copies of completed guides are made at the time of these assessments. Discussion This study will determine whether the tested intervention guides proxies in making decisions that concur with those of older adults, motivates the latter to record their wishes in writing, and yields savings for the healthcare system. Trial Registration ISRCTN89993391 PMID:22221980

Rechargeable thin film battery and method for making the same

DOEpatents

Goldner, Ronald B.; Liu, Te-Yang; Goldner, Mark A.; Gerouki, Alexandra; Haas, Terry E.

2006-01-03

A rechargeable, stackable, thin film, solid-state lithium electrochemical cell, thin film lithium battery and method for making the same is disclosed. The cell and battery provide for a variety configurations, voltage and current capacities. An innovative low temperature ion beam assisted deposition method for fabricating thin film, solid-state anodes, cathodes and electrolytes is disclosed wherein a source of energetic ions and evaporants combine to form thin film cell components having preferred crystallinity, structure and orientation. The disclosed batteries are particularly useful as power sources for portable electronic devices and electric vehicle applications where high energy density, high reversible charge capacity, high discharge current and long battery lifetimes are required.

Assessing the Effects of Participant Preference and Demographics in the Usage of Web-based Survey Questionnaires by Women Attending Screening Mammography in British Columbia.

PubMed

Mlikotic, Rebecca; Parker, Brent; Rajapakshe, Rasika

2016-03-22

Increased usage of Internet applications has allowed for the collection of patient reported outcomes (PROs) and other health data through Web-based communication and questionnaires. While these Web platforms allow for increased speed and scope of communication delivery, there are certain limitations associated with this technology, as survey mode preferences vary across demographic groups. To investigate the impact of demographic factors and participant preferences on the use of a Web-based questionnaire in comparison with more traditional methods (mail and phone) for women participating in screening mammography in British Columbia, Canada. A sample of women attending the Screening Mammography Program of British Columbia (SMPBC) participated in a breast cancer risk assessment project. The study questionnaire was administered through one of three modes (ie, telephone, mail, or website platform). Survey mode preferences and actual methods of response were analyzed for participants recruited from Victoria General Hospital. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the association of demographic factors (ie, age, education level, and ethnicity) with certain survey response types. A total of 1192 women successfully completed the study questionnaire at Victoria General Hospital. Mail was stated as the most preferred survey mode (509/1192, 42.70%), followed by website platform (422/1192, 35.40%), and telephone (147/1192, 12.33%). Over 80% (955/1192) of participants completed the questionnaire in the mode previously specified as their most preferred; mail was the most common method of response (688/1192, 57.72%). Mail was also the most preferred type of questionnaire response method when participants responded in a mode other than their original preference. The average age of participants who responded via the Web-based platform (age 52.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 52.1-53.7) was significantly lower than those who used mail and telephone methods (age 55.9, 95% CI 55.2-56.5; P<.001); each decade of increased age was associated with a 0.97-fold decrease in the odds of using the website platform (P<.001). Web-based participation was more likely for those who completed higher levels of education; each interval increase leading to a 1.83 increase in the odds of website platform usage (P<.001). Ethnicity was not shown to play a role in participant preference for the website platform (P=.96). It is beneficial to consider participant survey mode preference when planning to collect PROs and other patient health data. Younger participants and those of higher education level were more likely to use the website platform questionnaire; Web-based participation failed to vary across ethnic group. Because mail questionnaires were still the most preferred survey mode, it will be important to employ strategies, such as user-friendly design and Web-based support, to ensure that the patient feedback being collected is representative of the population being served.

Preferred communication methods of abused women.

PubMed

Gilroy, Heidi; McFarlane, Judith; Nava, Angeles; Maddoux, John

2013-01-01

To determine preferred communication methods of abused women. A naturalistic study utilizing principles of Community Based Participatory Research. A total of 300 first time users of criminal justice or safe shelter for abused women were interviewed in person. The Preferred Communication Questionnaire was used to determine preference. Given the choice of phone voice, face to face, phone text, e-mail, or Facebook, traditional methods of communication (face-to-face communication and phone voice) were the primary (80% combined) and secondary (58.6% combined) preferred sources among abused women. A total of 292 women (97.3%) gave at least two preferred methods of communication, 255 (85%) gave three preferred methods, 190 (63%) gave four, and 132 (44%) used all five methods. Public health nurses and other professionals who serve abused women should be aware of their preferred method of communication for contact. The women in the sample preferred face-to-face and phone-voice communication; however, many were open to newer forms of communication such as texting and Facebook. Caution should be used to protect the safety of abused women when using any kind of communication. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Visitor Preferences for Visual Changes in Bark Beetle-Impacted Forest Recreation Settings in the United States and Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnberger, Arne; Ebenberger, Martin; Schneider, Ingrid E.; Cottrell, Stuart; Schlueter, Alexander C.; von Ruschkowski, Eick; Venette, Robert C.; Snyder, Stephanie A.; Gobster, Paul H.

2018-02-01

Extensive outbreaks of tree-killing insects are increasing across forests in Europe and North America due to climate change and other factors. Yet, little recent research examines visitor response to visual changes in conifer forest recreation settings resulting from forest insect infestations, how visitors weigh trade-offs between physical and social forest environment factors, or how visitor preferences might differ by nationality. This study explored forest visitor preferences with a discrete choice experiment that photographically simulated conifer forest stands with varying levels of bark beetle outbreaks, forest and visitor management practices, and visitor use levels and compositions. On-site surveys were conducted with visitors to State Forest State Park in Colorado ( n = 200), Lake Bemidji State Park in Minnesota ( n = 228), and Harz National Park in Germany ( n = 208). Results revealed that the condition of the immediate forest surrounding was the most important variable influencing visitors' landscape preferences. Visitors preferred healthy mature forest stands and disliked forests with substantial dead wood. The number of visitors was the most important social factor influencing visitor landscape preferences. Differences in the influence of physical and social factors on visual preferences existed between study sites. Findings suggest that both visual forest conditions and visitor use management are important concerns in addressing landscape preferences for beetle-impacted forest recreation areas.

Visitor Preferences for Visual Changes in Bark Beetle-Impacted Forest Recreation Settings in the United States and Germany.

PubMed

Arnberger, Arne; Ebenberger, Martin; Schneider, Ingrid E; Cottrell, Stuart; Schlueter, Alexander C; von Ruschkowski, Eick; Venette, Robert C; Snyder, Stephanie A; Gobster, Paul H

2018-02-01

Extensive outbreaks of tree-killing insects are increasing across forests in Europe and North America due to climate change and other factors. Yet, little recent research examines visitor response to visual changes in conifer forest recreation settings resulting from forest insect infestations, how visitors weigh trade-offs between physical and social forest environment factors, or how visitor preferences might differ by nationality. This study explored forest visitor preferences with a discrete choice experiment that photographically simulated conifer forest stands with varying levels of bark beetle outbreaks, forest and visitor management practices, and visitor use levels and compositions. On-site surveys were conducted with visitors to State Forest State Park in Colorado (n = 200), Lake Bemidji State Park in Minnesota (n = 228), and Harz National Park in Germany (n = 208). Results revealed that the condition of the immediate forest surrounding was the most important variable influencing visitors' landscape preferences. Visitors preferred healthy mature forest stands and disliked forests with substantial dead wood. The number of visitors was the most important social factor influencing visitor landscape preferences. Differences in the influence of physical and social factors on visual preferences existed between study sites. Findings suggest that both visual forest conditions and visitor use management are important concerns in addressing landscape preferences for beetle-impacted forest recreation areas.

Workshop: Stated Preference: What Do We Know? Where Do We Go? (2000)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Two day workshop sponsored by EPA's National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) and National Center for Environmental Economics (NCEE) explored the current state of stated preference research-taking stock of advances since NOAA Blue Ribbon panel.

The Effect of Gabapentin and Ketorolac on Allodynia and Conditioned Place Preference in Antibody-Induced Inflammation

PubMed Central

Park, HJ; Sandor, K; McQueen, J; Woller, SA; Svensson, CI; Corr, MP; Yaksh, TL

2018-01-01

Background Glucose-6-phosphate isomerase and collagen type II antibody induced arthritis models (K/BxN and CAIA, respectively) have an inflammatory and a post-inflammatory phase. Both phases display robust tactile allodynia. In previous work, inflammatory phase allodynia was reversed by gabapentin and ketorolac, whereas in late phase only gabapentin was effective. Here we sought to determine if the effects of these two drugs during the early and late phases of the two arthritis models were observed in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, indicating a differential drug effect on the aversive state. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice received K/BxN serum intraperitoneally, while male BALB/c mice received collagen type II antibody cocktail intravenously. After onset of inflammation and allodynia, we assessed effects of i.p. gabapentin (100 mg/kg) or ketorolac (15 mg/kg) using a CPP paradigm: 2 days adaptation, 2 days conditioning (vehicle in morning and drug in afternoon), preference testing on day 5. Results Consistent with the effects upon allodynia, both gabapentin and ketorolac produced a preference for the drug-paired compartment in the early phase of the K/BxN model, while gabapentin, but not ketorolac, resulted in a place preference during late phase. In the CAIA model, consistent with differential effects upon allodynia, gabapentin produced a preference in the early phase and a trend in the late phase, whereas ketorolac was ineffective at either time. Conclusions CPP validated the aversive state in the inflammatory and post-inflammatory phases of the K/BxN and CAIA arthritis models and correspondence between the anti-hyperpathic pharmacology as defined by thresholds and CPP. PMID:26517300

Men's Preferences for Physical Activity Interventions: An Exploratory Study Using a Factorial Survey Design Created With R Software.

PubMed

Chatfield, Sheryl L; Gamble, Abigail; Hallam, Jeffrey S

2018-03-01

Effective exercise interventions are needed to improve quality of life and decrease the impact of chronic disease. Researchers suggest males have been underrepresented in exercise intervention studies, resulting in less understanding of their exercise practices. Findings from preference survey methods suggest reasonable association between preference and behavior. The purpose of the research described in this article was to use factorial survey, a preference method, to identify the characteristics of exercise interventions most likely to appeal to male participants, so preferences might be incorporated into future intervention research. The research was guided by the framework of Bandura's social cognitive theory, such that variations in individual, environmental, and behavioral factors were incorporated into vignettes. Participants included 53 adult male nonadministrative staff and contract employees at a public university in the Southeastern United States, who each scored 8 vignettes resulting in 423 observations. Multilevel models were used to assess the influence of the factors. Participants scored vignettes that included exercising with a single partner, playing basketball, and exercising in the evening higher than vignettes with other options. Qualitative analysis of an open response item identified additional alternatives in group size, participant desire for coaching support, and interest in programs that incorporate a range of activity alternatives. Findings from this research were consistent with elements of social cognitive theory as applied to health promotion. Factorial surveys potentially provide a resource effective means of identifying participants' preferences for use when planning interventions. The addition of a single qualitative item helped clarify and expand findings from statistical analysis.

Multi-objective engineering design using preferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchis, J.; Martinez, M.; Blasco, X.

2008-03-01

System design is a complex task when design parameters have to satisy a number of specifications and objectives which often conflict with those of others. This challenging problem is called multi-objective optimization (MOO). The most common approximation consists in optimizing a single cost index with a weighted sum of objectives. However, once weights are chosen the solution does not guarantee the best compromise among specifications, because there is an infinite number of solutions. A new approach can be stated, based on the designer's experience regarding the required specifications and the associated problems. This valuable information can be translated into preferences for design objectives, and will lead the search process to the best solution in terms of these preferences. This article presents a new method, which enumerates these a priori objective preferences. As a result, a single objective is built automatically and no weight selection need be performed. Problems occuring because of the multimodal nature of the generated single cost index are managed with genetic algorithms (GAs).

Family caregiver preferences for patient decisional control among Hispanics in the United States and Latin America

PubMed Central

Yennurajalingam, Sriram; Noguera, Antonio; Parsons, Henrique Afonseca; Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Duarte, Eva Rosina; Palma, Alejandra; Bunge, Sofia; Palmer, J. Lynn; Delgado-Guay, Marvin Omar; Bruera, Eduardo

2013-01-01

Background Understanding family caregivers’ decisional role preferences is important for communication, quality of care, and patient and family satisfaction. The family caregiver has an important role in a patient’s decisional role preferences. There are limited studies on family caregivers’ preferences of the patient’s decisional control at the end of life among Hispanics. Aims To identify Hispanic caregivers’ preferences of the decision control of patients with advanced cancer and to compare the preferences of caregivers in Latin America (HLA) and Hispanic American (HUSA) caregivers. Design We surveyed patients and their family caregivers referred to outpatient palliative care clinics in the United States, Chile, Argentina, and Guatemala. Caregiver preferences of patient’s decisional control were evaluated using the Control Preference Scale. Caregivers’ and patients’ socio-demographic variables, patient performance status, and HUSA patient acculturation level was also collected. Participants A total of 387 caregivers were surveyed: 100 (26%) in Chile, 99 (26%) in Argentina, 97 (25%) in Guatemala, and 91 (24%) in the United States. The median age was 56 years, and 59% were female. Results Caregiver preference of patients decisions control was passive, shared, and active by 10 (11%), 45 (52%) and 32 (37%) HUSA caregivers and 54 (19%), 178 (62%) and 55 (19%) HLA caregivers (p=0.0023). Caregiver acculturation level did not affect the preferences of the HUSA sample (p=0.60). Conclusions Most Hispanic family caregivers preferred the patient to make shared decisions. HLA caregivers preferred more frequently patients to assume a passive decisional role. Acculturation did not influence the preferences of HUSA caregivers. PMID:23670718

Teaching Style Preferences and Educational Philosophy of Teacher Education Faculty at a State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fries, Cindi H.

2012-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: An educational philosophy and teaching style provide a foundation for understanding and for guiding guide decisions about curriculum, teacher-learner relationship and professional practice. The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to describe the educational philosophies and teaching styles of the teacher…

Exploring the Motivational Orientations of Graduate Students in Distance Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolot, Sandra K.

2011-01-01

This study examined the motivational orientations of 166 graduate students enrolled in distance education courses at a state university. Data were collected utilizing Boshier's Education Participation Scale A-Form and analyses were completed for overall results, by gender and age, by academic program and by preferred method of distance course…

Nutrition Education Intervention Improves Vegetable-Related Attitude, Self-Efficacy, Preference, and Knowledge of Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Denise E.; Least, Christine; Gromis, Judy; Lohse, Barbara

2012-01-01

Background: Impact of a classroom-based, standardized intervention to address limited vegetable consumption of fourth graders was assessed. Methods: A 4-lesson, vegetable-focused intervention, revised from extant materials was repurposed for Pennsylvania fourth graders with lessons aligned with state academic standards. A reliability-tested survey…

Physical activity levels and preferences of ethnically diverse visitors to Georgia State Parks

Treesearch

Lincoln Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green; Michael Bowker

2014-01-01

Parks provide many outdoor recreation opportunities that encourage physical activity and healthy lifestyles, and research has recently begun to explore the demographic, social, and environmental factors associated with park-based activity levels, particularly outside of urban areas. This study used a mixed methods approach to investigate physical activity levels and...

Do women and providers value the same features of contraceptive products? Results of a best-worst stated preference experiment.

PubMed

Weisberg, Edith; Bateson, Deborah; Knox, Stephanie; Haas, Marion; Viney, Rosalie; Street, Deborah; Fiebig, Denzil

2013-06-01

To determine how women and physicians rate individual characteristics of contraceptives. Discrete choice experiments are used in health economics to elicit preferences for healthcare products. A choice experiment uses hypothetical scenarios to determine which individual factors influence choice. Women and general practitioners (GPs) were shown individual characteristics of contraceptives, not always matching existing methods, and chose the best and worst features. Two hundred women, mean age 36, 71% using contraception, were presented with descriptions of 16 possible methods and asked to indicate their preference for individual characteristics. One hundred and sixty-two GPs, mostly women, also completed 16 descriptions. Longer duration of action was most favoured by both, followed by lighter periods with less pain or amenorrhoea. The least attractive features for women were heavier and more painful periods, high cost, irregular periods, low efficacy (10% failure) and weight gain of 3 kg. GPs ranked a 10% pregnancy rate as least attractive followed by heavy painful periods and a 5% failure rate. Women and GPs differed in their ranking of contraceptive characteristics. Long duration of use, high efficacy, minimal or no bleeding without pain, were preferred by both. Very undesirable were heavy periods especially with pain, and low efficacy.

Importance of GluA1 Subunit-Containing AMPA Glutamate Receptors for Morphine State-Dependency

PubMed Central

Aitta-aho, Teemu; Möykkynen, Tommi P.; Panhelainen, Anne E.; Vekovischeva, Olga Yu.; Bäckström, Pia; Korpi, Esa R.

2012-01-01

In state-dependency, information retrieval is most efficient when the animal is in the same state as it was during the information acquisition. State-dependency has been implicated in a variety of learning and memory processes, but its mechanisms remain to be resolved. Here, mice deficient in AMPA-type glutamate receptor GluA1 subunits were first conditioned to morphine (10 or 20 mg/kg s.c. during eight sessions over four days) using an unbiased procedure, followed by testing for conditioned place preference at morphine states that were the same as or different from the one the mice were conditioned to. In GluA1 wildtype littermate mice the same-state morphine dose produced the greatest expression of place preference, while in the knockout mice no place preference was then detected. Both wildtype and knockout mice expressed moderate morphine-induced place preference when not at the morphine state (saline treatment at the test); in this case, place preference was weaker than that in the same-state test in wildtype mice. No correlation between place preference scores and locomotor activity during testing was found. Additionally, as compared to the controls, the knockout mice showed unchanged sensitization to morphine, morphine drug discrimination and brain regional μ-opioid receptor signal transduction at the G-protein level. However, the knockout mice failed to show increased AMPA/NMDA receptor current ratios in the ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons of midbrain slices after a single injection of morphine (10 mg/kg, s.c., sliced prepared 24 h afterwards), in contrast to the wildtype mice. The results indicate impaired drug-induced state-dependency in GluA1 knockout mice, correlating with impaired opioid-induced glutamate receptor neuroplasticity. PMID:22675452

Prospect theory in the valuation of health.

PubMed

Moffett, Maurice L; Suarez-Almazor, Maria E

2005-08-01

Prospect theory is the prominent nonexpected utility theory in the estimation of health state preference scores for quality-adjusted life year calculation. Until recently, the theory was not considered to be developed to the point of implementation in economic analysis. This review focuses on the research and evidence that tests the implementation of prospect theory into health state valuation. The typical application of expected utility theory assumes that a decision maker has stable preferences under conditions of risk and uncertainty. Under prospect theory, preferences are dependent on whether the decision maker regards the outcome of a choice as a gain or loss, relative to a reference point. The conceptual preference for standard gamble utilities in the valuation of health states has led to the development of elicitation techniques. Empirical evidence using these techniques indicates that when individual preferences are elicited, a prospect theory consistent framework appears to be necessary for adequate representation of individual health utilities. The relevance of prospect theory to policy making and resource allocation remains to be established. Societal preferences may not need the same attitudes towards risks as individual preferences, and may remain largely risk neutral.

Identifying strategies to improve access to credible and relevant information for public health professionals: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

LaPelle, Nancy R; Luckmann, Roger; Simpson, E Hatheway; Martin, Elaine R

2006-01-01

Background Movement towards evidence-based practices in many fields suggests that public health (PH) challenges may be better addressed if credible information about health risks and effective PH practices is readily available. However, research has shown that many PH information needs are unmet. In addition to reviewing relevant literature, this study performed a comprehensive review of existing information resources and collected data from two representative PH groups, focusing on identifying current practices, expressed information needs, and ideal systems for information access. Methods Nineteen individual interviews were conducted among employees of two domains in a state health department – communicable disease control and community health promotion. Subsequent focus groups gathered additional data on preferences for methods of information access and delivery as well as information format and content. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes in the interview and focus group transcripts. Results Informants expressed similar needs for improved information access including single portal access with a good search engine; automatic notification regarding newly available information; access to best practice information in many areas of interest that extend beyond biomedical subject matter; improved access to grey literature as well as to more systematic reviews, summaries, and full-text articles; better methods for indexing, filtering, and searching for information; and effective ways to archive information accessed. Informants expressed a preference for improving systems with which they were already familiar such as PubMed and listservs rather than introducing new systems of information organization and delivery. A hypothetical ideal model for information organization and delivery was developed based on informants' stated information needs and preferred means of delivery. Features of the model were endorsed by the subjects who reviewed it. Conclusion Many critical information needs of PH practitioners are not being met efficiently or at all. We propose a dual strategy of: 1) promoting incremental improvements in existing information delivery systems based on the expressed preferences of the PH users of the systems and 2) the concurrent development and rigorous evaluation of new models of information organization and delivery that draw on successful resources already operating to deliver information to clinical medical practitioners. PMID:16597331

Health state utility values in locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer by treatment line: a systematic review.

PubMed

Paracha, Noman; Thuresson, Per-Olof; Moreno, Santiago G; MacGilchrist, Katherine S

2016-10-01

For patients with late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer, the impact of treatment on health-related quality of life is a key factor in decision-making. A systematic review was conducted to identify health state utility values (HSUVs) for late-stage breast cancer, derived using methods preferred by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies, by treatment line. The aim was to generate a list of HSUVs, that could help to justify the values used to populate cost-utility models. Areas covered: Ten electronic databases, international congress websites and online HSUV databases were searched (January 1995-May 2014) for HSUVs for adults with late-stage breast cancer that had been derived from methods favoured by HTA agencies. Publications were included only if they reported studies that originated HSUVs. Expert commentary: Large numbers of HSUVs are available for late-stage breast cancer in the published literature. Contrary to expectations, the HSUVs reported in the literature vary greatly for some health states. As a result, the choice of HSUV can have considerable implications for the outcomes of economic evaluations. Standardization of HSUV methodology is expected to reduce variability; however, further research is recommended for assessing the sensitivity of generic preference-based measures in late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer.

Willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life year: an evaluation of attitudes towards risk and preferences

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background This paper examines the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) expressed by people who attended the healthcare system as well as the association of attitude towards risk and other personal characteristics with their response. Methods Health-state preferences, measured by EuroQol (EQ-5D-3L), were combined with WTP for recovering a perfect health state. WTP was assessed using close-ended, iterative bidding, contingent valuation method. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as usage of health services by the subjects were collected. The attitude towards risk was evaluated by collecting risky behaviors data, by the subject’s self-evaluation, and through lottery games. Results Six hundred and sixty two subjects participated and 449 stated a utility inferior to 1. WTP/QALY ratios varied significantly when payments with personal money (mean €10,119; median €673) or through taxes (mean €28,187; median €915) were suggested. Family income, area income, higher education level, greater use of healthcare services, and the number of co-inhabitants were associated with greater WTP/QALY ratios. Age and female gender were associated with lower WTP/QALY ratios. Risk inclination was independently associated with a greater WTP/QALY when “out of pocket” payments were suggested. Clear discrepancies were demonstrated between linearity and neutrality towards risk assumptions and experimental results. Conclusions WTP/QALY ratios vary noticeably based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the subject, but also on their attitude towards risk. Knowing the expression of preferences by patients from this outcome measurement can be of interest for health service planning. PMID:24989615

Preferred Names, Preferred Pronouns, and Gender Identity in the Electronic Medical Record and Laboratory Information System: Is Pathology Ready?

PubMed Central

Imborek, Katherine L.; Nisly, Nicole L.; Hesseltine, Michael J.; Grienke, Jana; Zikmund, Todd A.; Dreyer, Nicholas R.; Blau, John L.; Hightower, Maia; Humble, Robert M.; Krasowski, Matthew D.

2017-01-01

Background: Electronic medical records (EMRs) and laboratory information systems (LISs) commonly utilize patient identifiers such as legal name, sex, medical record number, and date of birth. There have been recommendations from some EMR working groups (e.g., the World Professional Association for Transgender Health) to include preferred name, pronoun preference, assigned sex at birth, and gender identity in the EMR. These practices are currently uncommon in the United States. There has been little published on the potential impact of these changes on pathology and LISs. Methods: We review the available literature and guidelines on the use of preferred name and gender identity on pathology, including data on changes in laboratory testing following gender transition treatments. We also describe pathology and clinical laboratory challenges in the implementation of preferred name at our institution. Results: Preferred name, pronoun preference, and gender identity have the most immediate impact on the areas of pathology with direct patient contact such as phlebotomy and transfusion medicine, both in terms of interaction with patients and policies for patient identification. Gender identity affects the regulation and policies within transfusion medicine including blood donor risk assessment and eligibility. There are limited studies on the impact of gender transition treatments on laboratory tests, but multiple studies have demonstrated complex changes in chemistry and hematology tests. A broader challenge is that, even as EMRs add functionality, pathology computer systems (e.g., LIS, middleware, reference laboratory, and outreach interfaces) may not have functionality to store or display preferred name and gender identity. Conclusions: Implementation of preferred name, pronoun preference, and gender identity presents multiple challenges and opportunities for pathology. PMID:29114436

Patient preference for radial versus femoral vascular access for elective coronary procedures: The PREVAS study.

PubMed

Kok, Marlies M; Weernink, Marieke G M; von Birgelen, Clemens; Fens, Anneloes; van der Heijden, Liefke C; van Til, Janine A

2018-01-01

To explore patient preference for vascular access site in percutaneous coronary procedures, the perceived importance of benefits and risks of transradial access (TRA) and transfemoral access (TFA) were assessed. In addition, direct preference for vascular access and preference for shared decision making (SDM) were evaluated. TRA has gained significant ground on TFA during the last decades. Surveys on patient preference have mostly been performed in dedicated TRA trials. In the PREVAS study (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02625493) a stated preference elicitation method best-worst scaling (BWS) was used to determine patient preference for six treatment attributes: bleeding, switch of access-site, postprocedural vessel quality, mobilization and comfort, and over-night stay. Based on software-generated treatment scenarios, 142 patients indicated which characteristics they perceived most and least important in treatment choice. Best-minus-Worst scores and attribute importance were calculated. Bleeding risk was considered most important (attribute importance 31.3%), followed by length of hospitalization (22.6%), and mobilization(20.2%). Most patients preferred the approach of their current procedure (85.9%); however, 71.1% of patients with experience with both access routes favored TRA (P < 0.001). Most patients (38.0%) appreciated SDM, balanced between patient and cardiologist. Patients appreciate lower bleeding risk and early ambulation, factors favoring TRA. Previous experience with a single access route has a major impact on preference, while experience with both routes generally resulted in preference for TRA. Most patients prefer balanced SDM. © 2017 The Authors Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 The Authors Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Conducting a Discrete-Choice Experiment Study Following Recommendations for Good Research Practices: An Application for Eliciting Patient Preferences for Diabetes Treatments.

PubMed

Janssen, Ellen M; Hauber, A Brett; Bridges, John F P

2018-01-01

To consolidate and illustrate good research practices in health care to the application and reporting of a study measuring patient preferences for type 2 diabetes mellitus medications, given recent methodological advances in stated-preference methods. The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research good research practices and other recommendations were used to conduct a discrete-choice experiment. Members of a US online panel with type 2 diabetes mellitus completed a Web-enabled, self-administered survey that elicited choices between treatment pairs with six attributes at three possible levels each. A D-efficient experimental design blocked 48 choice tasks into three 16-task surveys. Preference estimates were obtained using mixed logit estimation and were used to calculate choice probabilities. A total of 552 participants (51% males) completed the survey. Avoiding 90 minutes of nausea was valued the highest (mean -10.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] -10.53 to -9.47). Participants wanted to avoid low blood glucose during the day and/or night (mean -3.87; 95% CI -4.32 to -3.42) or one pill and one injection per day (mean -7.04; 95% CI -7.63 to -6.45). Participants preferred stable blood glucose 6 d/wk (mean 4.63; 95% CI 4.15 to 5.12) and a 1% decrease in glycated hemoglobin (mean 5.74; 95% CI 5.22 to 6.25). If cost increased by $1, the probability that a treatment profile would be chosen decreased by 1%. These results are consistent with the idea that people have strong preferences for immediate consequences of medication. Despite efforts to produce recommendations, ambiguity surrounding good practices remains and various judgments need to be made when conducting stated-preference studies. To ensure transparency, these judgments should be described and justified. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acceptance of Vaccinations in Pandemic Outbreaks: A Discrete Choice Experiment

PubMed Central

Determann, Domino; Korfage, Ida J.; Lambooij, Mattijs S.; Bliemer, Michiel; Richardus, Jan Hendrik; Steyerberg, Ewout W.; de Bekker-Grob, Esther W.

2014-01-01

Background Preventive measures are essential to limit the spread of new viruses; their uptake is key to their success. However, the vaccination uptake in pandemic outbreaks is often low. We aim to elicit how disease and vaccination characteristics determine preferences of the general public for new pandemic vaccinations. Methods In an internet-based discrete choice experiment (DCE) a representative sample of 536 participants (49% participation rate) from the Dutch population was asked for their preference for vaccination programs in hypothetical communicable disease outbreaks. We used scenarios based on two disease characteristics (susceptibility to and severity of the disease) and five vaccination program characteristics (effectiveness, safety, advice regarding vaccination, media attention, and out-of-pocket costs). The DCE design was based on a literature review, expert interviews and focus group discussions. A panel latent class logit model was used to estimate which trade-offs individuals were willing to make. Results All above mentioned characteristics proved to influence respondents’ preferences for vaccination. Preference heterogeneity was substantial. Females who stated that they were never in favor of vaccination made different trade-offs than males who stated that they were (possibly) willing to get vaccinated. As expected, respondents preferred and were willing to pay more for more effective vaccines, especially if the outbreak was more serious (€6–€39 for a 10% more effective vaccine). Changes in effectiveness, out-of-pocket costs and in the body that advises the vaccine all substantially influenced the predicted uptake. Conclusions We conclude that various disease and vaccination program characteristics influence respondents’ preferences for pandemic vaccination programs. Agencies responsible for preventive measures during pandemics can use the knowledge that out-of-pocket costs and the way advice is given affect vaccination uptake to improve their plans for future pandemic outbreaks. The preference heterogeneity shows that information regarding vaccination needs to be targeted differently depending on gender and willingness to get vaccinated. PMID:25057914

Stated Preference Survey Estimating the Willingness to Pay ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A national stated preference survey designed to elicit household willingness to pay for reductions in impinged and entrained fish at cooling water intake structures. To improve estimation of environmental benefits estimation

Student Preferences for Instructional Methods in an Accounting Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abeysekera, Indra

2015-01-01

Student preferences among instructional methods are largely unexplored across the accounting curriculum. The algorithmic rigor of courses and the societal culture can influence these preferences. This study explored students' preferences of instructional methods for learning in six courses of the accounting curriculum that differ in algorithmic…

Knowledge Representation and Communication: Imparting Current State Information Flow to CPR Stakeholders

PubMed Central

de la Cruz, Norberto B.; Spiece, Leslie J.

2000-01-01

Understanding and communicating the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the clinics and services for which the computerized patient record (CPR) will be built is an integral part of the implementation process. Formal methodologies have been developed to diagram information flow -- flow charts, state-transition diagram (STDs), data flow diagrams (DFDs). For documentation of the processes at our ambulatory CPR pilot site, flowcharting was selected as the preferred method based upon its versatility and understandability.

Student Preferences Regarding Teaching Methods in a Drug-Induced Diseases and Clinical Toxicology Course

PubMed Central

Gim, Suzanna

2013-01-01

Objectives. To determine which teaching method in a drug-induced diseases and clinical toxicology course was preferred by students and whether their preference correlated with their learning of drug-induced diseases. Design. Three teaching methods incorporating active-learning exercises were implemented. A survey instrument was developed to analyze students’ perceptions of the active-learning methods used and how they compared to the traditional teaching method (lecture). Examination performance was then correlated to students’ perceptions of various teaching methods. Assessment. The majority of the 107 students who responded to the survey found traditional lecture significantly more helpful than active-learning methods (p=0.01 for all comparisons). None of the 3 active-learning methods were preferred over the others. No significant correlations were found between students’ survey responses and examination performance. Conclusions. Students preferred traditional lecture to other instructional methods. Learning was not influenced by the teaching method or by preference for a teaching method. PMID:23966726

Assigning values to intermediate health states for cost-utility analysis: theory and practice.

PubMed

Cohen, B J

1996-01-01

Cost-utility analysis (CUA) was developed to guide the allocation of health care resources under a budget constraint. As the generally stated goal of CUA is to maximize aggregate health benefits, the philosophical underpinning of this method is classic utilitarianism. Utilitarianism has been criticized as a basis for social choice because of its emphasis on the net sum of benefits without regard to the distribution of benefits. For example, it has been argued that absolute priority should be given to the worst off when making social choices affecting basic needs. Application of classic utilitarianism requires use of strength-of-preference utilities, assessed under conditions of certainty, to assign quality-adjustment factors to intermediate health states. The two methods commonly used to measure strength-of-preference utility, categorical scaling and time tradeoff, produce rankings that systematically give priority to those who are better off. Alternatively, von Neumann-Morgenstern utilities, assessed under conditions of uncertainty, could be used to assign values to intermediate health states. The theoretical basis for this would be Harsanyi's proposal that social choice be made under the hypothetical assumption that one had an equal chance of being anyone in society. If this proposal is accepted, as well as the expected-utility axioms applied to both individual choice and social choice, the preferred societal arrangement is that with the highest expected von Neumann-Morgenstern utility. In the presence of risk aversion, this will give some priority to the worst-off relative to classic utilitarianism. Another approach is to raise the values obtained by time-tradeoff assessments to a power a between 0 and 1. This would explicitly give priority to the worst off, with the degree of priority increasing as a decreases. Results could be presented over a range of a. The results of CUA would then provide useful information to those holding a range of philosophical points of view.

Preferences for Type 2 Diabetes Health States among Adolescents With or at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Erinn T.; Prosser, Lisa A.; Lieu, Tracy A.; Songer, Thomas J.; Ludwig, David S.; Laffel, Lori M.

2015-01-01

Objective We evaluated how adolescents with or at risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and their parent/guardians (parents) value health states associated with T2DM. Methods We interviewed overweight/obese (BMI≥85th percentile), 12–18 year-old adolescents with T2DM, prediabetes, or insulin resistance (IR) and a parent. The standard gamble (SG) method elicited preferences (utilities) for 7 hypothetical T2DM health states reported on a scale from 0 (dead) to 1 (perfect health). Adolescent’s current health was evaluated with the SG and Health Utilities Index (HUI). Results There were 70 adolescents and 69 parents. Adolescents were 67.1% female and 15.5±2.2 years old; 30% had T2DM, 30% prediabetes, and 40% IR. Almost half (48.6%) had a BMI>99th percentile. Parents (83% mothers) were 45.1±7.3 years old and 75% had at least some college/technical school education. Adolescents and parents rated T2DM with no complications treated with diet as most desirable (median [IQR]; adolescent 0.72 [0.54, 0.98]; parent 1.0 [0.88, 1.0]) and end stage renal disease as least desirable (adolescent 0.51 [0.31, 0.70]; parent 0.80 [0.65, 0.94]). However, adolescents’ utilities were significantly lower (p≤0.001) than parents for all health states assessed. Adolescents’ assessment of their current health with the SG and HUI were not correlated. Conclusions Adolescents with or at risk of T2DM rated treatments and sequelae of diabetes as significantly worse than their parents. These adolescent utilities should be considered in the evaluation of treatment strategies for youth with T2DM. Family-based programs for T2DM must also be prepared to address conflicting preferences in order to promote shared-decision making. PMID:21489091

A pilot Internet "Value of Health" Panel: recruitment, participation and compliance

PubMed Central

Stein, Ken; Dyer, Matthew; Crabb, Tania; Milne, Ruairidh; Round, Alison; Ratcliffe, Julie; Brazier, John

2006-01-01

Objectives To pilot using a panel of members of the public to provide preference data via the Internet Methods A stratified random sample of members of the general public was recruited and familiarised with the standard gamble procedure using an Internet based tool. Health states were perdiodically presented in "sets" corresponding to different conditions, during the study. The following were described: Recruitment (proportion of people approached who were trained); Participation (a) the proportion of people trained who provided any preferences and (b) the proportion of panel members who contributed to each "set" of values; and Compliance (the proportion, per participant, of preference tasks which were completed). The influence of covariates on these outcomes was investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results A panel of 112 people was recruited. 23% of those approached (n = 5,320) responded to the invitation, and 24% of respondents (n = 1,215) were willing to participate (net = 5.5%). However, eventual recruitment rates, following training, were low (2.1% of those approached). Recruitment from areas of high socioeconomic deprivation and among ethnic minority communities was low. Eighteen sets of health state descriptions were considered over 14 months. 74% of panel members carried out at least one valuation task. People from areas of higher socioeconomic deprivation and unmarried people were less likely to participate. An average of 41% of panel members expressed preferences on each set of descriptions. Compliance ranged from 3% to 100%. Conclusion It is feasible to establish a panel of members of the general public to express preferences on a wide range of health state descriptions using the Internet, although differential recruitment and attrition are important challenges. Particular attention to recruitment and retention in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation and among ethnic minority communities is necessary. Nevertheless, the panel approach to preference measurement using the Internet offers the potential to provide specific utility data in a responsive manner for use in economic evaluations and to address some of the outstanding methodological uncertainties in this field. PMID:17129380

Comparing the health state preferences of older persons, informal caregivers and healthcare professionals: a vignette study.

PubMed

Hofman, Cynthia S; Makai, Peter; Blom, Jeanet W; Boter, Han; Buurman, Bianca M; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Donders, Rogier; Melis, René J F

2015-01-01

The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Survey-Minimum Dataset (TOPICS-MDS) collects uniform information from research projects funded under the Dutch National Care for the Elderly Programme. To compare the effectiveness of these projects a preference-weighted outcome measure that combined multidimensional TOPICS-MDS outcomes into a composite endpoint (TOPICS-CEP) was developed based on the health state preferences of older persons and informal caregivers. To derive preference weights for TOPICS-CEP's components based on health state preferences of healthcare professionals and to investigate whether these weights differ between disciplines and differ from those of older persons and informal caregivers. Vignette studies were conducted. Participants assessed the general wellbeing of older persons described in vignettes on a scale (0-10). Mixed linear analyses were used to obtain and compare the preference weights of the eight TOPICS-CEP components: morbidities, functional limitations, emotional wellbeing, pain experience, cognitive problems, social functioning, self-perceived health, and self-perceived quality of life (QOL). Overall, 330 healthcare professionals, 124 older persons and 76 informal caregivers participated. The preference weights were not significantly different between disciplines. However, the professionals' preference weights differed significantly from those of older persons and informal caregivers. Morbidities and functional limitations were given more weight by older persons and informal caregivers than by healthcare professionals [difference between preference weights: 0.12 and 0.07] while the opposite was true for pain experience, social functioning, and self-perceived QOL [difference between preference weights: 0.13, 0.15 and 0.26]. It is important to recognize the discrepancies between the health state preferences of various stakeholders to (1) correctly interpret results when studying the effectiveness of interventions in elderly care and (2) establish appropriate healthcare policies. Furthermore, we should strive to include older persons in our decision making process through a shared decision making approach.

Investigating Intrinsic and Extrinsic Variables During Simulated Internet Search

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liechty, Molly M.; Madhavan, Poornima

2011-01-01

Using an eye tracker we examined decision-making processes during an internet search task. Twenty experienced homebuyers and twenty-five undergraduates from Old Dominion University viewed homes on a simulated real estate website. Several of the homes included physical properties that had the potential to negatively impact individual perceptions. These negative externalities were either easy to change (Level 1) or impossible to change (Level 2). Eye movements were analyzed to examine the relationship between participants' "stated preferences"[verbalized preferences], "revealed preferences" [actual decisions[, and experience. Dwell times, fixation durations/counts, and saccade counts/amplitudes were analyzed. Results revealed that experienced homebuyers demonstrated a more refined search pattern than novice searchers. Experienced homebuyers were also less impacted by negative externalities. Furthermore, stated preferences were discrepant from revealed preferences; although participants initially stated they liked/disliked a graphic, their eye movement patterns did not reflect this trend. These results have important implications for design of user-friendly web interfaces.

Online health communication about human genetics: perceptions and preferences of internet users.

PubMed

Bernhardt, Jay M; McClain, Jacqueline; Parrott, Roxanne L

2004-12-01

Unprecedented advancements in human genetics research necessitate keeping the public abreast of new information, applications, and implications and the Internet represents an important method of communicating with the public. Our research used cross-sectional self-report survey data collected from a diverse convenience sample of 780 Internet users in two states. Multivariate regression analysis explored the relationships between experiences, perceptions, and preferences for online health and genetics communication. Online health information seeking was associated with previous genetic information seeking, comfort with online genetic communication, perceived risk for genetic abnormality, being female, and having more education. Comfort with online genetics communication was associated with a preference for online genetic information, previous online health and off-line genetics information seeking, having a healthy lifestyle, believing in the positive impact of human genetics research, and being female. Perceiving online health information to be accurate was associated with preferring the Internet for genetics communication, being older, less educated, and perceiving Internet use as anonymous. Preferring online genetics communication to other communication channels was associated with perceiving online health information as accurate, being comfortable receiving online genetics information, having lower intrinsic religiosity, and being male. The implications of findings for Web-based health message design are discussed.

An Assessment of the Learning Needs of Mature Adults in Northern Maine Technical College's Service Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinnon, Norma M.; McKinnon, Ivan D.

In 1991, Northern Maine Technical College (NMTC) conducted a survey of 122 individuals over the age of 55 years to determine their educational interests, their preferences regarding course delivery methods, and their demographic characteristics. The survey asked respondents to state their interest in specific subjects under the categories of…

Perspectives on prescribed fire in the south: does ethnicity matter?

Treesearch

Siew Hoon Lim; J.M. Bowker; Cassandra Y. Johnson; H. Ken Cordell

2009-01-01

Using a household survey and regression methods, we assessed preferences for prescribed fire in the southern United States. We found that the majority of the respondents favored the use of prescribed fire. However, we observed pronounced racial variation in opinions on prescribed fire and its side effects. African Americans and Hispanics were less supportive and were...

Arthroscopic training resources in orthopedic resident education.

PubMed

Koehler, Ryan; John, Tamara; Lawler, Jeffrey; Moorman, Claude; Nicandri, Gregg

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of use, perceived effectiveness, and preference for arthroscopic surgical skill training resources. An electronic survey was sent to orthopedics residents, residency program directors, and orthopedic sports medicine attending physicians in the United States. The frequency and perceived effectiveness of 10 types of adjunctive arthroscopic skills training was assessed. Residents and faculty members were asked to rate their confidence in resident ability to perform common arthroscopic procedures. Surveys were completed by 40 of 152 (26.3%) orthopedic residency program directors, 70 of 426 (16.4%) sports medicine faculty, and 235 of 3,170 (7.4%) orthopedic residents. The use of adjunctive methods of training varied from only 9.8% of programs with virtual reality training to 80.5% of programs that used reading of published materials to develop arthroscopic skill. Practice on cadaveric specimens was viewed as the most effective and preferred adjunctive method of training. Residents trained on cadaveric specimens reported increased confidence in their ability to perform arthroscopic procedures. The resources for developing arthroscopic surgical skill vary considerably across orthopedic residency programs in the United States. Adjunctive training methods were perceived to be effective at supplementing traditional training in the operating room. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Results of a quantitative survey to explore both perceptions of the purposes of follow-up and preferences for methods of follow-up delivery among service users, primary care practitioners and specialist clinicians after cancer treatment.

PubMed

Frew, G; Smith, A; Zutshi, B; Young, N; Aggarwal, A; Jones, P; Kockelbergh, R; Richards, M; Maher, E J

2010-12-01

To ascertain perceptions of reasons for follow-up after cancer treatment among service users (patients and carers), primary care practitioners and specialist clinicians (doctors and specialist nurses) and to identify levels of preference for different models of follow-up and the effect of an individual's experience on preferred models. A national survey designed to meet the needs of each key respondent group was carried out after a structured literature review, an extensive consultation process and a pilot scheme. Respondents were asked to assess their degree of preference for 10 pre-selected indications for follow-up. Eight models of follow-up were also identified and respondents were asked to state their experience and preference for each type. The questionnaire was distributed nationally via the 34 cancer networks in England and was available both online and in hard copy (postal). The uptake for the electronic format was in the main by primary care practitioners and specialist clinicians. Service users preferred the paper (postal) format. The survey was also publicised through the primary care and patient partnership forums at a Cancer Network Development event. In total, 2928 responses were received, comprising service users (21% of the sample), primary care practitioners (32%) and specialist clinicians (47%). Eighty-six per cent of responses were received from the 10 strategic health authorities in England, with the remaining 14% from Scotland, Wales and The Isle of Man. The responses from Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man generally occurred where they interfaced with English cancer networks or had been engaged through word of mouth by colleagues. Among all respondents the main aims of cancer follow-up were considered to be: (1) to monitor for early complications after treatment; (2) to detect recurrences early; (3) to detect late effects of treatment. The most commonly experienced method of follow-up among all respondent groups was outpatient review with a doctor. This was considered to be the most preferred follow-up option among service users (86%). The least preferred option among service users was postal follow-up (32%). Primary care practitioners and specialist clinicians were more likely than service users to have experienced alternative methods of follow-up, such as telephone follow-up, self-triggered referral and non-specialist follow-up. These models were highly rated by those who had experience of them. There was a reasonable level of consensus between service users, primary care practitioners and specialist clinicians as to the reasons for follow-up. Service users seemed to have higher expectations of follow-up, particularly in relation to detecting recurrences early. As respondents were more likely to prefer a method of follow-up delivery that they had experienced than one they had not; there could be resistance to change from established methods to new methods without adequate explanation. This suggests that the communication of new methods could be critical to their successful introduction. Copyright © 2010 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Approximating the Qualitative Vickrey Auction by a Negotiation Protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hindriks, Koen V.; Tykhonov, Dmytro; de Weerdt, Mathijs

A result of Bulow and Klemperer has suggested that auctions may be a better tool to obtain an efficient outcome than negotiation. For example, some auction mechanisms can be shown to be efficient and strategy-proof. However, they generally also require that the preferences of at least one side of the auction are publicly known. However, sometimes it is very costly, impossible, or undesirable to publicly announce such preferences. It thus is interesting to find methods that do not impose this constraint but still approximate the outcome of the auction. In this paper we show that a multi-round multi-party negotiation protocol may be used to this end if the negotiating agents are capable of learning opponent preferences. The latter condition can be met by current state of the art negotiation technology. We show that this protocol approximates the theoretical outcome predicted by a so-called Qualitative Vickrey auction mechanism (even) on a complex multi-issue domain.

A Framework Incorporating Community Preferences in Use ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The report is intended to assist water quality officials, watershed managers, members of stakeholder groups, and other interested individuals in fully evaluating ecological and socioeconomic objectives and the gains and losses that often are involved in use attainment decisions. In addition, this report enables local, state, and tribal managers to better understand the benefits, as well as the costs, of attaining high water quality, and to incorporate community preferences in decision-making. Specific objectives are (1) to provide an introduction to the CWA and WQS regulation and analyses related to setting or changing designated uses; (2) create a basis for understanding the relationship between use-attainment decisions and the effects on ecosystems, ecosystem services, and ecological benefits; (3) serve as reference for methods that elicit or infer preferences for benefits and costs related to attaining uses and (4) present process for incorporating new approaches in water quality decisions.

Similarities in human visual and declared measures of preference for opposite-sex faces.

PubMed

Griffey, Jack A F; Little, Anthony C

2014-01-01

Facial appearance in humans is associated with attraction and mate choice. Numerous studies have identified that adults display directional preferences for certain facial traits including symmetry, averageness, and sexually dimorphic traits. Typically, studies measuring human preference for these traits examine declared (e.g., choice or ratings of attractiveness) or visual preferences (e.g., looking time) of participants. However, the extent to which visual and declared preferences correspond remains relatively untested. In order to evaluate the relationship between these measures we examined visual and declared preferences displayed by men and women for opposite-sex faces manipulated across three dimensions (symmetry, averageness, and masculinity) and compared preferences from each method. Results indicated that participants displayed significant visual and declared preferences for symmetrical, average, and appropriately sexually dimorphic faces. We also found that declared and visual preferences correlated weakly but significantly. These data indicate that visual and declared preferences for manipulated facial stimuli produce similar directional preferences across participants and are also correlated with one another within participants. Both methods therefore may be considered appropriate to measure human preferences. However, while both methods appear likely to generate similar patterns of preference at the sample level, the weak nature of the correlation between visual and declared preferences in our data suggests some caution in assuming visual preferences are the same as declared preferences at the individual level. Because there are positive and negative factors in both methods for measuring preference, we suggest that a combined approach is most useful in outlining population level preferences for traits.

Use of Information Technology Tools in Source Selection Decision Making: A Study on USAF’s KC-X Tanker Replacement Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

The most common outranking methods are the preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation ( PROMETHEE ) and the elimination and...Brans and Ph. Vincke, “A Preference Ranking Organization Method: (The PROMETHEE Method for Multiple Criteria Decision-Making),” Management Science 31... PROMETHEE ). This method needs a preference function for each criterion to compute the degree of preference.72 “The credibility of the outranking

Ability, Demography, Learning Style, and Personality Trait Correlates of Student Preference for Assessment Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furnham, Adrian; Christopher, Andrew; Garwood, Jeanette; Martin, Neil G.

2008-01-01

More than 400 students from four universities in America and Britain completed measures of learning style preference, general knowledge (as a proxy for intelligence), and preference for examination method. Learning style was consistently associated with preferences: surface learners preferred multiple choice and group work options, and viewed…

Online Versus Telephone Methods to Recruit and Interview Older Gay and Bisexual Men Treated for Prostate Cancer: Findings from the Restore Study.

PubMed

Rosser, B R Simon; Capistrant, Benjamin

2016-07-19

Recently, researchers have faced the challenge of conflicting recommendations for online versus traditional methods to recruit and interview older, sexual minority men. Older populations represent the cohort least likely to be online, necessitating the use of traditional research methods, such as telephone or in-person interviews. By contrast, gay and bisexual men represent a population of early adopters of new technology, both in general and for medical research. In a study of older gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer, we asked whether respondents preferred online versus offline methods for data collection. Given the paucity of research on how to recruit older gay and bisexual men in general, and older gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer in particular, we conducted an observational study to identify participant preferences when participating in research studies. To test online versus offline recruitment demographic data collection, and interview preferences of older gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer. Email blasts were sent from a website providing support services for gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer, supplemented with an email invitation from the web-host. All invitations provided information via the study website address and a toll-free telephone number. Study tasks included respondents being screened, giving informed consent, completing a short survey collecting demographic data, and a 60-75 minute telephone or Internet chat interview. All materials stressed that enrollees could participate in each task using either online methods or by telephone, whichever they preferred. A total of 74 men were screened into the study, and 30 were interviewed. The average age of the participants was 63 years (standard deviation 6.9, range 48-75 years), with most residing in 14 American states, and one temporarily located overseas. For screening, consent, and the collection of demographic data, 97% (29/30) of the participants completed these tasks using online methods. For the interview, 97% (29/30) chose to be interviewed by telephone, rather than Internet chat. Older gay and bisexual men, when given choices, appear to prefer a mixed methods approach to qualitative investigations. For most aspects of the study, the older men chose online methods; the exception was the interview, in which case almost all preferred telephone. We speculate that a combination of the deeply personal nature of the topic (sexual effects of prostate cancer treatment), unfamiliarity with online chat, and possibly the subject burden involved in extensive typing contributed to the preference of telephone versus online chat. Recruitment of older men into this study showed good geographic diversity. We recommend that other qualitative researchers consider a mixed methods approach when recruiting older populations online. ©BR Simon Rosser, Benjamin Capistrant. Originally published in JMIR Cancer (http://cancer.jmir.org), 19.07.2016.

Retinal slit lamp video mosaicking.

PubMed

De Zanet, Sandro; Rudolph, Tobias; Richa, Rogerio; Tappeiner, Christoph; Sznitman, Raphael

2016-06-01

To this day, the slit lamp remains the first tool used by an ophthalmologist to examine patient eyes. Imaging of the retina poses, however, a variety of problems, namely a shallow depth of focus, reflections from the optical system, a small field of view and non-uniform illumination. For ophthalmologists, the use of slit lamp images for documentation and analysis purposes, however, remains extremely challenging due to large image artifacts. For this reason, we propose an automatic retinal slit lamp video mosaicking, which enlarges the field of view and reduces amount of noise and reflections, thus enhancing image quality. Our method is composed of three parts: (i) viable content segmentation, (ii) global registration and (iii) image blending. Frame content is segmented using gradient boosting with custom pixel-wise features. Speeded-up robust features are used for finding pair-wise translations between frames with robust random sample consensus estimation and graph-based simultaneous localization and mapping for global bundle adjustment. Foreground-aware blending based on feathering merges video frames into comprehensive mosaics. Foreground is segmented successfully with an area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9557. Mosaicking results and state-of-the-art methods were compared and rated by ophthalmologists showing a strong preference for a large field of view provided by our method. The proposed method for global registration of retinal slit lamp images of the retina into comprehensive mosaics improves over state-of-the-art methods and is preferred qualitatively.

Economic evaluation in short bowel syndrome (SBS): an algorithm to estimate utility scores for a patient-reported SBS-specific quality of life scale (SBS-QoL™).

PubMed

Lloyd, Andrew; Kerr, Cicely; Breheny, Katie; Brazier, John; Ortiz, Aurora; Borg, Emma

2014-03-01

Condition-specific preference-based measures can offer utility data where they would not otherwise be available or where generic measures may lack sensitivity, although they lack comparability across conditions. This study aimed to develop an algorithm for estimating utilities from the short bowel syndrome health-related quality of life scale (SBS-QoL™). SBS-QoL™ items were selected based on factor and item performance analysis of a European SBS-QoL™ dataset and consultation with 3 SBS clinical experts. Six-dimension health states were developed using 8 SBS-QoL™ items (2 dimensions combined 2 SBS-QoL™ items). SBS health states were valued by a UK general population sample (N = 250) using the lead-time time trade-off method. Preference weights or 'utility decrements' for each severity level of each dimension were estimated by regression models and used to develop the scoring algorithm. Mean utilities for the SBS health states ranged from -0.46 (worst health state, very much affected on all dimensions) to 0.92 (best health state, not at all affected on all dimensions). The random effects model with maximum likelihood estimation regression had the best predictive ability and lowest root mean squared error and mean absolute error, and was used to develop the scoring algorithm. The preference-weighted scoring algorithm for the SBS-QoL™ developed is able to estimate a wide range of utility values from patient-level SBS-QoL™ data. This allows estimation of SBS HRQL impact for the purpose of economic evaluation of SBS treatment benefits.

End-Users' Product Preference Across Three Multipurpose Prevention Technology Delivery Forms: Baseline Results from Young Women in Kenya and South Africa.

PubMed

Weinrib, Rachel; Minnis, Alexandra; Agot, Kawango; Ahmed, Khatija; Owino, Fred; Manenzhe, Kgahlisho; Cheng, Helen; van der Straten, Ariane

2018-01-01

A multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) that combines HIV and pregnancy prevention is a promising women's health intervention, particularly for young women. However, little is known about the drivers of acceptability and product choice for MPTs in this population. This paper explores approval ratings and stated choice across three different MPT delivery forms among potential end-users. The Trio Study was a mixed-methods study in women ages 18-30 that examined acceptability of three MPT delivery forms: oral tablets, injections, and vaginal ring. Approval ratings and stated choice among the products was collected at baseline. Factors influencing stated product choice were explored using multivariable multinomial logistic regression. The majority (62%) of women in Trio stated they would choose injections, 27% would choose tablets and 11% would choose the ring. Significant predictors of choice included past experience with similar contraceptive delivery forms, age, and citing frequency of use as important. Ring choice was higher for older (25-30) women than for younger (18-24) women (aRR = 3.1; p < 0.05). These results highlight the importance of familiarity in MPT product choice of potential for variations in MPT preference by age.

Leveraging Multiactions to Improve Medical Personalized Ranking for Collaborative Filtering.

PubMed

Gao, Shan; Guo, Guibing; Li, Runzhi; Wang, Zongmin

2017-01-01

Nowadays, providing high-quality recommendation services to users is an essential component in web applications, including shopping, making friends, and healthcare. This can be regarded either as a problem of estimating users' preference by exploiting explicit feedbacks (numerical ratings), or as a problem of collaborative ranking with implicit feedback (e.g., purchases, views, and clicks). Previous works for solving this issue include pointwise regression methods and pairwise ranking methods. The emerging healthcare websites and online medical databases impose a new challenge for medical service recommendation. In this paper, we develop a model, MBPR (Medical Bayesian Personalized Ranking over multiple users' actions), based on the simple observation that users tend to assign higher ranks to some kind of healthcare services that are meanwhile preferred in users' other actions. Experimental results on the real-world datasets demonstrate that MBPR achieves more accurate recommendations than several state-of-the-art methods and shows its generality and scalability via experiments on the datasets from one mobile shopping app.

Leveraging Multiactions to Improve Medical Personalized Ranking for Collaborative Filtering

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Nowadays, providing high-quality recommendation services to users is an essential component in web applications, including shopping, making friends, and healthcare. This can be regarded either as a problem of estimating users' preference by exploiting explicit feedbacks (numerical ratings), or as a problem of collaborative ranking with implicit feedback (e.g., purchases, views, and clicks). Previous works for solving this issue include pointwise regression methods and pairwise ranking methods. The emerging healthcare websites and online medical databases impose a new challenge for medical service recommendation. In this paper, we develop a model, MBPR (Medical Bayesian Personalized Ranking over multiple users' actions), based on the simple observation that users tend to assign higher ranks to some kind of healthcare services that are meanwhile preferred in users' other actions. Experimental results on the real-world datasets demonstrate that MBPR achieves more accurate recommendations than several state-of-the-art methods and shows its generality and scalability via experiments on the datasets from one mobile shopping app. PMID:29118963

Collaborative environmental planning in river management: An application of multicriteria decision analysis in the White River Watershed in Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hermans, C.; Erickson, J.; Noordewier, T.; Sheldon, A.; Kline, M.

2007-01-01

Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a well-established family of decision tools to aid stakeholder groups in arriving at collective decisions. MCDA can also function as a framework for the social learning process, serving as an educational aid in decision problems characterized by a high level of public participation. In this paper, the framework and results of a structured decision process using the outranking MCDA methodology preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) are presented. PROMETHEE is used to frame multi-stakeholder discussions of river management alternatives for the Upper White River of Central Vermont, in the northeastern United States. Stakeholders met over 10 months to create a shared vision of an ideal river and its services to communities, develop a list of criteria by which to evaluate river management alternatives, and elicit preferences to rank and compare individual and group preferences. The MCDA procedure helped to frame a group process that made stakeholder preferences explicit and substantive discussions about long-term river management possible. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution, feeding behavior and control strategies of the exotic land snail Achatina fulica (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) in the northeast of Brazil.

PubMed

Albuquerque, F S; Peso-Aguiar, M C; Assunção-Albuquerque, M J T

2008-11-01

The goal of this study was to document the distribution and establishment A. fulica such as their feeding preference and behavior in situ. The study was carried out at the city of Lauro de Freitas, Bahia state, Brazil, between November 2001 and November 2002. We used catch per unit effort methods to determine abundance, distribution, habitat choice and food preferences. The abundance and distribution of A. fulica was most representative in urban area, mainly near to the coastline. Lots and house gardens were the most preferred sites during active hours. The results indicated that A. fulica started their activity at the end of the evening and stopped in mid-morning. Their preferred food were vascular plants such as Hibiscus syriacus, Ricinus communis, Carica papaya, Galinsonga coccinea, Lippia alba, Ixora coccinea, Musa parasidisiaca, Mentha spicata and Cymbopogon citrates. Our results indicate that A. fulica are well adapted and established in this city and modified environments facilitate their establishment and dispersion. However, human perturbation, such as clearance of lots could be limiting for the persistence of A. fulica populations.

Collaborative environmental planning in river management: an application of multicriteria decision analysis in the White River Watershed in Vermont.

PubMed

Hermans, Caroline; Erickson, Jon; Noordewier, Tom; Sheldon, Amy; Kline, Mike

2007-09-01

Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) provides a well-established family of decision tools to aid stakeholder groups in arriving at collective decisions. MCDA can also function as a framework for the social learning process, serving as an educational aid in decision problems characterized by a high level of public participation. In this paper, the framework and results of a structured decision process using the outranking MCDA methodology preference ranking organization method of enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) are presented. PROMETHEE is used to frame multi-stakeholder discussions of river management alternatives for the Upper White River of Central Vermont, in the northeastern United States. Stakeholders met over 10 months to create a shared vision of an ideal river and its services to communities, develop a list of criteria by which to evaluate river management alternatives, and elicit preferences to rank and compare individual and group preferences. The MCDA procedure helped to frame a group process that made stakeholder preferences explicit and substantive discussions about long-term river management possible.

A social preference valuations set for EQ-5D health states in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Cleemput, Irina

2010-04-01

This study aimed at deriving a preference valuation set for EQ-5D health states from the general Flemish public in Belgium. A EuroQol valuation instrument with 16 health states to be valued on a visual analogue scale was sent to a random sample of 2,754 adults. The initial response rate was 35%. Eventually, 548 (20%) respondents provided useable valuations for modeling. Valuations for 245 health states were modeled using a random effects model. The selection of the model was based on two criteria: health state valuations must be consistent, and the difference with the directly observed valuations must be small. A model including a value decrement if any health dimension of the EQ-5D is on the worst level was selected to construct the social health state valuation set. A comparison with health state valuations from other countries showed similarities, especially with those from New Zealand. The use of a single preference valuation set across different health economic evaluations within a country is highly preferable to increase their usability for policy makers. This study contributes to the standardization of outcome measurement in economic evaluations in Belgium.

A Survey on Oocyte Donation: Turkish Fertile and Infertile Women’s Opinions

PubMed Central

Akyuz, Aygul; Sever, Nese; Karasahin, Emre; Guvenc, Gulten; Cek, Suzan

2014-01-01

Background There are various treatment options for infertility, and new techniques are also being developed as it is an important healthcare problem affecting approximately 15-20% of married couples. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of infor- mation of fertile and infertile Turkish women on oocyte donation in order to understand their awareness of the legal, ethical, social and religious issues regarding this technique and to compare these two groups in terms of these variables. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study included infertile women being treated at the assisted reproductive technologies (ART) program of a university hos- pital and women who had presented at the gynecology outpatients department of the same university for routine check-ups and who had no previous history of infertility. After consulting with specialists in the field and searching the related literature, a data collection form having 22 questions for infertile women and 18 questions for fertile women was prepared. Results The women were asked whether they would use the oocytes of another woman if necessary. The results showed that 67.6% of the fertile women said they would never want to use this method, while 63.9% of the infertile women stated they may accept to use this method under certain conditions (two distinct answers appeared in the answers, some women stated they would prefer donated oocytes from close relatives, while others stated they would prefer oocytes from total strangers), such as from a close relative or from someone they do not know at all. Conclusion Infertile women mentioned that they could use illegal routes if necessary to have a child at much higher rates than stated by fertile women. This shows that desire to have a child is a strong source of motivation in Turkey. PMID:25379158

Photon and a preferred frame scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rembieliński, Jakub; Ciborowski, Jacek

2018-06-01

Structure of the space of photonic states is discussed in the context of a working hypothesis of existence of a preferred frame for photons. Two polarization experiments are proposed to test the preferred frame scenario.

Estimation of a Preference-Based Summary Score for the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System: The PROMIS®-Preference (PROPr) Scoring System.

PubMed

Dewitt, Barry; Feeny, David; Fischhoff, Baruch; Cella, David; Hays, Ron D; Hess, Rachel; Pilkonis, Paul A; Revicki, Dennis A; Roberts, Mark S; Tsevat, Joel; Yu, Lan; Hanmer, Janel

2018-06-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) preference-based scores are used to assess the health of populations and patients and for cost-effectiveness analyses. The National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) consists of patient-reported outcome measures developed using item response theory. PROMIS is in need of a direct preference-based scoring system for assigning values to health states. To produce societal preference-based scores for 7 PROMIS domains: Cognitive Function-Abilities, Depression, Fatigue, Pain Interference, Physical Function, Sleep Disturbance, and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities. Online survey of a US nationally representative sample ( n = 983). Preferences for PROMIS health states were elicited with the standard gamble to obtain both single-attribute scoring functions for each of the 7 PROMIS domains and a multiplicative multiattribute utility (scoring) function. The 7 single-attribute scoring functions were fit using isotonic regression with linear interpolation. The multiplicative multiattribute summary function estimates utilities for PROMIS multiattribute health states on a scale where 0 is the utility of being dead and 1 the utility of "full health." The lowest possible score is -0.022 (for a state viewed as worse than dead), and the highest possible score is 1. The online survey systematically excludes some subgroups, such as the visually impaired and illiterate. A generic societal preference-based scoring system is now available for all studies using these 7 PROMIS health domains.

Random preferences towards bioenergy environmental externalities: a case study of woody biomass based electricity in the Southern United States

Treesearch

Andres Susaeta; Pankaj Lal; Janaki Alavalapati; Evan Mercer

2011-01-01

This paper contrasts alternate methodological approaches of investigating public preferences, the random parameter logit (RPL) where tastes and preferences of respondents are assumed to be heterogeneous and the conditional logit (CL) approach where tastes and preferences remain fixed for individuals. We conducted a choice experiment to assess preferences for woody...

Exploring consumer understanding and preferences for pharmacy quality information

PubMed Central

Shiyanbola, Olayinka O.; Mort, Jane R.

2014-01-01

Objective: To describe consumer understanding of pharmacy quality measures and consumer preferences for pharmacy quality information. Methods: Semi-structured focus group design was combined with survey methods. Adults who filled prescription medications for self-reported chronic illnesses at community pharmacies discussed their understanding of Pharmacy Quality Alliance approved quality measures. Questions examined preference of pharmacy quality information rating systems (e.g. stars versus percentages) and desired data display/formats. During the focus group, participants completed a survey examining their understanding of each pharmacy quality measure. All focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Results: Thirty-four individuals participated (mean age= 62.85; SD=16.05). Participants were unfamiliar with quality measures information and their level of understanding differed for each quality measure. Surveys indicated 94.1% understood “Drug-Drug Interactions” and “Helping Patients Get Needed Medications” better than other measures (e.g., 76.5% understood “Suboptimal Treatment of Hypertension in Patients with Diabetes”). Qualitative analysis indicated participants preferred an overall pharmacy rating for quick access and use. However, participants also wanted quality measures information displayed by health conditions. Participants favored comparison of their pharmacy to city data instead of state data. Most participants liked star ratings better than percentages, letter grades, or numerical ratings. Conclusions: Individuals who have a chronic illness and regularly use community pharmacies are interested in pharmacy quality measures. However, specific quality measures were not understood by some participants. Participants had specific preferences for the display of pharmacy quality information which will be helpful in the design of appropriate quality report systems. PMID:25580169

Results of a study assessing teaching methods of faculty after measuring student learning style preference.

PubMed

Stirling, Bridget V

2017-08-01

Learning style preference impacts how well groups of students respond to their curricula. Faculty have many choices in the methods for delivering nursing content, as well as assessing students. The purpose was to develop knowledge around how faculty delivered curricula content, and then considering these findings in the context of the students learning style preference. Following an in-service on teaching and learning styles, faculty completed surveys on their methods of teaching and the proportion of time teaching, using each learning style (visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic). This study took place at the College of Nursing a large all-female university in Saudi Arabia. 24 female nursing faculty volunteered to participate in the project. A cross-sectional design was used. Faculty reported teaching using mostly methods that were kinesthetic and visual, although lecture was also popular (aural). Students preferred kinesthetic and aural learning methods. Read/write was the least preferred by students and the least used method of teaching by faculty. Faculty used visual methods about one third of the time, although they were not preferred by the students. Students' preferred learning style (kinesthetic) was the method most used by faculty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Best Interest of the Child and Parental Alienation: A Survey of State Statutes.

PubMed

Baker, Amy J L; Asayan, Mariann; LaCheen-Baker, Alianna

2016-07-01

State statutes regarding the best interests of the child (BIC) in deciding disputed custody were reviewed and independently coded with respect to three issues (i) the child's preference and any limits (ii) parental alienation and (iii) psychological maltreatment. Results revealed that many states allowed for the child's preferences to be considered and none qualified that preference when undue influence has occurred; parental alienation as a term was not found in any state statutes but 70% of the states included at least one BIC factor relevant to its core construct of the parent supporting the child's relationship to the other parent; and many states included a history of domestic violence or child abuse but only three states explicitly mentioned psychological maltreatment. These findings highlight yet another way in which the BICS factors lack specificity in ways that could negatively impact children caught in their parents' conflict. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Preference-based disease-specific health-related quality of life instrument for glaucoma: a mixed methods study protocol

PubMed Central

Muratov, Sergei; Podbielski, Dominik W; Jack, Susan M; Ahmed, Iqbal Ike K; Mitchell, Levine A H; Baltaziak, Monika; Xie, Feng

2016-01-01

Introduction A primary objective of healthcare services is to improve patients' health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Glaucoma, which affects a substantial proportion of the world population, has a significant detrimental impact on HRQoL. Although there are a number of glaucoma-specific questionnaires to measure HRQoL, none is preference-based which prevent them from being used in health economic evaluation. The proposed study is aimed to develop a preference-based instrument that is capable of capturing important effects specific to glaucoma and treatments on HRQoL and is scored based on the patients' preferences. Methods A sequential, exploratory mixed methods design will be used to guide the development and evaluation of the HRQoL instrument. The study consists of several stages to be implemented sequentially: item identification, item selection, validation and valuation. The instrument items will be identified and selected through a literature review and the conduct of a qualitative study. Validation will be conducted to establish psychometric properties of the instrument followed by a valuation exercise to derive utility scores for the health states described. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Trillium Health Partners Research Ethics Board (ID number 753). All personal information will be de-identified with the identification code kept in a secured location including the rest of the study data. Only qualified and study-related personnel will be allowed to access the data. The results of the study will be distributed widely through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and internal meetings. PMID:28186941

75 FR 54338 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; State Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-07

....gov : (our preferred method) Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. E-mail..., DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the...

Testing the effectiveness of certainty scales, cheap talk, and dissonance-minimization in reducing hypothetical bias in contingent valuation studies

Treesearch

Mark Morrison; Thomas C. Brown

2009-01-01

Stated preference methods such as contingent valuation and choice modeling are subject to various biases that may lead to differences between actual and hypothetical willingness to pay. Cheap talk, follow-up certainty scales, and dissonance minimization are three techniques for reducing this hypothetical bias. Cheap talk and certainty scales have received considerable...

Effectively Communicating Colorectal Cancer Screening Information to Primary Care Providers: Application for State, Tribe or Territory Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redmond, Jennifer; Vanderpool, Robin; McClung, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Background: Patients are more likely to be screened for colorectal cancer if it is recommended by a health care provider. Therefore, it is imperative that providers have access to the latest screening guidelines. Purpose: This practice-based project sought to identify Kentucky primary care providers' preferred sources and methods of receiving…

Using stated preference methods to design cost-effective subsidy programs to induce technology adoption: an application to a stove program in southern Chile.

PubMed

Gómez, Walter; Salgado, Hugo; Vásquez, Felipe; Chávez, Carlos

2014-01-01

We study the design of an economic incentive based program - a subsidy - to induce adoption of more efficient technology in a pollution reduction program in southern Chile. Stated preferences methods, contingent valuation (CV), and choice experiment (CE) are used to estimate the probability of adoption and the willingness to share the cost of a new technology by a household. The cost-effectiveness property of different subsidy schemes is explored numerically for different regulatory objectives. Our results suggest that households are willing to participate in voluntary programs and to contribute by paying a share of the cost of adopting more efficient technologies. We find that attributes of the existing and the new technology, beyond the price, are relevant determinant factors of the participation decision and payment. Limited access to credit markets for low income families can be a major barrier for an effective implementation of these types of programs. Variations in the design of the subsidy and on the regulator's objective and constraints can have significant impact on the level and the cost of reduction of aggregate emissions achieved. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring the incentive value of escalating doses of heroin in heroin-dependent Fischer rats during acute spontaneous withdrawal

PubMed Central

Reed, Brian; Ho, Ann; Kreek, Mary Jeanne

2011-01-01

Rationale/objectives Although continued heroin use and relapse are thought to be motivated, in part, by the positive incentive-motivational value attributed to heroin, little is understood about heroin’s incentive value during the relapse-prone state of withdrawal. This study uses place preference to measure the incentive value attributed to escalating-dose heroin in the context of heroin dependence. Methods Male Fischer rats were exposed chronically to escalating doses of heroin in the homecage and during place preference conditioning sessions. Conditioned preference for the context paired with escalating-dose heroin was tested after homecage exposure was discontinued and rats entered acute spontaneous withdrawal. Individuals’ behavioral and locomotor responses to heroin and somatic withdrawal signs were recorded. Results Conditioned preference for the heroin-paired context was strong in rats that received chronic homecage exposure to escalating-dose heroin and were tested in acute withdrawal. Behavioral responses to heroin (e.g., stereotypy) varied widely across individuals, with rats that expressed stronger heroin preference also expressing stronger behavioral activation in response to heroin. Individual differences in preference were also related to locomotor responses to heroin but not to overt somatic withdrawal signs. Conclusions Escalating doses of heroin evoked place preference in rats, suggesting that positive incentive-motivational value is attributed to this clinically relevant pattern of drug exposure. This study offers an improved preclinical model for studying dependence and withdrawal and provides insight into individual vulnerabilities to addiction-like behavior. PMID:21748254

Redox Proteomics of Protein-bound Methionine Oxidation*

PubMed Central

Ghesquière, Bart; Jonckheere, Veronique; Colaert, Niklaas; Van Durme, Joost; Timmerman, Evy; Goethals, Marc; Schymkowitz, Joost; Rousseau, Frederic; Vandekerckhove, Joël; Gevaert, Kris

2011-01-01

We here present a new method to measure the degree of protein-bound methionine sulfoxide formation at a proteome-wide scale. In human Jurkat cells that were stressed with hydrogen peroxide, over 2000 oxidation-sensitive methionines in more than 1600 different proteins were mapped and their extent of oxidation was quantified. Meta-analysis of the sequences surrounding the oxidized methionine residues revealed a high preference for neighboring polar residues. Using synthetic methionine sulfoxide containing peptides designed according to the observed sequence preferences in the oxidized Jurkat proteome, we discovered that the substrate specificity of the cellular methionine sulfoxide reductases is a major determinant for the steady-state of methionine oxidation. This was supported by a structural modeling of the MsrA catalytic center. Finally, we applied our method onto a serum proteome from a mouse sepsis model and identified 35 in vivo methionine oxidation events in 27 different proteins. PMID:21406390

Interest and preferences for contingency management design among addiction treatment clientele.

PubMed

Hartzler, Bryan; Garrett, Sharon

2016-05-01

Despite strong support for its efficacy, debates persist about how dissemination of contingency management is most effectively undertaken. Currently-promoted contingency management methods are empirically-validated, yet their congruence with interests and preferences of addiction treatment clientele is unknown. Such client input is a foundational support for evidence-based clinical practice. This study documented interest in incentives and preferences for fixed-ratio vs. variable-ratio and immediate vs. distal distribution of earned incentives among clients enrolled at three community programs affiliated with the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. This multi-site study included anonymous survey completion by an aggregate sample of 358 treatment enrollees. Analyses first ruled out site differences in survey responses, and then tested age and gender as influences on client interest in financial incentives, and preferences for fixed-ratio vs. variable-ratio reinforcement and immediate vs. distal incentive distribution. Interest in different types of $50 incentives (i.e. retail vouchers, transportation vouchers, cash) was highly inter-correlated, with a mean sample rating of 3.49 (0.83) on a five-point scale. While consistent across client gender, age was an inverse predictor of client interest in incentives. A majority of clients stated preference for fixed-ratio incentive magnitude and distal incentive distribution (67% and 63%, respectively), with these preferences voiced by a larger proportion of females. Sample preferences contradict currently-promoted contingency management design features. Future efforts to disseminate contingency management may be more successful if flexibly undertaken in a manner that incorporates the interests and preferences of local client populations.

Can partisan voting lead to truth?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuda, Naoki; Redner, S.

2011-02-01

We study an extension of the voter model in which each agent is endowed with an innate preference for one of two states that we term as 'truth' or 'falsehood'. Due to interactions with neighbors, an agent that innately prefers truth can be persuaded to adopt a false opinion (and thus be discordant with its innate preference) or the agent can possess an internally concordant 'true' opinion. Parallel states exist for agents that inherently prefer falsehood. We determine the conditions under which a population of such agents can ultimately reach a consensus for the truth, reach a consensus for falsehood, or reach an impasse where an agent tends to adopt the opinion that is in internal concordance with its innate preference with the outcome that consensus is never achieved.

Children's preference for social stories.

PubMed

Barnes, Jennifer L; Bloom, Paul

2014-02-01

Many scholars have proposed theories to explain the appeal of fictional stories, but relatively little research has examined this issue from a developmental perspective. Here, we investigate the role that social and mental content play in attracting children to stories. In Experiment 1, 4- to 8-year-old children preferred stories that contained people over those that focused on objects. In Experiment 2, children preferred stories with mental content over stories that were described purely in terms of action, while in Experiment 3, children preferred stories with more characters to those with fewer but did not prefer stories that contained mental states embedded in other mental states. No age effects were found. These results are discussed in terms of theories of fiction, and directions are suggested for future research.

Using the stated preference technique for eliciting valuations: the role of the payment vehicle.

PubMed

Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte

2013-10-01

At the core of the stated preference method is choice of payment vehicle. Since payment vehicle is an intrinsic characteristic of a good, the choice of payment vehicle will naturally impact on the valuation of the good. Typical payment vehicles applied in the context of health are income tax levies, out-of-pocket payments at the point of consumption or private health insurance premiums. Where out-of-pocket payments will elicit use value only, private health insurance premiums will also disclose option value, i.e. the utility of knowing that one has access to a healthcare service should one need it. Income tax levies will disclose what in this paper is referred to as citizen's preferences, i.e. individual preferences that include use value, option value as well as (caring) externalities. This paper advocates that researchers design stated preference studies that encompass all relevant dimensions of value, and that serious thought is given to choice of payment vehicle. However, it is important to acknowledge that choice of payment vehicle has other potential implications for valuations. Payment vehicle and provider of services may be strongly linked in people's minds. If respondents implicitly associate a specific type of provider with a certain type of payment vehicle, it is important that any misperception is corrected by way of a precise description of the good being valued. Further, a pertinent issue is the extent to which respondents 'protest' to the stated preference question and how we should deal with these 'protesters'. No agreement currently exists about the procedure used to separate genuine zero values from protest values, nor about the treatment of protest responses in subsequent analyses. Beliefs are strongly associated with protesting, and exclusion of protest bids may therefore exclude individuals who have strong preferences for a payment vehicle. If it is acknowledged that payment vehicle is an intrinsic component of a good, exclusion of respondents who exhibit specific viewpoints may result in biased welfare estimates. Yet another issue is the presence of self-consciousness amongst respondents. If people derive utility from saying they are willing to pay for a public good (social desirability bias or warm glow), this potentially drives a wedge between people's stated value for a good in a survey and people's value for a good provided to them from the government. Tax payments are more binding than out-of-pocket payments. Payment towards public health programs via income tax may therefore generate lower consumer surplus than if the intervention was financed out-of-pocket with the option of opting out both in terms of participation as well as financially. Finally, only a few studies have looked at the impact of frequency of payments. The effect of temporal framing is clearly potentially important and at the same time an unavoidable component of the payment vehicle, yet it remains at present unexplored.

On the inclusion of mass source terms in a single-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aursjø, Olav; Jettestuen, Espen; Vinningland, Jan Ludvig; Hiorth, Aksel

2018-05-01

We present a lattice Boltzmann algorithm for incorporating a mass source in a fluid flow system. The proposed mass source/sink term, included in the lattice Boltzmann equation, maintains the Galilean invariance and the accuracy of the overall method, while introducing a mass source/sink term in the fluid dynamical equations. The method can, for instance, be used to inject or withdraw fluid from any preferred lattice node in a system. This suggests that injection and withdrawal of fluid does not have to be introduced through cumbersome, and sometimes less accurate, boundary conditions. The method also suggests that, through a chosen equation of state relating mass density to pressure, the proposed mass source term will render it possible to set a preferred pressure at any lattice node in a system. We demonstrate how this model handles injection and withdrawal of a fluid. And we show how it can be used to incorporate pressure boundaries. The accuracy of the algorithm is identified through a Chapman-Enskog expansion of the model and supported by the numerical simulations.

Caregiver Treatment Preferences for Children with a New Versus Existing Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Park, Alex; Ng, Xinyi; Frosch, Emily; Reeves, Gloria; Cunningham, Charles; Janssen, Ellen M.; Bridges, John F.P.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objectives: Parental experiences with managing their child's attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can influence priorities for treatment. This study aimed to identify the ADHD management options caregivers most prefer and to determine if preferences differ by time since initial ADHD diagnosis. Methods: Primary caregivers (n = 184) of a child aged 4–14 years old in care for ADHD were recruited from January 2013 through March 2015 from community-based pediatric and mental health clinics and family support organizations across the state of Maryland. Participants completed a survey that included child/family demographics, child clinical treatment, and a Best–Worst Scaling (BWS) experiment to elicit ADHD management preferences. The BWS comprised 18 ADHD management profiles showing seven treatment attributes, where the best and worst attribute levels were selected from each profile. A conditional logit model using effect-coded variables was used to estimate preference weights stratified by time since ADHD diagnosis. Results: Participants were primarily the mother (84%) and had a college or postgraduate education (76%) with 75% of the children on stimulant medications. One-on-one caregiver behavior training, medication use seven days a week, therapy in a clinic, and an individualized education program were most preferred for managing ADHD. Aside from caregiver training and monthly out-of-pocket costs, caregivers of children diagnosed with ADHD for less than two years prioritized medication use lower than other care management attributes and caregivers of children diagnosed with ADHD for two or more years preferred school accommodations, medication, and provider specialty. Conclusions: Preferences for ADHD treatment differ based on the duration of the child's ADHD. Acknowledging that preferences change over the course of care could facilitate patient/family-centered care planning across a range of resources and a multidisciplinary team of professionals. PMID:27991834

The Importance of Measuring Strength-of-Preference Scores for Health Care Options in Preference-Sensitive Care

PubMed Central

Crump, R. Trafford; Llewellyn-Thomas, Hilary A.

2012-01-01

Objective The objective was to determine whether a paired-comparison/leaning scale method: a) could feasibly be used to elicit strength-of-preference scores for elective health care options in large community-based survey settings; and b) could reveal preferential sub-groups that would have been overlooked if only a categorical-response format had been used. Study Design Medicare beneficiaries in four different regions of the United States were interviewed in person. Participants considered 8 clinical scenarios, each with 2 to 3 different health care options. For each scenario, participants categorically selected their favored option, then indicated how strongly they favored that option relative to the alternative on a paired-comparison bi-directional Leaning Scale. Results Two hundred and two participants were interviewed. For 7 of the 8 scenarios, a clear majority (> 50%) indicated that, overall, they categorically favored one option over the alternative(s). However, the bi-directional strength-of-preference Leaning Scale scores revealed that, in 4 scenarios, for half of those participants, their preference for the favored option was actually “weak” or “neutral”. Conclusion Investigators aiming to assess population-wide preferential attitudes towards different elective health care scenarios should consider gathering ordinal-level strength-of-preference scores and could feasibly use the paired-comparison/bi-directional Leaning Scale to do so. PMID:22494579

Barriers to Mental Health Service Use and Preferences for Addressing Emotional Concerns among Lung Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Mosher, Catherine E.; Winger, Joseph G.; Hanna, Nasser; Jalal, Shadia I.; Fakiris, Achilles J.; Einhorn, Lawrence H.; Birdas, Thomas J.; Kesler, Kenneth A.; Champion, Victoria L.

2014-01-01

Objective This study examined barriers to mental health service use and preferences for addressing emotional concerns among lung cancer patients (N=165) at two medical centers in the midwestern United States. Methods Lung cancer patients completed an assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms, mental health service use, barriers to using these services, and preferences for addressing emotional concerns. Results Only 45% of distressed patients received mental health care since their lung cancer diagnosis. The most prevalent patient-reported barriers to mental health service use among non-users of these services (n=110) included the desire to independently manage emotional concerns (58%) and inadequate knowledge of services (19%). In addition, 57% of distressed patients who did not access mental health services did not perceive the need for help. Seventy-five percent of respondents (123/164) preferred to talk to a primary care physician if they were to have an emotional concern. Preferences for counseling, psychiatric medication, peer support, spiritual care, or independently managing emotional concerns also were endorsed by many patients (range=40%–50%). Older age was associated with a lower likelihood of preferring to see a counselor. Conclusions Findings suggest that many distressed lung cancer patients underuse mental health services and do not perceive the need for such services. Efforts to increase appropriate use of services should address patients' desire for autonomy and lack of awareness of services. PMID:24493634

A Framework for Incorporating Patient Preferences Regarding Benefits and Risks into Regulatory Assessment of Medical Technologies.

PubMed

Ho, Martin; Saha, Anindita; McCleary, K Kimberly; Levitan, Bennett; Christopher, Stephanie; Zandlo, Kristen; Braithwaite, R Scott; Hauber, A Brett

In response to 2012 guidance in which the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) stated the importance of patient-centric measures in regulatory benefit-risk assessments, the Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC) initiated a project. The project was used to develop a framework to help the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and industry sponsors understand how patient preferences regarding benefit and risk might be integrated into the review of innovative medical devices. A public-private partnership of experts from medical device industry, government, academia and non-profits collaborated on development of the MDIC patient centered benefit-risk framework. The MDIC Framework examines what patient preference information is and the potential use and value of patient preference information in the regulatory process and across the product development life cycle. The MDIC Framework also includes a catalog of patient preference assessment methods and an agenda for future research to advance the field. This article discusses key concepts in patient preference assessment of particular importance for regulators and researchers that are addressed in the MDIC Framework for patient centered benefit-risk assessment as well as the unique public-private collaboration that led its development. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Discrete Choice Experiments: A Report of the ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Good Research Practices Task Force.

PubMed

Hauber, A Brett; González, Juan Marcos; Groothuis-Oudshoorn, Catharina G M; Prior, Thomas; Marshall, Deborah A; Cunningham, Charles; IJzerman, Maarten J; Bridges, John F P

2016-06-01

Conjoint analysis is a stated-preference survey method that can be used to elicit responses that reveal preferences, priorities, and the relative importance of individual features associated with health care interventions or services. Conjoint analysis methods, particularly discrete choice experiments (DCEs), have been increasingly used to quantify preferences of patients, caregivers, physicians, and other stakeholders. Recent consensus-based guidance on good research practices, including two recent task force reports from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, has aided in improving the quality of conjoint analyses and DCEs in outcomes research. Nevertheless, uncertainty regarding good research practices for the statistical analysis of data from DCEs persists. There are multiple methods for analyzing DCE data. Understanding the characteristics and appropriate use of different analysis methods is critical to conducting a well-designed DCE study. This report will assist researchers in evaluating and selecting among alternative approaches to conducting statistical analysis of DCE data. We first present a simplistic DCE example and a simple method for using the resulting data. We then present a pedagogical example of a DCE and one of the most common approaches to analyzing data from such a question format-conditional logit. We then describe some common alternative methods for analyzing these data and the strengths and weaknesses of each alternative. We present the ESTIMATE checklist, which includes a list of questions to consider when justifying the choice of analysis method, describing the analysis, and interpreting the results. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of synthetic method and annealing temperature on metal site preference in Al(1-x)Ga(x)FeO3.

PubMed

Walker, James D S; Grosvenor, Andrew P

2013-08-05

Magnetoelectric materials couple both magnetic and electronic properties, making them attractive for use in multifunctional devices. The magnetoelectric AFeO3 compounds (Pna2(1); A = Al, Ga) have received attention as the properties of the system depend on composition as well as the synthetic method used. Al(1-x)Ga(x)FeO3. (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) was synthesized by the sol-gel and coprecipitation methods and studied by X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). Al L(2,3-), Ga K-, and Fe K-edge XANES spectra were collected to examine how the average metal coordination number (CN) changes with the synthetic method. Al and Fe were found to prefer octahedral sites, while Ga prefers the tetrahedral site. It was found that composition played a larger role in determining site occupancies than synthetic method. Samples made by the sol-gel or ceramic methods (reported previously; Walker, J. D. S.; Grosvenor, A. P. J. Solid State Chem. 2013, 197, 147-153) showed smaller spectral changes than samples made via the coprecipitation method. This is attributed to greater ion mobility in samples synthesized via coprecipitation as the reactants do not have a long-range polymeric or oxide network during synthesis like samples synthesized via the sol-gel or ceramic method. Increasing annealing temperature increases the average coordination number of Al, and to a lesser extent Ga, while the average coordination number of Fe decreases. This study indicates that greater disorder is observed when the Al(1-x)Ga(x)FeO3. compounds have high Al content, and when annealed at higher temperatures.

Women's preferences for vaginal antimicrobial contraceptives. II. Preferred characteristics according to women's age and socioeconomic status.

PubMed

Hardy, E; de Pádua, K S; Jiménez, A L; Zaneveld, L J

1998-10-01

A study was carried out to identify characteristics that women would want for an idealized vaginal contraceptive, and the possible association of these characteristics with age and socioeconomic status. The study was done in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil. A total of 635 women were selected by age and socioeconomic status, using the "social network" technique. Almost half were adolescents (15-19 years old) and the rest were adults (20-45 years old). Half were of low socioeconomic status and the rest of medium-high status. The data were analyzed with SPSS-PC and EPI-INFO 6.0. Logistic regression and chi 2 were used for the analysis. Despite some differences found between age and socioeconomic status in regard to the characteristics desired for the idealized method, most of the participants expressed the same preferences. The results indicate that women would like the idealized method to be a cream, rather than a suppository, with no odor or flavor, to be colorless, to be placed in the vagina with an applicator well before coitus, and to offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS.

Effects of test method and participant musical training on preference ratings of stimuli with different reverberation times.

PubMed

Lawless, Martin S; Vigeant, Michelle C

2017-10-01

Selecting an appropriate listening test design for concert hall research depends on several factors, including listening test method and participant critical-listening experience. Although expert listeners afford more reliable data, their perceptions may not be broadly representative. The present paper contains two studies that examined the validity and reliability of the data obtained from two listening test methods, a successive and a comparative method, and two types of participants, musicians and non-musicians. Participants rated their overall preference of auralizations generated from eight concert hall conditions with a range of reverberation times (0.0-7.2 s). Study 1, with 34 participants, assessed the two methods. The comparative method yielded similar results and reliability as the successive method. Additionally, the comparative method was rated as less difficult and more preferable. For study 2, an additional 37 participants rated the stimuli using the comparative method only. An analysis of variance of the responses from both studies revealed that musicians are better than non-musicians at discerning their preferences across stimuli. This result was confirmed with a k-means clustering analysis on the entire dataset that revealed five preference groups. Four groups exhibited clear preferences to the stimuli, while the fifth group, predominantly comprising non-musicians, demonstrated no clear preference.

Measuring Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health Care: Methods and Practical Issues

PubMed Central

Cook, Benjamin Lê; McGuire, Thomas G; Zaslavsky,, Alan M

2012-01-01

Objective To review methods of measuring racial/ethnic health care disparities. Study Design Identification and tracking of racial/ethnic disparities in health care will be advanced by application of a consistent definition and reliable empirical methods. We have proposed a definition of racial/ethnic health care disparities based in the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Unequal Treatment report, which defines disparities as all differences except those due to clinical need and preferences. After briefly summarizing the strengths and critiques of this definition, we review methods that have been used to implement it. We discuss practical issues that arise during implementation and expand these methods to identify sources of disparities. We also situate the focus on methods to measure racial/ethnic health care disparities (an endeavor predominant in the United States) within a larger international literature in health outcomes and health care inequality. Empirical Application We compare different methods of implementing the IOM definition on measurement of disparities in any use of mental health care and mental health care expenditures using the 2004–2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Conclusion Disparities analysts should be aware of multiple methods available to measure disparities and their differing assumptions. We prefer a method concordant with the IOM definition. PMID:22353147

Consumer preferences for food labels on tomatoes in Germany - A comparison of a quasi-experiment and two stated preference approaches.

PubMed

Meyerding, Stephan G H

2016-08-01

In many studies, consumer preferences are determined by using direct surveys. For this method social desirability is problematic. This leads to the effect that participants answer in a way that they perceive as desired by society. This leads to the stated importance of certain features in these studies not being reflected in real purchasing decisions. Therefore, the aim of the study is to compare consumer preferences measured by a quasi-experiment to those quantified by direct questions. Another objective is to quantify the part-worth utilities of product characteristics such as origin, price and food labels. Part-worth utilities are estimated on an interval scale with an arbitrary origin and are a measure for preferences. The real purchasing situation was simulated in a quasi-experiment using a choice-based conjoint analysis. The part-worth utilities were then compared with the results of a conventional preference assessment (Likert scale). For this purpose, 645 consumers from all over Germany were surveyed in 2014. The participants were on average 44 years old and 63% were women. The results of the conjoint analysis report the highest part-worth utility (2.853) for the lowest price (1.49€), followed by the characteristic "grown locally" (2.157). For the labels, the German organic label shows the highest part-worth utility (0.785) followed by Fairtrade/"A heart for the producer" (0.200). It is noticeable that the carbon footprint labels have negative part-worth utilities compared to tomatoes without a label (-0.130 with CO2 indication, -0.186 without CO2 indication). The price is ranked 12th in the importance of the characteristics of purchasing tomatoes in the survey with a Likert scale, whereas it is first in the evaluation of the quasi-experiment (conjoint analysis), which supports the assumption of a social desirability bias. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of low-grade cervical abnormalities detected at screening: which method do women prefer?

PubMed

Whynes, D K; Woolley, C; Philips, Z

2008-12-01

To establish whether women with low-grade abnormalities detected during screening for cervical cancer prefer to be managed by cytological surveillance or by immediate colposcopy. TOMBOLA (Trial of Management of Borderline and Other Low-grade Abnormal smears) is a randomized controlled trial comparing alternative management strategies following the screen-detection of low-grade cytological abnormalities. At exit, a sample of TOMBOLA women completed a questionnaire eliciting opinions on their management, contingent valuations (CV) of the management methods and preferences. Within-trial quality of life (EQ-5D) data collected for a sample of TOMBOLA women throughout their follow-up enabled the comparison of self-reported health at various time points, by management method. Once management had been initiated, self-reported health in the colposcopy arm rose relative to that in the surveillance arm, although the effect was short-term only. For the majority of women, the satisfaction ratings and the CV indicated approval of the management method to which they had been randomized. Of the minority manifesting a preference for the method which they had not experienced, relatively more would have preferred colposcopy than would have preferred surveillance. The findings must be interpreted in the light of sample bias with respect to preferences, whereby enthusiasm for colposcopy was probably over-represented amongst trial participants. The study suggests that neither of the management methods is preferred unequivocally; rather, individual women have individual preferences, although many would be indifferent between methods.

Preference Versus Choice in Online Dating.

PubMed

Whyte, Stephen; Torgler, Benno

2017-03-01

This study explores factors that influence matches of online dating participants' stated preference for particular characteristics in a potential partner and compares these with the characteristics of the online daters actually contacted. The nature of online dating facilitates exploration of the differences between stated preference and actual choice by participants, as online daters willingly provide a range of demographics on their ideal partner. Using data from the Australian dating website RSVP, we analyze 219,013 contact decisions. We conduct a multivariate analysis using the number of matched variables between the participants' stated preference and the characteristics of the individuals contacted. We find that factors such as a person's age, their education level, and a more social personality all increase the number of factors they choose in a potential partner that match their original stated preference. Males (relative to females) appear to match fewer characteristics when contacting potential love interests. Conversely, age interaction effects demonstrate that males in their late 60's are increasingly more selective (than females) regarding who they contact. An understanding of how technology (the Internet) is impacting human mating patterns and the psychology behind the participants informs the wider social science of human behavior in large-scale decision settings.

Lifestyle Correlates of Musical Preference: 3. Travel, Money, Education, Employment and Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North, Adrian C.; Hargreaves, David J.

2007-01-01

Several studies indicate that musical preferences provide a means of discriminating between social groups, and suggest indirectly that musical preferences should correlate with a variety of different lifestyle choices. In this study, 2532 participants responded to a questionnaire asking them to state their musical preference and also to provide…

The Relationship of Stated Learning Preferences, Personality Type, and Career Background to Academic and Leadership Performance at the United States Air Command and Staff College

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-11

Kolb envisioned experiential 26 Table 2 Subscales on the NASSP Learning Styles Profile Cognitive Styles Perceptual Responses Analytic Skill...Research Type Theory and Learning Preferences Jung and the Theory of Psychological Types Isabel Briggs Myers’ Contribution to Jung’s Work The Myers...Implications Recommendations for Further Study Summary of Specific Conclusions Discussion Grounded Curriculum Learning Preferences Type Theory Student

Assessing Public Preferences for Forest Biomass Based Energy in the Southern United States

Treesearch

Andres Susaeta; Janaki Alavalapati; Pankaj Lal; Jagannadha R Matta; Evan Mercer

2010-01-01

This article investigated public preferences for forest biomass based liquid biofuels, particularly ethanol blends of 10% (E10) and 85% (E85). We conducted a choice experiment study in three southern states in the United States: Arkansas, Florida, and Virginia. Reducing atmospheric CO2, decreasing risk of wildfires and pest outbreaks, and enhancing biodiversity were...

Evaluating Tablet Computers as a Survey Tool in Rural Communities

PubMed Central

Newell, Steve M.; Logan, Henrietta L.; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G.; Shepperd, James A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants’ responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. Methods We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida’s state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Findings Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants’ usability ratings. Conclusions Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. PMID:25243953

Online Survey Characterizing Vaporizer Use among Cannabis Users

PubMed Central

Lee, Dustin C.; Crosier, Benjamin S.; Borodovsky, Jacob T.; Sargent, James D.; Budney, Alan J.

2016-01-01

Background Along with changes in cannabis laws in the United States and other countries, new products for consuming cannabis are emerging, with unclear public health implications. Vaporizing or “vaping” cannabis is gaining popularity, but little is known about its prevalence or consequences. Methods This study characterized the prevalence and current patterns of vaping cannabis among a large national sample of cannabis users. An online survey was distributed through Facebook ads targeting individuals with interests related to cannabis use. The sample comprised 2,910 cannabis users (age: 18-90, 84% male, 74% Caucasian). Results A majority (61%) endorsed lifetime prevalence of ever vaping, 37% reported vaping in the past 30 days, 20% reported vaping more than 100 lifetime days, and 12% endorsed vaping as their preferred method. Compared to those that had never vaped, vaporizer users were younger, more likely to be male, initiated cannabis at an earlier age, and were less likely to be African American. Those that preferred vaping reported it to be healthier, better tasting, produced better effects, and more satisfying. Only 14% reported a reduction in smoking cannabis since initiating vaping, and only 5% mixed cannabis with nicotine in a vaporizer. Many cannabis users report vaping cannabis, but currently only a small subset prefers vaping to smoking and reports frequent vaping. Conclusion Increases in availability and marketing of vaping devices, and the changing legal status of cannabis in the United States and other countries may influence patterns of use. Frequent monitoring is needed to assess the impact of changing cannabis laws and regulations. PMID:26774946

Network science and the effects of music preference on functional brain connectivity: from Beethoven to Eminem.

PubMed

Wilkins, R W; Hodges, D A; Laurienti, P J; Steen, M; Burdette, J H

2014-08-28

Most people choose to listen to music that they prefer or 'like' such as classical, country or rock. Previous research has focused on how different characteristics of music (i.e., classical versus country) affect the brain. Yet, when listening to preferred music--regardless of the type--people report they often experience personal thoughts and memories. To date, understanding how this occurs in the brain has remained elusive. Using network science methods, we evaluated differences in functional brain connectivity when individuals listened to complete songs. We show that a circuit important for internally-focused thoughts, known as the default mode network, was most connected when listening to preferred music. We also show that listening to a favorite song alters the connectivity between auditory brain areas and the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and social emotion consolidation. Given that musical preferences are uniquely individualized phenomena and that music can vary in acoustic complexity and the presence or absence of lyrics, the consistency of our results was unexpected. These findings may explain why comparable emotional and mental states can be experienced by people listening to music that differs as widely as Beethoven and Eminem. The neurobiological and neurorehabilitation implications of these results are discussed.

Network Science and the Effects of Music Preference on Functional Brain Connectivity: From Beethoven to Eminem

PubMed Central

Wilkins, R. W.; Hodges, D. A.; Laurienti, P. J.; Steen, M.; Burdette, J. H.

2014-01-01

Most people choose to listen to music that they prefer or ‘like’ such as classical, country or rock. Previous research has focused on how different characteristics of music (i.e., classical versus country) affect the brain. Yet, when listening to preferred music—regardless of the type—people report they often experience personal thoughts and memories. To date, understanding how this occurs in the brain has remained elusive. Using network science methods, we evaluated differences in functional brain connectivity when individuals listened to complete songs. We show that a circuit important for internally-focused thoughts, known as the default mode network, was most connected when listening to preferred music. We also show that listening to a favorite song alters the connectivity between auditory brain areas and the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and social emotion consolidation. Given that musical preferences are uniquely individualized phenomena and that music can vary in acoustic complexity and the presence or absence of lyrics, the consistency of our results was unexpected. These findings may explain why comparable emotional and mental states can be experienced by people listening to music that differs as widely as Beethoven and Eminem. The neurobiological and neurorehabilitation implications of these results are discussed. PMID:25167363

Risk preference shares the psychometric structure of major psychological traits

PubMed Central

Frey, Renato; Pedroni, Andreas; Mata, Rui; Rieskamp, Jörg; Hertwig, Ralph

2017-01-01

To what extent is there a general factor of risk preference, R, akin to g, the general factor of intelligence? Can risk preference be regarded as a stable psychological trait? These conceptual issues persist because few attempts have been made to integrate multiple risk-taking measures, particularly measures from different and largely unrelated measurement traditions (self-reported propensity measures assessing stated preferences, incentivized behavioral measures eliciting revealed preferences, and frequency measures assessing actual risky activities). Adopting a comprehensive psychometric approach (1507 healthy adults completing 39 risk-taking measures, with a subsample of 109 participants completing a retest session after 6 months), we provide a substantive empirical foundation to address these issues, finding that correlations between propensity and behavioral measures were weak. Yet, a general factor of risk preference, R, emerged from stated preferences and generalized to specific and actual real-world risky activities (for example, smoking). Moreover, R proved to be highly reliable across time, indicative of a stable psychological trait. Our findings offer a first step toward a general mapping of the construct risk preference, which encompasses both general and domain-specific components, and have implications for the assessment of risk preference in the laboratory and in the wild. PMID:28983511

Public preferences and organized interests in health policy: state pharmacy assistance programs as innovations.

PubMed

Gray, Virginia; Lowery, David; Godwin, Erik K

2007-02-01

While Congress debated prescription drug coverage for more than a decade before amending the Medicare program in 2003, thirty-one states provided such benefits to their citizens. Why were the same special interests that were reputedly so effective in delaying prescription drug coverage at the national level seemingly incapable of stopping the majority of states from passing the same kinds of legislation? To answer this question, we develop and test a number of hypotheses about the determinants of health policy using Heckman models with data on the adoption, revision, and generosity of state prescription drug programs from 1990 through 2001. We find strong evidence that organized interests had little influence on the adoption of state pharmaceutical assistance programs but can influence their likelihood of revision and the generosity of their benefits. We conclude by discussing the balance of public preferences and organized interests' preferences on state health policy.

What determines providers' stated preference for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria?

PubMed

Mangham-Jefferies, Lindsay; Hanson, Kara; Mbacham, Wilfred; Onwujekwe, Obinna; Wiseman, Virginia

2014-03-01

As agents for their patients, providers often make treatment decisions on behalf of patients, and their choices can affect health outcomes. However, providers operate within a network of relationships and are agents not only for their patients, but also other health sector actors, such as their employer, the Ministry of Health, and pharmaceutical suppliers. Providers' stated preferences for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria were examined to determine what factors predict their choice of treatment in the absence of information and institutional constraints, such as the stock of medicines or the patient's ability to pay. 518 providers working at non-profit health facilities and for-profit pharmacies and drug stores in Yaoundé and Bamenda in Cameroon and in Enugu State in Nigeria were surveyed between July and December 2009 to elicit the antimalarial they prefer to supply for uncomplicated malaria. Multilevel modelling was used to determine the effect of financial and non-financial incentives on their preference, while controlling for information and institutional constraints, and accounting for the clustering of providers within facilities and geographic areas. 69% of providers stated a preference for artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT), which is the recommended treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Cameroon and Nigeria. A preference for ACT was significantly associated with working at a for-profit facility, reporting that patients prefer ACT, and working at facilities that obtain antimalarials from drug company representatives. Preferences were similar among colleagues within a facility, and among providers working in the same locality. Knowing the government recommends ACT was a significant predictor, though having access to clinical guidelines was not sufficient. Providers are agents serving multiple principals and their preferences over alternative antimalarials were influenced by patients, drug company representatives, and other providers working at the same facility and in the local area. Efforts to disseminate drug policy should target the full range of actors involved in supplying drugs, including providers, employers, suppliers and local communities. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for effecting light-off of a catalytic converter in a hybrid powertrain system

DOEpatents

Roos, Bryan Nathaniel; Spohn, Brian L

2013-07-02

A powertrain system includes a hybrid transmission and an internal combustion engine coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment device. A method for operating the powertrain system includes operating the hybrid transmission to generate tractive torque responsive to an operator torque request with the internal combustion engine in an engine-off state so long as the tractive torque is less than a threshold. The internal combustion engine is operated in an engine-on state at preferred operating conditions to effect light-off of the exhaust aftertreatment device and the hybrid transmission is coincidentally operated to generate tractive torque responsive to the operator torque request when the operator torque request exceeds the threshold. The internal combustion engine is then operated in the engine-on state to generate tractive torque responsive to the operator torque request.

Heterogeneous voter models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuda, Naoki; Gibert, N.; Redner, S.

2010-07-01

We introduce the heterogeneous voter model (HVM), in which each agent has its own intrinsic rate to change state, reflective of the heterogeneity of real people, and the partisan voter model (PVM), in which each agent has an innate and fixed preference for one of two possible opinion states. For the HVM, the time until consensus is reached is much longer than in the classic voter model. For the PVM in the mean-field limit, a population evolves to a preference-based state, where each agent tends to be aligned with its internal preference. For finite populations, discrete fluctuations ultimately lead to consensus being reached in a time that scales exponentially with population size.

How Visual Imagery Contributed to College: A Case of How Visual Imagery Contributes to a College Algebra Student's Understanding of the Concept of Function in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Rebekah M.

2011-01-01

This investigation utilized the qualitative case study method. Seventy-one College Algebra students were given a mathematical processing instrument. This testing device measured a student's preference for visual thinking. Two students were purposefully selected using the instrument. The visual mathematical learner (VL) was discussed in this…

Preferences for HIV test characteristics among young, Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) and transgender women: Implications for consistent HIV testing.

PubMed

Frye, Victoria; Wilton, Leo; Hirshfield, Sabina; Chiasson, Mary Ann; Lucy, Debbie; Usher, DaShawn; McCrossin, Jermaine; Greene, Emily; Koblin, Beryl

2018-01-01

Promoting consistent HIV testing is critical among young, Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) and transgender women who are overrepresented among new HIV cases in the United States. New HIV test options are available, including mobile unit testing, one-minute testing, at home or self-testing and couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC). In the context of these newer options, the objective of this study was to explore whether and how preferences for specific characteristics of the tests acted as barriers to and/or facilitators of testing in general and consistent testing specifically among young Black MSM and transgender women aged 16 to 29. We conducted 30 qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with young, Black, gay, bisexual or MSM and transgender women in the New York City metropolitan area to identify preferences for specific HIV tests and aspects of HIV testing options. Participants were primarily recruited from online and mobile sites, followed by community-based, face-to-face recruitment strategies to specifically reach younger participants. Thematic coding was utilized to analyze the qualitative data based on a grounded theoretical approach. We identified how past experiences, perceived test characteristics (e.g., accuracy, cost, etc.) and beliefs about the "fit" between the individual, and the test relate to preferred testing methods and consistent testing. Three major themes emerged as important to preferences for HIV testing methods: the perceived accuracy of the test method, venue characteristics, and lack of knowledge or experience with the newer testing options, including self-testing and CHTC. These findings suggest that increasing awareness of and access to newer HIV testing options (e.g., free or reduced price on home or self-tests or CHTC available at all testing venues) is critical if these new options are to facilitate increased levels of consistent testing among young, Black MSM and transgender women. Addressing perceptions of test accuracy and supporting front line staff in creating welcoming and safe testing environments may be key intervention targets. Connecting young Black MSM and transgender women to the best test option, given preferences for specific characteristics, may support more and more consistent HIV testing.

METHOD FOR SEPARATION OF PLUTONIUM FROM URANIUM AND FISSION PRODUCTS BY SOLVENT EXTRACTION

DOEpatents

Seaborg, G.T.; Blaedel, W.J.; Walling, M.T. Jr.

1960-08-23

A process is given for separating from each other uranium, plutonium, and fission products in an aqueous nitric acid solution by the so-called Redox process. The plutonium is first oxidized to the hexavalent state, e.g., with a water-soluble dichromate or sodium bismuthate, preferably together with a holding oxidant such as potassium bromate. potassium permanganate, or an excess of the oxidizing agent. The solution is then contacted with a water-immiscible organic solvent, preferably hexone. whereby uranium and plutonium are extracted while the fission products remain in the aqueous solution. The separated organic phase is then contacted with an aqueous solution of a reducing agent, with or without a holding reductant (e.g., with a ferrous salt plus hydrazine or with ferrous sulfamate), whereby plutonium is reduced to the trivalent state and back- extracted into the aqueous solution. The uranium may finally be back-extracted from the organic solvent (e.g., with a 0.1 N nitric acid).

Gender, Employment and Working Time Preferences in Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagan, Colette; Warren, Tracey

A representative survey of over 30,000 people aged 16-64 years across the 15 member states of the European Union and Norway sought Europeans' preferences for increasing or reducing the number of hours worked per week. Key finding included the following: (1) 51% preferred to work fewer hours in exchange for lower earnings while 12% preferred to…

Adherence and weight loss outcomes associated with food-exercise diary preference in a military weight management program.

PubMed

Shay, Laura E; Seibert, Diane; Watts, Dorraine; Sbrocco, Tracy; Pagliara, Claire

2009-12-01

The more consistently someone records their food intake the more likely they are to lose weight. We hypothesized that subjects who kept track via their preferred method would demonstrate higher adherence and therefore improved outcomes compared to those who used a non-preferred method. Participants were randomly assigned to use a paper, PDA, or Web-based diary and classified as "Preferred" if they used their preferred method and "Non-Preferred" if they did not. Days adherent to diary use were collected for 12 weeks. Weight, % body fat, waist circumference, and self-efficacy scores were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Thirty nine participants completed the 12 week study. Fifty nine percent were male. The mean age was 35 and mean baseline BMI was 33 kg/m(2) (+/-3.5). Forty four % (n=17) used their "Preferred" diary method and 56% (n=22) did not. Participants who used their preferred diary were more adherent to recording both food intake (64.2% vs. 43.4%, p=.015) and exercise (60.6% vs. 31.2%, p=.001). Though no difference was seen between groups on weight management outcomes, these results suggest that diary preference affects adherence to diary use.

A Bayesian approach to the statistical analysis of device preference studies.

PubMed

Fu, Haoda; Qu, Yongming; Zhu, Baojin; Huster, William

2012-01-01

Drug delivery devices are required to have excellent technical specifications to deliver drugs accurately, and in addition, the devices should provide a satisfactory experience to patients because this can have a direct effect on drug compliance. To compare patients' experience with two devices, cross-over studies with patient-reported outcomes (PRO) as response variables are often used. Because of the strength of cross-over designs, each subject can directly compare the two devices by using the PRO variables, and variables indicating preference (preferring A, preferring B, or no preference) can be easily derived. Traditionally, methods based on frequentist statistics can be used to analyze such preference data, but there are some limitations for the frequentist methods. Recently, Bayesian methods are considered an acceptable method by the US Food and Drug Administration to design and analyze device studies. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian statistical method to analyze the data from preference trials. We demonstrate that the new Bayesian estimator enjoys some optimal properties versus the frequentist estimator. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Understanding how residents' preferences for supervisory methods change throughout residency training: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Olmos-Vega, Francisco; Dolmans, Diana; Donkers, Jeroen; Stalmeijer, Renée E

2015-10-16

A major challenge for clinical supervisors is to encourage their residents to be independent without jeopardising patient safety. Residents' preferences according to level of training on this regard have not been completely explored. This study has sought to investigate which teaching methods of the Cognitive Apprenticeship (CA) model junior, intermediate and senior residents preferred and why, and how these preferences differed between groups. We invited 301 residents of all residency programmes of Javeriana University, Bogotá, Colombia, to participate. Each resident was asked to complete a Maastricht Clinical Teaching Questionnaire (MCTQ), which, being based on the teaching methods of CA, asked residents to rate the importance to their learning of each teaching method and to indicate which of these they preferred the most and why. A total of 215 residents (71 %) completed the questionnaire. All concurred that all CA teaching methods were important or very important to their learning, regardless of their level of training. However, the reasons for their preferences clearly differed between groups: junior and intermediate residents preferred teaching methods that were more supervisor-directed, such as modelling and coaching, whereas senior residents preferred teaching methods that were more resident-directed, such as exploration and articulation. The results indicate that clinical supervision (CS) should accommodate to residents' varying degrees of development by attuning the configuration of CA teaching methods to each level of residency training. This configuration should initially vest more power in the supervisor, and gradually let the resident take charge, without ever discontinuing CS.

Metabolic State Alters Economic Decision Making under Risk in Humans

PubMed Central

Drew, Megan E.; Batterham, Rachel L.; Dolan, Raymond J.

2010-01-01

Background Animals' attitudes to risk are profoundly influenced by metabolic state (hunger and baseline energy stores). Specifically, animals often express a preference for risky (more variable) food sources when below a metabolic reference point (hungry), and safe (less variable) food sources when sated. Circulating hormones report the status of energy reserves and acute nutrient intake to widespread targets in the central nervous system that regulate feeding behaviour, including brain regions strongly implicated in risk and reward based decision-making in humans. Despite this, physiological influences per se have not been considered previously to influence economic decisions in humans. We hypothesised that baseline metabolic reserves and alterations in metabolic state would systematically modulate decision-making and financial risk-taking in humans. Methodology/Principal Findings We used a controlled feeding manipulation and assayed decision-making preferences across different metabolic states following a meal. To elicit risk-preference, we presented a sequence of 200 paired lotteries, subjects' task being to select their preferred option from each pair. We also measured prandial suppression of circulating acyl-ghrelin (a centrally-acting orexigenic hormone signalling acute nutrient intake), and circulating leptin levels (providing an assay of energy reserves). We show both immediate and delayed effects on risky decision-making following a meal, and that these changes correlate with an individual's baseline leptin and changes in acyl-ghrelin levels respectively. Conclusions/Significance We show that human risk preferences are exquisitely sensitive to current metabolic state, in a direction consistent with ecological models of feeding behaviour but not predicted by normative economic theory. These substantive effects of state changes on economic decisions perhaps reflect shared evolutionarily conserved neurobiological mechanisms. We suggest that this sensitivity in human risk-preference to current metabolic state has significant implications for both real-world economic transactions and for aberrant decision-making in eating disorders and obesity. PMID:20585383

Prioritising wheelchair services for children: a pilot discrete choice experiment to understand how child wheelchair users and their parents prioritise different attributes of wheelchair services.

PubMed

Bray, Nathan; Yeo, Seow Tien; Noyes, Jane; Harris, Nigel; Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor

2016-01-01

Approximately 95 million children worldwide are disabled; 10 % use a wheelchair. In the UK, an estimated 770,000 children are disabled. National Health Service Wheelchair Services are the largest provider of wheelchairs in the UK; however, recent reports have highlighted issues with these services. This study explores the use of discrete choice experiment methods to inform wheelchair service provision for disabled children based on service user preferences. The aim was to explore how disabled children and their parents prioritise different attributes of wheelchair services. The secondary aims were to compare priorities between parents and disabled children and to explore marginal rate of substitution for incremental changes in attributes. Discrete choice experiments are a method of attribute-based stated preference valuation used by health economists to understand how individuals prioritise different attributes of healthcare services and treatments. We conducted the first pilot discrete choice experiment to explore how disabled children (aged 11 to 18) and their parents prioritise different attributes of hypothetical wheelchair services. Eleven disabled children (aged 11 to 18) and 30 parents of disabled children completed eight pairwise choice tasks based on five service attributes: wheelchair assessment, cost contribution, training, delivery time and frequency of review. Data were analysed using conditional logistic regression. For each pairwise choice, the participants were asked to choose which service scenario (A or B) they preferred. Comprehensiveness of wheelchair assessment and wheelchair delivery time significantly ( P  < 0.05) affected service preferences of children ( β -coefficients = 1.43 [95 % bootstrapped CI = 1.42 to 2.08] and -0.92 [95 % bootstrapped CI = -1.41 to -0.84], respectively) and parents ( β -coefficients = 1.53 [95 % bootstrapped CI = 1.45 to 2.16] and -1.37 [95 % bootstrapped CI = -1.99 to -1.31], respectively). Parents were willing to contribute more financially to receive preferred services, although this was non-significant. Both samples placed the greatest importance on holistic wheelchair assessments encompassing more than health. The National Health Service should consider using discrete choice experiment methods to examine wheelchair service preferences of disabled children (aged 11 and over) and their parents on a wider scale; however, care must be taken to ensure that this method is used appropriately.

Preferences for HIV test characteristics among young, Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) and transgender women: Implications for consistent HIV testing

PubMed Central

Frye, Victoria; Hirshfield, Sabina; Chiasson, Mary Ann; Lucy, Debbie; Usher, DaShawn; McCrossin, Jermaine; Greene, Emily; Koblin, Beryl

2018-01-01

Background Promoting consistent HIV testing is critical among young, Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) and transgender women who are overrepresented among new HIV cases in the United States. New HIV test options are available, including mobile unit testing, one-minute testing, at home or self-testing and couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC). In the context of these newer options, the objective of this study was to explore whether and how preferences for specific characteristics of the tests acted as barriers to and/or facilitators of testing in general and consistent testing specifically among young Black MSM and transgender women aged 16 to 29. Methods We conducted 30 qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with young, Black, gay, bisexual or MSM and transgender women in the New York City metropolitan area to identify preferences for specific HIV tests and aspects of HIV testing options. Participants were primarily recruited from online and mobile sites, followed by community-based, face-to-face recruitment strategies to specifically reach younger participants. Thematic coding was utilized to analyze the qualitative data based on a grounded theoretical approach. Results We identified how past experiences, perceived test characteristics (e.g., accuracy, cost, etc.) and beliefs about the “fit” between the individual, and the test relate to preferred testing methods and consistent testing. Three major themes emerged as important to preferences for HIV testing methods: the perceived accuracy of the test method, venue characteristics, and lack of knowledge or experience with the newer testing options, including self-testing and CHTC. Conclusions These findings suggest that increasing awareness of and access to newer HIV testing options (e.g., free or reduced price on home or self-tests or CHTC available at all testing venues) is critical if these new options are to facilitate increased levels of consistent testing among young, Black MSM and transgender women. Addressing perceptions of test accuracy and supporting front line staff in creating welcoming and safe testing environments may be key intervention targets. Connecting young Black MSM and transgender women to the best test option, given preferences for specific characteristics, may support more and more consistent HIV testing. PMID:29462156

Students' Preferences in Undergraduate Mathematics Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iannone, P.; Simpson, A.

2015-01-01

Existing research into students' preferences for assessment methods has been developed from a restricted sample: in particular, the voice of students in the 'hard-pure sciences' has rarely been heard. We conducted a mixed method study to explore mathematics students' preferences of assessment methods. In contrast to the message from the general…

Farmer, Agent, and Specialist Perspectives on Preferences for Learning among Today's Farmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Nancy K.; Piercy, Fred; Donaldson, Joseph; Westbrook, Johnnie; Richard, Robert

2010-01-01

Few studies have examined the types of educational delivery methods preferred by farmers (Eckert & Bell, 2005; Eckert & Bell, 2006). The research project reported here explored the preferred learning methods of farmers in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Virginia. Data on learning methods collected directly from farmers were compared with…

Preferred Styles of Conflict Resolution. Mexico and the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabrielidis, Cristina; Stephan, Walter G.; Ybarra, Oscar; Pearson, Virginia Dos Santos; Villareal, Lucila

1997-01-01

Examined cultural differences in preferences for conflict resolution styles using the dual-concern model with 103 college students in Mexico (collectivistic culture) and 91 college students in the United States (individualistic culture). Results suggest that independence of the self and interdependence of the self may be separate dimensions,…

12 CFR 362.11 - Activities of insured State savings associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... money market preferred stock. (A) An insured state savings association's investment of up to 15 percent of the association's tier one capital in adjustable rate preferred stock or money market (auction... significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund. Such instruments shall be included in the 15 percent of tier...

Modeling the Effect of Enlarging Seating Room on Passengers' Preference of Taiwan's Domestic Airlines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lu, Jin-Long; Tsai, Li-Non

2003-01-01

This study addresses the need for measuring the effect of enlarging seating room in airplane on passengers' preferences of airline in Taiwan. The results can assist Taiwan's domestic air carriers in better understanding their customers' expectations. Stated choice experiment is used to incorporate passengers' trade-offs in the preferred measurement, and three major attributes are taken into account in the stated choice experiment: (1) type of seat (enlarged or not), (2) price, and (3) brand names of airlines. Furthermore, a binary logit model is used to model the choice behavior of air passengers. The findings show that the type of seat is a major significant variable; price and airline's brand are also significant as well. It concludes that air carriers should put more emphasis on the issue of improving the quality of seat comfort. Keywords: Passengers' preference, Enlarged seating room, Stated choice experiment, Binary logit model.

Examining overlap in behavioral and neural representations of morals, facts, and preferences.

PubMed

Theriault, Jordan; Waytz, Adam; Heiphetz, Larisa; Young, Liane

2017-11-01

Metaethical judgments refer to judgments about the information expressed by moral claims. Moral objectivists generally believe that moral claims are akin to facts, whereas moral subjectivists generally believe that moral claims are more akin to preferences. Evidence from developmental and social psychology has generally favored an objectivist view; however, this work has typically relied on few examples, and analyses have disallowed statistical generalizations beyond these few stimuli. The present work addresses whether morals are represented as fact-like or preference-like, using behavioral and neuroimaging methods, in combination with statistical techniques that can (a) generalize beyond our sample stimuli, and (b) test whether particular item features are associated with neural activity. Behaviorally, and contrary to prior work, morals were perceived as more preference-like than fact-like. Neurally, morals and preferences elicited common magnitudes and spatial patterns of activity, particularly within the dorsal-medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), a critical region for social cognition. This common DMPFC activity for morals and preferences was present across whole-brain conjunctions, and in individually localized functional regions of interest (targeting the theory of mind network). By contrast, morals and facts did not elicit any neural activity in common. Follow-up item analyses suggested that the activity elicited in common by morals and preferences was explained by their shared tendency to evoke representations of mental states. We conclude that morals are represented as far more subjective than prior work has suggested. This conclusion is consistent with recent theoretical research, which has argued that morality is fundamentally about regulating social relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The effectiveness of game and recreational activity to motivate high achievers and low achievers: Evaluation using fuzzy conjoint analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sofian, Siti Siryani; Rambely, Azmin Sham

2018-04-01

Students' evaluation is important in order to determine the effectiveness of a learning program. A game and recreational activity (GaRA) is a problem-based learning (PBL) method that engages students in a learning process through games and activity. The effectiveness of GaRA can be determined from an application of fuzzy conjoint analysis (FCA) to diminish fuzziness in determining individual perceptions. This study involves a survey collected from 68 students participating in a Mathematics Discovery Camp organized by a UKM research group, named PRISMatik, from two different schools. The aim of this research was to determine the effectiveness of modules delivered to motivate students towards mathematics subject in the form of GaRA through different factors. There were six games conducted for the participants and their perceptions based on the evaluation of six criterias were measured. A seven-point Likert scale, which indicates seven linguistic terms, was used to collect students' preferences and perceptions on each module of GaRAs. Scores of perceptions were transformed into degrees of similarity using fuzzy set conjoint analysis. Results found that interest, effort and team work was the strongest values obtained from GaRA modules in this camp as participants indicated their strong agreement that these criteria fulfilled their preferences in most module. Participants also stated that almost all attributes fulfilled their preference in each module regardless their individual academic achievement. Thus the method demonstrated that modules delivered through PBL approach has effectively motivated students through six attributes introduced. The evaluation using FCA implicated the successfulness of a fuzzy approach to evaluate fuzziness obtained in the Likert-scale and has shown its ability in ranking the attributes from most preferred to least preferred.

Assessment of respondent acceptability of preference measures: discriminatory power of graphic positioning scale versus traditional scaling measures.

PubMed

Franic, Duska M; Pathak, Dev S

2003-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare discriminatory power of two different measures-graphic positioning scale (GPS) versus traditional scale (TS)-in assessing respondent acceptability of three preference measures: visual analog scale (VAS), standard gamble (SG), and willingness to pay (WTP). Two face-to-face interviews were conducted at least 1 week apart in a convenience sample of women aged 22 to 50 years with no history of breast cancer or cancer requiring chemotherapy. Study participation required completion of two surveys: one evaluating health preferences for an acute condition (chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) and one evaluating a chronic condition (breast cancer). Data were collected from March 2000 to June 2000 at Ohio State University. Respondents were randomized to either GPS or TS surveys. Data analysis was a two-step process. First, a four-way multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to assess respondent acceptability of three-preference metrics-VAS, SG, and WTP-in health-care decision making. Each of the four dependent variables, difficulty, clarity, reasonableness, and comfort in use in decision making, was measured on 9-point Likert scale. Second, a mixed design univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for each dependent variable to optimize MANOVA analysis. Univariate ANOVAs, 2 x (2 x 3), were composed of three independent variables: assessment (GPS/TS), condition (acute and chronic), and preferences (VAS, SG, WTP). Of 126 respondents, 119 were usable and complete. MANOVA results showed (P <.05) for two main effects, condition (F4,114 = 6.375) and preferences (F8,110 = 9.290), and two significant interactions, condition x assessment (F4,114 = 3.421) and condition x preferences (F8,110 = 2.087). GPS has higher discriminatory power than TS in assessing respondent attitudes toward health preference measures. Results showed that respondents had more difficulty and less comfort when making decisions for chronic than for acute conditions. Results also show that respondents regard WTP as a more reasonable decision-making tool when assessing acute interventions in preference to SG and vice versa for chronic conditions. Of VAS, SG, and WTP methods, VAS was perceived as being the easiest to understand. These results can be explained by direct versus indirect comparisons made with GPS and TS methods, respectively.

A universal preference for equality in health? Reasons to reconsider properties of applied social welfare functions.

PubMed

Mæstad, Ottar; Norheim, Ole Frithjof

2012-11-01

The literature on how to combine efficiency and equity considerations in the social valuation of health allocations has borrowed extensively from applied welfare economics, including the literature on inequality measurement. By so doing, it has adopted normative assumptions that have been applied for evaluating the allocation of welfare (or income) rather than the allocation of health, including the assumption of a monotonically declining social marginal value of welfare/income/health. At the same time, empirical studies that have elicited social preferences for allocation of health have reported results that are seemingly incompatible with this assumption. There are two ways of addressing this inconsistency; we may censor the stated preferences by arguing that they cannot be supported by normative arguments, or we may reject or modify the analytical framework in order to accommodate the stated preferences. We argue that the stated preferences can be supported by normative reasoning and therefore conclude that one should be cautious in applying the standard welfare economic framework to the allocation of health. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dopamine D1 Receptors Are Not Critical for Opiate Reward but Can Mediate Opiate Memory Retrieval in a State-Dependent Manner

PubMed Central

Vargas-Perez, Hector; George, Susan R.; van der Kooy, Derek

2013-01-01

Although D1 receptor knockout mice demonstrate normal morphine place preferences, antagonism of basolateral amygdala (BLA) D1 receptors only during drug-naive rat conditioning has been reported to inhibit the expression of a morphine place preference. One possible explanation for this result is state-dependent learning. That is, the omission of the intra-BLA infusion cue during testing — which acts as a potent discriminative stimulus — may have prevented the recall of a morphine-environment association and therefore, the consequent expression of a morphine place preference. To examine this possibility, we tested whether intra-BLA infusion of the D1-receptor antagonist SCH23390 during both training and testing might reveal a morphine place preference. Our results suggest that in previously drug-naive animals, D1 receptor antagonism during testing restores the opiate conditioned place preference that is normally absent when D1 receptors are blocked only during training, suggesting that BLA D1 receptors can mediate state-dependent memory retrieval. PMID:23538064

Dopamine D1 receptors are not critical for opiate reward but can mediate opiate memory retrieval in a state-dependent manner.

PubMed

Ting-A-Kee, Ryan; Mercuriano, Laura E; Vargas-Perez, Hector; George, Susan R; van der Kooy, Derek

2013-06-15

Although D1 receptor knockout mice demonstrate normal morphine place preferences, antagonism of basolateral amygdala (BLA) D1 receptors only during drug-naive rat conditioning has been reported to inhibit the expression of a morphine place preference. One possible explanation for this result is state-dependent learning. That is, the omission of the intra-BLA infusion cue during testing - which acts as a potent discriminative stimulus - may have prevented the recall of a morphine-environment association and therefore, the consequent expression of a morphine place preference. To examine this possibility, we tested whether intra-BLA infusion of the D1-receptor antagonist SCH23390 during both training and testing might reveal a morphine place preference. Our results suggest that in previously drug-naive animals, D1 receptor antagonism during testing restores the opiate conditioned place preference that is normally absent when D1 receptors are blocked only during training, suggesting that BLA D1 receptors can mediate state-dependent memory retrieval. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Floor foundations: preferences of architects and builders in six Southwestern United States markets

Treesearch

George B. Harpole; H. Edward Dickerhoof

1971-01-01

Mail questionnaires and follow-up interviews were used to determine preferences among three types of floor foundations: concrete slab, wood crawl-space, and a new design that combines a low-profile wood floor with underfloor plenum. Crawl-space construction was preferred in the Sacramento and Oakland-Martinez markets; concrete slab was preferred in the Los Angeles, San...

Valuation of preference-based measures: can existing preference data be used to generate better estimates?

PubMed

Kharroubi, Samer A

2018-06-05

Experimental studies to develop valuations of health state descriptive systems like EQ-5D or SF-6D need to be conducted in different countries, because social and cultural differences are likely to lead to systematically different valuations. There is a scope utilize the evidence in one country to help with the design and the analysis of a study in another, for this to enable the generation of utility estimates of the second country much more precisely than would have been possible when collecting and analyzing the country's data alone. We analyze SF-6D valuation data elicited from representative samples corresponding to the Hong Kong (HK) and United Kingdom (UK) general adult populations through the use of the standard gamble technique to value 197 and 249 health states respectively. We apply a nonparametric Bayesian model to estimate a HK value set using the UK dataset as informative prior to improve its estimation. Estimates are compared to a HK value set estimated using HK values alone using mean predictions and root mean square error. The novel method of modelling utility functions permitted the UK valuations to contribute significant prior information to the Hong Kong analysis. The results suggest that using HK data alongside the existing UK data produces HK utility estimates better than using the HK study data by itself. The promising results suggest that existing preference data could be combined with valuation study in a new country to generate preference weights, making own country value sets more achievable for low and middle income countries. Further research is encouraged.

A Comparison of Masculinity Facial Preference Among Naturally Cycling, Pregnant, Lactating, and Post-Menopausal Women.

PubMed

Marcinkowska, Urszula M; Jasienska, Grazyna; Prokop, Pavol

2018-07-01

Women show cyclical shifts in preferences for physical male traits. Here we investigated how fertility status influences women's facial masculinity preference in men by analyzing a large sample of heterosexual women (N = 3720). Women were regularly either cycling (in both low- and high-conception probability groups), lactating or were currently in a non-fertile state (pregnant or post-menopausal). Analyses simultaneously controlled for women's age and sexual openness. Participants via two alternative forced choice questions judged attractiveness of masculinized and feminized men's faces. After controlling for the effect of age and sociosexuality, regularly cycling and pregnant women showed a stronger preference for masculinity than lactating and post-menopausal women. However, there was no significant difference in masculinity preference between women in the low- and high-conception probability groups. Women's sociosexuality showed a positive, but very weak association with men's facial masculinity preference. We suggest that women's overall, long-term hormonal state (cycling, post-menopausal) is a stronger predictor of preference for sexual dimorphism than changes in hormonal levels through the cycle.

Forty-two systematic reviews generated 23 items for assessing the risk of bias in values and preferences' studies.

PubMed

Yepes-Nuñez, Juan Jose; Zhang, Yuan; Xie, Feng; Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Selva, Anna; Schünemann, Holger; Guyatt, Gordon

2017-05-01

In systematic reviews of studies of patients' values and preferences, the objective of the study was to summarize items and domains authors have identified when considering the risk of bias (RoB) associated with primary studies. We conducted a systematic survey of systematic reviews of patients' values and preference studies. Our search included three databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO) from their inception to August 2015. We conducted duplicate data extraction, focusing on items that authors used to address RoB in the primary studies included in their reviews and the associated underlying domains, and summarized criteria in descriptive tables. We identified 42 eligible systematic reviews that addressed 23 items relevant to RoB and grouped the items into 7 domains: appropriate administration of instrument; instrument choice; instrument-described health state presentation; choice of participants group; description, analysis, and presentation of methods and results; patient understanding; and subgroup analysis. The items and domains identified provide insight into issues of RoB in patients' values and preference studies and establish the basis for an instrument to assess RoB in such studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) and Preferences for Risk Information among High School Students in Sweden.

PubMed

Georgsson, Susanne; Sahlin, Ellika; Iwarsson, Moa; Nordenskjöld, Magnus; Gustavsson, Peter; Iwarsson, Erik

2017-06-01

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) was recently introduced for prenatal testing of genetic disorders. Cell-free fetal DNA is present in maternal blood during pregnancy and enables detection of fetal chromosome aberrations in a maternal blood sample. The public perspective to this new, simple method has not been illuminated. The views of young people (i.e. future parents) are important to develop suitable counseling strategies regarding prenatal testing. The aim was to explore Swedish high school students' attitudes, knowledge and preferences regarding NIPT. A questionnaire was completed by 305 students recruited from one high school in Stockholm, November and December 2014. Most students (80 %) considered prenatal testing as good. The majority (65 %) was positive or very positive towards NIPT and 62 % stated that they potentially would like to undergo the test if they or their partner was pregnant. The vast majority (94 %) requested further information about NIPT. Most students (61 %) preferred verbal information, whereas 20 % preferred information via the Internet. The majority of the high school students was positive towards prenatal testing and most was positive towards NIPT. Further, information was requested by the vast majority before making a decision about NIPT. Most of the students preferred verbal information and to a lesser extent information via the Internet. The attitudes, knowledge and preferences for risk information concerning NIPT in young adults are important, in order to increase knowledge on how to educate and inform future parents.

Individual preferences modulate incentive values: Evidence from functional MRI

PubMed Central

Koeneke, Susan; Pedroni, Andreas F; Dieckmann, Anja; Bosch, Volker; Jäncke, Lutz

2008-01-01

Background In most studies on human reward processing, reward intensity has been manipulated on an objective scale (e.g., varying monetary value). Everyday experience, however, teaches us that objectively equivalent rewards may differ substantially in their subjective incentive values. One factor influencing incentive value in humans is branding. The current study explores the hypothesis that individual brand preferences modulate activity in reward areas similarly to objectively measurable differences in reward intensity. Methods A wheel-of-fortune game comprising an anticipation phase and a subsequent outcome evaluation phase was implemented. Inside a 3 Tesla MRI scanner, 19 participants played for chocolate bars of three different brands that differed in subjective attractiveness. Results Parametrical analysis of the obtained fMRI data demonstrated that the level of activity in anatomically distinct neural networks was linearly associated with the subjective preference hierarchy of the brands played for. During the anticipation phases, preference-dependent neural activity has been registered in premotor areas, insular cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and in the midbrain. During the outcome phases, neural activity in the caudate nucleus, precuneus, lingual gyrus, cerebellum, and in the pallidum was influenced by individual preference. Conclusion Our results suggest a graded effect of differently preferred brands onto the incentive value of objectively equivalent rewards. Regarding the anticipation phase, the results reflect an intensified state of wanting that facilitates action preparation when the participants play for their favorite brand. This mechanism may underlie approach behavior in real-life choice situations. PMID:19032746

A Mathematical Model of the Color Preference Scale Construction in Quality Management at the Machine-Building Enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Averchenkov, V. I.; Kondratenko, S. V.; Potapov, L. A.; Spasennikov, V. V.

2017-01-01

In this article, the author consider the basic features of color preferences. The famous scientists’ works confirm their identity and independence of subjective factors. The article examines the method of constructing the respondent’s color preference individual scale on the basis of L Thurstone’s pair election method. The practical example of applying this technique for constructing the respondent’s color preference individual scale is given. The result of this method application is the color preference individual scale with the weight value of each color. The authors also developed and presented the algorithm of applying this method within the program complex to determine the respondents’ attitude to the issues under investigation based on their color preferences. Also, the article considers the possibility of using the software at the industrial enterprises to improve the quality of the consumer quality products.

Motor Oil Classification Based on Time-Resolved Fluorescence

PubMed Central

Mu, Taotao; Chen, Siying; Zhang, Yinchao; Guo, Pan; Chen, He; Meng, Fandong

2014-01-01

A time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) technique is presented for classifying motor oils. The system is constructed with a third harmonic Nd:YAG laser, a spectrometer, and an intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) camera. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) measurements are reported for several motor oils. It is found that steady-state fluorescence is insufficient to distinguish the motor oil samples. Then contour diagrams of TRF intensities (CDTRFIs) are acquired to serve as unique fingerprints to identify motor oils by using the distinct TRF of motor oils. CDTRFIs are preferable to steady-state fluorescence spectra for classifying different motor oils, making CDTRFIs a particularly choice for the development of fluorescence-based methods for the discrimination and characterization of motor oils. The two-dimensional fluorescence contour diagrams contain more information, not only the changing shapes of the LIF spectra but also the relative intensity. The results indicate that motor oils can be differentiated based on the new proposed method, which provides reliable methods for analyzing and classifying motor oils. PMID:24988439

Composition and method of preparation of solid state dye laser rods

DOEpatents

Hermes, Robert E.

1992-01-01

The present invention includes solid polymeric-host laser rods prepared using bulk polymerization of acrylic acid ester comonomers which, when admixed with dye(s) capable of supporting laser oscillation and polymerized with a free radical initiator under mild thermal conditions, produce a solid product having the preferred properties for efficient lasing. Unsaturated polymerizable laser dyes can also be employed as one of the comonomers. Additionally, a method is disclosed which alleviates induced optical stress without having to anneal the polymers at elevated temperatures (>85.degree. C.).

Incongruence between women's survey- and interview-determined decision control preferences: A mixed methods study of decision-making in metastatic breast cancer.

PubMed

Ejem, Deborah; Dionne-Odom, J Nicholas; Turkman, Yasemin; Knight, Sara J; Willis, Dan; Kaufman, Peter A; Bakitas, Marie

2018-04-30

Women with metastatic breast cancer face numerous, complex treatment and advance care planning (ACP) decisions. Our aim was to develop a better understanding of women with metastatic breast cancer's decision-making preferences overtime and relative to specific types of decisions. Convergent, parallel mixed-methods study. Participants completed the Control Preferences Scale (CPS) and a semi-structured interview of decision-making experiences at enrollment (T1; n = 22) and when facing a decision or 3 months later (T2; n = 19). We categorized women's decision-making experience descriptions into one of the CPS decisional styles and compared them to their CPS response. We constructed an analytic grid that aligned the interview-determined treatment and ACP decisional preferences with the CPS categories at T1 and T2 and calculated Cohen's kappa coefficient and congruence percentages. Participants (n = 22) were White (100%), averaged 62 years, married (54%), retired (45%), and had a bachelor's degree (45%). Congruence between CPS response and interview-determined treatment preferences at T1 was 32% (kappa = 0.083) and 33% (kappa = 0.120) at T2. Congruence between CPS survey response and interview-determined ACP preferences at T1 was 22.7% (kappa =0.092) at T1 and 11% (kappa = 0.011) at T2. Although women selected a "shared" treatment decision-making style using the CPS validated tool, when interviewed their descriptions generally reflected a passive process in which they followed the oncologists' treatment suggestions. Future research should explore whether the incongruence between stated and actual decision-making style is a function of misinterpreting the CPS choices or a true inconsistency that could lead to adverse consequences such as decisional regret. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Prospective Foreign Language Teachers' Preference of Teaching Methods for the Language Acquisition Course in Turkish Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GüvendIr, Emre

2013-01-01

Considering the significance of taking student preferences into account while organizing teaching practices, the current study explores which teaching method prospective foreign language teachers mostly prefer their teacher to use in the language acquisition course. A teaching methods evaluation form that includes six commonly used teaching…

Adult Learners' Preferred Methods of Learning Preventative Heart Disease Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alavi, Nasim

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred method of learning about heart disease by adult learners. This research study also investigated if there was a statistically significant difference between race/ethnicity, age, and gender of adult learners and their preferred method of learning preventative heart disease care. This…

Farmers' Preferences for Methods of Receiving Information on New or Innovative Farming Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riesenberg, Lou E.; Gor, Christopher Obel

1989-01-01

Survey of 386 Idaho farmers (response rate 58 percent) identified preferred methods of receiving information on new or innovative farming practices. Analysis revealed preference for interpersonal methods (demonstrations, tours, and field trips) over mass media such as computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and home study, although younger farmers,…

Determinants of time trade-off valuations for EQ-5D-5L health states: data from the Canadian EQ-5D-5L valuation study.

PubMed

Sayah, Fatima Al; Bansback, Nick; Bryan, Stirling; Ohinmaa, Arto; Poissant, Lise; Pullenayegum, Eleanor; Xie, Feng; Johnson, Jeffrey A

2016-07-01

Previous studies suggest that population subgroups have different perceptions of health, as well as different preferences for hypothetical health states. To identify determinants of health states preferences elicited using time trade-off (TTO) for the 5-level EQ-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) in Canada. Data were from the Canadian EQ-5D-5L Valuation Study, which took place in Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, and Vancouver. Each respondent valued 10 of 86 hypothetical health states during an in-person interview using a computer-based TTO exercise. The TTO scores were the dependent variable and explanatory variables including age, sex, marital status, education, employment, annual household income, ethnicity, country of birth, dwelling, study site, health literacy, number of chronic conditions, previous experience with illness, and self-rated health. Average [standard deviation (SD)] age of respondents (N = 1209) was 48 (17) years, and 45 % were male. In multivariable linear regression models with random effects, adjusted for severity of health states and inconsistencies in valuations, older age [unstandardized regression coefficient (β) = -0.077], male sex (β = 0.042), being married (β = 0.069), and urban dwelling (β = -0.055) were significantly associated with health states scores. Additionally, participants from Edmonton (β = -0.124) and Vancouver (β = -0.156), but not those from Hamilton, had significantly lower TTO scores than those from Montreal. Socio-demographic characteristics were the main determinants of preferences for EQ-5D-5L health states in this study. Interestingly, preferences were significantly lower in western Canadian cities compared to eastern ones, bringing into question whether a single preference algorithm is suitable for use in all parts of Canada.

Effect of mood states and infertility stress on patients' attitudes toward embryo transfer and multiple pregnancy.

PubMed

Newton, Christopher; Feyles, Valter; Asgary-Eden, Veronica

2013-08-01

To examine whether mood state or infertility stress influences perceptions of risk, preferences for embryo transfer, or views on multiple pregnancy. Observational cohort study. Hospital-based fertility clinic. One hundred seventy-six women participating in IVF treatment. None. Mood scores, ratings of risk, preference for multiple embryo transfer, and attitudes toward multiple pregnancy. Growing feelings of tension across the cycle corresponded with increases in the perceived riskiness of double-embryo transfer, but there was no change in strength of transfer preferences. Women experiencing negative moods, such as depression, viewed twin and triplet pregnancy as less likely, whereas increasing positive feelings across the cycle were associated with increasing desire for twin pregnancy. Overall, women perceived double- and triple-embryo transfer as less risky by cycle end than at cycle beginning and felt more certain about multiple-embryo transfer. The dyssynchrony observed among changes in mood, perceptions of risk, and transfer preferences challenges assumptions about the way medical risk information influences transfer preferences, and the findings suggest that mood states experienced during an IVF cycle might affect transfer preferences by influencing attitudes toward multiple pregnancy. Additional considerations beyond providing risk information are needed to facilitate effective patient decision making. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Constraining the mass and radius of neutron stars in globular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, A. W.; Heinke, C. O.; Bogdanov, S.; Li, C. K.; Ho, W. C. G.; Bahramian, A.; Han, S.

2018-05-01

We analyse observations of eight quiescent low-mass X-ray binaries in globular clusters and combine them to determine the neutron star mass-radius curve and the equation of state of dense matter. We determine the effect that several uncertainties may have on our results, including uncertainties in the distance, the atmosphere composition, the neutron star maximum mass, the neutron star mass distribution, the possible presence of a hotspot on the neutron star surface, and the prior choice for the equation of state of dense matter. The distance uncertainty is implemented in a new Gaussian blurring method that can be directly applied to the probability distribution over mass and radius. We find that the radius of a 1.4 solar mass neutron star is most likely from 10 to 14 km and that tighter constraints are only possible with stronger assumptions about the nature of the neutron stars, the systematics of the observations, or the nature of dense matter. Strong phase transitions in the equation of state are preferred, and in this case, the radius is likely smaller than 12 km. However, radii larger than 12 km are preferred if the neutron stars have uneven temperature distributions.

Patients prefer pictures to numbers to express cardiovascular benefit from treatment.

PubMed

Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Arroll, Bruce; Chan, Lydia; Jackson, Rod; Wells, Sue; Kenealy, Timothy

2008-01-01

This study aimed to determine which methods of expressing a preventive medication's benefit encourage patients with known cardiovascular disease to decide to take the medication and which methods patients prefer. We identified patients in Auckland, New Zealand, family practices located in areas of differing socioeconomic status who had preexisting heart disease (myocardial infarction, angina, or both) and were taking statins. The patients were interviewed about their preference for methods of expressing the benefit of a hypothetical medication. Benefits were expressed numerically (relative risk, absolute risk, number needed to treat, odds ratio, natural frequency) and graphically. Statistical testing was adjusted for practice. We interviewed 100 eligible patients, representing a 53% response rate. No matter how the risk was expressed, the majority of patients indicated they would be encouraged to take the medication. Two-thirds (68) of the patients preferred 1 method of expressing benefit over others. Of this group, 57% preferred the information presented graphically. This value was significantly greater (P <.001) than the 19% who chose the next most preferred option, relative risk. Few patients preferred absolute risk (13%) or natural frequencies (9%). Only a single patient (1%) preferred the odds ratio. None preferred number needed to treat. Ninety percent of patients responding to a question about framing preferred positive framing (description of the benefit of treatment) over negative framing (description of the harm of not being treated). Although number needed to treat is a useful tool for communicating risk and benefit to clinicians, this format was the least likely to encourage patients to take medication. As graphical representation of benefit was the method patients preferred most, consideration should be given to developing visual aids to support shared clinical decision making.

Is bad living better than good death? Impact of demographic and cultural factors on health state preference.

PubMed

Jin, Xuejing; Liu, Gordon Guoen; Luo, Nan; Li, Hongchao; Guan, Haijing; Xie, Feng

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of demographic and cultural factors on health preferences among Chinese general population. The Chinese EQ-5D-5L valuation study was conducted between December 2012 and January 2013. A total of 1296 participants were recruited from the general public at Beijing, Chengdu, Guiyang, Nanjing, and Shenyang. Each participant was interviewed to measure preferences for ten EQ-5D-5L health states using composite time trade-off and seven pairs of states using discrete choice experiment (data were not included in this study). At the end of the interview, each participant was also asked to provide their demographic information and answers to two questions about their attitudes towards whether bad living is better than good death (LBD) and whether they believe in an afterlife. Generalized linear model and random effects logistic models were used to examine the impact of demographic and cultural factors on health preferences. Participants who had serious illness experience received college or higher education, or agree with LBD were more likely to value health states positively and have a narrower score range. Participants at Beijing were more likely to be non-traders, value health states positively, less likely to reach the lowest possible score, and have narrower score range compared with all other four cities after controlling for all other demographic and culture factors. Health state preference is significantly affected by factors beyond demographics. These factors should be considered in achieving a representative sample in valuation studies in China.

Healthy-years equivalent: wounded but not yet dead.

PubMed

Hauber, A Brett

2009-06-01

The quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) has become the dominant measure of health value in health technology assessment in recent decades despite some well-known and fundamental flaws in the preference-elicitation methods used to construct health-state utility weights and the strong assumptions required to construct QALYs as a measure of health value using these utility weights. The healthy-years equivalent (HYE) was proposed as an alternative measure of health value that was purported to overcome many of the limitations of the QALY. The primary argument against the HYE is that it is difficult to estimate and, therefore, impractical. After much debate in the literature, the QALY appears to have won the battle; however, the HYE is not yet dead. Empirical research and recent advances in methods continue to offer evidence of the feasibility using the HYE as a measure of health value and also addresses some of criticisms surrounding the preference-elicitation methods used to estimate the HYE. This article provides a brief review of empirical applications of the HYE and identifies recent advances in empirical estimation that may breathe new life into a valiant, but wounded, measure.

Can ethnic differences in men's preferences for women's body shapes contribute to ethnic differences in female adiposity?

PubMed

Allison, D B; Hoy, M K; Fournier, A; Heymsfield, S B

1993-11-01

In the United States, obesity is more common among black and Hispanic than white women. One putative cause of this difference is different cultural norms for attractiveness. Two studies assessed ethnic differences in men's perceptions of the attractiveness of females of varying sizes. In the first, 108 men recruited on the New York subway were shown sets of silhouettes depicting female bodies varying in fatness and were asked to pick the silhouette they found most attractive. They were also asked to indicate the thinnest and fattest figures they would consider dating. A measure of "latitude of acceptance" was computed as the difference between the thinnest and fattest figures considered. Results indicated no relationship between ethnicity and preference (F = 1.383, p = .257) or "latitude" (F = .102, p = .903). In Study 2, "personal advertisements" placed by 373 black, 1915 white, 110 Hispanic, and 30 Asian men from 35 newspapers and magazines were coded as: 1) thinness preferred; 2) no information on weight preference; 3) fatness preferred; or 4) states weight or looks unimportant. Results indicated a statistically significant but small association between ethnicity and preference (chi2 = 49.55, df = 9, p < .00001). Relative to white and Asian men, black and Hispanic men more frequently requested fat women, Hispanic men less frequently requested thin women, and black men more frequently stated that looks or weight did not matter. Ethnicity explained only 2.1% of the variance in preference. Thus, it seems unlikely that ethnic differences in men's preferences for women's body shapes contribute substantially to ethnic differences in female adiposity.

A laboratory study of nonlinear changes in the directionality of extreme seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latheef, M.; Swan, C.; Spinneken, J.

2017-03-01

This paper concerns the description of surface water waves, specifically nonlinear changes in the directionality. Supporting calculations are provided to establish the best method of directional wave generation, the preferred method of directional analysis and the inputs on which such a method should be based. These calculations show that a random directional method, in which the phasing, amplitude and direction of propagation of individual wave components are chosen randomly, has benefits in achieving the required ergodicity. In terms of analysis procedures, the extended maximum entropy principle, with inputs based upon vector quantities, produces the best description of directionality. With laboratory data describing the water surface elevation and the two horizontal velocity components at a single point, several steep sea states are considered. The results confirm that, as the steepness of a sea state increases, the overall directionality of the sea state reduces. More importantly, it is also shown that the largest waves become less spread or more unidirectional than the sea state as a whole. This provides an important link to earlier descriptions of deterministic wave groups produced by frequency focusing, helps to explain recent field observations and has important practical implications for the design of marine structures and vessels.

Facial profile esthetic preferences: perception in two Brazilian states.

PubMed

Oliveira, Marina Detoni Vieira de; Silveira, Bruno Lopes da; Mattos, Cláudia Trindade; Marquezan, Mariana

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the regional influence on the perception of facial profile esthetics in Rio de Janeiro state (RJ) and Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), Brazil. Two Caucasian models, a man and a woman, with balanced facial profiles, had their photographs digitally manipulated so as to produce seven different profiles. First year dental students (laypeople) assessed the images and classified them according to their esthetic preference. The result of the t test for independent samples showed differences among states for certain facial profiles. The female photograph identified with the letter 'G' (mandibular retrusion) received higher scores in RS state (p = 0.006). No differences were found for male photographs (p > 0.007). The evaluators' sex seemed not to influence their esthetic perception (p > 0.007). Considering all evaluators together, ANOVA/Tukey's test showed differences among the profiles (p ≤ 0.05) for both male and female photographs. The female photograph that received the highest score was the one identified with the letter 'F' (dentoalveolar bimaxillary retrusion/ straight profile). For the male profiles, photograph identified with the letter 'E' (dentoalveolar bimaxillary protrusion/ straight profile) received the best score. Regional differences were observed regarding preferences of facial profile esthetics. In Rio de Janeiro state, more prominent lips were preferred while in Rio Grande do Sul state, profiles with straight lips were favored. Class III profiles were considered less attractive.

Analysis of stated preference survey data for river-crossing travel behavior in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

The MPO in the Southwest Washington and Oregon initiated a major activity and travel behavior survey from the Spring of 1994 to the Fall 1994, including the Stated Preference survey for river-crossing trip behavior. The purpose of the survey is to ga...

Are Teachers' Beliefs Related to Their Preferences for ADHD Interventions? Comparing Teachers in the United States and New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, David F.; Hamilton, Richard J.; Moore, Dennis W.; Pisecco, Stewart

2014-01-01

This investigation examined the relationship between teachers' beliefs and their preferences for classroom interventions for behaviours consistent with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Teacher ratings of intervention acceptability, effectiveness, and rate of change were compared across United States and New Zealand samples. Beliefs…

The Effects of Language on English Language Learners' Music Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosselin, Pei-Ying Lin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of songs in different languages on English language learners' (ELLs) music preferences. The participants (N = 62) were Chinese graduate students from a state university in the Midwestern United States. The survey contained nine excerpts from popular songs in three languages: Chinese (the…

Are all-terrain vehicle riders willing to pay trail user fees to ride on public lands in the USA?

Treesearch

Stephanie A. Snyder; Robert A. Smail

2009-01-01

Some public lands in the USA offer opportunities for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding, but few charge trail use fees. In a case study in the US state of Wisconsin, the contingent valuation method was used to examine riders' willingness to pay (WTP) to ride on public lands. Information on riders' habits, preferences and responses to a dichotomous choice WTP...

[Valuation of health-related quality of life and utilities in health economics].

PubMed

Greiner, Wolfgang; Klose, Kristina

2014-01-01

Measuring health-related quality of life is an important aspect in economic evaluation of health programmes. The development of utility-based (preference-based) measures is advanced by the discipline of health economics. Different preference measures are applied for valuing health states to produce a weighted health state index. Those preference weights should be derived from a general population sample in case of resource allocation on a collective level (as in current valuation studies of the EuroQol group). Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Preferred skin color enhancement for photographic color reproduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Huanzhao; Luo, Ronnier

2011-01-01

Skin tones are the most important colors among the memory color category. Reproducing skin colors pleasingly is an important factor in photographic color reproduction. Moving skin colors toward their preferred skin color center improves the color preference of skin color reproduction. Several methods to morph skin colors to a smaller preferred skin color region has been reported in the past. In this paper, a new approach is proposed to further improve the result of skin color enhancement. An ellipsoid skin color model is applied to compute skin color probabilities for skin color detection and to determine a weight for skin color adjustment. Preferred skin color centers determined through psychophysical experiments were applied for color adjustment. Preferred skin color centers for dark, medium, and light skin colors are applied to adjust skin colors differently. Skin colors are morphed toward their preferred color centers. A special processing is applied to avoid contrast loss in highlight. A 3-D interpolation method is applied to fix a potential contouring problem and to improve color processing efficiency. An psychophysical experiment validates that the method of preferred skin color enhancement effectively identifies skin colors, improves the skin color preference, and does not objectionably affect preferred skin colors in original images.

Thermal power systems small power systems applications project. Decision analysis for evaluating and ranking small solar thermal power system technologies. Volume 1: A brief introduction to multiattribute decision analysis. [explanation of multiattribute decision analysis methods used in evaluating alternatives for small powered systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, A.; Miles, R. F., Jr.

1978-01-01

The principal concepts of the Keeney and Raiffa approach to multiattribute decision analysis are described. Topics discussed include the concepts of decision alternatives, outcomes, objectives, attributes and their states, attribute utility functions, and the necessary independence properties for the attribute states to be aggregated into a numerical representation of the preferences of the decision maker for the outcomes and decision alternatives.

Method for destroying halocarbon compositions using a critical solvent

DOEpatents

Ginosar, Daniel M.; Fox, Robert V.; Janikowski, Stuart K.

2006-01-10

A method for destroying halocarbons. Halocarbon materials are reacted in a dehalogenation process wherein they are combined with a solvent in the presence of a catalyst. A hydrogen-containing solvent is preferred which functions as both a solvating agent and hydrogen donor. To augment the hydrogen donation capacity of the solvent if needed (or when non-hydrogen-containing solvents are used), a supplemental hydrogen donor composition may be employed. In operation, at least one of the temperature and pressure of the solvent is maintained near, at, or above a critical level. For example, the solvent may be in (1) a supercritical state; (2) a state where one of the temperature or pressure thereof is at or above critical; or (3) a state where at least one of the temperature and pressure thereof is near-critical. This system provides numerous benefits including improved reaction rates, efficiency, and versatility.

Do Consumers Want More Nutritional and Health Information on Wine Labels? Insights from the EU and USA.

PubMed

Annunziata, Azzurra; Pomarici, Eugenio; Vecchio, Riccardo; Mariani, Angela

2016-07-07

The global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol launched in 2010 by the World Health Organization includes, amongst several areas of recommended actions, providing consumer information about, and labelling, alcoholic beverages to indicate alcohol-related harm. Labelling requirements worldwide for alcoholic drinks are currently quite diverse and somewhat limited compared to labelling on food products and on tobacco. In this context, the current paper contributes to the academic and political debate on the inclusion of nutritional and health information on wine labelling, providing some insights into consumer interest in, and preferences for, such information in four core wine-producing and -consuming countries: Italy, France, Spain, and the United States of America. A rating-based conjoint analysis was performed in order to ascertain consumer preferences for different formats of additional information on wine labels, and a segmentation of the sample was performed to determine the existence of homogeneous groups of consumers in relation to the degrees of usefulness attached to the nutritional and health information on wine labels. Our results highlight the interest expressed by European and United States consumers for introducing nutrition and health information on wine labels. However, the results of conjoint analysis show some significant differences among stated preferences of the information delivery modes in different countries. In addition, segmentation analysis reveal the existence of significant differences between consumer groups with respect to their interest in receiving additional information on wine labels. These differences are not only linked to the geographic origin of the consumers, or to socio-demographic variables, but are also related to wine consumption habits, attitudes towards nutritional information, and the degree of involvement with wine. This heterogeneity of consumer preferences indicates a need for a careful consideration of wine labelling regulations and merits further investigation in order to identify labelling guidelines in terms of the message content and presentation method to be used.

Do Consumers Want More Nutritional and Health Information on Wine Labels? Insights from the EU and USA

PubMed Central

Annunziata, Azzurra; Pomarici, Eugenio; Vecchio, Riccardo; Mariani, Angela

2016-01-01

The global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol launched in 2010 by the World Health Organization includes, amongst several areas of recommended actions, providing consumer information about, and labelling, alcoholic beverages to indicate alcohol-related harm. Labelling requirements worldwide for alcoholic drinks are currently quite diverse and somewhat limited compared to labelling on food products and on tobacco. In this context, the current paper contributes to the academic and political debate on the inclusion of nutritional and health information on wine labelling, providing some insights into consumer interest in, and preferences for, such information in four core wine-producing and -consuming countries: Italy, France, Spain, and the United States of America. A rating-based conjoint analysis was performed in order to ascertain consumer preferences for different formats of additional information on wine labels, and a segmentation of the sample was performed to determine the existence of homogeneous groups of consumers in relation to the degrees of usefulness attached to the nutritional and health information on wine labels. Our results highlight the interest expressed by European and United States consumers for introducing nutrition and health information on wine labels. However, the results of conjoint analysis show some significant differences among stated preferences of the information delivery modes in different countries. In addition, segmentation analysis reveal the existence of significant differences between consumer groups with respect to their interest in receiving additional information on wine labels. These differences are not only linked to the geographic origin of the consumers, or to socio-demographic variables, but are also related to wine consumption habits, attitudes towards nutritional information, and the degree of involvement with wine. This heterogeneity of consumer preferences indicates a need for a careful consideration of wine labelling regulations and merits further investigation in order to identify labelling guidelines in terms of the message content and presentation method to be used. PMID:27399767

Learning style and teaching method preferences of Saudi students of physical therapy

PubMed Central

Al Maghraby, Mohamed A.; Alshami, Ali M.

2013-01-01

Context: To the researchers’ knowledge, there are no published studies that have investigated the learning styles and preferred teaching methods of physical therapy students in Saudi Arabia. Aim: The study was conducted to determine the learning styles and preferred teaching methods of Saudi physical therapy students. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study design. Materials and Methods: Fifty-three Saudis studying physical therapy (21 males and 32 females) participated in the study. The principal researcher gave an introductory lecture to explain the different learning styles and common teaching methods. Upon completion of the lecture, questionnaires were distributed, and were collected on completion. Statistical Analysis Used: Percentages were calculated for the learning styles and teaching methods. Pearson’s correlations were performed to investigate the relationship between them. Results: More than 45 (85%) of the students rated hands-on training as the most preferred teaching method. Approximately 30 (57%) students rated the following teaching methods as the most preferred methods: “Advanced organizers,” “demonstrations,” and “multimedia activities.” Although 31 (59%) students rated the concrete-sequential learning style the most preferred, these students demonstrated mixed styles on the other style dimensions: Abstract-sequential, abstract-random, and concrete-random. Conclusions: The predominant concrete-sequential learning style is consistent with the most preferred teaching method (hands-on training). The high percentage of physical therapy students whose responses were indicative of mixed learning styles suggests that they can accommodate multiple teaching methods. It is recommended that educators consider the diverse learning styles of the students and utilize a variety of teaching methods in order to promote an optimal learning environment for the students. PMID:24672278

75 FR 10339 - Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Announcing the Availability of Import Statistics...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-05

... OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Generalized System of Preferences (GSP... need limitations (CNLs) under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. The Office of the...; and (3) possible redesignations of articles currently not eligible for GSP benefits because they...

The Role of Work-Integrated Learning in Student Preferences of Instructional Methods in an Accounting Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abeysekera, Indra

2015-01-01

The role of work-integrated learning in student preferences of instructional methods is largely unexplored across the accounting curriculum. This study conducted six experiments to explore student preferences of instructional methods for learning, in six courses of the accounting curriculum that differed in algorithmic rigor, in the context of a…

Willingness to pay for a quality-adjusted life year: an evaluation of attitudes towards risk and preferences.

PubMed

Martín-Fernández, Jesus; Polentinos-Castro, Elena; del Cura-González, Ma Isabel; Ariza-Cardiel, Gloria; Abraira, Victor; Gil-LaCruz, Ana Isabel; García-Pérez, Sonia

2014-07-03

This paper examines the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) expressed by people who attended the healthcare system as well as the association of attitude towards risk and other personal characteristics with their response. Health-state preferences, measured by EuroQol (EQ-5D-3L), were combined with WTP for recovering a perfect health state. WTP was assessed using close-ended, iterative bidding, contingent valuation method. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as usage of health services by the subjects were collected. The attitude towards risk was evaluated by collecting risky behaviors data, by the subject's self-evaluation, and through lottery games. Six hundred and sixty two subjects participated and 449 stated a utility inferior to 1. WTP/QALY ratios varied significantly when payments with personal money (mean €10,119; median €673) or through taxes (mean €28,187; median €915) were suggested. Family income, area income, higher education level, greater use of healthcare services, and the number of co-inhabitants were associated with greater WTP/QALY ratios. Age and female gender were associated with lower WTP/QALY ratios. Risk inclination was independently associated with a greater WTP/QALY when "out of pocket" payments were suggested. Clear discrepancies were demonstrated between linearity and neutrality towards risk assumptions and experimental results. WTP/QALY ratios vary noticeably based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the subject, but also on their attitude towards risk. Knowing the expression of preferences by patients from this outcome measurement can be of interest for health service planning.

Factors affecting patient valuations of caries prevention: Using and validating the willingness to pay method.

PubMed

Vernazza, Christopher R; Wildman, John R; Steele, Jimmy G; Whitworth, John M; Walls, Angus W G; Perry, Ross; Matthews, Roger; Hahn, Petra; Donaldson, Cam

2015-08-01

Determining the value of, or strength of preference for health care interventions is useful for policy makers in planning health care services. Willingness to pay (WTP) is an established economic technique to determine the strength of preferences for interventions by eliciting monetary valuations from individuals in hypothetical situations. The objective of this study was to elicit WTP values for a dental preventive intervention and to analyze the factors affecting these as well as investigating the validity of the WTP method. Patients aged 40 years plus attending dental practices in the UK and Germany were recruited on a consecutive basis over one month. Participants received information about a novel root caries prevention intervention. They then completed a questionnaire including a WTP task. Where the coating was indicated, patients were offered this for a payment and acceptance was recorded. Analysis included econometric modelling and comparison of expected (based on stated WTP) versus actual behaviour. The mean WTP for the coating was £96.41 (standard deviation 60.61). Econometric models showed that no demographic or dental history factors were significant predictors of WTP. 63% of the sample behaved as expected when using stated WTP to predict whether they would buy the coating. The remainder were split almost equally between those expected to pay but who did not and those who were expected to refuse but paid. Values for a caries preventive intervention had a large and unpredictable variance. In comparing hypothetical versus real preferences both under- and over-valuation occurs. Wide and unpredictable variation in valuations for prevention may mean that there are difficult policy questions around what resource should be allocated to dental prevention and how to target this resource. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Son Preference and Family Limitation in Pakistan: A Parity- and Contraceptive Method-Specific Analysis.

PubMed

Channon, Melanie Dawn

2017-09-01

Son preference exerts a strong influence over contraceptive and fertility decisions in many South Asian countries. In Pakistan, where fertility remains high and contraceptive use low, research on son preference has been limited. Data from Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1990-1991, 2006-2007 and 2012-2013 were used to examine potential indicators and outcomes of son preference. Descriptive analyses looked at sex composition preferences of men and women, as well as the sex ratio at last birth. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined parity progression by birth order, while multinomial logistic regression was used to identify associations between sex composition and use of permanent, temporary and traditional contraceptive methods. Parity progression and choice of contraceptive method are increasingly associated with the sex composition of children. Many respondents wanted at least two sons, though most also wanted at least one daughter. Analyses suggest that the prevalence of modern contraceptive use among parous women would have been 19% higher in 2012-2013 in the absence of son preference. Permanent method use was extremely low among women with no sons and increased significantly with number of sons. The association between number of sons and use of temporary methods was weaker, while son preference had little relationship with traditional method use. The association of son preference with parity progression and modern contraceptive use has become stronger in Pakistan. Continuation of the fertility transition may be difficult unless the degrees of differential stopping behavior and differential contraceptive use decline.

Value redefined for inflammatory bowel disease patients: a choice-based conjoint analysis of patients' preferences.

PubMed

van Deen, Welmoed K; Nguyen, Dominic; Duran, Natalie E; Kane, Ellen; van Oijen, Martijn G H; Hommes, Daniel W

2017-02-01

Value-based healthcare is an upcoming field. The core idea is to evaluate care based on achieved outcomes divided by the costs. Unfortunately, the optimal way to evaluate outcomes is ill-defined. In this study, we aim to develop a single, preference based, outcome metric, which can be used to quantify overall health value in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD patients filled out a choice-based conjoint (CBC) questionnaire in which patients chose preferable outcome scenarios with different levels of disease control (DC), quality of life (QoL), and productivity (Pr). A CBC analysis was performed to estimate the relative value of DC, QoL, and Pr. A patient-centered composite score was developed which was weighted based on the stated preferences. We included 210 IBD patients. Large differences in stated preferences were observed. Increases from low to intermediate outcome levels were valued more than increases from intermediate to high outcome levels. Overall, QoL was more important to patients than DC or Pr. Individual outcome scores were calculated based on the stated preferences. This score was significantly different from a score not weighted based on patient preferences in patients with active disease. We showed the feasibility of creating a single outcome metric in IBD which incorporates patients' values using a CBC. Because this metric changes significantly when weighted according to patients' values, we propose that success in healthcare should be measured accordingly.

Factors influencing korean international students' preferences for mental health professionals: a conjoint analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Eun-Jeong; Chan, Fong; Ditchman, Nicole; Feigon, Maia

2014-01-01

Asian students comprise over half of all international students in the United States, yet little is known about their help-seeking behaviors and preferences for mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to use conjoint analysis to examine characteristics of mental health professionals influencing Korean international students' preferences when choosing a mental health professional. Korean international students from three universities in the United States were recruited on a volunteer basis to participate in this study (N = 114). Results indicated that mental health professional characteristics, including ethnicity, age, professional identity, and training institution, were significant factors in students' preference formation; however, gender of the mental health professional was not found to be a significant factor in the present study. Ethnic similarity was the most powerful predictor of preference formation. Implications for promoting help-seeking and mental health service utilization among Asian international students are discussed.

Partner Preference Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Potential Contribution to Spread of HIV Within Minority Populations

PubMed Central

Birkett, Michelle; Hammond, Sydney; Mustanski, Brian

2016-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. Most prior research into drivers of HIV transmission has focused on individual characteristics rather than on dyadic-level behaviors such as sex partner selection. This article explores racial/ethnic preferences in sex and relationship partner selection among MSM to further contextualize the spread of HIV within minority groups. Methods: Participants were recruited through a mobile application (app) for men to meet other men in 2015 and completed an online survey on behaviors related to HIV risk. All analyses on the sample of 530 MSM were conducted in 2015. Results: There was significant homophily in partner selection within racial/ethnic minorities, but not for white MSM. In general, mobile app-using MSM reported a general preference for white and Hispanic men and a dispreference for black and Asian men, both for sex and relationship partners. Conclusion: Racial/ethnic preferences were found to drive intentions to form partnerships within this sample. Combined with the stigma many of these racial/ethnic minorities may also feel from homophobic attitudes within their own racial/ethnic communities, these MSM may be at particular risk for social isolation. These partner preferences likely affect the structure of the sexual networks of MSM and may contribute to increased clustering within high HIV incident sexual networks. PMID:26907954

SortNet: learning to rank by a neural preference function.

PubMed

Rigutini, Leonardo; Papini, Tiziano; Maggini, Marco; Scarselli, Franco

2011-09-01

Relevance ranking consists in sorting a set of objects with respect to a given criterion. However, in personalized retrieval systems, the relevance criteria may usually vary among different users and may not be predefined. In this case, ranking algorithms that adapt their behavior from users' feedbacks must be devised. Two main approaches are proposed in the literature for learning to rank: the use of a scoring function, learned by examples, that evaluates a feature-based representation of each object yielding an absolute relevance score, a pairwise approach, where a preference function is learned to determine the object that has to be ranked first in a given pair. In this paper, we present a preference learning method for learning to rank. A neural network, the comparative neural network (CmpNN), is trained from examples to approximate the comparison function for a pair of objects. The CmpNN adopts a particular architecture designed to implement the symmetries naturally present in a preference function. The learned preference function can be embedded as the comparator into a classical sorting algorithm to provide a global ranking of a set of objects. To improve the ranking performances, an active-learning procedure is devised, that aims at selecting the most informative patterns in the training set. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on the LETOR dataset showing promising performances in comparison with other state-of-the-art algorithms.

Should "standard gamble" and "'time trade off" utility measurement be used more in mental health research?

PubMed

Flood, Chris

2010-06-01

This review and discussion paper demonstrates that utility and preference measurement in mental health research is increasing. However there is still a general reluctance around using the methods due to methodological challenges and concerns around the capacity of users to understand utility methods during the research process. This paper sets out to describe and review some of the previously documented difficulties of using utility measurements in mental health services research and to highlight where they have been used successfully as measures. Additionally the paper aims to discuss a means of improving the methods used to capture service user utility and preference measurement and why decision making would be better informed as a result. International literature on utility measurement is reviewed, specifically examining the use of standard gamble and time trade off methods in mental health. Utility measurement in mental health is increasing though as the review demonstrates, concerns still exist over its application. A number of methods can be used to improve the approach overall and these are discussed as well as specific areas worthy of utility measurement including 'disutility' of admission, medication and medication side effects. Overall this paper argues that it is necessary to persist with efforts to conduct utility measurement calculation albeit with a critical eye on the methods in an attempt to ensure improvements are continually made. Utility and preference scores may be limited in that they only provide a rough score but they are defended as a means of providing some form of strength of preference for health states. The review is limited to English only texts. The debate on whether to use standard gamble and time trade off has implications for health services resource allocations, decision making, health economics research, policy making and health services research generally involving psychiatric service users. The paper argues that the absence of utility measurement in mental health runs the risk of mental health being disadvantaged in decisions around resource allocation. Institutions involved in decision making like the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, would be better served in their decision making and calculation of Quality Adjusted Life Years if more utility measurement in psychiatric research was carried out. Other arguments for using utility measurement include the desirability of using utility measurement to elicit a patient dimension of risk. Future utility research should aim for better involvement of service users in the design stage, the changing of time frames offered to users in health state scenarios used, a greater need for comparative work of utilities scoring across illness and between standard gamble and time trade off and more staff training in the use of utility methodology with mental health service users.

Determination of the protonation state of the Asp dyad: conventional molecular dynamics versus thermodynamic integration.

PubMed

Huang, Jinfeng; Zhu, Yali; Sun, Bin; Yao, Yuan; Liu, Junjun

2016-03-01

The protonation state of the Asp dyad is important as it can reveal enzymatic mechanisms, and the information this provides can be used in the development of drugs for proteins such as memapsin 2 (BACE-1), HIV-1 protease, and rennin. Conventional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been successfully used to determine the preferred protonation state of the Asp dyad. In the present work, we demonstrate that the results obtained from conventional MD simulations can be greatly influenced by the particular force field applied or the values used for control parameters. In principle, free-energy changes between possible protonation states can be used to determine the protonation state. We show that protonation state prediction by the thermodynamic integration (TI) method is insensitive to force field version or to the cutoff for calculating nonbonded interactions (a control parameter). In the present study, the protonation state of the Asp dyad predicted by TI calculations was the same regardless of the force field and cutoff value applied. Contrary to the intuition that conventional MD is more efficient, our results clearly show that the TI method is actually more efficient and more reliable for determining the protonation state of the Asp dyad.

Generational differences of baccalaureate nursing students' preferred teaching methods and faculty use of teaching methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delahoyde, Theresa

Nursing education is experiencing a generational phenomenon with student enrollment spanning three generations. Classrooms of the 21st century include the occasional Baby Boomer and a large number of Generation X and Generation Y students. Each of these generations has its own unique set of characteristics that have been shaped by values, trends, behaviors, and events in society. These generational characteristics create vast opportunities to learn, as well as challenges. One such challenge is the use of teaching methods that are congruent with nursing student preferences. Although there is a wide range of studies conducted on student learning styles within the nursing education field, there is little research on the preferred teaching methods of nursing students. The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive study was to compare the preferred teaching methods of multi-generational baccalaureate nursing students with faculty use of teaching methods. The research study included 367 participants; 38 nursing faculty and 329 nursing students from five different colleges within the Midwest region. The results of the two-tailed t-test found four statistically significant findings between Generation X and Y students and their preferred teaching methods including; lecture, listening to the professor lecture versus working in groups; actively participating in group discussion; and the importance of participating in group assignments. The results of the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) found seventeen statistically significant findings between levels of students (freshmen/sophomores, juniors, & seniors) and their preferred teaching methods. Lecture was found to be the most frequently used teaching method by faculty as well as the most preferred teaching method by students. Overall, the support for a variety of teaching methods was also found in the analysis of data.

End-of-Life Preferences: A Theory-Driven Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonin-Scaon, Sylvie; Munoz Sastre, Maria Teresa; Chasseigne, Gerard; Sorum, Paul C.; Mullet, Etienne

2009-01-01

The study aimed at making a theory-driven inventory of end-of-life preferences. Participants were asked about a variety of preferences representing all eight motivational states described in Apter's Metamotivational Theory (AMT; Apter, 2001). Data from a convenience sample of 965 community participants and a convenience sample of 81 persons…

Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range: Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-11-01

2-18 2.4 Preferred Alternative...ensure compliance with Air Force policy and applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws. The preferred alternative (Alternative 3...gunnery training with 105-millimeter (mm) training rounds. By authorizing the level of activity in the preferred alternative, similar mission requests

Voter-Weighted Environmental Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Jason; Huber, Joel; Viscusi, W. Kip

2009-01-01

This article examines the political economy of preferences with respect to the environment using a new stated preference survey that presents the first benefit values for national water quality levels. The mean valuation greatly exceeds the median value, as the distribution of valuations is highly skewed. The study couples the survey valuations…

75 FR 48737 - Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the Announcement of Petitions Accepted...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-11

... the United States Trade Representative (USTR) accepted petitions in connection with the 2009 GSP...-development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/current-review-1 in ``List of Country... specified in a Federal Register notice. The current schedule follows. Notification of any other changes will...

Students' Preferred Teaching Techniques for Biochemistry in Biomedicine and Medicine Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novelli, Ethel L.B.; Fernandes, Ana Angelica H.

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the students' preferred teaching techniques, such as traditional blackboard, power-point, or slide-projection, for biochemistry discipline in biomedicine and medicine courses from Sao Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Preferences for specific topic and teaching techniques were…

34 CFR 611.13 - What competitive preference does the Secretary provide?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What competitive preference does the Secretary provide? 611.13 Section 611.13 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued... State Grants Program § 611.13 What competitive preference does the Secretary provide? The Secretary...

34 CFR 611.13 - What competitive preference does the Secretary provide?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What competitive preference does the Secretary provide? 611.13 Section 611.13 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued... State Grants Program § 611.13 What competitive preference does the Secretary provide? The Secretary...

34 CFR 611.13 - What competitive preference does the Secretary provide?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What competitive preference does the Secretary provide? 611.13 Section 611.13 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued... State Grants Program § 611.13 What competitive preference does the Secretary provide? The Secretary...

78 FR 16908 - 2012 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Product Review: Inviting Public Comments on Possible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-19

... OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 2012 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP... competitive need limitations (CNLs) under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. The Office of..., regarding: (1) Possible de minimis CNL waivers; (2) possible redesignations of articles currently not...

Preferences for Verb Interpretation in Children with Specific Language Impairment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Donna J.; Rice, Mabel L.

1994-01-01

This study examined initial preferences for verb interpretation by 15 5-year-old children with specific language impairment, 15 language-matched children, and 15 age-matched children. Children indicated preferred interpretations of novel verbs from videotapes of motion and change-of-state activity scenes. Findings suggested that children's verb…

75 FR 38905 - To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-06

... Part III The President Proclamation 8539--To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized... Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences By the President of the United States... eligible for preferential tariff treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). 2. Pursuant...

Student Orientations to Independent Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Alice; Jones, Douglas

1996-01-01

A study investigated the relationship of 46 college students' preferred teaching method (conventional lecture versus independent study package) and their own approaches to study (surface, deep, achieving). Results indicated that while students preferred the conventional lecture method, preference did not correlate with their study approach and…

Ethics teaching in a medical education environment: preferences for diversity of learning and assessment methods.

PubMed

AlMahmoud, Tahra; Hashim, M Jawad; Elzubeir, Margaret Ann; Branicki, Frank

2017-01-01

Ethics and professionalism are an integral part of medical school curricula; however, medical students' views on these topics have not been assessed in many countries.  The study aimed to examine medical students' perceptions toward ethics and professionalism teaching, and its learning and assessment methods. A self-administered questionnaire eliciting views on professionalism and ethics education was distributed to a total of 128 final-year medical students. A total of 108 students completed the survey, with an 84% response rate. Medical students reported frequently encountering ethical conflicts during training but stated only a moderate level of ethics training at medical school (mean = 5.14 ± 1.8). They noted that their education had helped somewhat to deal with ethical conflicts (mean = 5.39 ± 2.0). Students strongly affirmed the importance of ethics education (mean = 7.63 ± 1.03) and endorsed the value of positive role models (mean = 7.45 ± 1.5) as the preferred learning method. The cohort voiced interest in direct faculty supervision as an approach to assessment of knowledge and skills (mean = 7.62 ± 1.26). Female students perceived greater need for more ethics education compared to males (p = < 0.05). Students who claimed that they had experienced some unprofessional treatment had a more limited view of the importance of ethics as a subject (P = 0.001). Medical students viewed ethics education positively and preferred clinically attuned methods for learning.

Computer Simulation for Pain Management Education: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Allred, Kelly; Gerardi, Nicole

2017-10-01

Effective pain management is an elusive concept in acute care. Inadequate knowledge has been identified as a barrier to providing optimal pain management. This study aimed to determine student perceptions of an interactive computer simulation as a potential method for learning pain management, as a motivator to read and learn more about pain management, preference over traditional lecture, and its potential to change nursing practice. A post-computer simulation survey with a mixed-methods descriptive design was used in this study. A college of nursing in a large metropolitan university in the Southeast United States. A convenience sample of 30 nursing students in a Bachelor of Science nursing program. An interactive computer simulation was developed as a potential alternative method of teaching pain management to nursing students. Increases in educational gain as well as its potential to change practice were explored. Each participant was asked to complete a survey consisting of 10 standard 5-point Likert scale items and 5 open-ended questions. The survey was used to evaluate the students' perception of the simulation, specifically related to educational benefit, preference compared with traditional teaching methods, and perceived potential to change nursing practice. Data provided descriptive statistics for initial evaluation of the computer simulation. The responses on the survey suggest nursing students perceive the computer simulation to be entertaining, fun, educational, occasionally preferred over regular lecture, and with potential to change practice. Preliminary data support the use of computer simulation in educating nursing students about pain management. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prioritizing the mHealth Design Space: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Smokers’ Perspectives

PubMed Central

BlueSpruce, June; Catz, Sheryl L; McClure, Jennifer B

2016-01-01

Background Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Therefore, researchers are constantly exploring new ways to promote smoking cessation. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies could be effective cessation tools. Despite the availability of commercial quit-smoking apps, little research to date has examined smokers’ preferred treatment intervention components (ie, design features). Honoring these preferences is important for designing programs that are appealing to smokers and may be more likely to be adopted and used. Objective The aim of this study was to understand smokers’ preferred design features of mHealth quit-smoking tools. Methods We used a mixed-methods approach consisting of focus groups and written surveys to understand the design preferences of adult smokers who were interested in quitting smoking (N=40). Focus groups were stratified by age to allow differing perspectives to emerge between older (>40 years) and younger (<40 years) participants. Focus group discussion included a “blue-sky” brainstorming exercise followed by participant reactions to contrasting design options for communicating with smokers, providing social support, and incentivizing program use. Participants rated the importance of preselected design features on an exit survey. Qualitative analyses examined emergent discussion themes and quantitative analyses compared feature ratings to determine which were perceived as most important. Results Participants preferred a highly personalized and adaptive mHealth experience. Their ideal mHealth quit-smoking tool would allow personalized tracking of their progress, adaptively tailored feedback, and real-time peer support to help manage smoking cravings. Based on qualitative analysis of focus group discussion, participants preferred pull messages (ie, delivered upon request) over push messages (ie, sent automatically) and preferred interaction with other smokers through closed social networks. Preferences for entertaining games or other rewarding incentives to encourage program use differed by age group. Based on quantitative analysis of surveys, participants rated the importance of select design features significantly differently (P<.001). Design features rated as most important included personalized content, the ability to track one’s progress, and features designed to help manage nicotine withdrawal and medication side effects. Design features rated least important were quit-smoking videos and posting on social media. Communicating with stop-smoking experts was rated more important than communicating with family and friends about quitting (P=.03). Perceived importance of various design features varied by age, experience with technology, and frequency of smoking. Conclusions Future mHealth cessation aids should be designed with an understanding of smokers’ needs and preferences for these tools. Doing so does not guarantee treatment effectiveness, but balancing user preferences with best-practice treatment considerations could enhance program adoption and improve treatment outcomes. Grounded in the perspectives of smokers, we identify several design considerations, which should be prioritized when designing future mHealth cessation tools and which warrant additional empirical validation. PMID:27496593

Quantifying patient preferences for symptomatic breast clinic referral: a decision analysis study.

PubMed

Quinlan, Aisling; O'Brien, Kirsty K; Galvin, Rose; Hardy, Colin; McDonnell, Ronan; Joyce, Doireann; McDowell, Ronald D; Aherne, Emma; Keogh, Claire; O'Sullivan, Katriona; Fahey, Tom

2018-05-31

Decision analysis study that incorporates patient preferences and probability estimates to investigate the impact of women's preferences for referral or an alternative strategy of watchful waiting if faced with symptoms that could be due to breast cancer. Community-based study. Asymptomatic women aged 30-60 years. Participants were presented with 11 health scenarios that represent the possible consequences of symptomatic breast problems. Participants were asked the risk of death that they were willing to take in order to avoid the health scenario using the standard gamble utility method. This process was repeated for all 11 health scenarios. Formal decision analysis for the preferred individual decision was then estimated for each participant. The preferred diagnostic strategy was either watchful waiting or referral to a breast clinic. Sensitivity analysis was used to examine how each varied according to changes in the probabilities of the health scenarios. A total of 35 participants completed the interviews, with a median age 41 years (IQR 35-47 years). The majority of the study sample was employed (n=32, 91.4%), with a third-level (university) education (n=32, 91.4%) and with knowledge of someone with breast cancer (n=30, 85.7%). When individual preferences were accounted for, 25 (71.4%) patients preferred watchful waiting to referral for triple assessment as their preferred initial diagnostic strategy. Sensitivity analysis shows that referral for triple assessment becomes the dominant strategy at the upper probability estimate (18%) of breast cancer in the community. Watchful waiting is an acceptable strategy for most women who present to their general practitioner (GP) with breast symptoms. These findings suggest that current referral guidelines should take more explicit account of women's preferences in relation to their GPs initial management strategy. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

An exploration of parents’ preferences for foot care in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a possible role for the discrete choice experiment

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background An increased awareness of patients’ and parents’ care preferences regarding foot care is desirable from a clinical perspective as such information may be utilised to optimise care delivery. The aim of this study was to examine parents’ preferences for, and valuations of foot care and foot-related outcomes in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods A discrete choice experiment (DCE) incorporating willingness-to-pay (WTP) questions was conducted by surveying 42 parents of children with JIA who were enrolled in a randomised-controlled trial of multidisciplinary foot care at a single UK paediatric rheumatology outpatients department. Attributes explored were: levels of pain; mobility; ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL); waiting time; referral route; and footwear. The DCE was administered at trial baseline. DCE data were analysed using a multinomial-logit-regression model to estimate preferences and relative importance of attributes of foot care. A stated-preference WTP question was presented to estimate parents’ monetary valuation of health and service improvements. Results Every attribute in the DCE was statistically significant (p < 0.01) except that of cost (p = 0.118), suggesting that all attributes, except cost, have an impact on parents’ preferences for foot care for their child. The magnitudes of the coefficients indicate that the strength of preference for each attribute was (in descending order): improved ability to perform ADL, reductions in foot pain, improved mobility, improved ability to wear desired footwear, multidisciplinary foot care route, and reduced waiting time. Parents’ estimated mean annual WTP for a multidisciplinary foot care service was £1,119.05. Conclusions In terms of foot care service provision for children with JIA, parents appear to prefer improvements in health outcomes over non-health outcomes and service process attributes. Cost was relatively less important than other attributes suggesting that it does not appear to impact on parents’ preferences. PMID:24502508

A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Students' Preferences for Lecturers' Personalities in Britain, Malaysia and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swami, Viren; Furnham, Adrian; Maakip, Ismail; Ahmad, Sharani; Hudani, Nurul; Voo, Peter S. K.; Christopher, Andrew N.; Garwood, Jeanette

2007-01-01

This study examined students' preferences for lecturers' personalities on three continents. Two-hundred and 35 university students in Malaysia, 347 university students in Britain and 139 university students in the United States provided ratings of 30 desirable and undesirable lecturer trait characteristics, which were coded into an internally…

Eliciting women's cervical screening preferences: a mixed methods systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Wood, Brianne; Van Katwyk, Susan Rogers; El-Khatib, Ziad; McFaul, Susan; Taljaard, Monica; Wright, Erica; Graham, Ian D; Little, Julian

2016-08-11

With the accumulation of evidence regarding potential harms of cancer screening in recent years, researchers, policy-makers, and the public are becoming more critical of population-based cancer screening. Consequently, a high-quality cancer screening program should consider individuals' values and preferences when determining recommendations. In cervical cancer screening, offering women autonomy is considered a "person-centered" approach to health care services; however, it may impact the effectiveness of the program should women choose to not participate. As part of a larger project to investigate women's cervical screening preferences and correlates of these preferences, this systematic review will capture quantitative and qualitative investigations of women's cervical screening preferences and the methods used to elicit them. This mixed methods synthesis will use a thematic analysis approach to synthesize qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods evidence. This protocol describes the methods that will be used in this investigation. A search strategy has been developed with a health librarian and peer reviewed using PRESS. Based on this strategy, five databases and the gray literature will be searched for studies that meet the inclusion criteria. The quality of the included individual studies will be examined using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Three reviewers will extract data from the primary studies on the tools or instruments used to elicit women's preferences regarding cervical cancer screening, theoretical frameworks used, outcomes measured, the outstanding themes from quantitative and qualitative evidence, and the identified preferences for cervical cancer screening. We will describe the relationships between study results and the study population, "intervention" (e.g., tool or instrument), and context. We will follow the PRISMA reporting guideline. We will compare findings across studies and between study methods (e.g., qualitative versus quantitative study designs). The strength of the synthesized findings will be assessed using the validated GRADE and CERQual tool. This review will inform the development of a tool to elicit women's cervical screening preferences. Understanding the methods used to elicit women's preferences and what is known about women's cervical screening preferences will be useful for guideline developers who wish to incorporate a woman-centered approach specifically for cervical screening guidelines. PROSPERO CRD42016035737.

Comparison of digital and conventional impression techniques: evaluation of patients’ perception, treatment comfort, effectiveness and clinical outcomes

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to compare two impression techniques from the perspective of patient preferences and treatment comfort. Methods Twenty-four (12 male, 12 female) subjects who had no previous experience with either conventional or digital impression participated in this study. Conventional impressions of maxillary and mandibular dental arches were taken with a polyether impression material (Impregum, 3 M ESPE), and bite registrations were made with polysiloxane bite registration material (Futar D, Kettenbach). Two weeks later, digital impressions and bite scans were performed using an intra-oral scanner (CEREC Omnicam, Sirona). Immediately after the impressions were made, the subjects’ attitudes, preferences and perceptions towards impression techniques were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire. The perceived source of stress was evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Scale. Processing steps of the impression techniques (tray selection, working time etc.) were recorded in seconds. Statistical analyses were performed with the Wilcoxon Rank test, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results There were significant differences among the groups (p < 0.05) in terms of total working time and processing steps. Patients stated that digital impressions were more comfortable than conventional techniques. Conclusions Digital impressions resulted in a more time-efficient technique than conventional impressions. Patients preferred the digital impression technique rather than conventional techniques. PMID:24479892

Treatment preferences of patients with binge eating disorder.

PubMed

Brody, Michelle L; Masheb, Robin M; Grilo, Carlos M

2005-05-01

The current study examined the treatment preferences of obese patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Participants were 103 consecutive patients with BED who responded to advertisements for treatment studies looking for persons who wanted to "stop binge eating and lose weight." In addition to completing comprehensive assessment batteries, participants were provided descriptions of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and behavioral weight loss therapy (BWL) after which they were asked to choose and rate their preferred treatment. Sixty-three percent of participants stated they preferred CBT. Treatment preferences were not associated with (1) histories of obesity, dieting, binge eating, or weight cycling, (2) current obesity or eating disorder features, or (3) psychological features such as depression or self-esteem levels. In contrast, participants' stated treatment preferences were aligned with their perception of their primary problem (eating disorder vs. obesity) and their primary goals for treatment (stop binge eating vs. lose weight). The patients who preferred CBT based their treatment selection more on their problem perception than on their primary treatment goal, whereas the patients who preferred BWL selected treatment based more on their primary treatment goal (weight loss) than on their problem perception. Obese patients with BED express treatment preferences that are not associated with variability in their clinical characteristics but are aligned with their perception of their primary problem and with their primary goals for treatment. Copyright 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Understanding Messaging Preferences to Inform Development of Mobile Goal-Directed Behavioral Interventions

PubMed Central

van Stolk-Cooke, Katherine; Morgenstern, Jon; Kuerbis, Alexis N; Markle, Kendra

2014-01-01

Background Mobile messaging interventions have been shown to improve outcomes across a number of mental health and health-related conditions, but there are still significant gaps in our knowledge of how to construct and deliver the most effective brief messaging interventions. Little is known about the ways in which subtle linguistic variations in message content can affect user receptivity and preferences. Objective The aim of this study was to determine whether any global messaging preferences existed for different types of language content, and how certain characteristics moderate those preferences, in an effort to inform the development of mobile messaging interventions. Methods This study examined user preferences for messages within 22 content groupings. Groupings were presented online in dyads of short messages that were identical in their subject matter, but structurally or linguistically varied. Participants were 277 individuals residing in the United States who were recruited and compensated through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) system. Participants were instructed to select the message in each dyad that they would prefer to receive to help them achieve a personal goal of their choosing. Results Results indicate global preferences of more than 75% of subjects for certain types of messages, such as those that were grammatically correct, free of textese, benefit-oriented, polite, nonaggressive, and directive as opposed to passive, among others. For several classes of messages, few or no clear global preferences were found. There were few personality- and trait-based moderators of message preferences, but subtle manipulations of message structure, such as changing “Try to…” to “You might want to try to…” affected message choice. Conclusions The results indicate that individuals are sensitive to variations in the linguistic content of text messages designed to help them achieve a personal goal and, in some cases, have clear preferences for one type of message over another. Global preferences were indicated for messages that contained accurate spelling and grammar, as well as messages that emphasize the positive over the negative. Research implications and a guide for developing short messages for goal-directed behaviors are presented in this paper. PMID:24500775

End-of-Life Treatment Preferences: A Key to Reducing Ethnic/Racial Disparities in Advance Care Planning?

PubMed Central

Garrido, Melissa M.; Harrington, Shannon T.; Prigerson, Holly G.

2014-01-01

Background This study sought to identify targets for interventions to reduce end-of-life care disparities among patients with advanced cancer. To do this, we evaluated the degree to which end-of-life care values and preferences are associated with advance care planning within racial/ethnic minority groups. Methods The Coping with Cancer study recruited patients with advanced cancer from outpatient clinics in five states from 2002-2008. We examined rates of one type of advance care planning, do not resuscitate [DNR] orders, reported at baseline interviews by 606 patients. Bivariate tests determined associations among DNR order completion, religious values, and treatment preferences within racial/ethnic groups. Results Non-Latino White patients were significantly more likely to have a DNR order (45%) than Black (25%) and Latino (20%) patients (p <.001). Preferences against specific life-prolonging treatments (e.g. chemotherapy, ventilation) were the only factor significantly associated with higher DNR order likelihood in each group, with non-Latino White patients more likely than Latino or Black patients to express preferences against life-prolonging care (e.g. 26% of non-Latino White, 46% of Black, and 41% of Latino patients wanted a feeding tube if it would extend life for one more day, p<.001). Conclusions Preferences against life-prolonging care differ dramatically by race/ethnicity, but they are uniformly significantly associated with DNR order completion rates across racial/ethnic groups of patients with advanced cancer. Advance care planning interventions that target preferences associated with DNR orders across racial/ethnic groups may reach a broad patient population and reduce end-of-life care disparities. PMID:25145489

Incorporating patient-preference evidence into regulatory decision making.

PubMed

Ho, Martin P; Gonzalez, Juan Marcos; Lerner, Herbert P; Neuland, Carolyn Y; Whang, Joyce M; McMurry-Heath, Michelle; Hauber, A Brett; Irony, Telba

2015-10-01

Patients have a unique role in deciding what treatments should be available for them and regulatory agencies should take their preferences into account when making treatment approval decisions. This is the first study designed to obtain quantitative patient-preference evidence to inform regulatory approval decisions by the Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Five-hundred and forty United States adults with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2) evaluated tradeoffs among effectiveness, safety, and other attributes of weight-loss devices in a scientific survey. Discrete-choice experiments were used to quantify the importance of safety, effectiveness, and other attributes of weight-loss devices to obese respondents. A tool based on these measures is being used to inform benefit-risk assessments for premarket approval of medical devices. Respondent choices yielded preference scores indicating their relative value for attributes of weight-loss devices in this study. We developed a tool to estimate the minimum weight loss acceptable by a patient to receive a device with a given risk profile and the maximum mortality risk tolerable in exchange for a given weight loss. For example, to accept a device with 0.01 % mortality risk, a risk tolerant patient will require about 10 % total body weight loss lasting 5 years. Patient preference evidence was used make regulatory decision making more patient-centered. In addition, we captured the heterogeneity of patient preferences allowing market approval of effective devices for risk tolerant patients. CDRH is using the study tool to define minimum clinical effectiveness to evaluate new weight-loss devices. The methods presented can be applied to a wide variety of medical products. This study supports the ongoing development of a guidance document on incorporating patient preferences into medical-device premarket approval decisions.

The Influence of Varying Cost Formats on Preferences

PubMed Central

Jiang, Charles Changchuan; Fraenkel, Liana

2016-01-01

Background Numerous studies have found that cost strongly influences patients’ decision-making. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of varying cost formats on patients’ preferences. Methods Mechanical Turk workers completed a choice based conjoint (CBC) analysis survey. The CBC survey was designed to examine stated preferences for second line agents used to treat diabetes using five attributes: route of administration, efficacy, risk of low blood sugar, frequency of checking blood sugar levels and cost. We developed seven versions of the CBC survey which were identical except for the cost attribute. We described cost in terms of: Affordability, Monthly co-pay, Dollar Sign Rating, How Expensive or How Cheap compared to other medications, Monthly Co-pay, Working Hours Equivalent (per month) and Percent of Monthly Income. The resulting part-worth utilities were used to calculate the relative importance of cost and to estimate treatment preferences for a sulfonylurea, exenatide and insulin. Results The relative impact of cost varied significantly across the seven formats. Cost had the greatest influence on participants’ decisions when framed in terms of Affordability [mean (SD) relative importance = 37.3 (0.9)] and the lowest influence when framed in terms of How Cheap (compared to other drugs) [mean (SD) relative importance= 12.1 (0.9)]. A sulfonylurea was strongly preferred across four of the seven formats. Preference for insulin, the most effective, albeit riskiest option, was low across all cost formats. Conclusions The format used to describe cost influences how this attribute impacts patients’ preferences. Individuals are most cost-sensitive when cost is framed in terms of affordability and least cost-sensitive when cost is described in terms of how cheap the medication is compared to others. PMID:27856826

The use of disease-specific outcome measures in cost-utility analysis: the development of Dutch societal preference weights for the FACT-L scale.

PubMed

Lamers, Leida M; Uyl-de Groot, Carin A; Buijt, Ivonne

2007-01-01

The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) is a validated, sensitive and reliable patient questionnaire that evaluates and quantifies quality of life (QOL) across several domains, including lung cancer-related symptoms. The FACT-L was not designed for use in economic evaluation and does not incorporate preferences into its scoring system. To derive a set of Dutch preference weights for FACT-L health states that can be used to convert FACT-L into a single value that can be used in cost-utility analyses. A representative sample of the Dutch population (n = 1076) directly valued an orthogonal set of eight FACT-L health states on a 100-point rating scale with the anchor points 'worst imaginable health state' and 'best imaginable health state'. Eleven FACT-L items were selected to describe the FACT-L health states that were directly valued. Regression analysis was used to interpolate values for all other possible health states. Scores were transformed into values on a scale where 0 indicated dead and 1 indicated full health. The estimated values for FACT-L health states ranged from 0.08 to 0.93. The estimated value sets were applied to FACT-L data of lung cancer patients participating in a clinical study. Significant differences in the mean value and mean gain of 0.12 and 0.07, respectively, were found between patients in remission and patients with progressive disease at 4 weeks' follow-up. Our results reaffirmed that the methodology used here is a feasible option to convert data collected with a disease-specific outcome measure into preferences. We concluded that the sensitivity of the derived set of societal preferences to capture differences and changes in clinical health states is an indication of its construct validity.

Maintenance inhaler preference, attribute importance, and satisfaction in prescribing physicians and patients with asthma, COPD, or asthma–COPD overlap syndrome consulting for routine care

PubMed Central

Ding, Bo; Small, Mark; Scheffel, Gina; Holmgren, Ulf

2018-01-01

Background In respiratory disorders, patient- and physician-perceived satisfaction with the maintenance inhaler device is an important factor driving treatment compliance and outcomes. We examine inhaler preferences in asthma and COPD from patient and physician perspectives, particularly focusing on the relative importance of individual device attributes and patient characteristics guiding inhaler choice. Materials and methods Real-world data from >7,300 patients with asthma, COPD, or asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) consulting for routine care were derived from respiratory Disease Specific Programs conducted in Europe, USA, Japan, and China. Outcome variables included current pattern of inhaled maintenance therapy and device type, physician preference, patient-reported device attribute importance, and satisfaction. Results The most commonly prescribed inhalers for maintenance therapy of asthma, COPD, and ACOS were dry powder inhalers (62.8%–88.5% of patients) and pressurized metered dose inhalers (18.9%–35.3% of patients). One-third of physicians stated no preference for maintenance device when prescribing treatment, and less than one-third of patients reported being “extremely satisfied” with any attribute of their device. Instructions being “simple and easy to follow” was the inhaler attribute most commonly selected as important. For approximately one-third of patients across all groups, “ease of use/suitability of inhaler device” was a reason for the prescribing decision, as stated by the physician. Device characteristics were more likely to impact the prescribing decision in older patients (in asthma and COPD; P<0.01) and those with worse disease severity (in COPD; P<0.001). Conclusion A relatively high proportion of physicians had no preference for inhaler type across asthma, COPD, and ACOS. Simplicity of use was the most important inhaler attribute from a patient’s perspective. Physicians appeared to place most importance on ease of use and device suitability when selecting inhalers for older patients and those with more severe disease, particularly in COPD. PMID:29588581

Stated Preferences of Doctors for Choosing a Job in Rural Areas of Peru: A Discrete Choice Experiment

PubMed Central

Miranda, J. Jaime; Diez-Canseco, Francisco; Lema, Claudia; Lescano, Andrés G.; Lagarde, Mylene; Blaauw, Duane; Huicho, Luis

2012-01-01

Background Doctors’ scarcity in rural areas remains a serious problem in Latin America and Peru. Few studies have explored job preferences of doctors working in underserved areas. We aimed to investigate doctors’ stated preferences for rural jobs. Methods and Findings A labelled discrete choice experiment (DCE) was performed in Ayacucho, an underserved department of Peru. Preferences were assessed for three locations: rural community, Ayacucho city (Ayacucho’s capital) and other provincial capital city. Policy simulations were run to assess the effect of job attributes on uptake of a rural post. Multiple conditional logistic regressions were used to assess the relative importance of job attributes and of individual characteristics. A total of 102 doctors participated. They were five times more likely to choose a job post in Ayacucho city over a rural community (OR 4.97, 95%CI 1.2; 20.54). Salary increases and bonus points for specialization acted as incentives to choose a rural area, while increase in the number of years needed to get a permanent post acted as a disincentive. Being male and working in a hospital reduced considerably chances of choosing a rural job, while not living with a partner increased them. Policy simulations showed that a package of 75% salary increase, getting a permanent contract after two years in rural settings, and getting bonus points for further specialisation increased rural job uptake from 21% to 77%. A package of 50% salary increase plus bonus points for further specialisation would also increase the rural uptake from 21% to 52%. Conclusions Doctors are five times more likely to favour a job in urban areas over rural settings. This strong preference needs to be overcome by future policies aimed at improving the scarcity of rural doctors. Some incentives, alone or combined, seem feasible and sustainable, whilst others may pose a high fiscal burden. PMID:23272065

A Model of Competition Among More than Two Languages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujie, Ryo; Aihara, Kazuyuki; Masuda, Naoki

2013-04-01

We extend the Abrams-Strogatz model for competition between two languages (Abrams and Strogatz in Nature 424:900, 2003) to the case of n (≥2) competing states (i.e., languages). Although the Abrams-Strogatz model for n=2 can be interpreted as modeling either majority preference or minority aversion, the two mechanisms are distinct when n≥3. We find that the condition for the coexistence of different states is independent of n under the pure majority preference, whereas it depends on n under the pure minority aversion. We also show that the stable coexistence equilibrium and stable monopoly equilibria can be multistable under the minority aversion and not under the majority preference. Furthermore, we obtain the phase diagram of the model when the effects of the majority preference and minority aversion are mixed, under the condition that different states have the same attractiveness. We show that the multistability is a generic property of the model facilitated by large n.

Lifetime and diffusion length measurements on silicon material and solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Othmer, S.; Chen, S. C.

1978-01-01

Experimental methods were evaluated for the determination of lifetime and diffusion length in silicon intentionally doped with potentially lifetime-degrading impurities found in metallurgical grade silicon, impurities which may be residual in low-cost silicon intended for use in terrestrial flat-plate arrays. Lifetime measurements were made using a steady-state photoconductivity method. Diffusion length determinations were made using short-circuit current measurements under penetrating illumination. Mutual consistency among all experimental methods was verified, but steady-state photoconductivity was found preferable to photoconductivity decay at short lifetimes and in the presence of traps. The effects of a number of impurities on lifetime in bulk material, and on diffusion length in cells fabricated from this material, were determined. Results are compared with those obtained using different techniques. General agreement was found in terms of the hierarchy of impurities which degrade the lifetime.

Unmet demand for highly effective postpartum contraception in Texas.

PubMed

Potter, Joseph E; Hopkins, Kristine; Aiken, Abigail R A; Hubert, Celia; Stevenson, Amanda J; White, Kari; Grossman, Daniel

2014-11-01

We aimed to assess women's contraceptive preferences and use in the first 6 months after delivery. The postpartum period represents a key opportunity for women to learn about and obtain effective contraception, especially since 50% of unintended pregnancies to parous women occur within 2 years of a previous birth. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 800 postpartum women recruited from three hospitals in Austin and El Paso, TX. Women aged 18-44 who wanted to delay childbearing for at least 24 months were eligible for the study and completed interviews following delivery and at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Participants were asked about the contraceptive method they were currently using and the method they would prefer to use at 6 months after delivery. At 6 months postpartum, 13% of women were using an intrauterine device or implant, and 17% were sterilized or had a partner who had had a vasectomy. Twenty-four percent were using hormonal methods, and 45% relied on less effective methods, mainly condoms and withdrawal. Yet 44% reported that they would prefer to be using sterilization, and 34% would prefer to be using long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). This study shows a considerable preference for LARC and permanent methods at 6 months postpartum. However, there is a marked discordance between women's method preference and actual use, indicating substantial unmet demand for highly effective methods of contraception. In two Texas cities, many more women preferred long-acting and permanent contraceptive methods (LAPM) than were able to access these methods at 6 months postpartum. Women's contraceptive needs could be better met by counseling about all methods, by reducing cost barriers and by making LAPM available at more sites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preference-based measures to obtain health state utility values for use in economic evaluations with child-based populations: a review and UK-based focus group assessment of patient and parent choices.

PubMed

Wolstenholme, Jane L; Bargo, Danielle; Wang, Kay; Harnden, Anthony; Räisänen, Ulla; Abel, Lucy

2018-03-21

No current guidance is available in the UK on the choice of preference-based measure (PBM) that should be used in obtaining health-related quality of life from children. The aim of this study is to review the current usage of PBMs for obtaining health state utility values in child and adolescent populations, and to obtain information on patient and parent-proxy respondent preferences in completing PBMs in the UK. A literature review was conducted to determine which instrument is most frequently used for child-based economic evaluations and whether child or proxy responses are used. Instruments were compared on dimensions, severity levels, elicitation and valuation methods, availability of value sets and validation studies, and the range of utility values generated. Additionally, a series of focus groups of parents and young people (11-20 years) were convened to determine patient and proxy preferences. Five PBMs suitable for child populations were identified, although only the Health Utilities Index 2 (HUI2) and Child Heath Utility 9D (CHU-9D) have UK value sets. 45 papers used PBMs in this population, but many used non-child-specific PBMs. Most respondents were parent proxies, even in adolescent populations. Reported missing data ranged from 0.5 to 49.3%. The focus groups reported their experiences with the EQ-5D-Y and CHU-9D. Both the young persons' group and parent/proxy groups felt that the CHU-9D was more comprehensive but may be harder for a proxy to complete. Some younger children had difficulty understanding the CHU-9D questions, but the young persons' group nonetheless preferred responding directly. The use of PBMs in child populations is increasing, but many studies use PBMs that do not have appropriate value sets. Parent proxies are the most common respondents, but the focus group responses suggest it would be preferred, and may be more informative, for older children to self-report or for child-parent dyads to respond.

Shared Decision Making, Fast and Slow: Implications for Informed Consent, Resource Utilization, and Patient Satisfaction in Orthopaedic Surgery.

PubMed

Bernstein, Joseph; Kupperman, Eli; Kandel, Leonid Ari; Ahn, Jaimo

2016-07-01

Through shared decision making, the physician and patient exchange information to arrive at an agreement about the patient's preferred treatment. This process is predicated on the assumption that there is a single preferred treatment, and the goal of the dialog is to discover it. In contrast, psychology theory (ie, prospect theory) suggests that people can make decisions both analytically and intuitively through parallel decision-making processes, and depending on how the choice is framed, the two processes may not agree. Thus, patients may not have a single preferred treatment, but rather separate intuitive and analytic preferences. The research question addressed here is whether subjects might reveal different therapeutic preferences based on how a decision is framed. Five clinical scenarios on the management of tibial plateau fractures were constructed. Healthy volunteers were asked to select among treatments offered. Four weeks later, the scenarios were presented again; the facts of the scenario were unchanged, but the description was altered to test the null hypothesis that minor changes in wording would not lead the subjects to change their decision about treatment. For example, incomplete improvement after surgery was described first as a gain from the preoperative state and then as a loss from the preinjury state. In all five cases, the variation predicted by psychology theory was detected. Respondents were affected by whether choices were framed as avoided losses versus potential gains; by emotional cues; by choices reported by others (ie, bandwagon effect); by the answers proposed to them in the question (ie, anchors); and by seemingly irrelevant options (ie, decoys). The influence of presentation on preferences can be highly significant in orthopaedic surgery. The presence of parallel decision-making processes implies that the standard methods of obtaining informed consent may require further refinement. Furthermore, if the way that information is portrayed makes surgery more or less appealing, the use of services may be subject to unwanted influence. If surgery were accepted preoperatively by the patient's intuitive process but evaluated after the fact by the analytic process (or vice versa), well-indicated and well-performed surgery may still fail to provide patient satisfaction.

Indian medical students' views on immigration for training and practice.

PubMed

Rao, Nyapati R; Rao, Uttam K; Cooper, Richard A

2006-02-01

To assess the attitudes of medical students in India about participating in graduate medical education in the United States and other countries and in subsequent clinical practice in those countries. A total of 240 students who were attending their final year at two medical schools in Bangalore, India, were surveyed during 2004. Surveys were completed by 166 (69%) of the students. Among the responding students, 98 (59%) thought of leaving India for further training abroad. Of those who wished to leave, 41 (42%) preferred the United States, 42 (43%) preferred the United Kingdom, and 9 (9%) preferred Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Only two students preferred the Middle East. Most who favored training in the United States indicated that they intended to remain after training, whereas fewer than 20% of those who favored training in the United Kingdom had such intentions. While more than 60% perceived greater professional opportunities in the United States than in India, approximately 75% were concerned that the United States had become less welcoming after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and similar numbers were concerned about the examination administered by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates. Conversely, the majority of respondents felt that opportunities for physicians in India were improving. While optimism about future medical careers in India is increasing, the interest of Indian medical students in training and subsequently practicing in the United States remains high.

A Comparison of Japan and U.K. SF-6D Health-State Valuations Using a Non-Parametric Bayesian Method.

PubMed

Kharroubi, Samer A

2015-08-01

There is interest in the extent to which valuations of health may differ between different countries and cultures, but few studies have compared preference values of health states obtained in different countries. We sought to estimate and compare two directly elicited valuations for SF-6D health states between the Japan and U.K. general adult populations using Bayesian methods. We analysed data from two SF-6D valuation studies where, using similar standard gamble protocols, values for 241 and 249 states were elicited from representative samples of the Japan and U.K. general adult populations, respectively. We estimate a function applicable across both countries that explicitly accounts for the differences between them, and is estimated using data from both countries. The results suggest that differences in SF-6D health-state valuations between the Japan and U.K. general populations are potentially important. The magnitude of these country-specific differences in health-state valuation depended, however, in a complex way on the levels of individual dimensions. The new Bayesian non-parametric method is a powerful approach for analysing data from multiple nationalities or ethnic groups, to understand the differences between them and potentially to estimate the underlying utility functions more efficiently.

Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Preference Utility Set and Its Application in Selection of Fire Rescue Plans

PubMed Central

Si, Guangsen; Xu, Zeshui

2018-01-01

Hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set provides an effective tool to represent uncertain decision information. However, the semantics corresponding to the linguistic terms in it cannot accurately reflect the decision-makers’ subjective cognition. In general, different decision-makers’ sensitivities towards the semantics are different. Such sensitivities can be represented by the cumulative prospect theory value function. Inspired by this, we propose a linguistic scale function to transform the semantics corresponding to linguistic terms into the linguistic preference values. Furthermore, we propose the hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility set, based on which, the decision-makers can flexibly express their distinct semantics and obtain the decision results that are consistent with their cognition. For calculations and comparisons over the hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility sets, we introduce some distance measures and comparison laws. Afterwards, to apply the hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility sets in emergency management, we develop a method to obtain objective weights of attributes and then propose a hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility-TOPSIS method to select the best fire rescue plan. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is verified by some comparisons of the method with other two representative methods including the hesitant fuzzy linguistic-TOPSIS method and the hesitant fuzzy linguistic-VIKOR method. PMID:29614019

How Do Clinicians Prefer Cultural Competence Training? Findings from the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview Field Trial

PubMed Central

Aggarwal, Neil Krishan; Lam, Peter; Castillo, Enrico; Weiss, Mitchell G.; Diaz, Esperanza; Alarcón, Renato D.; van Dijk, Rob; Rohlof, Hans; Ndetei, David M.; Scalco, Monica; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Bassiri, Kavoos; Deshpande, Smita; Groen, Simon; Jadhav, Sushrut; Kirmayer, Laurence J.; Paralikar, Vasudeo; Westermeyer, Joseph; Santos, Filipa; Vega-Dienstmaier, Johann; Anez, Luis; Boiler, Marit; Nicasio, Andel V.; Lewis-Fernández, Roberto

2015-01-01

Objective This study’s objective is to analyze training methods clinicians reported as most and least helpful during the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview field trial, reasons why, and associations between demographic characteristics and method preferences. Method The authors used mixed methods to analyze interviews from 75 clinicians in five continents on their training preferences after a standardized training session and clinicians’ first administration of the Cultural Formulation Interview. Content analysis identified most and least helpful educational methods by reason. Bivariate and logistic regression analysis compared clinician characteristics to method preferences. Results Most frequently, clinicians named case-based behavioral simulations as “most helpful” and video as “least helpful” training methods. Bivariate and logistic regression models, first unadjusted and then clustered by country, found that each additional year of a clinician’s age was associated with a preference for behavioral simulations: OR=1.05 (95% CI: 1.01–1.10; p=0.025). Conclusions Most clinicians preferred active behavioral simulations in cultural competence training, and this effect was most pronounced among older clinicians. Effective training may be best accomplished through a combination of reviewing written guidelines, video demonstration, and behavioral simulations. Future work can examine the impact of clinician training satisfaction on patient symptoms and quality of life. PMID:26449983

Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Preference Utility Set and Its Application in Selection of Fire Rescue Plans.

PubMed

Liao, Huchang; Si, Guangsen; Xu, Zeshui; Fujita, Hamido

2018-04-03

Hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set provides an effective tool to represent uncertain decision information. However, the semantics corresponding to the linguistic terms in it cannot accurately reflect the decision-makers' subjective cognition. In general, different decision-makers' sensitivities towards the semantics are different. Such sensitivities can be represented by the cumulative prospect theory value function. Inspired by this, we propose a linguistic scale function to transform the semantics corresponding to linguistic terms into the linguistic preference values. Furthermore, we propose the hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility set, based on which, the decision-makers can flexibly express their distinct semantics and obtain the decision results that are consistent with their cognition. For calculations and comparisons over the hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility sets, we introduce some distance measures and comparison laws. Afterwards, to apply the hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility sets in emergency management, we develop a method to obtain objective weights of attributes and then propose a hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference utility-TOPSIS method to select the best fire rescue plan. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is verified by some comparisons of the method with other two representative methods including the hesitant fuzzy linguistic-TOPSIS method and the hesitant fuzzy linguistic-VIKOR method.

Holistic Assessment and Ethical Disputation on a New Trend in Solid Biofuels.

PubMed

Hašková, Simona

2017-04-01

A new trend in the production technology of solid biof uels has appeared. There is a wide consensus that most solid biofuels will be produced according to the new production methods within a few years. Numerous samples were manufactured from agro-residues according to conventional methods as well as new methods. Robust analyses that reviewed the hygienic, environmental, financial and ethical aspects were performed. The hygienic and environmental aspect was assessed by robust chemical and technical analyses. The financial aspect was assessed by energy cost breakdown. The ethical point of view was built on the above stated findings, the survey questionnaire and critical discussion with the literature. It is concluded that the new production methods are significantly favourable from both the hygienic and environmental points of view. Financial indicators do not allow the expressing of any preference. Regarding the ethical aspect, it is concluded that the new methods are beneficial in terms of environmental responsibility. However, it showed that most of the customers that took part in the survey are price oriented and therefore they tend to prefer the cheaper-conventional alternative. In the long term it can be assumed that expansion of the new technology and competition among manufacturers will reduce the costs.

Correlated preferences for facial masculinity and ideal or actual partner's masculinity

PubMed Central

DeBruine, Lisa M; Jones, Benedict C; Little, Anthony C; Boothroyd, Lynda G; Perrett, David I; Penton-Voak, Ian S; Cooper, Philip A; Penke, Lars; Feinberg, David R; Tiddeman, Bernard P

2006-01-01

Studies of women's preferences for male faces have variously reported preferences for masculine faces, preferences for feminine faces and no effect of masculinity–femininity on male facial attractiveness. It has been suggested that these apparently inconsistent findings are, at least partly, due to differences in the methods used to manipulate the masculinity of face images or individual differences in attraction to facial cues associated with youth. Here, however, we show that women's preferences for masculinity manipulated in male faces using techniques similar to the three most widely used methods are positively inter-related. We also show that women's preferences for masculine male faces are positively related to ratings of the masculinity of their actual partner and their ideal partner. Correlations with partner masculinity were independent of real and ideal partner age, which were not associated with facial masculinity preference. Collectively, these findings suggest that variability among studies in their findings for women's masculinity preferences reflects individual differences in attraction to masculinity rather than differences in the methods used to manufacture stimuli, and are important for the interpretation of previous and future studies of facial masculinity. PMID:16777723

Constructing experimental designs for discrete-choice experiments: report of the ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Experimental Design Good Research Practices Task Force.

PubMed

Reed Johnson, F; Lancsar, Emily; Marshall, Deborah; Kilambi, Vikram; Mühlbacher, Axel; Regier, Dean A; Bresnahan, Brian W; Kanninen, Barbara; Bridges, John F P

2013-01-01

Stated-preference methods are a class of evaluation techniques for studying the preferences of patients and other stakeholders. While these methods span a variety of techniques, conjoint-analysis methods-and particularly discrete-choice experiments (DCEs)-have become the most frequently applied approach in health care in recent years. Experimental design is an important stage in the development of such methods, but establishing a consensus on standards is hampered by lack of understanding of available techniques and software. This report builds on the previous ISPOR Conjoint Analysis Task Force Report: Conjoint Analysis Applications in Health-A Checklist: A Report of the ISPOR Good Research Practices for Conjoint Analysis Task Force. This report aims to assist researchers specifically in evaluating alternative approaches to experimental design, a difficult and important element of successful DCEs. While this report does not endorse any specific approach, it does provide a guide for choosing an approach that is appropriate for a particular study. In particular, it provides an overview of the role of experimental designs for the successful implementation of the DCE approach in health care studies, and it provides researchers with an introduction to constructing experimental designs on the basis of study objectives and the statistical model researchers have selected for the study. The report outlines the theoretical requirements for designs that identify choice-model preference parameters and summarizes and compares a number of available approaches for constructing experimental designs. The task-force leadership group met via bimonthly teleconferences and in person at ISPOR meetings in the United States and Europe. An international group of experimental-design experts was consulted during this process to discuss existing approaches for experimental design and to review the task force's draft reports. In addition, ISPOR members contributed to developing a consensus report by submitting written comments during the review process and oral comments during two forum presentations at the ISPOR 16th and 17th Annual International Meetings held in Baltimore (2011) and Washington, DC (2012). Copyright © 2013 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Configuration interaction singles natural orbitals: An orbital basis for an efficient and size intensive multireference description of electronic excited states

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

Shu, Yinan; Levine, Benjamin G., E-mail: levine@chemistry.msu.edu; Hohenstein, Edward G.

2015-01-14

Multireference quantum chemical methods, such as the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method, have long been the state of the art for computing regions of potential energy surfaces (PESs) where complex, multiconfigurational wavefunctions are required, such as near conical intersections. Herein, we present a computationally efficient alternative to the widely used CASSCF method based on a complete active space configuration interaction (CASCI) expansion built from the state-averaged natural orbitals of configuration interaction singles calculations (CISNOs). This CISNO-CASCI approach is shown to predict vertical excitation energies of molecules with closed-shell ground states similar to those predicted by state averaged (SA)-CASSCFmore » in many cases and to provide an excellent reference for a perturbative treatment of dynamic electron correlation. Absolute energies computed at the CISNO-CASCI level are found to be variationally superior, on average, to other CASCI methods. Unlike SA-CASSCF, CISNO-CASCI provides vertical excitation energies which are both size intensive and size consistent, thus suggesting that CISNO-CASCI would be preferable to SA-CASSCF for the study of systems with multiple excitable centers. The fact that SA-CASSCF and some other CASCI methods do not provide a size intensive/consistent description of excited states is attributed to changes in the orbitals that occur upon introduction of non-interacting subsystems. Finally, CISNO-CASCI is found to provide a suitable description of the PES surrounding a biradicaloid conical intersection in ethylene.« less

Temperature preference of the white perch, Morone americana, collected in the Wicomico River, Maryland

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

Hall, L.W. Jr.; Hocutt, C.H.; Stauffer, J.R. Jr.

1979-06-01

Temperature preference tests were conducted on fresh water white perch (Morone americana), collected from the Wicomico River, Maryland. Collection temperature was 27/sup 0/C and acclimation temperatures used in temperature preference tests were 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 33/sup 0/C. The following methods were used to determine the final temperature preference:linear regression, quadratic equation, and eyeball plots. Recorded final temperature preference values were 28.9, 29.3, and 30.6/sup 0/C using each method respectively.

Stated Preference Economic Development Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

calculated the public benefit associated with Petroglyph by extracting the value for day hikes from the first study, the added value of rock art from the...2002. There are a lack of data and methods to determine the net social benefit of this aid. Additionally, currently available data are insufficient to...properly prioritize the usage and award of this aid. SPED involved the creation of tools that estimate the net social benefit of projects using

Considerations for Integrating Women into Closed Occupations in the U.S. Special Operations Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

effectiveness of integration. Ideally, studies adopting an experimental design (using both test and control groups ) would be preferred, but sample sizes may...data -- a survey of SOF personnel and a series of focus group discussions -- collected by the research team regarding the potential challenges to... controlled positions. This report summarizes our research , analysis, and conclusions. We used a mixed-methods approach. We reviewed the current state of

Learning what feelings to desire: socialization of ideal affect through children's storybooks.

PubMed

Tsai, Jeanne L; Louie, Jennifer Y; Chen, Eva E; Uchida, Yukiko

2007-01-01

Previous findings suggest that cultural factors influence ideal affect (i.e., the affective states that people ideally want to feel). Three studies tested the hypothesis that cultural differences in ideal affect emerge early in life and are acquired through exposure to storybooks. In Study 1, the authors established that consistent with previous findings, European American preschoolers preferred excited (vs. calm) states more (indexed by activity and smile preferences) and perceived excited (vs. calm) states as happier than Taiwanese Chinese preschoolers. In Study 2, it was observed that similar differences were reflected in the pictures (activities, expressions, and smiles) of best-selling storybooks in the United States and Taiwan. Study 3 found that across cultures, exposure to exciting (vs. calm) storybooks altered children's preferences for excited (vs. calm) activities and their perceptions of happiness. These findings suggest that cultural differences in ideal affect may be due partly to differential exposure to calm and exciting storybooks.

Using Video Images to Improve the Accuracy of Surrogate Decision-Making: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Volandes, Angelo E.; Mitchell, Susan L.; Gillick, Muriel R.; Chang, Yuchiao; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K.

2009-01-01

Introduction When patients are unable to make important end-of-life decisions, doctors ask surrogate decision makers to provide insight into patients’ preferences. Unfortunately, multiple studies have shown that surrogates’ knowledge of patient preferences is poor. We hypothesized that a video decision tool would improve concordance between patients and their surrogates for end-of-life preferences. Objective To compare the concordance of preferences among elderly patients and their surrogates listening to only a verbal description of advanced dementia or viewing a video decision support tool of the disease after hearing the verbal description. Methods This was a randomized controlled trial of a convenience sample of community-dwelling elderly subjects (≥65 years) and their surrogates, and was conducted at 2 geriatric clinics affiliated with 2 academic medical centers in Boston. The study was conducted between September 1, 2007, and May 30, 2008. Random assignment of patient and surrogate dyads was to either a verbal narrative or a video decision support tool after the verbal narrative. End points were goals of care chosen by the patient and predicted goals of care by the surrogate. Goals of care included life-prolonging care (CPR, mechanical ventilation), limited care (hospitalization, antibiotics, but not CPR), and comfort care (only treatment to relieve symptoms). The primary outcome measure was the concordance rate of preferences between patients and their surrogates. Results A total of 14 pairs of patients and their surrogates were randomized to verbal narrative (n = 6) or video after verbal narrative (n = 8). Among the 6 patients receiving only the verbal narrative, 3 (50%) preferred comfort care, 1 (17%) chose limited care, and 2 (33%) desired life-prolonging care. Among the surrogates for these patients, only 2 correctly chose what their loved one would want if in a state of advanced dementia, yielding a concordance rate of 33%. Among the 8 patients receiving the video decision support tool, all 8 chose comfort care. Among the surrogates for these patients, all 8 correctly chose what their loved one would want if in a state of advanced dementia, yielding a concordance rate of 100%. Conclusion Patients and surrogates viewing a video decision support tool for advanced dementia are more likely to concur about the patient’s end-of-life preferences than when solely listening to a verbal description of the disease. PMID:19808156

Learning style preferences of dental students at a single institution in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, evaluated using the VARK questionnaire

PubMed Central

Aldosari, Mohammad A; Aljabaa, Aljazi H; Al-Sehaibany, Fares S; Albarakati, Sahar F

2018-01-01

Background Students differ in their preferred methods of acquiring, processing, and recalling new information. The aim of this study was to investigate the learning style preferences of undergraduate dental students and examine the influence of gender, Grade Point Average (GPA), and academic year levels on these preferences. Methods The Arabic version of the visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire was administered to 491 students from the first- to the fifth-year academic classes at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the learning styles of the students, and Chi-square test and Fisher’s test were used to compare the learning preferences between genders and among academic years. Significance was set at a p-value of <0.05. Results A total of 368 dental students completed the questionnaire. The multimodal learning style was preferred by 63.04% of the respondents, with the remaining 36% having a unimodal style preference. The aural (A) and the kinesthetic (K) styles were the most preferred unimodal styles. The most common style overall was the quadmodal (VARK) style with 23.64% having this preference. These differences did not reach statistical significance (p>0.05). Females were more likely to prefer a bimodal learning style over a unimodal style (relative risk =2.37). Students with a GPA of “C” were less likely to have a bimodal or a quadmodal style preference compared to students with a GPA of “A” (relative risk =0.34 and 0.36, respectively). Second-year students were less likely to prefer a bimodal over a unimodal style compared to first-year students (relative risk =0.34). Conclusion The quadmodal VARK style is the preferred learning method chosen by dental students, followed by unimodal aural and kinesthetic styles. Gender was found to influence learning style preferences. Students with a “C” GPA tend to prefer unimodal learning style preferences. The VARK questionnaire is a relatively quick and simple tool to reveal the learning style preferences on an individual or a group level. Dental educators should adjust their delivery methods to approximate the learning preferences of their students. Dental students are encouraged to adapt a multimodal style of learning to improve their academic results. PMID:29593441

75 FR 505 - Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the Acceptance of Petitions To Grant a...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

.... SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has received petitions in connection.../trade-topics/trade-development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/current-review-1... specified in a notice in the Federal Register. The current schedule with respect to the review of the...

19 CFR 10.606 - Filing of claim for tariff preference level.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Tariff Preference Level § 10.606 Filing of claim for... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Filing of claim for tariff preference level. 10.606 Section 10.606 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY...

Findings from an assessment of state Title V workforce development needs.

PubMed

Grason, Holly; Kavanagh, Laura; Dooley, Suzanna; Partelow, Jenelle; Sharkey, Alyssa; Bradley, Katherine J; Handler, Arden

2012-01-01

To describe results of a 2008 assessment of Title V workforce competencies and training needs at the state level, and examine preferences and barriers related to available education and training opportunities. A web-based survey was administered May through August, 2008 to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) program leaders in all 50 states, and U.S. jurisdictions. Forty-nine MCH (96%) and 44 CYSHCN (86%) programs and four territories completed surveys. A major focus of the survey related to competencies in six core domains: Public Health/Title V Knowledge Base, Communication, Critical Thinking, Management Skills, Family Centered Care and Medical Home, and Leadership Development. The top training needs identified by state Title V programs fall into the global category of critical thinking, including skills in MCH data synthesis and translation, in program evaluation, and in systems thinking. The need to enhance personal rather than organizational leadership skills was emphasized. Blended learning approaches (graduate education), and national conferences with skills building workshops (continuing education) were identified as preferred training modalities. Barriers to training included lack of career opportunities, insufficient agency support, and inability to take leave (graduate education), and travel restrictions, release time limitations, costs, and limited geographic access (continuing education). Both the focus of training and preferred training modalities differed from previous MCH workforce survey findings. Given the changing needs expressed by state Title V leaders as well as their training preferences, it is important that current and future graduate education and continuing education approaches be better aligned to meet these needs and preferences.

Discrete choice modeling of season choice for Minnesota turkey hunters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroeder, Susan A.; Fulton, David C.; Cornicelli, Louis; Merchant, Steven S.

2018-01-01

Recreational turkey hunting exemplifies the interdisciplinary nature of modern wildlife management. Turkey populations in Minnesota have reached social or biological carrying capacities in many areas, and changes to turkey hunting regulations have been proposed by stakeholders and wildlife managers. This study employed discrete stated choice modeling to enhance understanding of turkey hunter preferences about regulatory alternatives. We distributed mail surveys to 2,500 resident turkey hunters. Results suggest that, compared to season structure and lotteries, additional permits and level of potential interference from other hunters most influenced hunter preferences for regulatory alternatives. Low hunter interference was preferred to moderate or high interference. A second permit issued only to unsuccessful hunters was preferred to no second permit or permits for all hunters. Results suggest that utility is not strictly defined by harvest or an individual's material gain but can involve preference for other outcomes that on the surface do not materially benefit an individual. Discrete stated choice modeling offers wildlife managers an effective way to assess constituent preferences related to new regulations before implementing them. 

Methodological review: measured and reported congruence between preferred and actual place of death.

PubMed

Bell, C L; Somogyi-Zalud, E; Masaki, K H

2009-09-01

Congruence between preferred and actual place of death is an important palliative care outcome reported in the literature. We examined methods of measuring and reporting congruence to highlight variations impairing cross-study comparisons. Medline, PsychInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science were systematically searched for clinical research studies examining patient preference and congruence as an outcome. Data were extracted into a matrix, including purpose, reported congruence, and method for eliciting preference. Studies were graded for quality. Using tables of preferred versus actual places of death, an overall congruence (total met preferences out of total preferences) and a kappa statistic of agreement were determined for each study. Twelve studies were identified. Percentage of congruence was reported using four different definitions. Ten studies provided a table or partial table of preferred versus actual deaths for each place. Three studies provided kappa statistics. No study achieved better than moderate agreement when analysed using kappa statistics. A study which elicited ideal preference reported the lowest agreement, while longitudinal studies reporting final preferred place of death yielded the highest agreement (moderate agreement). Two other studies of select populations also yielded moderate agreement. There is marked variation in methods of eliciting and reporting congruence, even among studies focused on congruence as an outcome. Cross-study comparison would be enhanced by the use of similar questions to elicit preference, tables of preferred versus actual places of death, and kappa statistics of agreement.

Unmet Demand for Highly Effective Postpartum Contraception in Texas

PubMed Central

Potter, Joseph E.; Hopkins, Kristine; Aiken, Abigail R. A.; Lopez, Celia Hubert; Stevenson, Amanda J.; White, Kari; Grossman, Daniel

2014-01-01

Objectives We aimed to assess women's contraceptive preferences and use in the first 6 months after delivery. The postpartum period represents a key opportunity for women to learn about and obtain effective contraception, especially since 50% of unintended pregnancies to parous women occur within 2 years of a previous birth. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 800 postpartum women recruited from three hospitals in Austin and El Paso, TX. Women aged 18–44 who wanted to delay childbearing for at least 24 months were eligible for the study and completed interviews following delivery and at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Participants were asked about the contraceptive method they were currently using and the method they would prefer to use at 6 months after delivery. Results At 6 months postpartum, 13% of women were using an IUD or implant, and 17% were sterilized or had a partner who had had a vasectomy. Twenty-four percent were using hormonal methods, and 45% relied on less effective methods, mainly condoms and withdrawal. Yet 44% reported that they would prefer to be using sterilization, and 34% would prefer to be using LARC. Conclusions This study shows a considerable preference for LARC and permanent methods at six months postpartum. However, there is a marked discordance between women's method preference and actual use, indicating substantial unmet demand for highly effective methods of contraception. PMID:25129329

Acculturation and Adverse Birth Outcomes in a Predominantly Puerto Rican Population.

PubMed

Barcelona de Mendoza, Veronica; Harville, Emily; Theall, Katherine; Buekens, Pierre; Chasan-Taber, Lisa

2016-06-01

Introduction Latinas in the United States on average have poorer birth outcomes than Whites, yet considerable heterogeneity exists within Latinas. Puerto Ricans have some of the highest rates of adverse outcomes and are understudied. The goal of this study was to determine if acculturation was associated with adverse birth outcomes in a predominantly Puerto Rican population. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of Proyecto Buena Salud, a prospective cohort study conducted from 2006 to 2011. A convenience sample of pregnant Latina women were recruited from a tertiary care hospital in Massachusetts. Acculturation was measured in early pregnancy; directly via the Psychological Acculturation Scale, and via proxies of language preference and generation in the United States. Birth outcomes (gestational age and birthweight) were abstracted from medical records (n = 1362). Results After adjustment, psychological acculturation, language preference, and generation was not associated with odds of preterm birth. However, every unit increase in psychological acculturation score was associated with an increase in gestational age of 0.22 weeks (SE = 0.1, p = 0.04) among all births. Women who preferred to speak Spanish (β = -0.39, SE = 0.2, p = 0.02) and who were first generation in the US (β = -0.33, SE = 0.1, p = 0.02) had significantly lower gestational ages than women who preferred English or who were later generation, respectively. Similarly, women who were first generation had babies who weighed 76.11 g less (SE = 35.2, p = 0.03) than women who were later generation. Discussion We observed a small, but statistically significant adverse impact of low acculturation on gestational age and birthweight in this predominantly Puerto Rican population.

Dynamic learning and context-dependence in sequential, attribute-based, stated-preference valuation questions

Treesearch

Thomas P. Holmes; Kevin J. Boyle

2005-01-01

A hybrid stated-preference model is presented that combines the referendum contingent valuation response format with an experimentally designed set of attributes. A sequence of valuation questions is asked to a random sample in a mailout mail-back format. Econometric analysis shows greater discrimination between alternatives in the final choice in the sequence, and the...

Effects of species information and furniture price on consumer preferences for selected woods

Treesearch

Matthew Bumgardner; David Nicholls; Geoffrey Donovan

2007-01-01

Changing consumer tastes and species availability are influencing the design and manufacture of hardwood products. In addition, the globalization of wood product markets is exposing U.S. consumers to new species. This research evaluates consumer preferences for six domestic wood species--three from the eastern United States and three from the western United States. The...

Lumber attributes, characteristics, and species preferences as indicated by secondary wood products firms in the continental United States.

Treesearch

David L. Nicholls; Joseph Roos

2006-01-01

The purpose of this research was to evaluate selected lumber attributes, species preferences, and lumber use properties among secondary wood manufacturers in the United States. Our sample included producers of kitchen cabinets, furniture, doors, windows, and molded products who attended regional and national wood manufacturing events. More than 51% of respondents had...

The effect of preferred music on mood and performance in a high-cognitive demand occupation.

PubMed

Lesiuk, Teresa

2010-01-01

Mild positive affect has been shown in the psychological literature to improve cognitive skills of creative problem-solving and systematic thinking. Individual preferred music listening offers opportunity for improved positive affect. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of preferred music listening on state-mood and cognitive performance in a high-cognitive demand occupation. Twenty-four professional computer information systems developers (CISD) from a North American IT company participated in a 3-week study with a music/no music/music weekly design. During the music weeks, participants listened to their preferred music "when they wanted, as they wanted." Self-reports of State Positive Affect, State Negative Affect, and Cognitive Performance were measured throughout the 3 weeks. Results indicate a statistically significant improvement in both state-mood and cognitive performance scores. "High-cognitive demand" is a relative term given that challenges presented to individuals may occur on a cognitive continuum from need for focus and selective attention to systematic analysis and creative problem-solving. The findings and recommendations have important implications for music therapists in their knowledge of the effect of music on emotion and cognition, and, as well, have important implications for music therapy consultation to organizations.

Comparing individual preferences for four meditation techniques: Zen, Vipassana (Mindfulness), Qigong, and Mantra.

PubMed

Burke, Adam

2012-01-01

A significant number of studies have been published examining the mind-body effects of meditation and its clinical efficacy. There are very few studies, however, which directly compare different meditation methods with each other to explore potentially distinct mechanisms and effects, and no studies comparing individual preferences for different methods. As preference is seen as an important factor in consumer healthcare decision making, greater understanding of this aspect is needed as meditation becomes a more widely used therapeutic modality. For this reason a pilot study was conducted to compare four meditation techniques for personal preference. A within-subjects comparison design was employed. A convenience sample of 247 undergraduate university students participated in the study. Participants learned two open observing meditation techniques-Vipassana (Mindfulness) and Zen, and two focused attention techniques-Mantra and Qigong Visualization, practicing one method per week. At the end of a six-week training period participants ranked the four meditation methods in order of personal preference. Ranking of subjective preference of meditations practiced. A within subjects comparison revealed that significantly more participants chose Vipassana or Mantra meditation as their preferred techniques compared with Qigong Visualization and Zen. This study provides information on differences in preference for type of meditation. As the benefits of meditation accrue over time, selecting a method that motivates sustained practice is a critical objective if therapeutic effects are to be achieved. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are consonant intervals music to their ears? Spontaneous acoustic preferences in a nonhuman primate.

PubMed

McDermott, Josh; Hauser, Marc

2004-12-01

Humans find some sounds more pleasing than others; such preferences may underlie our enjoyment of music. To gain insight into the evolutionary origins of these preferences, we explored whether they are present in other animals. We designed a novel method to measure the spontaneous sound preferences of cotton-top tamarins, a species that has been extensively tested for other perceptual abilities. Animals were placed in a V-shaped maze, and their position within the maze controlled their auditory environment. One sound was played when they were in one branch of the maze, and a different sound for the opposite branch; no food was delivered during testing. We used the proportion of time spent in each branch as a measure of preference. The first two experiments were designed as tests of our method. In Experiment 1, we used loud and soft white noise as stimuli; all animals spent most of their time on the side with soft noise. In Experiment 2, tamarins spent more time on the side playing species-specific feeding chirps than on the side playing species-specific distress calls. Together, these two experiments suggest that the method is effective, providing a spontaneous measure of preference. In Experiment 3, however, subjects showed no preference for consonant over dissonant intervals. Finally, tamarins showed no preference in Experiment 4 for a screeching sound (comparable to fingernails on a blackboard) over amplitude-matched white noise. In contrast, humans showed clear preferences for the consonant intervals of Experiment 3 and the white noise of Experiment 4 using the same stimuli and a similar method. We conclude that tamarins' preferences differ qualitatively from those of humans. The preferences that support our capacity for music may, therefore, be unique among the primates, and could be music-specific adaptations.

A Dynamic, Stochastic, Computational Model of Preference Reversal Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Joseph G.; Busemeyer, Jerome R.

2005-01-01

Preference orderings among a set of options may depend on the elicitation method (e.g., choice or pricing); these preference reversals challenge traditional decision theories. Previous attempts to explain these reversals have relied on allowing utility of the options to change across elicitation methods by changing the decision weights, the…

Authoritative and Authoritarian-Inconsistent Teachers' Preferences for Teaching Methods and Instructional Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uibu, Krista; Kikas, Eve

2014-01-01

Preferences for teaching methods are influenced by several factors, including instructional goals, teacher's management style, experience and education. To discover in which ways primary school teachers with different management styles vary in their preferences for students' cognitive and social development, 128 teachers of Estonia were…

Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State

PubMed Central

Zinck, Léa; Lima, Susana Q.

2013-01-01

Mate choice is a critical behavioral decision process with profound impact on evolution. However, the mechanistic basis of mate choice is poorly understood. In this study we focused on assortative mate choice, which is known to contribute to the reproductive isolation of the two European subspecies of house mouse, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To understand the decision process, we developed both full mating and limited-contact paradigms and tested musculus females' preference for musculus versus domesticus males, mimicking the natural musculus/domesticus contact zone. As hypothesized, when allowed to mate we found that sexually receptive musculus females exhibited a robust preference to mate with musculus males. In contrast, when non-receptive, females did not exhibit a preference and rather alternated between males in response to male mount attempts. Moreover in a no-choice condition, females mated readily with males from both subspecies. Finally, when no physical contact was allowed, and therefore male's behavior could not influence female's behavior, female's preference for its own subspecies was maintained independently of the estrous state. Together, our results suggest that the assortative preference is relative and based on a comparison of the options available rather than on an absolute preference. The results of the limited-contact experiments highlight the interplay between female's internal state and the nature of the interaction with prospective mates in the full mating conditions. With these experiments we believe we established an assortative mate preference assay that is appropriate for the investigation of its underlying substrates. PMID:23762466

Segmenting patients and physicians using preferences from discrete choice experiments.

PubMed

Deal, Ken

2014-01-01

People often form groups or segments that have similar interests and needs and seek similar benefits from health providers. Health organizations need to understand whether the same health treatments, prevention programs, services, and products should be applied to everyone in the relevant population or whether different treatments need to be provided to each of several segments that are relatively homogeneous internally but heterogeneous among segments. Our objective was to explain the purposes, benefits, and methods of segmentation for health organizations, and to illustrate the process of segmenting health populations based on preference coefficients from a discrete choice conjoint experiment (DCE) using an example study of prevention of cyberbullying among university students. We followed a two-level procedure for investigating segmentation incorporating several methods for forming segments in Level 1 using DCE preference coefficients and testing their quality, reproducibility, and usability by health decision makers. Covariates (demographic, behavioral, lifestyle, and health state variables) were included in Level 2 to further evaluate quality and to support the scoring of large databases and developing typing tools for assigning those in the relevant population, but not in the sample, to the segments. Several segmentation solution candidates were found during the Level 1 analysis, and the relationship of the preference coefficients to the segments was investigated using predictive methods. Those segmentations were tested for their quality and reproducibility and three were found to be very close in quality. While one seemed better than others in the Level 1 analysis, another was very similar in quality and proved ultimately better in predicting segment membership using covariates in Level 2. The two segments in the final solution were profiled for attributes that would support the development and acceptance of cyberbullying prevention programs among university students. Those segments were very different-where one wanted substantial penalties against cyberbullies and were willing to devote time to a prevention program, while the other felt no need to be involved in prevention and wanted only minor penalties. Segmentation recognizes key differences in why patients and physicians prefer different health programs and treatments. A viable segmentation solution may lead to adapting prevention programs and treatments for each targeted segment and/or to educating and communicating to better inform those in each segment of the program/treatment benefits. Segment members' revealed preferences showing behavioral changes provide the ultimate basis for evaluating the segmentation benefits to the health organization.

Constrained Allocation Flux Balance Analysis

PubMed Central

Mori, Matteo; Hwa, Terence; Martin, Olivier C.

2016-01-01

New experimental results on bacterial growth inspire a novel top-down approach to study cell metabolism, combining mass balance and proteomic constraints to extend and complement Flux Balance Analysis. We introduce here Constrained Allocation Flux Balance Analysis, CAFBA, in which the biosynthetic costs associated to growth are accounted for in an effective way through a single additional genome-wide constraint. Its roots lie in the experimentally observed pattern of proteome allocation for metabolic functions, allowing to bridge regulation and metabolism in a transparent way under the principle of growth-rate maximization. We provide a simple method to solve CAFBA efficiently and propose an “ensemble averaging” procedure to account for unknown protein costs. Applying this approach to modeling E. coli metabolism, we find that, as the growth rate increases, CAFBA solutions cross over from respiratory, growth-yield maximizing states (preferred at slow growth) to fermentative states with carbon overflow (preferred at fast growth). In addition, CAFBA allows for quantitatively accurate predictions on the rate of acetate excretion and growth yield based on only 3 parameters determined by empirical growth laws. PMID:27355325

Dissociative and associative mechanisms of cope rearrangements of fluorinated 1,5-hexadienes and 2,2'-bis-methylenecyclopentanes.

PubMed

Black, Kersey A; Wilsey, Sarah; Houk, K N

2003-06-04

The effects of fluorine substitution on the Cope rearrangements of 1,5-hexadiene and 2,2'-bis-methylenecyclopentane have been examined computationally using (U)B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) and CASPT2/6-31G(d) methodology. The calculations indicate that fluorine substituents at the hexadiene termini generally stabilize the transition states relative to the ground states of the chair conformations and destabilize pathways that occur via boat conformations, in accord with the experimental observations of Dolbier. With meso-2,2'-bis(difluoromethylene)cyclopentane, this destabilization is sufficient to favor a relatively dissociative concerted transition state resembling weakly interacting allyl radicals over a normal aromatic concerted boat transition state. This preference is due partly to an increase in the activation enthalpy for the concerted rearrangement coupled with the more favorable entropy for dissociation. In octafluoro- and decafluorohexadienes, the situation is reversed, and reaction through a cyclohexane-1,4-diyl is favored. Even in the octafluoro system with no radical stabilizing substituents at C(2) and C(5), the preference of fluorine for sp(3) centers causes reaction via the cyclohexane-1,4-diyl. In establishing methodology for this study, the conformations of 1,2-difluoroethane and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane were also examined thoroughly by the B3LYP method using three basis sets.

Transition of Care from the Emergency Department to the Outpatient Setting: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

PubMed Central

Kessler, Chad S.; Schwarz, Whitney W.; Schmitz, Gillian R.; Oh, Laura; Smith, Michael D.; Gross, Eric A.; House, Hans; Wadman, Michael C.; Lo, Bruce M.

2018-01-01

Introduction The goal of this study was to characterize current practices in the transition of care between the emergency department and primary care setting, with an emphasis on the use of the electronic medical record (EMR). Methods Using literature review and modified Delphi technique, we created and tested a pilot survey to evaluate for face and content validity. The final survey was then administered face-to-face at eight different clinical sites across the country. A total of 52 emergency physicians (EP) and 49 primary care physicians (PCP) were surveyed and analyzed. We performed quantitative analysis using chi-square test. Two independent coders performed a qualitative analysis, classifying answers by pre-defined themes (inter-rater reliability > 80%). Participants’ answers could cross several pre-defined themes within a given question. Results EPs were more likely to prefer telephone communication compared with PCPs (30/52 [57.7%] vs. 3/49 [6.1%] P < 0.0001), whereas PCPs were more likely to prefer using the EMR for discharge communication compared with EPs (33/49 [67.4%] vs. 13/52 [25%] p < 0.0001). EPs were more likely to report not needing to communicate with a PCP when a patient had a benign condition (23/52 [44.2%] vs. 2/49 [4.1%] p < 0.0001), but were more likely to communicate if the patient required urgent follow-up prior to discharge from the ED (33/52 [63.5%] vs. 20/49 [40.8%] p = 0.029). When discussing barriers to effective communication, 51/98 (52%) stated communication logistics, followed by 49/98 (50%) who reported setting/environmental constraints and 32/98 (32%) who stated EMR access was a significant barrier. Conclusion Significant differences exist between EPs and PCPs in the transition of care process. EPs preferred telephone contact synchronous to the encounter whereas PCPs preferred using the EMR asynchronous to the encounter. Providers believe EP-to-PCP contact is important for improving patient care, but report varied expectations and multiple barriers to effective communication. This study highlights the need to optimize technology for an effective transition of care from the ED to the outpatient setting. PMID:29560050

Many Miles to Go: A Systematic Review of the State of Cost-Utility Analyses in Brazil.

PubMed

Campolina, Alessandro G; Rozman, Luciana M; Decimoni, Tassia C; Leandro, Roseli; Novaes, Hillegonda M D; De Soárez, Patrícia Coelho

2017-04-01

Little is known about the quality and quantity of cost-utility analyses (CUAs) in Brazil. The objective of this study was to provide a systematic review of published CUAs of healthcare technologies in Brazil. We performed a systematic review of economic evaluations studies published in MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature), SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), NHS EED (National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database), HTA (Health Technology Assessment) Database, Web of Science, Scopus, Bireme (Biblioteca Regional de Medicina), BVS ECOS (Health Economics database of the Brazilian Virtual Library of Health), and SISREBRATS (Sistema de Informação da Rede Brasileira de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde [Brazilian Network for the Evaluation of Health Technologies]) from 1980 to 2013. Articles were included if they were CUAs according to the classification devised by Drummond et al. Two independent reviewers screened articles for relevance and carried out data extraction. Disagreements were resolved through discussion or through consultation with a third reviewer. We performed a qualitative narrative synthesis. Of the 535 health economic evaluations (HEEs) relating to Brazil, only 40 were CUAs and therefore included in the analysis. Most studies adhered to methodological guidelines for quality of reporting and 77.5% used quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) as the health outcome. Of these studies, 51.6% did not report the population used to elicit preferences for outcomes and 45.2% used a specific population such as expert opinion. The preference elicitation method was not reported in 58.1% of these studies. The majority (80.6%) of studies did not report the instrument used to derive health state valuations and no publication reported whether tariffs (or preference weights) were national or international. No study mentioned the methodology used to estimate QALYs. Many published Brazilian cost-utility studies adhere to key recommended general methods for HEE; however, the use of QALY calculations is far from being the current international standard. Development of health preferences research can contribute to quality improvement of health technology assessment reports in Brazil.

Preexposure Prophylaxis Modality Preferences Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Use Social Media in the United States.

PubMed

Hall, Eric William; Heneine, Walid; Sanchez, Travis; Sineath, Robert Craig; Sullivan, Patrick

2016-05-19

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available as a daily pill for preventing infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Innovative methods of administering PrEP systemically or topically are being discussed and developed. The objective of our study was to assess attitudes toward different experimental modalities of PrEP administration. From April to July 2015, we recruited 1106 HIV-negative men who have sex with men through online social media advertisements and surveyed them about their likelihood of using different PrEP modalities. Participants responded to 5-point Likert-scale items indicating how likely they were to use each of the following PrEP modalities: a daily oral pill, on-demand pills, periodic injection, penile gel (either before or after intercourse), rectal gel (before/after), and rectal suppository (before/after). We used Wilcoxon signed rank tests to determine whether the stated likelihood of using any modality differed from daily oral PrEP. Related items were combined to assess differences in likelihood of use based on tissue or time of administration. Participants also ranked their interest in using each modality, and we used the modified Borda count method to determine consensual rankings. Most participants indicated they would be somewhat likely or very likely to use PrEP as an on-demand pill (685/1105, 61.99%), daily oral pill (528/1036, 50.97%), injection (575/1091, 52.70%), or penile gel (438/755, 58.01% before intercourse; 408/751, 54.33% after). The stated likelihoods of using on-demand pills (median score 4) and of using a penile gel before intercourse (median 4) were both higher than that of using a daily oral pill (median 4, P<.001 and P=.001, respectively). Compared with a daily oral pill, participants reported a significantly lower likelihood of using any of the 4 rectal modalities (Wilcoxon signed rank test, all P<.001). On 10-point Likert scales created by combining application methods, the reported likelihood of using a penile gel (median 7) was higher than that of using a rectal gel (median 6, P<.001), which was higher than the likelihood of using a rectal suppository (median 6, P<.001). The modified Borda count ranked on-demand pills as the most preferred modality. There was no difference in likelihood of use of PrEP (gel or suppository) before or after intercourse. Participants typically prefer systemic PrEP and are less likely to use a modality that is administered rectally. Although most of these modalities are seen as favorable or neutral, attitudes may change as information about efficacy and application becomes available. Further data on modality preference across risk groups will better inform PrEP development.

Context effects and the temporal stability of stated preferences.

PubMed

Liebe, Ulf; Hundeshagen, Cordula; Beyer, Heiko; Cramon-Taubadel, Stephan von

2016-11-01

In stated preference studies it is assumed that individuals' answers reflect true preferences and are stable over time. We test these two assumptions of validity and reliability using as an example a choice experiment study on ethical consumption that measures preferences for a Peace Product jointly produced by Israeli and Palestinian producers as well as for organic products. In a web survey conducted in Germany, we investigate the validity assumption by manipulating the question context and presenting one group of respondents with questions on anti-Semitic and anti-Arabic attitudes before the choice tasks, and presenting another group with these questions after the choice tasks. In order to test the assumption of temporal stability, the same experimental set-up was repeated in a second survey based on a new sample ten months after the first. However, prior to the second survey an external event, a major violent dispute between Israelis and the Palestinians occurred. Overall, we find evidence for a context effect but not for temporal instability. In both surveys, the placement of the attitudinal questions before the choice tasks has a positive effect on the valuation of products from Israel, Palestinian products and the Peace Product (i.e. a directional context effect). The respondents seem to act according to an anti-discrimination norm. In line with this reasoning, we find an attention shift caused by the attitudinal questions. Organic products are valued much less positively if discriminatory attitudes are surveyed before the choice tasks. Furthermore, despite the violent dispute, stated preferences are very stable over time. This indicates high reliability of stated preference studies and encourages the use of study results by private and public decision makers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Degree of Early Life Stress Predicts Decreased Medial Prefrontal Activations and the Shift from Internally to Externally Guided Decision Making: An Exploratory NIRS Study during Resting State and Self-Oriented Task

PubMed Central

Nakao, Takashi; Matsumoto, Tomoya; Morita, Machiko; Shimizu, Daisuke; Yoshimura, Shinpei; Northoff, Georg; Morinobu, Shigeru; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Yamawaki, Shigeto

2013-01-01

Early life stress (ELS), an important risk factor for psychopathology in mental disorders, is associated neuronally with decreased functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) in the resting state. Moreover, it is linked with greater deactivation in DMN during a working memory task. Although DMN shows large amplitudes of very low-frequency oscillations (VLFO) and strong involvement during self-oriented tasks, these features’ relation to ELS remains unclear. Therefore, our preliminary study investigated the relationship between ELS and the degree of frontal activations during a resting state and self-oriented task using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). From 22 healthy participants, regional hemodynamic changes in 43 front-temporal channels were recorded during 5 min resting states, and execution of a self-oriented task (color-preference judgment) and a control task (color-similarity judgment). Using a child abuse and trauma scale, ELS was quantified. We observed that ELS showed a negative correlation with medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) activation during both resting state and color-preference judgment. In contrast, no significant correlation was found between ELS and MPFC activation during color-similarity judgment. Additionally, we observed that ELS and the MPFC activation during color-preference judgment were associated behaviorally with the rate of similar color choice in preference judgment, which suggests that, for participants with higher ELS, decisions in the color-preference judgment were based on an external criterion (color similarity) rather than an internal criterion (subjective preference). Taken together, our neuronal and behavioral findings show that high ELS is related to lower MPFC activation during both rest and self-oriented tasks. This is behaviorally manifest in an abnormal shift from internally to externally guided decision making, even under circumstances where internal guidance is required. PMID:23840186

Network selection, Information filtering and Scalable computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Changqing

This dissertation explores two application scenarios of sparsity pursuit method on large scale data sets. The first scenario is classification and regression in analyzing high dimensional structured data, where predictors corresponds to nodes of a given directed graph. This arises in, for instance, identification of disease genes for the Parkinson's diseases from a network of candidate genes. In such a situation, directed graph describes dependencies among the genes, where direction of edges represent certain causal effects. Key to high-dimensional structured classification and regression is how to utilize dependencies among predictors as specified by directions of the graph. In this dissertation, we develop a novel method that fully takes into account such dependencies formulated through certain nonlinear constraints. We apply the proposed method to two applications, feature selection in large margin binary classification and in linear regression. We implement the proposed method through difference convex programming for the cost function and constraints. Finally, theoretical and numerical analyses suggest that the proposed method achieves the desired objectives. An application to disease gene identification is presented. The second application scenario is personalized information filtering which extracts the information specifically relevant to a user, predicting his/her preference over a large number of items, based on the opinions of users who think alike or its content. This problem is cast into the framework of regression and classification, where we introduce novel partial latent models to integrate additional user-specific and content-specific predictors, for higher predictive accuracy. In particular, we factorize a user-over-item preference matrix into a product of two matrices, each representing a user's preference and an item preference by users. Then we propose a likelihood method to seek a sparsest latent factorization, from a class of over-complete factorizations, possibly with a high percentage of missing values. This promotes additional sparsity beyond rank reduction. Computationally, we design methods based on a ``decomposition and combination'' strategy, to break large-scale optimization into many small subproblems to solve in a recursive and parallel manner. On this basis, we implement the proposed methods through multi-platform shared-memory parallel programming, and through Mahout, a library for scalable machine learning and data mining, for mapReduce computation. For example, our methods are scalable to a dataset consisting of three billions of observations on a single machine with sufficient memory, having good timings. Both theoretical and numerical investigations show that the proposed methods exhibit significant improvement in accuracy over state-of-the-art scalable methods.

Intrasubject Predictions of Vocational Preference: Convergent Validation via the Decision Theoretic Paradigm.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monahan, Carlyn J.; Muchinsky, Paul M.

1985-01-01

The degree of convergent validity among four methods of identifying vocational preferences is assessed via the decision theoretic paradigm. Vocational preferences identified by Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI), a rating procedure, and ranking were compared with preferences identified from a policy-capturing model developed from an…

Student learning style preferences in college-level biology courses: Implications for teaching and academic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitton, Jennifer Susan

Education research has focused on defining and identifying student learning style preferences and how to incorporate this knowledge into teaching practices that are effective in engaging student interest and transmitting information. One objective was determining the learning style preferences of undergraduate students in Biology courses at New Mexico State University by using the online VARK Questionnaire and an investigator developed survey (Self Assessed Learning Style Survey, LSS). Categories include visual, aural, read-write, kinesthetic, and multimodal. The courses differed in VARK single modal learning preferences (p = 0.035) but not in the proportions of the number of modes students preferred (p = 0.18). As elsewhere, the majority of students were multimodal. There were similarities and differences between LSS and VARK results and between students planning on attending medical school and those not. Preferences and modalities tended not to match as expected for ratings of helpfulness of images and text. To detect relationships between VARK preferred learning style and academic performance, ANOVAs were performed using modality preferences and normalized learning gains from pre and post tests over material taught in the different modalities, as well as on end of semester laboratory and lecture grades. Overall, preference did not affect the performance for a given modality based activity, quiz, or final lecture or laboratory grades (p > 0.05). This suggests that a student's preference does not predict an improved performance when supplied with material in that modality. It is recommended that methods be developed to aid learning in a variety of modalities, rather than catering to individual learning styles. Another topic that is heavily debated in the field of education is the use of simulations or videos to replace or supplement dissections. These activities were compared using normalized learning gains from pre and post tests, as well as attitude surveys. Results indicate no differences in average student learning gain based on the activity types tested, although students do rate dissections higher in terms of interest and enthusiasm. Dissections also offer a different type of learning. Therefore, it is suggested that simulations and videos be used as supplements for dissections and not as replacements.

A semi-blinded study comparing 2 methods of measuring nasal potential difference: Subcutaneous needle versus dermal abrasion.

PubMed

De Wachter, E; De Schutter, I; Meulemans, A; Buyl, R; Malfroot, A

2016-01-01

According to European and US protocols, two nasal potential difference (NPD) measurement methods are considered acceptable, although they have not been formally compared: subcutaneous agar-filled needle with calomel (Ndl) and dermal abrasion with conducting cream and Ag/AgCl electrodes (Abr). We compared both in CF and healthy volunteers (HV), assessing their discriminative value and subject's preference. Twelve classic CF and 17 HV underwent both NPD methods, performed by one operator in random order. A written questionnaire, assessing preference, was completed after each test. Tracings were coded, scored in a semi-blinded fashion and categorised as CF/non-CF. 110 tracings (56 Ndl/54 Abr) were collected: 42/110 scored CF and 68/110 non-CF, showing a good correlation. No significant preference for either method was reported. Both NPD methods are similar in terms of discriminative value and subject's preference, comparing classical CF and HV. For diagnosing CF, the operator's preferred NPD-method may be used. Copyright © 2015 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cultural influences on neural basis of intergroup empathy.

PubMed

Cheon, Bobby K; Im, Dong-Mi; Harada, Tokiko; Kim, Ji-Sook; Mathur, Vani A; Scimeca, Jason M; Parrish, Todd B; Park, Hyun Wook; Chiao, Joan Y

2011-07-15

Cultures vary in the extent to which people prefer social hierarchical or egalitarian relations between individuals and groups. Here we examined the effect of cultural variation in preference for social hierarchy on the neural basis of intergroup empathy. Using cross-cultural neuroimaging, we measured neural responses while Korean and American participants observed scenes of racial ingroup and outgroup members in emotional pain. Compared to Caucasian-American participants, Korean participants reported experiencing greater empathy and elicited stronger activity in the left temporo-parietal junction (L-TPJ), a region previously associated with mental state inference, for ingroup compared to outgroup members. Furthermore, preferential reactivity within this region to the pain of ingroup relative to outgroup members was associated with greater preference for social hierarchy and ingroup biases in empathy. Together, these results suggest that cultural variation in preference for social hierarchy leads to cultural variation in ingroup-preferences in empathy, due to increased engagement of brain regions associated with representing and inferring the mental states of others. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Who do you prefer? A study of public preferences for health care provider type in performing cutaneous surgery and cosmetic procedures in the United States.

PubMed

Bangash, Haider K; Ibrahimi, Omar A; Green, Lawrence J; Alam, Murad; Eisen, Daniel B; Armstrong, April W

2014-06-01

The public preference for provider type in performing cutaneous surgery and cosmetic procedures is unknown in the United States. An internet-based survey was administered to the lay public. Respondents were asked to select the health care provider (dermatologist, plastic surgeon, primary care physician, general surgeon, and nurse practitioner/physician's assistant) they mostly prefer to perform different cutaneous cosmetic and surgical procedures. Three hundred fifty-four respondents undertook the survey. Dermatologists were identified as the most preferable health care provider to evaluate and biopsy worrisome lesions on the face (69.8%), perform skin cancer surgery on the back (73.4%), perform skin cancer surgery on the face (62.7%), and perform laser procedures (56.3%) by most of the respondents. For filler injections, the responders similarly identified plastic surgeons and dermatologists (47.3% vs 44.6%, respectively) as the most preferred health care provider. For botulinum toxin injections, there was a slight preference for plastic surgeons followed by dermatologists (50.6% vs 38.4%). Plastic surgeons were the preferred health care provider for procedures such as liposuction (74.4%) and face-lift surgery (96.1%) by most of the respondents. Dermatologists are recognized as the preferred health care providers over plastic surgeons, primary care physicians, general surgeons, and nurse practitioners/physician's assistants to perform a variety of cutaneous cosmetic and surgical procedures including skin cancer surgery, on the face and body, and laser procedures. The general public expressed similar preferences for dermatologists and plastic surgeons regarding filler injections.

"When I saw walking I just kind of took it as wheeling": interpretations of mobility-related items in generic, preference-based health state instruments in the context of spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Michel, Yvonne Anne; Engel, Lidia; Rand-Hendriksen, Kim; Augestad, Liv Ariane; Whitehurst, David Gt

2016-11-28

In health economic analyses, health states are typically valued using instruments with few items per dimension. Due to the generic (and often reductionist) nature of such instruments, certain groups of respondents may experience challenges in describing their health state. This study is concerned with generic, preference-based health state instruments that provide information for decisions about the allocation of resources in health care. Unlike physical measurement instruments, preference-based health state instruments provide health state values that are dependent on how respondents interpret the items. This study investigates how individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) interpret mobility-related items contained within six preference-based health state instruments. Secondary analysis of focus group transcripts originally collected in Vancouver, Canada, explored individuals' perceptions and interpretations of mobility-related items contained within the 15D, Assessment of Quality of Life 8-dimension (AQoL-8D), EQ-5D-5L, Health Utilities Index (HUI), Quality of Well-Being Scale Self-Administered (QWB-SA), and the 36-item Short Form health survey version 2 (SF-36v2). Ritchie and Spencer's 'Framework Approach' was used to perform thematic analysis that focused on participants' comments concerning the mobility-related items only. Fifteen individuals participated in three focus groups (five per focus group). Four themes emerged: wording of mobility (e.g., 'getting around' vs 'walking'), reference to aids and appliances, lack of suitable response options, and reframing of items (e.g., replacing 'walking' with 'wheeling'). These themes reflected item features that respondents perceived as relevant in enabling them to describe their mobility, and response strategies that respondents could use when faced with inaccessible items. Investigating perceptions to mobility-related items within the context of SCI highlights substantial variation in item interpretation across six preference-based health state instruments. Studying respondents' interpretations of items can help to understand discrepancies in the health state descriptions and values obtained from different instruments. This line of research warrants closer attention in the health economics and quality of life literature.

First Amendment Speech and Press Theory: Preferred Position Postulate Reexamined.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stonecipher, Harry W.

If the United States Supreme Court is to exercise its historic role as guardian of the fundamental freedoms flowing from the speech and press clauses of the first amendment, it is imperative that those basic freedoms be placed in a preferred position. The preferred position doctrine provides adequate safeguards for both speech and press guarantees…

Peer and Teacher Preference, Student-Teacher Relationships, Student Ethnicity, and Peer Victimization in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Feihong; Leary, Kevin A.; Taylor, Lorraine C.; Derosier, Melissa E.

2016-01-01

The authors examined the effects of peer preference and teacher preference for students, students' perceived relationship with their teacher and student ethnicity on peer victimization in late elementary school. Participants were students in the third through fifth grades in four public elementary schools in a southern state. Using hierarchical…

Measuring Distributive Justice Preferences of Finnish University Students via the State Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venetoklis, Takis

2007-01-01

We measure the distributive justice preferences of students within eight departments in the faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Turku, Finland. We use the Finnish government's annual budget and its specific appropriations as a proxy to measure the students' underlying preferences. We test whether the type of studies of the respondents…

Residential Preferences: What's Terrorism Got to Do with It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kay, David; Geisler, Charles; Bills, Nelson

2010-01-01

Security has long been recognized as an element in residential preference and its relative importance has risen with fear of extremist attacks on U.S. cities. Using polling data from 2004, this research investigates whether the security breaches of 9/11 in New York City influenced residential preferences in New York State. Our results confirm that…

The Draw of Home: How Teachers' Preferences for Proximity Disadvantage Urban Schools. NBER Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Donald; Lankford, Hamilton; Loeb, Susanna; Wyckoff, James

This paper explores a little-understood aspect of labor markets, their spatial geography. Using data from New York State, it finds teacher labor markets to be geographically very small. Teachers express preferences to teach close to where they grew up, and, controlling for proximity, they prefer areas with characteristics similar to their…

Peer and Teacher Preference, Student-Teacher Relationships, Student Ethnicity, and Peer Victimization in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Feihong; Leary, Kevin A.; Taylor, Lorraine C.; Derosier, Melissa E.

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of peer preference and teacher preference for students, students' perceived relationship with their teacher and student ethnicity on peer victimization in late elementary school. Participants were students in the third through fifth grades in four public elementary schools in a southern state. Using hierarchical linear…

Assessment Timing: Student Preferences and Its Impact on Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McManus, Richard

2016-01-01

Students on a first year undergraduate economics module were given the choice of when to sit their first assessment in the subject in order to determine both preferences over assessment timing, and the impact of timing on performance. Clear preferences of having this option were shown (only 2% of students stated to be indifferent) with those more…

[A NEW APPROACH FOR FOOD PREFERENCE TESTING IN ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION].

PubMed

Albertin, S V

2015-10-01

An article describes the original method allowing to study a mechanism of food preference related to the sensory properties of foods in animals. The method gives a good possibility to select the role of visual and orosensory signaling in food preference as well as to model the processes of physiological and pathological food and drug dependence in animal experiments. The role of discrete food presentation in the formation of the current motivations and food preferences was discussed.

Routine handling methods affect behaviour of three-spined sticklebacks in a novel test of anxiety

PubMed Central

Thompson, Ralph R.J.; Paul, Elizabeth S.; Radford, Andrew N.; Purser, Julia; Mendl, Michael

2016-01-01

Fish are increasingly popular subjects in behavioural and neurobiological research. It is therefore important that they are housed and handled appropriately to ensure good welfare and reliable scientific findings, and that species-appropriate behavioural tests (e.g. of cognitive/affective states) are developed. Routine handling of captive animals may cause physiological stress responses that lead to anxiety-like states (e.g. increased perception of danger). In fish, these may be particularly pronounced when handling during tank-to-tank transfer involves removal from water into air. Here we develop and use a new combined scototaxis (preference for dark over light areas) and novel-tank-diving test, alongside conventional open-field and novel-object tests, to measure the effects of transferring three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) between tanks using a box or net (in and out of water respectively). Preference tests for dark over light areas confirmed the presence of scototaxis in this species. Open-field and novel-object tests failed to detect any significant differences between net and box-handled fish. However, the combined diving and scototaxis detected consistent differences between the treatments. Net-handled fish spent less time on the dark side of the tank, less time in the bottom third, and kept a greater distance from the ‘safe’ bottom dark area than box-handled fish. Possible explanations for this reduction in anxiety-like behaviour in net-handled fish are discussed. The combined diving and scototaxis test may be a sensitive and taxon-appropriate method for measuring anxiety-like states in fish. PMID:26965568

The impact of a belief in life after death on health-state preferences: True difference or artifact?

PubMed

Jakubczyk, Michał; Golicki, Dominik; Niewada, Maciej

2016-12-01

In most religions, the preservation of one's own, God-given, life is considered obligatory, while the time trade-off method (TTO) forces one to voluntarily forego life years. We sought to verify how this conflict impacts TTO-results among the religious. We used the data from the only EQ-5D valuation in Poland (2008, three-level, 321 respondents, 23 states each)-a very religious, mostly Catholic country. We measured the religiosity with the belief in afterlife question on two levels: strong (definitely yes) and some (also rather yes), both about a third of the sample. The religious more often are non-traders, unwilling to give up any time in exchange for quality of life: odds ratio (OR) equal to 1.97 (strong religiosity), OR 1.55 (some religiosity); and less often consider a state worse than death: OR 0.67 (strong), OR 0.81 (some). These associations are statistically significant ([Formula: see text]) and hold when controlling for possible demographic confounders. Strong religiosity abates the utility loss: in the additive approach by 0.14, in the multiplicative approach by the factor of 2.1 (both [Formula: see text]), especially among the older. Removing the effect of religiosity from the value set reduces the utility by 0.05 on average. The results may stem from a true difference in preferences or be a TTO-artifact and would vanish for other elicitation methods. Juxtaposing our findings with comments from respondents in other studies suggests the latter. Therefore, this Weltanschauung effect should be removed in cost-utility analysis.

A Comparative Study of Attitudes Regarding Digit Replantation in the United States and Japan.

PubMed

Nishizuka, Takanobu; Shauver, Melissa J; Zhong, Lin; Chung, Kevin C; Hirata, Hitoshi

2015-08-01

To compare the societal preferences for finger replantation between the United States (US) and Japan and to investigate factors influencing the preferences. A sample of the general population without current hand disease or condition was recruited via flyers posted in public areas of 2 major academic centers in the US and Japan. The recruited subjects completed a survey presenting finger amputation scenarios and various factors that may affect treatment decisions. We performed univariate analysis using treatment preference as the outcome and all other factors as possible predictors using the chi-square test. Most respondents in both countries preferred replantation and there was no significant difference between the US and Japan. Treatment preference was significantly associated with the importance of appearance, recovery time, and the chance of survival of the replanted digit. There was no association between treatment preference and attitudes regarding body integrity or estimate of stigma toward finger amputees. Japanese participants agreed more with statements of body integrity, and Japanese respondents rated appearance, sensation, and chance of survival of the replant as more important than did American participants. Patient preference is not driving the decrease in finger replantations in the US. The general public in both countries prefer replantation over wound closure for digit amputations. Economic and decision analysis III. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Willingness to pay for improved respiratory and cardiovascular health: a multiple-format, stated-preference approach.

PubMed

Johnson, F R; Banzhaf, M R; Desvousges, W H

2000-06-01

This study uses stated-preference (SP) analysis to measure willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce acute episodes of respiratory and cardiovascular ill health. The SP survey employs a modified version of the health state descriptions used in the Quality of Well Being (QWB) Index. The four health state attributes are symptom, episode duration, activity restrictions and cost. Preferences are elicited using two different SP formats: graded-pair and discrete-choice. The different formats cause subjects to focus on different evaluation strategies. Combining two elicitation formats yields more valid and robust estimates than using only one approach. Estimates of indirect utility function parameters are obtained using advanced panel econometrics for each format separately and jointly. Socio-economic differences in health preferences are modelled by allowing the marginal utility of money relative to health attributes to vary across respondents. Because the joint model captures the combined preference information provided by both elicitation formats, these model estimates are used to calculate WTP. The results demonstrate the feasibility of estimating meaningful WTP values for policy-relevant respiratory and cardiac symptoms, even from subjects who never have personally experienced these conditions. Furthermore, because WTP estimates are for individual components of health improvements, estimates can be aggregated in various ways depending upon policy needs. Thus, using generic health attributes facilitates transferring WTP estimates for benefit-cost analysis of a variety of potential health interventions. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mode of delivery preferences in a diverse population of pregnant women.

PubMed

Yee, Lynn M; Kaimal, Anjali J; Houston, Kathryn A; Wu, Erica; Thiet, Mari-Paule; Nakagawa, Sanae; Caughey, Aaron B; Firouzian, Atoosa; Kuppermann, Miriam

2015-03-01

The objective of the study was to assess women's preferences for vaginal vs cesarean delivery in 4 contexts: prior cesarean delivery, twins, breech presentation, and absent indication for cesarean. This was a cross-sectional study of pregnant women at 24-40 weeks' gestation. After assessing stated preferences for vaginal or cesarean delivery, we used the standard gamble metric to measure the strength of these preferences and the time tradeoff metric to determine how women value the potential processes and outcomes associated with these 2 delivery approaches. Among the 240 participants, 90.8% had a stated preference for vaginal delivery. Across the 4 contexts, these women indicated that, on average, they would accept a 59-75% chance of an attempted vaginal birth ending in a cesarean delivery before choosing a planned cesarean delivery, indicating strong preferences for spontaneous, uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Variations in preferences for labor processes emerged. Although uncomplicated labor ending in vaginal birth was assigned mean utilities of 0.993 or higher (on a 0-1 scale, with higher scores indicating more preferred outcomes), the need for oxytocin, antibiotics, or operative vaginal delivery resulted in lower mean scores, comparable with those assigned to uncomplicated cesarean delivery. Substantially lower scores (ranging from 0.432 to 0.598) were obtained for scenarios ending in severe maternal or neonatal morbidity. Although most women expressed strong preferences for vaginal delivery, their preferences regarding interventions frequently used to achieve that goal varied. These data underscore the importance of educating patients about the process of labor and delivery to facilitate incorporation of informed patient preferences in shared decision making regarding delivery approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contraceptive preferences and use among auto artisanal workers in the informal sector of Kumasi, Ghana: a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Agyei-Baffour, Peter; Boahemaa, Mary Yaa; Addy, Ernestine A

2015-04-12

Contraceptive uptake in Ghana, especially in the Ashanti region remains low. This may be partly due to products' characteristics and choice which are influenced by attribute utility trade-offs by consumers in determining which method offers the optimal combinations, given the needs and desires of the individuals making the choice. The study sought to determine how specific attributes of contraceptives influence artisanal auto mechanics' stated preferences for a hypothetical contraceptive use in the Tafo-Suame industrial area of Kumasi, Ghana. A discrete choice experiment was conducted with artisanal auto mechanics in the study area from May to September 2011. Based on the summary of the attributes from the focus group discussion and in-depth interviews preceded administration of structured questionnaire, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was created. The attributes used were; side effects, reversibility, ease of use, ability to prevent both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI's), price and privacy in acquiring and attractiveness of the method. A total of 340 consented respondents aged 15 to 49 years participated in the study. Data were entered in Access and Sawtooth software SSI Web CAPi module and then exported to Stata for analysis. The study showed a universal (99.4%) knowledge on contraception, ever used 87% and currently using a method, 58%. The study revealed that methods' reversibility (β = 21.74; 95% CI: 20.17, 23.3), minimal allergic reaction (β = 13.93; 95% CI: 12.8, 15.05) and no effect on blood pressure (β = 12.71; 95% CI: 11.62, 13.79), were strongly associated with contraceptive preference and use. While contraceptives' ability to prevent "only pregnancy", (β = -15.13: 95% CI: -16.2, -14.02; "only STI's") (β = -11.65; 95% CI: -11.84, -11.46); and interrupt during sexual activity (β = -4.26; 95% CI: -5.19, -3.34), had large negative influence on contraceptive preference and use. The study has documented the magnitude of the effects of contraceptive attributes on informed choice, use, preference. It revealed that reversibility, side effects and ability to prevent both pregnancy and STI's are the major important attributes that. The findings have implications on contraceptive development, uptake and the implementation of other family planning programmes.

Changing Ecological and Cultural States and Preferences of Nature Conservation Policy: The Case of Nature Values Trade in South-Western Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paloniemi, Riikka; Vilja, Varho

2009-01-01

We present a rural Finnish case of nature conservation called the nature values trade (NVT) as an example of the process of changing ecological and cultural states and preferences of environmental policy. We emphasise the importance of local ecological and cultural circumstances for the formulation of environmental policy. The study shows how…

Practitioners' Perceptions of the Academic Preparation of Funeral Directors and Embalmers in the Context of Changing Death Care Preferences in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LuBrant, Michael Paul

2013-01-01

This study investigated practitioners' perceptions of the a) importance, b) academic preparation related to, and c) adequacy of, funeral service education at academic programs accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) in the context of changing death care preferences in the United States. Participants in this…

Context matters: How macroeconomic forces may alter the reception of negative emotions in art.

PubMed

Hershfield, Hal Ersner; Alter, Adam Lee

2017-01-01

Menninghaus et al. offer a comprehensive model to explain why people pursue darker emotions in art, but we believe they underplay the considerable role of situational factors in driving these preferences. In particular, changing mood states are likely to shape artistic preferences, in large part because positive mood states act as a protective buffer against otherwise aversive experiences.

Exploring Visual Selective Attention towards Novel Stimuli in Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

PubMed

Chau, Sarah A; Herrmann, Nathan; Eizenman, Moshe; Chung, Jonathan; Lanctôt, Krista L

2015-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with selective attention impairments, which could contribute to cognitive and functional deficits. Selective attention can be explored through examination of novelty preference. In this study, we quantified novelty preference in AD patients by measuring visual scanning behaviour using an eye tracking paradigm. Mild-to-moderate AD patients and elderly controls viewed slides containing novel and repeated images simultaneously. The outcome measure was time spent on specific images, with novelty preference defined by greater relative fixation time (RFT) on novel versus repeated images. Cognitive status (Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, SMMSE) and attention (Digit Span, DS) were also measured. AD patients (age 79.2 ± 6.7 years, SMMSE 22.2 ± 4.0, n = 41) and controls (age 76.2 ± 6.4 years, SMMSE 28.1 ± 2.0, n = 24) were similar in age, education and sex. Compared with controls, AD patients had lower RFT on novel than on repeated images (F1,63 = 11.18, p = 0.001). Further, reduced RFT was associated with lower scores on SMMSE (r63 = 0.288, p = 0.020) and DS (r63 = 0.269, p = 0.030). Within individuals, novelty preference was detected in 92.3% of patients and in 100% of controls. These findings suggest that novelty preference, measured by visual scanning behaviour, can differentiate cognitively healthy and impaired people and may offer a nonverbal, less cognitively demanding method of assessing selective attention.

Dreams of Tigers and Flowers: Child Gender Predictions and Preference in an Urban Mainland Chinese Sample during Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Loo, Kek Khee; Luo, Xiying; Su, Hong; Presson, Angela; Li, Yan

2009-01-01

In an urban, mainland Chinese sample, we investigated expectant mothers’ stated gender preference for a boy or girl child, their conjectures on the fetal gender, the culture-specific beliefs for making their predictions, and their relations to sociodemographic variables. A total of 174 women were interviewed at 12–19 weeks gestation. Among 84 women who made a prediction on gender, 56 (67%) thought they were carrying a boy, and 28 (33%) expected a girl. The most frequent reasons cited for their speculation were personal feelings (36%), food/taste preference (13%), feedback from others (13%), somatic responses (13%) and dreams (7%). Out of 63 women who stated a wish for a boy or girl child, 45 (71%) wished for a girl and 18 (29%) wished for a boy. Women with undergraduate or graduate degrees were more likely to indicate a preference for boys. Older expectant mothers were more likely to report that they thought they were carrying boys. In conclusion, the majority of the women did not state a distinct choice for gender of the child. When they expressed a gender preference, more mothers expressed a desire to have a girl. However, boy child conjectures were more frequent than girl child conjectures. Greater boy child preference and prediction among the most highly educated and older expectant mothers might be reflective of implicit social status in having sons in urban China. PMID:19485234

Method for surface passivation and protection of cadmium zinc telluride crystals

DOEpatents

Mescher, Mark J.; James, Ralph B.; Schlesinger, Tuviah E.; Hermon, Haim

2000-01-01

A method for reducing the leakage current in CZT crystals, particularly Cd.sub.1-x Zn.sub.x Te crystals (where x is greater than equal to zero and less than or equal to 0.5), and preferably Cd.sub.0.9 Zn.sub.0.1 Te crystals, thereby enhancing the ability of these crystal to spectrally resolve radiological emissions from a wide variety of radionuclides. Two processes are disclosed. The first method provides for depositing, via reactive sputtering, a silicon nitride hard-coat overlayer which provides significant reduction in surface leakage currents. The second method enhances the passivation by oxidizing the CZT surface with an oxygen plasma prior to silicon nitride deposition without breaking the vacuum state.

Panoramic, large-screen, 3-D flight display system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franklin, Henry; Larson, Brent; Johnson, Michael; Droessler, Justin; Reinhart, William F.

1995-01-01

The report documents and summarizes the results of the required evaluations specified in the SOW and the design specifications for the selected display system hardware. Also included are the proposed development plan and schedule as well as the estimated rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost to design, fabricate, and demonstrate a flyable prototype research flight display system. The thrust of the effort was development of a complete understanding of the user/system requirements for a panoramic, collimated, 3-D flyable avionic display system and the translation of the requirements into an acceptable system design for fabrication and demonstration of a prototype display in the early 1997 time frame. Eleven display system design concepts were presented to NASA LaRC during the program, one of which was down-selected to a preferred display system concept. A set of preliminary display requirements was formulated. The state of the art in image source technology, 3-D methods, collimation methods, and interaction methods for a panoramic, 3-D flight display system were reviewed in depth and evaluated. Display technology improvements and risk reductions associated with maturity of the technologies for the preferred display system design concept were identified.

Effect of meat appearance on consumer preferences for pork chops in Greece and Cyprus.

PubMed

Fortomaris, P; Arsenos, G; Georgiadis, M; Banos, G; Stamataris, C; Zygoyiannis, D

2006-04-01

The effect of meat appearance on consumers' preferences for pork chops was assessed using images manipulated for appearance characteristics. Data were collected from 412 consumers in Greece and Cyprus. Consumers were asked for their preference for pork chops from a book of computer-modified images and then completed a questionnaire of socio-demographic information, including eating and purchasing behaviour. Consumers under the age of 35 years showed preferences for dark red, lean pork, while consumers aged 35 years and older preferred either dark or light red pork. Gender appeared to be an important selection factor as men showed an increased preference for dark red pork while women preferred the light red. Consumers who stated that they like pork for its taste (91%) preferred either dark or light red pork chops while those who like pork for reasons other than taste preferred dark red, lean pork. Urban consumers preferred light red, fatty pork chops while the rural consumers preferred the dark red pork chops.

Smoking, Vaping, Eating: Is Legalization Impacting the Way People Use Cannabis?

PubMed Central

Borodovsky, Jacob T.; Crosier, Benjamin S.; Lee, Dustin C.; Sargent, James D.; Budney, Alan J.

2016-01-01

Background In the context of the shifting legal landscape of medical marijuana, different methods of cannabis administration have important public health implications. How medical marijuana laws (MML) may influence patterns of use of alternative methods of cannabis administration (vaping and edibles) compared to traditional methods (smoking) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine if the prevalence of use of alternative methods of cannabis administration varied in relation to the presence of and variation in MMLs among states in the United States. Method Using Qualtrics and Facebook, we collected survey data from a convenience sample of n=2838 individuals who had used cannabis at least once in their lifetime. Using multiple sources, U.S. states were coded by MML status, duration of MML status, and cannabis dispensary density. Adjusted logistic and linear regression analyses were used to analyze outcomes of ever use, preference for, and age of initiation of smoking, vaping, and edibles in relation to MML status, duration of MML status, and cannabis dispensary density. Results Individuals in MML states had a significantly higher likelihood of ever use of vaping (OR: 2.04, 99% CI: 1.62-2.58) and edibles (OR: 1.78, 99% CI: 1.39-2.26) than those in states without MMLs. Longer duration of MML status and higher dispensary density were also significantly associated with ever use of vaping and edibles. Conclusions MMLs are related to state-level patterns of utilization of alternative methods of cannabis administration. Whether discrepancies in MML legislation are causally related to these findings will require further study. If MMLs do impact methods of use, regulatory bodies considering medical or recreational legalization should be aware of the potential impact this may have on cannabis users. PMID:26992484

Ethics teaching in a medical education environment: preferences for diversity of learning and assessment methods

PubMed Central

AlMahmoud, Tahra; Hashim, M. Jawad; Elzubeir, Margaret Ann; Branicki, Frank

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Ethics and professionalism are an integral part of medical school curricula; however, medical students’ views on these topics have not been assessed in many countries. Objective: The study aimed to examine medical students’ perceptions toward ethics and professionalism teaching, and its learning and assessment methods. Design: A self-administered questionnaire eliciting views on professionalism and ethics education was distributed to a total of 128 final-year medical students. Results: A total of 108 students completed the survey, with an 84% response rate. Medical students reported frequently encountering ethical conflicts during training but stated only a moderate level of ethics training at medical school (mean = 5.14 ± 1.8). They noted that their education had helped somewhat to deal with ethical conflicts (mean = 5.39 ± 2.0). Students strongly affirmed the importance of ethics education (mean = 7.63 ± 1.03) and endorsed the value of positive role models (mean = 7.45 ± 1.5) as the preferred learning method. The cohort voiced interest in direct faculty supervision as an approach to assessment of knowledge and skills (mean = 7.62 ± 1.26). Female students perceived greater need for more ethics education compared to males (p = < 0.05). Students who claimed that they had experienced some unprofessional treatment had a more limited view of the importance of ethics as a subject (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Medical students viewed ethics education positively and preferred clinically attuned methods for learning. PMID:28562234

Measuring What People Value: A Comparison of “Attitude” and “Preference” Surveys

PubMed Central

Phillips, Kathryn A; Johnson, F Reed; Maddala, Tara

2002-01-01

Objective To compare and contrast methods and findings from two approaches to valuation used in the same survey: measurement of “attitudes” using simple rankings and ratings versus measurement of “preferences” using conjoint analysis. Conjoint analysis, a stated preference method, involves comparing scenarios composed of attribute descriptions by ranking, rating, or choosing scenarios. We explore possible explanations for our findings using focus groups conducted after the quantitative survey. Methods A self-administered survey, measuring attitudes and preferences for HIV tests, was conducted at HIV testing sites in San Francisco in 1999–2000 (n = 365, response rate=96 percent). Attitudes were measured and analyzed using standard approaches. Conjoint analysis scenarios were developed using a fractional factorial design and results analyzed using random effects probit models. We examined how the results using the two approaches were both similar and different. Results We found that “attitudes” and “preferences” were generally consistent, but there were some important differences. Although rankings based on the attitude and conjoint analysis surveys were similar, closer examination revealed important differences in how respondents valued price and attributes with “halo” effects, variation in how attribute levels were valued, and apparent differences in decision-making processes. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare attitude surveys and conjoint analysis surveys and to explore the meaning of the results using post-hoc focus groups. Although the overall findings for attitudes and preferences were similar, the two approaches resulted in some different conclusions. Health researchers should consider the advantages and limitations of both methods when determining how to measure what people value. PMID:12546291

Prioritizing the mHealth Design Space: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Smokers' Perspectives.

PubMed

Hartzler, Andrea Lisabeth; BlueSpruce, June; Catz, Sheryl L; McClure, Jennifer B

2016-08-05

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Therefore, researchers are constantly exploring new ways to promote smoking cessation. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies could be effective cessation tools. Despite the availability of commercial quit-smoking apps, little research to date has examined smokers' preferred treatment intervention components (ie, design features). Honoring these preferences is important for designing programs that are appealing to smokers and may be more likely to be adopted and used. The aim of this study was to understand smokers' preferred design features of mHealth quit-smoking tools. We used a mixed-methods approach consisting of focus groups and written surveys to understand the design preferences of adult smokers who were interested in quitting smoking (N=40). Focus groups were stratified by age to allow differing perspectives to emerge between older (>40 years) and younger (<40 years) participants. Focus group discussion included a "blue-sky" brainstorming exercise followed by participant reactions to contrasting design options for communicating with smokers, providing social support, and incentivizing program use. Participants rated the importance of preselected design features on an exit survey. Qualitative analyses examined emergent discussion themes and quantitative analyses compared feature ratings to determine which were perceived as most important. Participants preferred a highly personalized and adaptive mHealth experience. Their ideal mHealth quit-smoking tool would allow personalized tracking of their progress, adaptively tailored feedback, and real-time peer support to help manage smoking cravings. Based on qualitative analysis of focus group discussion, participants preferred pull messages (ie, delivered upon request) over push messages (ie, sent automatically) and preferred interaction with other smokers through closed social networks. Preferences for entertaining games or other rewarding incentives to encourage program use differed by age group. Based on quantitative analysis of surveys, participants rated the importance of select design features significantly differently (P<.001). Design features rated as most important included personalized content, the ability to track one's progress, and features designed to help manage nicotine withdrawal and medication side effects. Design features rated least important were quit-smoking videos and posting on social media. Communicating with stop-smoking experts was rated more important than communicating with family and friends about quitting (P=.03). Perceived importance of various design features varied by age, experience with technology, and frequency of smoking. Future mHealth cessation aids should be designed with an understanding of smokers' needs and preferences for these tools. Doing so does not guarantee treatment effectiveness, but balancing user preferences with best-practice treatment considerations could enhance program adoption and improve treatment outcomes. Grounded in the perspectives of smokers, we identify several design considerations, which should be prioritized when designing future mHealth cessation tools and which warrant additional empirical validation.

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

Terry, J.W.; Blasing, T.J.; Ensminger, J.T.

Under the Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP), the US Army proposes to dispose of lethal chemical agents and munitions stored at eight existing Army installations in the continental United States. In 1988, the US Army issued the final programmatic environmental impact statement (FPEIS) for the CSDP. The FPEIS and the subsequent Record of Decision (ROD) identified an on-site disposal process as the preferred method for destruction of the stockpile. That is, the FPEIS determined the environmentally preferred alternative to be on-site disposal in high-temperature incinerators, while the ROD selected this alternative for implementation as the preferred method for destruction ofmore » the stockpile. In this Phase I report, the overall CSDP decision regarding disposal of the PUDA Stockpile is subjected to further analyses, and its validity at PUDA is reviewed with newer, more detailed data than those providing the basis for the conclusions in the FPEIS. The findings of this Phase I report will be factored into the scope of a site-specific environmental impact statement to be prepared for the destruction of the PUDA stockpile. The focus of this Phase I report is on those data identified as having the potential to alter the Army`s previous decision regarding disposal of the PUDA stockpile; however, several other factors beyond the scope of this Phase I report must also be acknowledged to have the potential to change or modify the Army`s decisions regarding PUDA.« less

RCK: accurate and efficient inference of sequence- and structure-based protein-RNA binding models from RNAcompete data.

PubMed

Orenstein, Yaron; Wang, Yuhao; Berger, Bonnie

2016-06-15

Protein-RNA interactions, which play vital roles in many processes, are mediated through both RNA sequence and structure. CLIP-based methods, which measure protein-RNA binding in vivo, suffer from experimental noise and systematic biases, whereas in vitro experiments capture a clearer signal of protein RNA-binding. Among them, RNAcompete provides binding affinities of a specific protein to more than 240 000 unstructured RNA probes in one experiment. The computational challenge is to infer RNA structure- and sequence-based binding models from these data. The state-of-the-art in sequence models, Deepbind, does not model structural preferences. RNAcontext models both sequence and structure preferences, but is outperformed by GraphProt. Unfortunately, GraphProt cannot detect structural preferences from RNAcompete data due to the unstructured nature of the data, as noted by its developers, nor can it be tractably run on the full RNACompete dataset. We develop RCK, an efficient, scalable algorithm that infers both sequence and structure preferences based on a new k-mer based model. Remarkably, even though RNAcompete data is designed to be unstructured, RCK can still learn structural preferences from it. RCK significantly outperforms both RNAcontext and Deepbind in in vitro binding prediction for 244 RNAcompete experiments. Moreover, RCK is also faster and uses less memory, which enables scalability. While currently on par with existing methods in in vivo binding prediction on a small scale test, we demonstrate that RCK will increasingly benefit from experimentally measured RNA structure profiles as compared to computationally predicted ones. By running RCK on the entire RNAcompete dataset, we generate and provide as a resource a set of protein-RNA structure-based models on an unprecedented scale. Software and models are freely available at http://rck.csail.mit.edu/ bab@mit.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Treatment comfort, time perception, and preference for conventional and digital impression techniques: A comparative study in young patients.

PubMed

Burhardt, Lukasz; Livas, Christos; Kerdijk, Wouter; van der Meer, Wicher Joerd; Ren, Yijin

2016-08-01

The aim of this crossover study was to assess perceptions and preferences for impression techniques in young orthodontic patients receiving alginate and 2 different digital impressions. Thirty-eight subjects aged 10 to 17 years requiring impressions for orthodontic treatment were randomly allocated to 3 groups that differed in the order that an alginate impressions and 2 different intraoral scanning procedures were administered. After each procedure, the patients were asked to score their perceptions on a 5-point Likert scale for gag reflex, queasiness, difficulty to breathe, uncomfortable feeling, perception of the scanning time, state of anxiety, and use of a powder, and to select the preferred impression system. Chairside time and maximal mouth opening were also registered. More queasiness (P = 0.00) and discomfort (P = 0.02) during alginate impression taking of the maxilla were perceived compared with the scans with the CEREC Omnicam (Sirona Dental Systems, Bensheim, Germany). There were no significant differences in perceptions between the alginate impressions and the Lava C.O.S. (3M ESPE, St Paul, Minn) and between the 2 scanners. Chairside times for the alginate impressions (9.7 ± 1.8 minutes) and the CEREC Omnicam (10.7 ± 1.8 minutes) were significantly lower (P <0.001) than for the Lava C.O.S. (17.8 ± 4.0 minutes). Digital impressions were favored by 51% of the subjects, whereas 29% chose alginate impressions, and 20% had no preference. Regardless of the significant differences in the registered times among the 3 impression-taking methods, the distributions of the Likert scores of time perception and maximal mouth opening were similar in all 3 groups. Young orthodontic patients preferred the digital impression techniques over the alginate method, although alginate impressions required the shortest chairside time. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Affinity Chart Analysis: A Method for Structured Collection, Aggregation, and Response to Customer Needs in Radiology.

PubMed

Boll, Daniel T; Rubin, Geoffrey D; Heye, Tobias; Pierce, Laura J

2017-04-01

The objective of this study is to analyze implementation of the voice-of-the-customer method to assess the current state of image postprocessing and reporting delivered by a radiology department and to plan improvements on the basis of referring physicians' preferences. The voice-of-the-customer method consisted of discovery, analysis, and optimization phases. Fifty referring physicians were invited to be interviewed. Interviews addressed the topics of structure, process, outcome, and support. Interviews were dissected into individual statements categorized as fact or feeling. Statements were grouped to find collective voices. Improvements were compiled from affinity charts and were processed by identifying insights. Ninety-four percent (47/50) of physicians participated, generating 352 statements (81 facts and 271 feelings) that subsequently underwent affinity chart clustering. The resultant affinity charts covered distinct themes: "we need you to know us better," "we need you to consider our workflow," "we need more from your services," "we want to review your data in certain ways," and "we want to do more with you." As a result of the insights gained, the following optimizations were implemented: a software application that improves study requesting, performance tracking, study prioritization, and longitudinal data archiving; six prototype reports containing tabulated data and annotated images; two prototype longitudinal reporting templates assessing aneurysm evolution and treatment-induced changes in organ size over time; and a teaching curriculum for trainees. This study has shown the clinical feasibility to assess the current state of image postprocessing and reporting and to implement improvements of and investments in image postprocessing and reporting infrastructure on the basis of referring physicians' preferences using the voice-of-the-customer method.

Experiments in Favour of a Publicly Funded and Socially Responsive Higher Education System in the State of Kerala: A Study in the Context of Fast Changing National Preference for Private Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tharakan, P. K. Michael

2017-01-01

It was not far back in history when a significant section of society in India preferred public funding over private funding for education. This article attempts to go back to the decisive point when private funding replaced public funding for education. It also investigates the reasons for such a shift in preference. Even after the preference for…

Floor foundations: preferences of new home buyers in six Southwestern United States markets

Treesearch

George B. Harpole; H. Edward Dickerhoof

1971-01-01

Mail questionnaires and follow-up interviews were used to determine preferences among three types of floor foundations: concrete slab, wood crawl-space, and a new design that combines a low-profile wood floor with underfloor plenum. More respondents from northern markets preferred the crawl-space floor than from the southern markets. Factors most often cited as...

Agribusiness Group Paper

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

obtain competitive advantage, agribusinesses must focus on price and value- added products that meet consumer preferences and desires. In today’s global...Driven Market Increasingly, consumers define the food market. Changes in consumer preferences have resulted in declining markets for certain...concentrated to better meet consumer preferences and the demand for food. 8 CHALLENGES While the United States is the world leader in agribusiness, it

Stated Preferences for Components of a Personal Guidance System for Nonvisual Navigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golledge, Reginald G.; Marston, James R.; Loomis, Jack M.; Klatzky, Roberta L.

2004-01-01

This article reports on a survey of the preferences of visually impaired persons for a possible personal navigation device. The results showed that the majority of participants preferred speech input and output interfaces, were willing to use such a product, thought that they would make more trips with such a device, and had some concerns about…

Provider and interpreter preferences among Somali women in a primary care setting.

PubMed

Odunukan, Olufunso W; Abdulai, Raolat M; Hagi Salaad, Misbil F; Lahr, Brian D; Flynn, Priscilla M; Wieland, Mark L

2015-04-01

Somali people are among the largest refugee populations to resettle in North America and Europe over the past 2 decades, and health disparities are well documented, including barriers to effective navigation of primary health care systems. Patient-provider gender discordance has been described as a barrier to health-seeking behaviors and effective communication by Somali women in past qualitative work. The objective of this study was to elucidate provider and interpreter preferences during clinical encounters according to gender and race among Somali women in the United States. Fifty Somali women empanelled to a large primary care practice completed pictorial surveys to elucidate preferences of Somali women for providers of different genders and race for different components of the clinical examination using a Likert-type scale. We found that Somali women generally preferred a female provider for conducting the physical examination, particularly for the pelvic, breast, and abdominal examinations. Likewise, Somali women strongly preferred female interpreters to be present during the physical examination. There was no stated preference for patient-provider racial concordance. These findings have implications for structural health care changes aimed at delivering culturally sensitive and effective primary care to Somali patients. © The Author(s) 2014.

19 CFR 10.521 - Goods eligible for tariff preference level claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Tariff Preference Level § 10.521 Goods eligible for tariff... assembled in Singapore from fabric or yarn produced or obtained outside the territory of Singapore or the...

A qualitative analysis exploring preferred methods of peer support to encourage adherence to a Mediterranean diet in a Northern European population at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Erwin, Christina M; McEvoy, Claire T; Moore, Sarah E; Prior, Lindsay; Lawton, Julia; Kee, Frank; Cupples, Margaret E; Young, Ian S; Appleton, Katherine; McKinley, Michelle C; Woodside, Jayne V

2018-02-05

Epidemiological and randomised controlled trial evidence demonstrates that adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) can reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, methods used to support dietary change have been intensive and expensive. Peer support has been suggested as a possible cost-effective method to encourage adherence to a MD in at risk populations, although development of such a programme has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to use mixed-methods to determine the preferred peer support approach to encourage adherence to a MD. Qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative methods (questionnaire and preference scoring sheet) were used to determine preferred methods of peer support. Sixty-seven high CVD risk participants took part in 12 focus groups (60% female, mean age 64 years) and completed a questionnaire and preference scoring sheet. Focus group data were transcribed and thematically analysed. The mean preference score (1 being most preferred and 5 being least preferred) for group support was 1.5, compared to 3.4 for peer mentorship, 4.0 for telephone peer support and 4.0 for internet peer support. Three key themes were identified from the transcripts: 1. Components of an effective peer support group: discussions around group peer support were predominantly positive. It was suggested that an effective group develops from people who consider themselves similar to each other meeting face-to-face, leading to the development of a group identity that embraces trust and honesty. 2. Catalysing Motivation: participants discussed that a group peer support model could facilitate interpersonal motivations including encouragement, competitiveness and accountability. 3. Stepping Stones of Change: participants conceptualised change as a process, and discussed that, throughout the process, different models of peer support might be more or less useful. A group-based approach was the preferred method of peer support to encourage a population at high risk of CVD to adhere to a MD. This finding should be recognised in the development of interventions to encourage adoption of a MD in a Northern European population.

Atomic site preferences and structural evolution in vanadium-doped ZrSiO4 from multinuclear solid-state NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dajda, N.; Dixon, J. M.; Smith, M. E.; Carthey, N.; Bishop, P. T.

2003-01-01

Solid state NMR spectra of 29Si are reported from pure and vanadium-doped zircon (V-ZrSiO4) samples. The vanadium concentration is varied up to ˜1-mol % V4+ by using both conventional-firing and sol-gel routes, and 51V NMR data are also recorded. 17O NMR of 17O isotopically enriched samples shows that the initial gel is completely amorphous with the whole range of possible M-O-M' linkages detected, and that this structure evolves into a fully ordered ZrSiO4 structure with calcination. Static 91Zr NMR data is reported from a pure zircon sample. The NMR data are used to quantify the amount of vanadium entering the zircon structure, and to elucidate its site preference within the lattice. Two contact shifted peaks with very different T1 relaxation from the main zircon peak but attributable to the zircon lattice are observed in the 29Si NMR spectra for all samples. These spectra are consistent with vanadium substitution on both the tetrahedral and dodecahedral sites, with a slight preference for the silicon site. The data show that the relative occupation of these two sites is almost independent of the preparation method and vanadium concentration. At a higher vanadium concentration a third additional peak is observed which may indicate another substitution site. Variable temperature NMR and susceptibility measurements indicate the hyperfine nature of the interactions influencing silicon from V4+ ions in the different sites.

Provision of information about newborn screening antenatally: a sequential exploratory mixed-methods project.

PubMed

Ulph, Fiona; Wright, Stuart; Dharni, Nimarta; Payne, Katherine; Bennett, Rebecca; Roberts, Stephen; Walshe, Kieran; Lavender, Tina

2017-10-01

Participation in the UK Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NBSP) requires parental consent but concerns exist about whether or not this happens in practice and the best methods and timing to obtain consent at reasonable cost. To collate all possible modes of prescreening communication and consent for newborn (neonatal) screening (NBS); examine midwives', screening professionals' and users' views about the feasibility, efficiency and impact on understanding of each; measure midwives' and parents' preferences for information provision; and identify key drivers of cost-effectiveness for alternative modes of information provision. Six study designs were used: (1) realist review - to generate alternative communication and consent models; (2) qualitative interviews with parents and health professionals - to examine the implications of current practice for understanding and views on alternative models; (3) survey and observation of midwives - to establish current costs; (4) stated preference surveys with midwives, parents and potential future parents - to establish preferences for information provision; (5) economic analysis - to identify cost-effectiveness drivers of alternative models; and (6) stakeholder validation focus groups and interviews - to examine the acceptability, views and broader impact of alternative communication and consent models. Providers and users of NBS in England. Study 2: 45 parents and 37 health professionals; study 3: 22 midwives and eight observations; study 4: 705 adults aged 18-45 years and 134 midwives; and study 6: 12 health-care professionals and five parents. The realist review identified low parental knowledge and evidence of coercive consent practices. Interview, focus group and stated preference data suggested a preference for full information, with some valuing this more than choice. Health professionals preferred informed choice models but parents and health professionals queried whether or not current consent was fully informed. Barriers to using leaflets effectively were highlighted. All studies indicated that a 'personalised' approach to NBS communication, allowing parents to select the mode and level of information suited to their learning needs, could have added value. A personalised approach should rely on midwife communication and should occur in the third trimester. Overall awareness was identified as requiring improvement. Starting NBS communication by alerting parents that they have a choice to make and telling them that samples could be stored are both likely to enhance engagement. The methods of information provision and maternal anxiety causing additional visits to health-care professionals were the drivers of relative cost-effectiveness. Lack of data to populate an economic analysis, confirmed by value of information analysis, indicated a need for further research. There are some limitations with regard to the range of participants used in studies 2 and 3 and so caution should be exercised when interpreting some of the results. This project highlighted the importance of focusing on information receipt and identified key communication barriers. Health professionals strongly preferred informed consent, which parents endorsed if they were made aware of sample storage. Uniform models of information provision were perceived as ineffective. A choice of information provision was supported by health professionals and parents, which both enhances cost-effectiveness and improves engagement, understanding and the validity of consent. Remaining uncertainties suggest that more research is needed before new communication modes are introduced into practice. Future research should measure the impact of the suggested practice changes (informing in third trimester, information toolkits, changed role of midwife). Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN70227207. This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment ; Vol. 21, No. 55. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Method of generating hydrogen by catalytic decomposition of water

DOEpatents

Balachandran, Uthamalingam; Dorris, Stephen E.; Bose, Arun C.; Stiegel, Gary J.; Lee, Tae-Hyun

2002-01-01

A method for producing hydrogen includes providing a feed stream comprising water; contacting at least one proton conducting membrane adapted to interact with the feed stream; splitting the water into hydrogen and oxygen at a predetermined temperature; and separating the hydrogen from the oxygen. Preferably the proton conducting membrane comprises a proton conductor and a second phase material. Preferable proton conductors suitable for use in a proton conducting membrane include a lanthanide element, a Group VIA element and a Group IA or Group IIA element such as barium, strontium, or combinations of these elements. More preferred proton conductors include yttrium. Preferable second phase materials include platinum, palladium, nickel, cobalt, chromium, manganese, vanadium, silver, gold, copper, rhodium, ruthenium, niobium, zirconium, tantalum, and combinations of these. More preferably second phase materials suitable for use in a proton conducting membrane include nickel, palladium, and combinations of these. The method for generating hydrogen is preferably preformed in the range between about 600.degree. C. and 1,700.degree. C.

A PREFERENCE-OPPORTUNITY-CHOICE FRAMEWORK WITH APPLICATIONS TO INTERGROUP FRIENDSHIP*

PubMed Central

Zeng, Zhen; Xie, Yu

2009-01-01

A longstanding objective of friendship research is to identify the effects of personal preference and structural opportunity on intergroup friendship choice. Although past studies have used various methods to separate preference from opportunity, researchers have not yet systematically compared the properties and implications of these methods. We put forward a general framework for discrete choice, where choice probability is specified as proportional to the product of preference and opportunity. To implement this framework, we propose a modification to the conditional logit model for estimating preference parameters free from the influence of opportunity structure. We then compare our approach to several alternative methods for separating preference and opportunity used in the friendship choice literature. As an empirical example, we test hypotheses of homophily and status asymmetry in friendship choice using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The example also demonstrates the approach of conducting a sensitivity analysis to examine how parameter estimates vary by specification of the opportunity structure. PMID:19569394

Offspring Generation Method for interactive Genetic Algorithm considering Multimodal Preference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Fuyuko; Hiroyasu, Tomoyuki; Miki, Mitsunori; Yokouchi, Hisatake

In interactive genetic algorithms (iGAs), computer simulations prepare design candidates that are then evaluated by the user. Therefore, iGA can predict a user's preferences. Conventional iGA problems involve a search for a single optimum solution, and iGA were developed to find this single optimum. On the other hand, our target problems have several peaks in a function and there are small differences among these peaks. For such problems, it is better to show all the peaks to the user. Product recommendation in shopping sites on the web is one example of such problems. Several types of preference trend should be prepared for users in shopping sites. Exploitation and exploration are important mechanisms in GA search. To perform effective exploitation, the offspring generation method (crossover) is very important. Here, we introduced a new offspring generation method for iGA in multimodal problems. In the proposed method, individuals are clustered into subgroups and offspring are generated in each group. The proposed method was applied to an experimental iGA system to examine its effectiveness. In the experimental iGA system, users can decide on preferable t-shirts to buy. The results of the subjective experiment confirmed that the proposed method enables offspring generation with consideration of multimodal preferences, and the proposed mechanism was also shown not to adversely affect the performance of preference prediction.

Rural health service managers' perspectives on preparing rural health services for climate change.

PubMed

Purcell, Rachael; McGirr, Joe

2018-02-01

To determine health service managers' (HSMs) recommendations on strengthening the health service response to climate change. Self-administered survey in paper or electronic format. Rural south-west of New South Wales. Health service managers working in rural remote metropolitan areas 3-7. Proportion of respondents identifying preferred strategies for preparation of rural health services for climate change. There were 43 participants (53% response rate). Most respondents agreed that there is scepticism regarding climate change among health professionals (70%, n = 30) and community members (72%, n = 31). Over 90% thought that climate change would impact the health of rural populations in the future with regard to heat-related illnesses, mental health, skin cancer and water security. Health professionals and government were identified as having key leadership roles on climate change and health in rural communities. Over 90% of the respondents believed that staff and community in local health districts (LHDs) should be educated about the health impacts of climate change. Public health education facilitated by State or Federal Government was the preferred method of educating community members, and education facilitated by the LHD was the preferred method for educating health professionals. Health service managers hold important health leadership roles within rural communities and their health services. The study highlights the scepticism towards climate change among health professionals and community members in rural Australia. It identifies the important role of rural health services in education and advocacy on the health impacts of climate change and identifies recommended methods of public health education for community members and health professionals. © 2017 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

KLEPSUDRA: How the Rio Grande Treaty Increased Instability in Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-09

Projected changes in trade patterns, population growth, consumer preferences and climate change will require a reassessment of American policies towards...land (which increased by 44%) shifted towards water intensive crops to accommodate market demands in the United States, Canada and shifts in consumer ... preferences in Mexico.20 NAFTA triggered explosive growth in fruit and produce exports to the United States and represents a sizeable “virtual” water

Correlating valence state, site preference and co-substitution to the magnetoelastic properties of cobalt ferrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nlebedim, Cajetan; Jiles, David

2015-03-01

Understanding how to influence the physics of magnetism, especially the relationship between magnetic susceptibility and stress, can be very useful in designing non-contact stress and torque sensors using magnetoelastic materials. This is particularly important considering that materials rarely occur in states desirable for direct applications. In this work we show that the magnetoelastic properties of cobalt ferrite are strongly dependent on the valence states and site preferences of substituted cations. It was found that co-substitution of magnetic and non-magnetic cations, is key to achieving simultaneous improvement in magnetostriction amplitude and strain sensitivity to applied magnetic field. Nevertheless, Curie temperature decreased, irrespective of the valence state, site preference or co-substitution. This presentation will show why tetravalent Ge resulted in superior magnetostrictive properties compared to other tetravalent, trivalent and divalent cations substituted into the crystal lattice of cobalt ferrite. This work was supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering Division. The research was performed at Ames Laboratory, operated for the USDoE by Iowa State University (Contract #DE-AC02-07CH11358).

34 CFR 75.105 - Annual priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... method, an application that meets the priority receives no competitive or absolute preference over... the priority. (3) Absolute preference. The Secretary may give an absolute preference to applications...

34 CFR 75.105 - Annual priorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... method, an application that meets the priority receives no competitive or absolute preference over... the priority. (3) Absolute preference. The Secretary may give an absolute preference to applications...

A Systematic Review Comparing the Acceptability, Validity and Concordance of Discrete Choice Experiments and Best-Worst Scaling for Eliciting Preferences in Healthcare.

PubMed

Whitty, Jennifer A; Oliveira Gonçalves, Ana Sofia

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the acceptability, validity and concordance of discrete choice experiment (DCE) and best-worst scaling (BWS) stated preference approaches in health. A systematic search of EMBASE, Medline, AMED, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and EconLit databases was undertaken in October to December 2016 without date restriction. Studies were included if they were published in English, presented empirical data related to the administration or findings of traditional format DCE and object-, profile- or multiprofile-case BWS, and were related to health. Study quality was assessed using the PREFS checklist. Fourteen articles describing 12 studies were included, comparing DCE with profile-case BWS (9 studies), DCE and multiprofile-case BWS (1 study), and profile- and multiprofile-case BWS (2 studies). Although limited and inconsistent, the balance of evidence suggests that preferences derived from DCE and profile-case BWS may not be concordant, regardless of the decision context. Preferences estimated from DCE and multiprofile-case BWS may be concordant (single study). Profile- and multiprofile-case BWS appear more statistically efficient than DCE, but no evidence is available to suggest they have a greater response efficiency. Little evidence suggests superior validity for one format over another. Participant acceptability may favour DCE, which had a lower self-reported task difficulty and was preferred over profile-case BWS in a priority setting but not necessarily in other decision contexts. DCE and profile-case BWS may be of equal validity but give different preference estimates regardless of the health context; thus, they may be measuring different constructs. Therefore, choice between methods is likely to be based on normative considerations related to coherence with theoretical frameworks and on pragmatic considerations related to ease of data collection.

Applying parallel factor analysis and Tucker-3 methods on sensory and instrumental data to establish preference maps: case study on sweet corn varieties.

PubMed

Gere, Attila; Losó, Viktor; Györey, Annamária; Kovács, Sándor; Huzsvai, László; Nábrádi, András; Kókai, Zoltán; Sipos, László

2014-12-01

Traditional internal and external preference mapping methods are based on principal component analysis (PCA). However, parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and Tucker-3 methods could be a better choice. To evaluate the methods, preference maps of sweet corn varieties will be introduced. A preference map of eight sweet corn varieties was established using PARAFAC and Tucker-3 methods. Instrumental data were also integrated into the maps. The triplot created by the PARAFAC model explains better how odour is separated from texture or appearance, and how some varieties are separated from others. Internal and external preference maps were created using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and Tucker-3 models employing both sensory (trained panel and consumers) and instrumental parameters simultaneously. Triplots of the applied three-way models have a competitive advantage compared to the traditional biplots of the PCA-based external preference maps. The solution of PARAFAC and Tucker-3 is very similar regarding the interpretation of the first and third factors. The main difference is due to the second factor as it differentiated the attributes better. Consumers who prefer 'super sweet' varieties (they place great emphasis especially on taste) are much younger and have significantly higher incomes, and buy sweet corn products rarely (once a month). Consumers who consume sweet corn products mainly because of their texture and appearance are significantly older and include a higher ratio of men. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Classroom climate and students' goal preferences: a cross-cultural comparison.

PubMed

Vedder, Paul; Kouwenhoven, Coen; Burk, William J

2009-04-01

Goal preferences indicate intentions to achieve or avoid particular states. We examined whether Curacaoan and Dutch students differ in goal preferences related to school and whether goal preferences are associated with students' evaluation of the classroom climate. Measurement invariance of the instruments was also tested between samples. Participants attended vocational high schools in Curacao (N = 276) or in the Netherlands (N = 283). Both the classroom climate and goal preferences differed between the samples. In the Netherlands the preference for individuality, belongingness, and recognition was stronger, whereas in Curacao mastery, satisfaction, self-determination, and material gain were more frequently endorsed. The two variables were modestly correlated. Schools do have a globalizing effect on students' school experiences and hardly adapt to goal preferences. The latter seem to be affected by non-school related cultural factors.

Engineering the Band Gap States of the Rutile TiO2 (110) Surface by Modulating the Active Heteroatom.

PubMed

Yu, Yaoguang; Yang, Xu; Zhao, Yanling; Zhang, Xiangbin; An, Liang; Huang, Miaoyan; Chen, Gang; Zhang, Ruiqin

2018-04-19

Introducing band gap states to TiO 2 photocatalysts is an efficient strategy for expanding the range of accessible energy available in the solar spectrum. However, few approaches are able to introduce band gap states and improve photocatalytic performance simultaneously. Introducing band gap states by creating surface disorder can incapacitate reactivity where unambiguous adsorption sites are a prerequisite. An alternative method for introduction of band gap states is demonstrated in which selected heteroatoms are implanted at preferred surface sites. Theoretical prediction and experimental verification reveal that the implanted heteroatoms not only introduce band gap states without creating surface disorder, but also function as active sites for the Cr VI reduction reaction. This promising approach may be applicable to the surfaces of other solar harvesting materials where engineered band gap states could be used to tune photophysical and -catalytic properties. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preference-based disease-specific health-related quality of life instrument for glaucoma: a mixed methods study protocol.

PubMed

Muratov, Sergei; Podbielski, Dominik W; Jack, Susan M; Ahmed, Iqbal Ike K; Mitchell, Levine A H; Baltaziak, Monika; Xie, Feng

2016-11-08

A primary objective of healthcare services is to improve patients' health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Glaucoma, which affects a substantial proportion of the world population, has a significant detrimental impact on HRQoL. Although there are a number of glaucoma-specific questionnaires to measure HRQoL, none is preference-based which prevent them from being used in health economic evaluation. The proposed study is aimed to develop a preference-based instrument that is capable of capturing important effects specific to glaucoma and treatments on HRQoL and is scored based on the patients' preferences. A sequential, exploratory mixed methods design will be used to guide the development and evaluation of the HRQoL instrument. The study consists of several stages to be implemented sequentially: item identification, item selection, validation and valuation. The instrument items will be identified and selected through a literature review and the conduct of a qualitative study. Validation will be conducted to establish psychometric properties of the instrument followed by a valuation exercise to derive utility scores for the health states described. This study has been approved by the Trillium Health Partners Research Ethics Board (ID number 753). All personal information will be de-identified with the identification code kept in a secured location including the rest of the study data. Only qualified and study-related personnel will be allowed to access the data. The results of the study will be distributed widely through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and internal meetings. 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/.

Patient decision-making preference and physician decision-making style for contraceptive method choice in an Asian culture: does concordance matter?

PubMed

Alden, Dana Latham; Merz, Miwa Yamazaki; Thi, Le Minh

2010-12-01

This study investigates preferences for patient-physician decision-making in an emerging economy with an Asian culture. A survey of 445 randomly sampled women, aged 20-40 in Hanoi, Vietnam, revealed that pre-consultation attitudes were most positive toward a "shared" decision-making approach with the physician for contraceptive method choice. However, following random assignment to one of three vignettes (passive, shared or autonomous) featuring a young Vietnamese woman reaching a contraceptive method decision with her physician, preference was highest for the "autonomous" approach. Furthermore, discordance between pre-consultation preference for decision-making style and the physician's decision-making style negatively impacted evaluations under some but not all circumstances. This study demonstrates that, despite living in a hierarchic Asian culture, active participation in contraceptive method choice is desired by many urban Vietnamese women. However, there is variation on this dimension and adjusting the physician's style to be concordant with patient preference appears important to maximizing patient satisfaction.

Characterizing Engineering Learners' Preferences for Active and Passive Learning Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magana, Alejandra J.; Vieira, Camilo; Boutin, Mireille

2018-01-01

This paper studies electrical engineering learners' preferences for learning methods with various degrees of activity. Less active learning methods such as homework and peer reviews are investigated, as well as a newly introduced very active (constructive) learning method called "slectures," and some others. The results suggest that…

Aging in Australia: country of birth and language preferences of residents in aged care facilities.

PubMed

Petrov, Ljubica; Joyce, Catherine; Gucciardo-Masci, Tonina

2017-09-05

Objective There is a need to better understand the use of aged care services by people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) who were born in non-English-speaking countries and/or have a preferred language other than English and to describe service utilisation rates. Methods The present study consisted of a secondary analysis of data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Aged Care Data Clearinghouse. Data were analysed by country of birth, preferred language, state or territory and Aged Care Planning Regions within Victoria. Results Nationally, over 30000 (18.3%) RACF residents were born in a non-English-speaking country. In Victoria, almost one in four RACF residents (23.9%) was born in a non-English-speaking country, and approximately one in eight (13.1%) has a preferred language other than English. Most Victorian RACFs (72.4%) have at least one resident with a preferred language other than English. Approximately one in four residents (26.1%) with a preferred language other than English are the sole speaker of the language in their facility. Conclusion All RACFs need to effectively address the needs and preferences of their residents, including those who were born in a non-English-speaking country or prefer to speak a language other than English. What is known about the topic? The number of older people from a non-English-speaking background continues to increase, but little is known about the prevalence of this cohort living in RACFs and how aged care providers are responding to their needs and preferences. What does this paper add? The present study provides detailed, service- and policy-relevant information, demonstrating a substantial degree of diversity among people living in RACFs, with wide distribution across facilities and regions. The findings confirm the need for a systematic, sector-wide approach to addressing linguistic diversity and developing inclusive practices. What are the implications for practitioners? All RACFs are required to develop policies and procedures in order to cater to the needs and preferences of residents who were born in non-English-speaking countries and/or who prefer to speak a language other than English.

PREFERED SURGICAL TECHNIQUE USED BY ORTHOPEDISTS IN ACUTE ACROMIOCLAVICULAR DISLOCATION

PubMed Central

NISHIMI, ALEXANDRE YUKIO; ARBEX, DEMETRIO SIMÃO; MARTINS, DIOGO LUCAS CAMPOS; GUSMÃO, CARLOS VINICIUS BUARQUE DE; BONGIOVANNI, ROBERTO RANGEL; PASCARELLI, LUCIANO

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine whether training on shoulder and elbow surgery influences the orthopedist surgeons' preferred technique to address acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation (ACD). Methods: A survey was conducted with shoulder and elbow specialists and general orthopedists on their preferred technique to address acute ACD. Results: Thirty specialists and forty-five general orthopedists joined the study. Most specialists preferred the endobutton technique, while most general orthopedists preferred the modified Phemister procedure for coracoclavicular ligament repair using anchors. We found no difference between specialists and general orthopedists in the number of tunnels used to repair the coracoclavicular ligament; preferred method for wire insertion through the clavicular tunnels; buried versus unburied Kirschner wire insertion for acromioclavicular temporary fixation; and time for its removal; and regarding the suture thread used for deltotrapezoidal fascia closure. Conclusion: Training on shoulder and elbow surgery influences the surgeons' preferred technique to address acute ACD. Level of Evidence V, Expert Opinion. PMID:28149190

Patient preferences versus physicians' judgement: does it make a difference in healthcare decision making?

PubMed

Mühlbacher, Axel C; Juhnke, Christin

2013-06-01

Clinicians and public health experts make evidence-based decisions for individual patients, patient groups and even whole populations. In addition to the principles of internal and external validity (evidence), patient preferences must also influence decision making. Great Britain, Australia and Germany are currently discussing methods and procedures for valuing patient preferences in regulatory (authorization and pricing) and in health policy decision making. However, many questions remain on how to best balance patient and public preferences with physicians' judgement in healthcare and health policy decision making. For example, how to define evaluation criteria regarding the perceived value from a patient's perspective? How do physicians' fact-based opinions also reflect patients' preferences based on personal values? Can empirically grounded theories explain differences between patients and experts-and, if so, how? This article aims to identify and compare studies that used different preference elicitation methods and to highlight differences between patient and physician preferences. Therefore, studies comparing patient preferences and physician judgements were analysed in a review. This review shows a limited amount of literature analysing and comparing patient and physician preferences for healthcare interventions and outcomes. Moreover, it shows that methodology used to compare preferences is diverse. A total of 46 studies used the following methods-discrete-choice experiments, conjoint analyses, standard gamble, time trade-offs and paired comparisons-to compare patient preferences with doctor judgements. All studies were published between 1985 and 2011. Most studies reveal a disparity between the preferences of actual patients and those of physicians. For most conditions, physicians underestimated the impact of intervention characteristics on patients' decision making. Differentiated perceptions may reflect ineffective communication between the provider and the patient. This in turn may keep physicians from fully appreciating the impact of certain medical conditions on patient preferences. Because differences exist between physicians' judgement and patient preferences, it is important to incorporate the needs and wants of the patient into treatment decisions.

Do patients and health care providers have discordant preferences about which aspects of treatments matter most? Evidence from a systematic review of discrete choice experiments.

PubMed

Harrison, Mark; Milbers, Katherine; Hudson, Marie; Bansback, Nick

2017-05-17

To review studies eliciting patient and healthcare provider preferences for healthcare interventions using discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to (1) review the methodology to evaluate similarities, differences, rigour of designs and whether comparisons are made at the aggregate level or account for individual heterogeneity; and (2) quantify the extent to which they demonstrate concordance of patient and healthcare provider preferences. A systematic review searching Medline, EMBASE, Econlit, PsycINFO and Web of Science for DCEs using patient and healthcare providers. peer-reviewed; complete empiric text in English from 1995 to 31July 2015; discussing a healthcare-related topic; DCE methodology; comparing patients and healthcare providers. Systematic review. We identified 38 papers exploring 16 interventions in 26 diseases/indications. Methods to analyse results, determine concordance between patient and physician values, and explore heterogeneity varied considerably between studies. The majority of studies we reviewed found more evidence of mixed concordance and discordance (n=28) or discordance of patient and healthcare provider preferences (n=12) than of concordant preferences (n=4). A synthesis of concordance suggested that healthcare providers rank structure and outcome attributes more highly than patients, while patients rank process attributes more highly than healthcare providers. Discordant patient and healthcare provider preferences for different attributes of healthcare interventions are common. Concordance varies according to whether attributes are processes, structures or outcomes, and therefore determining preference concordance should consider all aspects jointly and not a binary outcome. DCE studies provide excellent opportunities to assess value concordance between patients and providers, but assessment of concordance was limited by a lack of consistency in the approaches used and consideration of heterogeneity of preferences. Future DCEs assessing concordance should fully report the framing of the questions and investigate the heterogeneity of preferences within groups and how these compare. © 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.

Willingness to Pay Survey for Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load

EPA Science Inventory

A stated preference survey to collect data on households’ use of Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, and of their preferences for a variety of water quality improvements likely to follow from pollution reduction programs.

77 FR 15839 - 2011 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Product Review: Inviting Public Comments on Possible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-16

... OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 2011 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP...; (2) possible de minimis CNL waivers; and (3) possible redesignations of articles currently not... [[Page 15840

Can Online Course-Based Assessment Methods Be Fair and Equitable? Relationships between Students' Preferences and Performance within Online and Offline Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewson, C.

2012-01-01

To address concerns raised regarding the use of online course-based summative assessment methods, a quasi-experimental design was implemented in which students who completed a summative assessment either online or offline were compared on performance scores when using their self-reported "preferred" or "non-preferred" modes.…

Drug-Intake Methods and Social Identity: The Use of Marijuana in Blunts among Southeast Asian Adolescents and Emerging Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soller, Brian; Lee, Juliet P.

2010-01-01

This article examines why Southeast Asian American adolescents and emerging adults in two urban settings prefer to use "blunts," or hollowed-out cigars filled with marijuana, over other methods of drug intake. Rationales for preferring blunts were both instrumental and social. Blunts allowed users to more easily share marijuana, the preferred drug…

Setting Preferences of High and Low Use River Recreationists: How Different are They?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kainzinger, Silvia; Arnberger, Arne; Burns, Robert C.

2016-11-01

Whitewater boaters often choose a river based on their preferences for attributes important for their trip experience. This study explored whether preferences and tradeoffs of whitewater boaters for social, resource, and managerial attributes of riverscapes differ among a high and a low use river in the United States by employing a stated choice approach. River trip scenarios were displayed using verbal descriptions and computer-generated photographs. Results indicate that use levels were more important for boaters on the low use river, whereas river difficulty and river access fee was of higher importance for the high use river boaters, who are more involved in this whitewater activity. Preferences for waiting times and trip length did not differ between the samples. Findings suggest that whitewater boaters of high and low use rivers have a different tradeoff behavior among river setting attributes, which has implications for river recreation management.

Full time adult credential students' instructional preferences at California State University, Long Beach: pedagogy orandragogy?

PubMed

Wang, Victor

2004-03-01

This study investigated the instructional preferences of full time adult credential students after they took a live course called Principles of Adult Education at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in the fall semester of 2002. These full time adult credential students had been working on their adult teaching credentials to meet the competencies specified by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The course introduced students to Andragogy developed by Malcolm Knowles out of the andragogical model developed by Lindeman (1926). The study used Principles of Adult Learning Scales (PALS), advanced by Gary Conti in 1983 to measure instructional preferences. Data were collected from 30 (100% of 30) full time adult credential students enrolled in a live course to determine their instructional preferences of helping adults learn. The results of the study showed in most cases these adult learning professionals taught adult students andragogically; in some cases they taught adult students pedagogically.

Understanding Anglers' Preferences for Fishing Tournament Characteristics and Policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Chi-Ok; Ditton, Robert B.; Riechers, Robin

2007-07-01

Saltwater fishing tournaments in the United States are generally not regulated nor are there different fishing regulations for tournament and nontournament anglers. Although much is known about those who participate in fishing tournaments in terms of their fishing motivations, attitudes, and characteristics, much less is known at the angler population level regarding their preferences for tournament opportunities. Using a stated preference choice model with hypothetical scenarios to simulate participation choices and understand preferences, study objectives were to identify angler preferences for various types of tournament fishing “products.” Four tournament policy characteristics were investigated: promotion of catch and release, bait restrictions, whether a percentage of the tournament entrance fee should go to support fishery management activities, and whether a tournament should be a nonprofit or profit-making venture. Three expectation attributes were inserted: tournament size, trip cost per day, and whether a tournament is family friendly. We sent seven different versions of the mail questionnaire to 1,633 anglers. Of 795 returns, 648 were used for estimating conditional logit models. Analysis indicated that a scenario with no management interventions was not most preferred. Anglers most preferred a conservation-oriented option that introduced additional management measures. Overall, scenarios with management interventions were more favored than the status quo situation (with no management interventions). Although respondents showed reluctance to adopt other management-related options, results generally indicated they were increasingly concerned with sustainability of fish stocks and potential conflicts between tournament and nontournament users and preferred tournament products that reflect these concerns.

Smoking, vaping, eating: Is legalization impacting the way people use cannabis?

PubMed

Borodovsky, Jacob T; Crosier, Benjamin S; Lee, Dustin C; Sargent, James D; Budney, Alan J

2016-10-01

In the context of the shifting legal landscape of medical cannabis, different methods of cannabis administration have important public health implications. How medical marijuana laws (MML) may influence patterns of use of alternative methods of cannabis administration (vaping and edibles) compared to traditional methods (smoking) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine if the prevalence of use of alternative methods of cannabis administration varied in relation to the presence of and variation in MMLs among states in the United States. Using Qualtrics and Facebook, we collected survey data from a convenience sample of n=2838 individuals who had used cannabis at least once in their lifetime. Using multiple sources, U.S. states were coded by MML status, duration of MML status, and cannabis dispensary density. Adjusted logistic and linear regression analyses were used to analyze outcomes of ever use, preference for, and age of initiation of smoking, vaping, and edibles in relation to MML status, duration of MML status, and cannabis dispensary density. Individuals in MML states had a significantly higher likelihood of ever use of vaping (OR: 2.04, 99% CI: 1.62-2.58) and edibles (OR: 1.78, 99% CI: 1.39-2.26) than those in states without MMLs. Longer duration of MML status and higher dispensary density were also significantly associated with ever use of vaping and edibles. MMLs are related to state-level patterns of utilization of alternative methods of cannabis administration. Whether discrepancies in MML legislation are causally related to these findings will require further study. If MMLs do impact methods of use, regulatory bodies considering medical or recreational legalization should be aware of the potential impact this may have on cannabis users. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method of accurate thickness measurement of boron carbide coating on copper foil

DOEpatents

Lacy, Jeffrey L.; Regmi, Murari

2017-11-07

A method is disclosed of measuring the thickness of a thin coating on a substrate comprising dissolving the coating and substrate in a reagent and using the post-dissolution concentration of the coating in the reagent to calculate an effective thickness of the coating. The preferred method includes measuring non-conducting films on flexible and rough substrates, but other kinds of thin films can be measure by matching a reliable film-substrate dissolution technique. One preferred method includes determining the thickness of Boron Carbide films deposited on copper foil. The preferred method uses a standard technique known as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) to measure boron concentration in a liquid sample prepared by dissolving boron carbide films and the Copper substrates, preferably using a chemical etch known as ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN). Measured boron concentration values can then be calculated.

The effect of on/off indicator design on state confusion, preference, and response time performance, executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donner, Kimberly A.; Holden, Kritina L.; Manahan, Meera K.

1991-01-01

Investigated are five designs of software-based ON/OFF indicators in a hypothetical Space Station Power System monitoring task. The hardware equivalent of the indicators used in the present study is the traditional indicator light that illuminates an ON label or an OFF label. Coding methods used to represent the active state were reverse video, color, frame, check, or reverse video with check. Display background color was also varied. Subjects made judgments concerning the state of indicators that resulted in very low error rates and high percentages of agreement across indicator designs. Response time measures for each of the five indicator designs did not differ significantly, although subjects reported that color was the best communicator. The impact of these results on indicator design is discussed.

Slicing AADL Specifications for Model Checking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odenbrett, Maximilian; Nguyen, Viet Yen; Noll, Thomas

2010-01-01

To combat the state-space explosion problem in model checking larger systems, abstraction techniques can be employed. Here, methods that operate on the system specification before constructing its state space are preferable to those that try to minimize the resulting transition system as they generally reduce peak memory requirements. We sketch a slicing algorithm for system specifications written in (a variant of) the Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL). Given a specification and a property to be verified, it automatically removes those parts of the specification that are irrelevant for model checking the property, thus reducing the size of the corresponding transition system. The applicability and effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated by analyzing the state-space reduction for an example, employing a translator from AADL to Promela, the input language of the SPIN model checker.

Food and Food-Odor Preferences in Dogs: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Péron, Franck; Cambou, Stéphanie; Callejon, Laurence; Wynne, Clive D.L.

2017-01-01

Abstract Evaluation of food palatability and preference is of great importance to the pet food industry. One common technique for evaluating palatability is a 2-bowl test in which 2 products are offered simultaneously and food consumption is measured. This yields clear results with dogs trained to routinely conduct such comparisons, but it is less clear how this extends to untrained pet dogs. In addition, prior research indicates that olfaction is important in food preference, but methods for evaluating odor preference in canines are currently lacking. In this study, we developed a modified 2-bowl test for evaluation of food preferences in pet dogs with minimal training, and an olfactometer technique for the evaluation of odor preferences. In our 2-bowl procedure, we observed clear preferences among 4 commercial food products in 6 pet dogs. Across repeated testing, preferences strengthened, but the first evaluation accurately estimated the direction and significance of preference. In addition, dogs typically (89% of the time) consumed more of the food they chose first, suggesting they did not need to taste each food to choose. Our odor preference olfactometer assessment, however, did not reveal odor preferences other than that dogs preferred to sniff a food odor over clean air. Further work will be needed to identify methods of measuring odor preferences amongst food odors for dogs, but the modified 2-bowl test shows promise for further testing in pet dogs.

Multibeam antenna study, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellamy, J. L.

1972-01-01

A multibeam antenna concept was developed for providing spot beam coverage of the contiguous 48 states. The selection of a suitable antenna concept for the multibeam application and an experimental evaluation of the antenna concept selected are described. The final analysis indicates that the preferred concept is a dual-antenna, circular artificial dielectric lens. A description of the analytical methods is provided, as well as a discussion of the absolute requirements placed on the antenna concepts. Finally, a comparative analysis of reflector antenna off-axis beam performance is presented.

Aluminum oxyhydroxide based separator/electrolyte and battery system, and a method of making the same

DOEpatents

Gerald, II; Rex, E [Brookfield, IL; Klingler, Robert J [Glenview, IL; Rathke, Jerome W [Homer Glen, IL

2011-02-15

The instant invention relates a solid-state electrochemical cell and a novel separator/electrolyte incorporated therein. The invented electrochemical cell generally comprising: a unique metal oxyhydroxide based (i.e. AlOOH) separator/electrolyte membrane sandwiched between a first electrode and a second electrode. The novel separator/electrolyte comprises a nanoparticulate metal oxyhydroxide, preferably AlOOH and a salt which are mixed and then pressed together to form a monolithic metal oxyhydroxide-salt membrane.

Method for suppressing noise in measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carson, Paul J. (Inventor); Madsen, Louis A. (Inventor); Leskowitz, Garett M. (Inventor); Weitekamp, Daniel P. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Techniques of combining separate but correlated measurements to form a second-order or higher order correlation function to suppress the effects of noise in the initial condition of a system capable of retaining memory of an initial state of the system with a characteristic relaxation time. At least two separate measurements are obtained from the system. The temporal separation between the two separate measurements is preferably comparable to or less than the characteristic relaxation time and is adjusted to allow for a correlation between two measurements.

Vibrational multiconfiguration self-consistent field theory: implementation and test calculations.

PubMed

Heislbetz, Sandra; Rauhut, Guntram

2010-03-28

A state-specific vibrational multiconfiguration self-consistent field (VMCSCF) approach based on a multimode expansion of the potential energy surface is presented for the accurate calculation of anharmonic vibrational spectra. As a special case of this general approach vibrational complete active space self-consistent field calculations will be discussed. The latter method shows better convergence than the general VMCSCF approach and must be considered the preferred choice within the multiconfigurational framework. Benchmark calculations are provided for a small set of test molecules.

The prehomosexual male child in three societies: the United States, Guatemala, Brazil.

PubMed

Whitam, F L

1980-04-01

The question raised by this article is: do the several behavioral indicators of male homosexuality, which emerge in childhood, appear cross-culturally, or are they limited to American society? These indicators are interest in toys of the opposite sex, cross-dressing, preference for girls' games and activities, preference for the company of women, being regarded as a sissy, and preference for boys in childhood sex play. Data on indicators were obtained from male homosexuals in three societies--the United States, Guatemala, and Brazil--and compared with responses of heterosexuals. It is concluded that the behavioral indicators do occur in these three societies and occur at about the same rate.

Physiologic Measures of Animal Stress during Transitional States of Consciousness

PubMed Central

Meyer, Robert E.

2015-01-01

Simple Summary The humaneness, and therefore suitability, of any particular agent or method used to produce unconsciousness in animals, whether for anesthesia, euthanasia, humane slaughter, or depopulation, depends on the experience of pain or distress prior to loss of consciousness. Commonly reported physiologic measures of animal stress, including physical movement and vocalization, heart rate and ECG, electroencephalographic activity, and plasma and neuronal stress markers are discussed within this context. Abstract Determination of the humaneness of methods used to produce unconsciousness in animals, whether for anesthesia, euthanasia, humane slaughter, or depopulation, relies on our ability to assess stress, pain, and consciousness within the contexts of method and application. Determining the subjective experience of animals during transitional states of consciousness, however, can be quite difficult; further, loss of consciousness with different agents or methods may occur at substantially different rates. Stress and distress may manifest behaviorally (e.g., overt escape behaviors, approach-avoidance preferences [aversion]) or physiologically (e.g., movement, vocalization, changes in electroencephalographic activity, heart rate, sympathetic nervous system [SNS] activity, hypothalamic-pituitary axis [HPA] activity), such that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be easily applied to evaluate methods or determine specific species applications. The purpose of this review is to discuss methods of evaluating stress in animals using physiologic methods, with emphasis on the transition between the conscious and unconscious states. PMID:26479382

Using Typologies to Interpret Study Abroad Preferences of American Business Students: Applying a Tourism Framework to International Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardon, Peter W.; Marshall, Bryan; Poddar, Amit

2011-01-01

The authors describe research that applies a tourist framework to study abroad attitudes and preferences. A total of 371 university business students in the Southern region of the United States completed a survey that included the International Tourist Role scale and study abroad attitudes and preferences. These students were grouped into one of 4…

State Dependent Valuation: The Effect of Deprivation on Risk Preferences

PubMed Central

Levy, Dino J.; Thavikulwat, Amalie C.; Glimcher, Paul W.

2013-01-01

The internal state of an organism affects its choices. Previous studies in various non-human animals have demonstrated a complex, and in some cases non-monotonic, interaction between internal state and risk preferences. Our aim was to examine the systematic effects of deprivation on human decision-making across various reward types. Using both a non-parametric approach and a classical economic analysis, we asked whether the risk attitudes of human subjects towards money, food and water rewards would change as a function of their internal metabolic state. Our findings replicate some previous work suggesting that, on average, humans become more risk tolerant in their monetary decisions, as they get hungry. However, our specific approach allowed us to make two novel observations about the complex interaction between internal state and risk preferences. First, we found that the change in risk attitude induced by food deprivation is a general phenomenon, affecting attitudes towards both monetary and consumable rewards. But much more importantly, our data indicate that rather than each subject becoming more risk tolerant as previously hypothesized based on averaging across subjects, we found that as a population of human subjects becomes food deprived the heterogeneity of their risk attitudes collapses towards a fixed point. Thus subjects who show high-risk aversion while satiated shift towards moderate risk aversion when deprived but subjects who are risk tolerant become more risk averse. These findings demonstrate a more complicated interaction between internal state and risk preferences and raise some interesting implications for both day-to-day decisions and financial market structures. PMID:23358126

State dependent valuation: the effect of deprivation on risk preferences.

PubMed

Levy, Dino J; Thavikulwat, Amalie C; Glimcher, Paul W

2013-01-01

The internal state of an organism affects its choices. Previous studies in various non-human animals have demonstrated a complex, and in some cases non-monotonic, interaction between internal state and risk preferences. Our aim was to examine the systematic effects of deprivation on human decision-making across various reward types. Using both a non-parametric approach and a classical economic analysis, we asked whether the risk attitudes of human subjects towards money, food and water rewards would change as a function of their internal metabolic state. Our findings replicate some previous work suggesting that, on average, humans become more risk tolerant in their monetary decisions, as they get hungry. However, our specific approach allowed us to make two novel observations about the complex interaction between internal state and risk preferences. First, we found that the change in risk attitude induced by food deprivation is a general phenomenon, affecting attitudes towards both monetary and consumable rewards. But much more importantly, our data indicate that rather than each subject becoming more risk tolerant as previously hypothesized based on averaging across subjects, we found that as a population of human subjects becomes food deprived the heterogeneity of their risk attitudes collapses towards a fixed point. Thus subjects who show high-risk aversion while satiated shift towards moderate risk aversion when deprived but subjects who are risk tolerant become more risk averse. These findings demonstrate a more complicated interaction between internal state and risk preferences and raise some interesting implications for both day-to-day decisions and financial market structures.

Depression Treatment Preferences in Older Primary Care Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gum, Amber M.; Arean, Patricia A.; Hunkeler, Enid; Tang, Lingqi; Katon, Wayne; Hitchcock, Polly; Steffens, David C.; Dickens, Jeanne; Unutzer, Jurgen

2006-01-01

Purpose: For depressed older primary care patients, this study aimed to examine (a) characteristics associated with depression treatment preferences; (b) predictors of receiving preferred treatment; and (c) whether receiving preferred treatment predicted satisfaction and depression outcomes. Design and Methods: Data are from 1,602 depressed older…

Millennial Instructional Preferences in Post-Secondary Business Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Cynthia Elaine

2017-01-01

The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the instructional preferences of millennial learners and how their instructional preferences affect their choice in post-secondary business programs. The instructional preferences of millennial learners are an important question for post-secondary business programs enrolling learners from…

Method of forming a foamed thermoplastic polymer

DOEpatents

Duchane, David V.; Cash, David L.

1986-01-01

A method of forming a foamed thermoplastic polymer. A solid thermoplastic lymer is immersed in an immersant solution comprising a compatible carrier solvent and an infusant solution containing an incompatible liquid blowing agent for a time sufficient for the immersant solution to infuse into the polymer. The carrier solvent is then selectively extracted, preferably by a solvent exchange process in which the immersant solution is gradually diluted with and replaced by the infusant solution, so as to selectively leave behind the infusant solution permanently entrapped in the polymer. The polymer is then heated to volatilize the blowing agent and expand the polymer into a foamed state.

Stable Algorithm For Estimating Airdata From Flush Surface Pressure Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen, A. (Inventor); Cobleigh, Brent R. (Inventor); Haering, Edward A., Jr. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

An airdata estimation and evaluation system and method, including a stable algorithm for estimating airdata from nonintrusive surface pressure measurements. The airdata estimation and evaluation system is preferably implemented in a flush airdata sensing (FADS) system. The system and method of the present invention take a flow model equation and transform it into a triples formulation equation. The triples formulation equation eliminates the pressure related states from the flow model equation by strategically taking the differences of three surface pressures, known as triples. This triples formulation equation is then used to accurately estimate and compute vital airdata from nonintrusive surface pressure measurements.

Putting the environment into the NPV calculation -- Quantifying pipeline environmental costs

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

Dott, D.R.; Wirasinghe, S.C.; Chakma, A.

1996-12-31

Pipeline projects impact the environment through soil and habitat disturbance, noise during construction and compressor operation, river crossing disturbance and the risk of rupture. Assigning monetary value to these negative project consequences enables the environment to be represented in the project cost-benefit analysis. This paper presents the mechanics and implications of two environmental valuation techniques: (1) the contingent valuation method and (2) the stated preference method. The use of environmental value at the project economic-evaluation stage is explained. A summary of research done on relevant environmental attribute valuation is presented and discussed. Recommendations for further research in the field aremore » made.« less

An efficient and inexpensive method for measuring long-term thermoregulatory behavior

PubMed Central

Sperry, Jinelle H.; Rohr, Jason R.

2016-01-01

Thermoregulatory ability and behavior influence organismal responses to their environment. By measuring thermal preferences, researchers can better understand the effects that temperature tolerances have on ecological and physiological responses to both biotic and abiotic stressors. However, because of funding limitations and confounders, measuring thermoregulation can often be difficult. Here, we provide an effective, affordable (∼$50 USD per unit), easy to construct, and validated apparatus for measuring the long-term thermal preferences of animals. In tests, the apparatus spanned temperatures from 9.29 to 33.94 °C, and we provide methods to further increase this range. Additionally, we provide simple methods to non-invasively measure animal and substrate temperatures and to prevent temperature preferences of the focal organisms from being confounded with temperature preferences of its prey and its humidity preferences. To validate the apparatus, we show that it was capable of detecting individual-level consistency and among individual-level variation in the preferred body temperatures of Southern toads (Anaxyrus terrestris) and Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) over three-weeks. Nearly every aspect of our design is adaptable to meet the needs of a multitude of study systems, including various terrestrial amphibious, and aquatic organisms. The apparatus and methods described here can be used to quantify behavioral thermal preferences, which can be critical for determining temperature tolerances across species and thus the resiliency of species to current and impending climate change. PMID:27503737

The Effect of Design Modifications to the Typographical Layout of the New York State Elementary Science Learning Standards on User Preference and Process Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Jeffery E.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of four different design layouts of the New York State elementary science learning standards on user processing time and preference. Three newly developed layouts contained the same information as the standards core curriculum. In this study, the layout of the core guide is referred to as Book.…

Preference Mining Using Neighborhood Rough Set Model on Two Universes.

PubMed

Zeng, Kai

2016-01-01

Preference mining plays an important role in e-commerce and video websites for enhancing user satisfaction and loyalty. Some classical methods are not available for the cold-start problem when the user or the item is new. In this paper, we propose a new model, called parametric neighborhood rough set on two universes (NRSTU), to describe the user and item data structures. Furthermore, the neighborhood lower approximation operator is used for defining the preference rules. Then, we provide the means for recommending items to users by using these rules. Finally, we give an experimental example to show the details of NRSTU-based preference mining for cold-start problem. The parameters of the model are also discussed. The experimental results show that the proposed method presents an effective solution for preference mining. In particular, NRSTU improves the recommendation accuracy by about 19% compared to the traditional method.

[Analyzing consumer preference by using the latest semantic model for verbal protocol].

PubMed

Tamari, Yuki; Takemura, Kazuhisa

2012-02-01

This paper examines consumers' preferences for competing brands by using a preference model of verbal protocols. Participants were 150 university students, who reported their opinions and feelings about McDonalds and Mos Burger (competing hamburger restaurants in Japan). Their verbal protocols were analyzed by using the singular value decomposition method, and the latent decision frames were estimated. The verbal protocols having a large value in the decision frames could be interpreted as showing attributes that consumers emphasize. Based on the estimated decision frames, we predicted consumers' preferences using the logistic regression analysis method. The results indicate that the decision frames projected from the verbal protocol data explained consumers' preferences effectively.

Adult Learning Preferences: A Profile of Extension Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollins, Timothy J.; Yoder, Edgar P.

1993-01-01

Cooperative extension agents in four areas (agriculture, 4-H/youth, family living, county directors) completed Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (n=211) to identify learning style preferences to develop the best ways to present state-level inservice education. (SK)

Social preferences for health states associated with acute myeloid leukemia for patients undergoing treatment in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Castejón, Nacho; Cappelleri, Joseph C; Cuervo, Jesús; Lang, Kathryn; Mehta, Priyanka; Mokgokong, Ruth; Mamolo, Carla

2018-04-18

Health state (HS) utility values for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a hematological malignancy, are not available in the United Kingdom (UK). This study aims to develop clinically sound HSs for previously untreated patients with AML and to assign utility values based on preferences of the general UK population. This study was conducted in the UK and comprised 2 stages. During the first stage, AML HSs were drafted based on evidence from a literature review of AML clinical and health-related quality-of-life studies (published January 2000-June 2016) and patient-reported outcome measures previously used in this population. A panel of UK hematologists with AML experience validated the clinical relevance and accuracy of the HSs. During the second stage, validated HSs were valued in an elicitation survey with a representative UK population sample using the time trade-off (TTO) method. Descriptive statistics and bivariate tests were obtained and performed. A total of eight HSs were developed and clinically validated, including treatment with chemotherapy, consolidation therapy, transplant, graft-vs-host disease (GvHD), remission, relapse, refractory, and functionally cured. In total, 125 adults participated (mean age, 49.6 years [range, 18-87 years], 52.8% female). Mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) TTO preference values (n = 120), ranked from lowest (worst HS) to highest (best HS) were as follows: refractory - 0.11 (- 0.21 to - 0.01), relapse 0.10 (0.00-0.20), transplant 0.28 (0.20-0.37), treatment with chemotherapy 0.36 (0.28-0.43), GvHD 0.43 (0.36-0.50), consolidation 0.46 (0.40-0.53), remission 0.62 (0.57-0.67), and functionally cured 0.76 (0.72-0.79). Mean (95% CI) visual analog scale preference values followed the same rank order, ranging from 0.15 (0.13-0.17) for refractory to 0.71 (0.68-0.73) for functionally cured. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report utility values for AML from the UK societal perspective. Participants were able to distinguish differences in severity among AML HSs, and preference values were consistent with clinical perception of HS severity. HS preference values observed in this study may be useful in future evaluations of treatment benefit, including cost-effectiveness analyses and improved patient well-being.

A Preliminary Survey of the Preferred Learning Methods for Interpretation Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinz, Michael

2013-01-01

There are many different methods that individuals use to learn languages like reading books or writing essays. Not all methods are equally successful for second language learners but nor do all successful learners of a second language show identical preferences for learning methods. Additionally, at the highest level of language learning various…

Evaluation of Contextual Variability in Prediction of Reinforcer Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pino, Olimpia; Dazzi, Carla

2005-01-01

Previous research has shown that stimulus preference assessments based on caregiver-opinion did not coincide with results of a more systematic method of assessing reinforcing value unless stimuli that were assessed to represent preferences were also preferred on paired stimulus presentation format, and that the relative preference based on the…

Ordinal preference elicitation methods in health economics and health services research: using discrete choice experiments and ranking methods.

PubMed

Ali, Shehzad; Ronaldson, Sarah

2012-09-01

The predominant method of economic evaluation is cost-utility analysis, which uses cardinal preference elicitation methods, including the standard gamble and time trade-off. However, such approach is not suitable for understanding trade-offs between process attributes, non-health outcomes and health outcomes to evaluate current practices, develop new programmes and predict demand for services and products. Ordinal preference elicitation methods including discrete choice experiments and ranking methods are therefore commonly used in health economics and health service research. Cardinal methods have been criticized on the grounds of cognitive complexity, difficulty of administration, contamination by risk and preference attitudes, and potential violation of underlying assumptions. Ordinal methods have gained popularity because of reduced cognitive burden, lower degree of abstract reasoning, reduced measurement error, ease of administration and ability to use both health and non-health outcomes. The underlying assumptions of ordinal methods may be violated when respondents use cognitive shortcuts, or cannot comprehend the ordinal task or interpret attributes and levels, or use 'irrational' choice behaviour or refuse to trade-off certain attributes. CURRENT USE AND GROWING AREAS: Ordinal methods are commonly used to evaluate preference for attributes of health services, products, practices, interventions, policies and, more recently, to estimate utility weights. AREAS FOR ON-GOING RESEARCH: There is growing research on developing optimal designs, evaluating the rationalization process, using qualitative tools for developing ordinal methods, evaluating consistency with utility theory, appropriate statistical methods for analysis, generalizability of results and comparing ordinal methods against each other and with cardinal measures.

Objective Properties from Subjective Quantum States: Environment as a Witness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ollivier, Harold; Poulin, David; Zurek, Wojciech H.

2004-11-01

We study the emergence of objective properties in open quantum systems. In our analysis, the environment is promoted from a passive role of a reservoir selectively destroying quantum coherence to an active role of amplifier selectively proliferating information about the system. We show that only preferred pointer states of the system can leave a redundant and therefore easily detectable imprint on the environment. Observers who—as is almost always the case—discover the state of the system indirectly (by probing a fraction of its environment) will find out only about the corresponding pointer observable. Many observers can act in this fashion independently and without perturbing the system. They will agree about its state. In this operational sense, preferred pointer states exist objectively.

Postpartum adolescents' contraceptive counselling preferences.

PubMed

Sober, Stephanie; Shea, Judy A; Shaber, Allison G; Whittaker, Paul G; Schreiber, Courtney A

2017-04-01

The optimal approach for provision and timing of postpartum contraceptive counselling for adolescents has not been established. To reduce repeat pregnancies from current USA levels of nearly 20%, a better understanding is needed of postpartum adolescent females' preferences regarding contraceptive counselling and delivery. Semi-structured interviews with 30 USA postpartum teens (97% Black) explored pregnancy prevention and contraceptive counselling. Transcripts were independently coded by two researchers and inter-rater reliability calculated using Kappa coefficients. With a standard content analysis approach, common themes were identified, coded and summarized. Findings indicated pregnancy prevention was important - two thirds of subjects reported becoming pregnant 'too soon', almost all did not desire another child for at least 6 years and most indicated that pregnancy prevention was either 'very' or 'extremely' important right now. The subjects described doctors and their prenatal clinic as their most accurate sources of contraception information, but stated that doctors and parents were the most helpful sources. All were comfortable discussing contraception with providers and had a desire for shared decision making. While many had received written materials, most preferred in-person contraceptive counselling. Optimally, participants suggested that contraceptive counselling would be provided by a physician, begin antepartum and almost all preferred to leave the hospital with their chosen method of contraception. Pregnancy prevention is important for postpartum adolescents as most desired to delay future childbearing. In-person contraceptive counselling should begin in the antepartum period and include provision of contraception prior to discharge.

The debate over weight- versus price-based taxation of snuff in the United States' state legislatures.

PubMed

Timberlake, David S; Sami, Mojgan; Patel, Sonam; Thiagarajan, Shamili; Badiyan, Ramin; Willard, Shay

2014-08-01

Discount snuff, known for its cheap price, high nicotine content, and popularity among youth, has increased substantially in market share in the United States. As a likely result, the leading manufacturer of premium snuff has supported legislation changing the basis for taxing snuff from price to weight. To determine which public health issues arose in legislative debates, we transcribed 17 of 52 bills from US state legislatures and coded for arguments broadly categorized into public health, fair taxation, tax revenue, tax efficiency, and anti-competitiveness. State legislators expressed frustration that equitable taxation, revenue generation, and prevention of youth tobacco use were frequently conflated in the debates. Public health advocates expressed concerns over youths' incentives to purchase low-weight snuff, but seldom discussed youths' growing preference for discount snuff. The evolving market of moist snuff is a critical consideration for US state legislators as well as policy makers from other countries who may evaluate taxation methods for alternate tobacco products.

Disability weights from a household survey in a low socio-economic setting: how does it compare to the global burden of disease 2010 study?

PubMed

Neethling, Ian; Jelsma, Jennifer; Ramma, Lebogang; Schneider, Helen; Bradshaw, Debbie

2016-01-01

The global burden of disease (GBD) 2010 study used a universal set of disability weights to estimate disability adjusted life years (DALYs) by country. However, it is not clear whether these weights can be applied universally in calculating DALYs to inform local decision-making. This study derived disability weights for a resource-constrained community in Cape Town, South Africa, and interrogated whether the GBD 2010 disability weights necessarily represent the preferences of economically disadvantaged communities. A household survey was conducted in Lavender Hill, Cape Town, to assess the health state preferences of the general public. The responses from a paired comparison valuation method were assessed using a probit regression. The probit coefficients were anchored onto the 0 to 1 disability weight scale by running a lowess regression on the GBD 2010 disability weights and interpolating the coefficients between the upper and lower limit of the smoothed disability weights. Heroin and opioid dependence had the highest disability weight of 0.630, whereas intellectual disability had the lowest (0.040). Untreated injuries ranked higher than severe mental disorders. There were some counterintuitive results, such as moderate (15th) and severe vision impairment (16th) ranking higher than blindness (20th). A moderate correlation between the disability weights of the local study and those of the GBD 2010 study was observed (R(2)=0.440, p<0.05). This indicates that there was a relationship, although some conditions, such as untreated fracture of the radius or ulna, showed large variability in disability weights (0.488 in local study and 0.043 in GBD 2010). Respondents seemed to value physical mobility higher than cognitive functioning, which is in contrast to the GBD 2010 study. This study shows that not all health state preferences are universal. Studies estimating DALYs need to derive local disability weights using methods that are less cognitively demanding for respondents.

A long-term earthquake rate model for the central and eastern United States from smoothed seismicity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moschetti, Morgan P.

2015-01-01

I present a long-term earthquake rate model for the central and eastern United States from adaptive smoothed seismicity. By employing pseudoprospective likelihood testing (L-test), I examined the effects of fixed and adaptive smoothing methods and the effects of catalog duration and composition on the ability of the models to forecast the spatial distribution of recent earthquakes. To stabilize the adaptive smoothing method for regions of low seismicity, I introduced minor modifications to the way that the adaptive smoothing distances are calculated. Across all smoothed seismicity models, the use of adaptive smoothing and the use of earthquakes from the recent part of the catalog optimizes the likelihood for tests with M≥2.7 and M≥4.0 earthquake catalogs. The smoothed seismicity models optimized by likelihood testing with M≥2.7 catalogs also produce the highest likelihood values for M≥4.0 likelihood testing, thus substantiating the hypothesis that the locations of moderate-size earthquakes can be forecast by the locations of smaller earthquakes. The likelihood test does not, however, maximize the fraction of earthquakes that are better forecast than a seismicity rate model with uniform rates in all cells. In this regard, fixed smoothing models perform better than adaptive smoothing models. The preferred model of this study is the adaptive smoothed seismicity model, based on its ability to maximize the joint likelihood of predicting the locations of recent small-to-moderate-size earthquakes across eastern North America. The preferred rate model delineates 12 regions where the annual rate of M≥5 earthquakes exceeds 2×10−3. Although these seismic regions have been previously recognized, the preferred forecasts are more spatially concentrated than the rates from fixed smoothed seismicity models, with rate increases of up to a factor of 10 near clusters of high seismic activity.

Conjoint Analysis for New Service Development on Electricity Distribution in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widaningrum, D. L.; Chynthia; Astuti, L. D.; Seran, M. A. B.

2017-07-01

Many cases of illegal use of electricity in Indonesia is still rampant, especially for activities where the power source is not available, such as in the location of street vendors. It is not only detrimental to the state, but also harm the perpetrators of theft of electricity and the surrounding communities. The purpose of this study is to create New Service Development (NSD) to provide a new electricity source for street vendors' activity based on their preferences. The methods applied in NSD is Conjoint Analysis, Cluster Analysis, Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Service Blueprint, Process Flow Diagrams and Quality Control Plan. The results of this study are the attributes and their importance in the new electricity’s service based on street vendors’ preferences as customers, customer segmentation, service design for new service, designing technical response, designing operational procedures, the quality control plan of any existing operational procedures.

Process parameters, orientation, and functional properties of melt-processed bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors

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

Zakharchenko, I.V.; Terryll, K.M.; Rao, K.V.

1995-03-01

This study compared the microstructure, texturing, and functional properties (critical currents) of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x}-based bulk pellets that were prepared by the quench-melt-growth-process (QMGP), melt-textured growth (MTG), and conventional solid-state reaction (SSR) approaches. Using two X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, {theta}-2{theta}, and rocking curves, the authors found that the individual grains of two melt-processed pellets exhibited remarkable preferred orientational alignment (best rocking curve width = 3.2{degree}). However, the direction of the preferred orientation among the grains was random. Among the three types of bulk materials studied, the QMGP sample was found to have the best J{sub c} values, {approx} 4,500more » A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K in a field of 2 kG, as determined from SQUID magnetic data.« less

Mexican immigrants' attitudes and interest in health insurance: a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Ziemer, Carolyn M; Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Pathman, Donald E; Mihas, Paul; Frasier, Pamela; Colindres, Melida; Butterworth, Milton; Robinson, Scott S

2014-08-01

Mexican immigrants to the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to be without health insurance than non-Hispanic native citizens. To inform strategies to increase the number of insured within this population, we elicited immigrants' understanding of health insurance and preferences for coverage. Nine focus groups with Mexican immigrants were conducted across the State of North Carolina. Qualitative, descriptive methods were used to assess people's understanding of health insurance, identify their perceived need for health insurance, describe perceived barriers to obtaining coverage, and prioritize the components of insurance that immigrants value most. Individuals have a basic understanding of health insurance and perceive it as necessary. Participants most valued insurance that would cover emergencies, make care affordable, and protect family members. Barriers to obtaining insurance included cost, concerns about immigration status discovery, and communication issues. Strategies that address immigrants' preferences for and barriers to insurance should be considered.

PowerPoint or chalk and talk: Perceptions of medical students versus dental students in a medical college in India

PubMed Central

Seth, Vikas; Upadhyaya, Prerna; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Moghe, Vijay

2010-01-01

Purpose To assess students’ perceptions of the impact of PowerPoint (PPT) presentations in lectures in comparison to the traditional chalk and talk method and lectures using transparencies and overhead projector (TOHP). The study analyzes the preferences for teaching aids of medical students versus dental students. Methods Second year medical and dental undergraduates were asked to fill in a nine-item questionnaire about their perceptions of the three lecture delivery methods. Following analysis of the questionnaire the students were interviewed further. The results were analyzed separately for medical and dental students to see if there was any difference in their perceptions. Results The majority of the medical students (65.33%) preferred PPT presentations, while 15.16% of students preferred the lectures using chalkboard, and 19.51% preferred TOHP for teaching (P < 0.001). Of the dental students: 41.84% preferred chalkboard, 31.21% preferred TOHP, and 25.85% students preferred PPT presentations in the lectures (P < 0.05). Some important comments of the students were also recorded on interview which could be valuable for the medical teachers. Conclusion: The medical students clearly preferred the use of PPT presentations while the dental students did not. The study does not bring out evidence based superiority of any lecture delivery method. It appears that in the hands of a trained teacher any teaching aid would be appropriate and effective. This highlights the need for formal training in teaching technologies to develop good presentation skills and thus motivate the students. PMID:23745057

Effects of bandwidth, compression speed, and gain at high frequencies on preferences for amplified music.

PubMed

Moore, Brian C J

2012-09-01

This article reviews a series of studies on the factors influencing sound quality preferences, mostly for jazz and classical music stimuli. The data were obtained using ratings of individual stimuli or using the method of paired comparisons. For normal-hearing participants, the highest ratings of sound quality were obtained when the reproduction bandwidth was wide (55 to 16000 Hz) and ripples in the frequency response were small (less than ± 5 dB). For hearing-impaired participants listening via a simulated five-channel compression hearing aid with gains set using the CAM2 fitting method, preferences for upper cutoff frequency varied across participants: Some preferred a 7.5- or 10-kHz upper cutoff frequency over a 5-kHz cutoff frequency, and some showed the opposite preference. Preferences for a higher upper cutoff frequency were associated with a shallow high-frequency slope of the audiogram. A subsequent study comparing the CAM2 and NAL-NL2 fitting methods, with gains slightly reduced for participants who were not experienced hearing aid users, showed a consistent preference for CAM2. Since the two methods differ mainly in the gain applied for frequencies above 4 kHz (CAM2 recommending higher gain than NAL-NL2), these results suggest that extending the upper cutoff frequency is beneficial. A system for reducing "overshoot" effects produced by compression gave small but significant benefits for sound quality of a percussion instrument (xylophone). For a high-input level (80 dB SPL), slow compression was preferred over fast compression.

Identifying protein kinase target preferences using mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Douglass, Jacqueline; Gunaratne, Ruwan; Bradford, Davis; Saeed, Fahad; Hoffert, Jason D.; Steinbach, Peter J.; Pisitkun, Trairak

2012-01-01

A general question in molecular physiology is how to identify candidate protein kinases corresponding to a known or hypothetical phosphorylation site in a protein of interest. It is generally recognized that the amino acid sequence surrounding the phosphorylation site provides information that is relevant to identification of the cognate protein kinase. Here, we present a mass spectrometry-based method for profiling the target specificity of a given protein kinase as well as a computational tool for the calculation and visualization of the target preferences. The mass spectrometry-based method identifies sites phosphorylated in response to in vitro incubation of protein mixtures with active recombinant protein kinases followed by standard phosphoproteomic methodologies. The computational tool, called “PhosphoLogo,” uses an information-theoretic algorithm to calculate position-specific amino acid preferences and anti-preferences from the mass-spectrometry data (http://helixweb.nih.gov/PhosphoLogo/). The method was tested using protein kinase A (catalytic subunit α), revealing the well-known preference for basic amino acids in positions −2 and −3 relative to the phosphorylated amino acid. It also provides evidence for a preference for amino acids with a branched aliphatic side chain in position +1, a finding compatible with known crystal structures of protein kinase A. The method was also employed to profile target preferences and anti-preferences for 15 additional protein kinases with potential roles in regulation of epithelial transport: CK2, p38, AKT1, SGK1, PKCδ, CaMK2δ, DAPK1, MAPKAPK2, PKD3, PIM1, OSR1, STK39/SPAK, GSK3β, Wnk1, and Wnk4. PMID:22723110

What matters to patients? A systematic review of preferences for medication-associated outcomes in mental disorders

PubMed Central

Eiring, Øystein; Landmark, Brynjar Fowels; Aas, Endre; Salkeld, Glenn; Nylenna, Magne

2015-01-01

Objective To investigate patients’ preferences for outcomes associated with psychoactive medications. Setting/design Systematic review of stated preference studies. No settings restrictions were applied. Participants/eligibility criteria We included studies containing quantitative data regarding the relative value adults with mental disorders place on treatment outcomes. Studies with high risk of bias were excluded. Primary and secondary outcome measures We restricted the scope of our review to preferences for outcomes, including the consequences from, attributes of, and health states associated with particular medications or medication classes, and process outcomes. Results After reviewing 11 215 citations, 16 studies were included in the systematic review. These studies reported the stated preferences from patients with schizophrenia (n=9), depression (n=4), bipolar disorder (n=2) and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (n=1). The median sample size was 81. Side effects and symptom outcomes outnumbered functioning and process outcomes. Severe disease and hospitalisation were reported to be least desirable. Patients with schizophrenia tended to value disease states as higher and side effects as lower, compared to other stakeholder groups. In depression, the ability to cope with activities was found to be more important than a depressed mood, per se. Patient preferences could not consistently be predicted from demographic or disease variables. Only a limited number of potentially important outcomes had been investigated. Benefits to patients were not part of the purpose in 9 of the 16 studies, and in 10 studies patients were not involved when the outcomes to present were selected. Conclusions Insufficient evidence exists on the relative value patients with mental disorders place on medication-associated outcomes. To increase patient-centredness in decisions involving psychoactive drugs, further research—with outcomes elicited from patients, and for a larger number of conditions—should be undertaken. Trial registration number PROSPERO CRD42013005685. PMID:25854979

"Right tool," wrong "job": Manual vacuum aspiration, post-abortion care and transnational population politics in Senegal.

PubMed

Suh, Siri

2015-06-01

The "rightness" of a technology for completing a particular task is negotiated by medical professionals, patients, state institutions, manufacturing companies, and non-governmental organizations. This paper shows how certain technologies may challenge the meaning of the "job" they are designed to accomplish. Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is a syringe device for uterine evacuation that can be used to treat complications of incomplete abortion, known as post-abortion care (PAC), or to terminate pregnancy. I explore how negotiations over the rightness of MVA as well as PAC unfold at the intersection of national and global reproductive politics during the daily treatment of abortion complications at three hospitals in Senegal, where PAC is permitted but induced abortion is legally prohibited. Although state health authorities have championed MVA as the "preferred" PAC technology, the primary donor for PAC, the United States Agency for International Development, does not support the purchase of abortifacient technologies. I conducted an ethnography of Senegal's PAC program between 2010 and 2011. Data collection methods included interviews with 49 health professionals, observation of PAC treatment and review of abortion records at three hospitals, and a review of transnational literature on MVA and PAC. While MVA was the most frequently employed form of uterine evacuation in hospitals, concerns about off-label MVA practices contributed to the persistence of less effective methods such as dilation and curettage (D&C) and digital curettage. Anxieties about MVA's capacity to induce abortion have constrained its integration into routine obstetric care. This capacity also raises questions about what the "job," PAC, represents in Senegalese hospitals. The prioritization of MVA's security over women's access to the preferred technology reinforces gendered inequalities in health care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Routine handling methods affect behaviour of three-spined sticklebacks in a novel test of anxiety.

PubMed

Thompson, Ralph R J; Paul, Elizabeth S; Radford, Andrew N; Purser, Julia; Mendl, Michael

2016-06-01

Fish are increasingly popular subjects in behavioural and neurobiological research. It is therefore important that they are housed and handled appropriately to ensure good welfare and reliable scientific findings, and that species-appropriate behavioural tests (e.g. of cognitive/affective states) are developed. Routine handling of captive animals may cause physiological stress responses that lead to anxiety-like states (e.g. increased perception of danger). In fish, these may be particularly pronounced when handling during tank-to-tank transfer involves removal from water into air. Here we develop and use a new combined scototaxis (preference for dark over light areas) and novel-tank-diving test, alongside conventional open-field and novel-object tests, to measure the effects of transferring three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) between tanks using a box or net (in and out of water respectively). Preference tests for dark over light areas confirmed the presence of scototaxis in this species. Open-field and novel-object tests failed to detect any significant differences between net and box-handled fish. However, the combined diving and scototaxis detected consistent differences between the treatments. Net-handled fish spent less time on the dark side of the tank, less time in the bottom third, and kept a greater distance from the 'safe' bottom dark area than box-handled fish. Possible explanations for this reduction in anxiety-like behaviour in net-handled fish are discussed. The combined diving and scototaxis test may be a sensitive and taxon-appropriate method for measuring anxiety-like states in fish. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Naming patterns reveal cultural values: patronyms, matronyms, and the U.S. culture of honor.

PubMed

Brown, Ryan P; Carvallo, Mauricio; Imura, Mikiko

2014-02-01

Four studies examined the hypothesis that honor norms would be associated with a pronounced use of patronyms, but not matronyms, for naming children. Study 1 shows that men who endorse honor values expressed a stronger desire to use patronyms (but not matronyms) for future children, an association that was mediated by patriarchal attitudes. Study 2 presents an indirect method for assessing state patronym and matronym levels. As expected, patronym scores were significantly higher in honor states and were associated with a wide range of variables linked previously to honor-related dynamics. Study 3a shows that following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, patronyms increased in honor states, but not in non-honor states. Likewise, priming men with a fictitious terrorist attack (Study 3b) increased the association between honor ideology and patronym preferences. Together, these studies reveal a subtle social signal that reflects the masculine values of an honor culture.

On the Preferred Flesh Color of Japanese and Chinese and the Determining Factors —Investigation of the Younger Generation Using Method of Successive Categories and Semantic Differential Method—

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Ying; Deng, Pei; Tsuruoka, Hideki; Aoki, Naokazu; Kobayashi, Hiroyuki

The preferred flesh color was surveyed by the successive five categories method and the SD method in Japan and China to investigate its determining factors. The Chinese most preferred flesh color was more reddish than the Japanese one, while the flesh color accepted by 50% and more of the observers in China was larger in chromaticness and more yellowish than in Japan. In the determining factors for selection of the preferred color extracted by a factor analysis, a big difference between Japanese and Chinese men was observed. The first factor of the former was kind personality, whereas that of the latter was showy appearance.

Learning User Preferences for Sets of Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

desJardins, Marie; Eaton, Eric; Wagstaff, Kiri L.

2006-01-01

Most work on preference learning has focused on pairwise preferences or rankings over individual items. In this paper, we present a method for learning preferences over sets of items. Our learning method takes as input a collection of positive examples--that is, one or more sets that have been identified by a user as desirable. Kernel density estimation is used to estimate the value function for individual items, and the desired set diversity is estimated from the average set diversity observed in the collection. Since this is a new learning problem, we introduce a new evaluation methodology and evaluate the learning method on two data collections: synthetic blocks-world data and a new real-world music data collection that we have gathered.

Values and preferences in oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation, physicians' and patients' perspectives: protocol for a two-phase study.

PubMed

Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Montori, Victor M; Solà, Ivan; Schünemann, Holger J; Devereaux, Philipe; Charles, Cathy; Roura, Mercè; Díaz, M Gloria; Souto, Juan Carlos; Alonso, Rafael; Oliver, Sven; Ruiz, Rafael; Coll-Vinent, Blanca; Diez, Ana Isabel; Gich, Ignasi; Guyatt, Gordon

2008-10-27

Oral anticoagulation prevents strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation but, for reasons that remain unclear, less than 40% of all patients with atrial fibrillation receive warfarin. The literature postulates that patient and clinician preferences may explain this low utilization. The proposed research seeks to answer the following questions: i) When assessed systematically, do patients' and clinicians' preferences explain the utilization of warfarin to prevent strokes associated with atrial fibrillation? ii) To what extent do patients' and clinicians' treatment preferences differ? iii) What factors explain any differences that exist in treatment preferences between patients and clinicians? To answer these questions we will conduct a two-phase study of patient and clinician preferences for health states and treatments. In the first phase of this study we will conduct structured interviews to determine their treatment preferences for warfarin vs. aspirin to prevent strokes associated with atrial fibrillation using the probability trade-off technique. In the same interview, we will conduct preference-elicitation exercises using the feeling thermometer to identify the utilities that patients place on taking medication (warfarin and aspirin), and on having a mild stroke, a severe stroke, and a major bleed. In the second phase of the study we will convene focus groups of clinicians and patients to explore their answers to the exercises in the first phase. This is a study of patient and clinician preferences for health states and treatments. Because of its clinical importance and our previous work in this area, we will conduct our study in the clinical context of the decision to use antithrombotic agents to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular chronic atrial fibrillation.

Preferred color correction for digital LCD TVs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyoung Tae; Kim, Choon-Woo; Ahn, Ji-Young; Kang, Dong-Woo; Shin, Hyun-Ho

2009-01-01

Instead of colorimetirc color reproduction, preferred color correction is applied for digital TVs to improve subjective image quality. First step of the preferred color correction is to survey the preferred color coordinates of memory colors. This can be achieved by the off-line human visual tests. Next step is to extract pixels of memory colors representing skin, grass and sky. For the detected pixels, colors are shifted towards the desired coordinates identified in advance. This correction process may result in undesirable contours on the boundaries between the corrected and un-corrected areas. For digital TV applications, the process of extraction and correction should be applied in every frame of the moving images. This paper presents a preferred color correction method in LCH color space. Values of chroma and hue are corrected independently. Undesirable contours on the boundaries of correction are minimized. The proposed method change the coordinates of memory color pixels towards the target color coordinates. Amount of correction is determined based on the averaged coordinate of the extracted pixels. The proposed method maintains the relative color difference within memory color areas. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated using the paired comparison. Results of experiments indicate that the proposed method can reproduce perceptually pleasing images to viewers.

A test of the critical assumption of the sensory bias model for the evolution of female mating preference using neural networks.

PubMed

Fuller, Rebecca C

2009-07-01

The sensory bias model for the evolution of mating preferences states that mating preferences evolve as correlated responses to selection on nonmating behaviors sharing a common sensory system. The critical assumption is that pleiotropy creates genetic correlations that affect the response to selection. I simulated selection on populations of neural networks to test this. First, I selected for various combinations of foraging and mating preferences. Sensory bias predicts that populations with preferences for like-colored objects (red food and red mates) should evolve more readily than preferences for differently colored objects (red food and blue mates). Here, I found no evidence for sensory bias. The responses to selection on foraging and mating preferences were independent of one another. Second, I selected on foraging preferences alone and asked whether there were correlated responses for increased mating preferences for like-colored mates. Here, I found modest evidence for sensory bias. Selection for a particular foraging preference resulted in increased mating preference for similarly colored mates. However, the correlated responses were small and inconsistent. Selection on foraging preferences alone may affect initial levels of mating preferences, but these correlations did not constrain the joint evolution of foraging and mating preferences in these simulations.

A Comparison between Survey and Verbal Choice Methods of Identifying Potential Reinforcers among Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilder, David A; Therrien, Kelly; Wine, Byron

2006-01-01

Two methods of assessing preference for stimuli (i.e., potential reinforcers) were compared for adult administrative assistant employees. During Phase 1, a survey method and a verbal choice method of assessing preference for 6 stimuli were administered. During Phase 2, a coupon system was used to determine which categories of stimuli actually…