Training Feedback Handbook. Research Product 83-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnside, Billy L.; And Others

This handbook is designed to assist training developers and evaluators in structuring their collection of feedback data. Addressed first are various methods for collecting feedback data, including informal feedback, existing unit performance records, questionnaires, structured interviews, systematic observation, and testing. The next chapter, a…

Design and flight test of a differential GPS/inertial navigation system for approach/landing guidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vallot, Lawrence; Snyder, Scott; Schipper, Brian; Parker, Nigel; Spitzer, Cary

1991-01-01

NASA-Langley has conducted a flight test program evaluating a differential GPS/inertial navigation system's (DGPS/INS) utility as an approach/landing aid. The DGPS/INS airborne and ground components are based on off-the-shelf transport aircraft avionics, namely a global positioning/inertial reference unit (GPIRU) and two GPS sensor units (GPSSUs). Systematic GPS errors are measured by the ground GPSSU and transmitted to the aircraft GPIRU, allowing the errors to be eliminated or greatly reduced in the airborne equipment. Over 120 landings were flown; 36 of these were fully automatic DGPS/INS landings.

Comparison of contraction times of a muscle and its motor units

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eldred, E.; Smith, L.; Edgerton, V. R.

1992-01-01

The twitch contraction time (CT) for each of 13 soleus (SOL) and 13 medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles was compared with the mean CT from a sample of its motor units (MUs; 356 total) to see if the CT of a whole muscle when tested at its optimal length (Lo) differed systematically from that of its MUs tested at their individual Lo's. The CTs of the whole muscle were significantly longer in the ratio of 1.13. This is consistent with a hypothesis that electrical-field effects result in a more protracted contraction of the individual muscle fiber.

Evaluation of a new mobile system for protecting immune-suppressed patients against airborne contamination.

PubMed

Poirot, Jean-Louis; Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; Fischer, Alain; Malbernard, Mireille; Challier, Svetlana; Laudinet, Nicolas; Bergeron, Vance

2007-09-01

Invasive aspergillosis is one of the most lethal airborne dangers for immune-suppressed subjects. Providing patient protection from such airborne threats requires costly and high-maintenance facilities. We herein evaluate a new self-contained mobile unit as an alternative for creating a patient protective environment. Airborne contamination levels were monitored for different simulated scenarios and under actual clinical conditions. Functional tests were used to challenge the unit under adverse conditions, and a preliminary clinical study with patients and staff present was performed at 2 different French hospitals. Functional tests demonstrated that the unit can rapidly decontaminate air in the protected zone created by the unit and in the surrounding room. In addition, the protected zone is not sensitive to large disturbances that occur in the room. The clinical study included 4 patients with 150 accumulated days of testing. The protected zone created by the unit systematically provided an environment with undetectable airborne fungal levels (ie, <1 CFU/m(3)) regardless of the levels in the room or corridor (P < .01). These tests show that the unit can be used to create a mobile protective environment for immune-suppressed patients in a standard hospital setting.

Design verification test matrix development for the STME thrust chamber assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dexter, Carol E.; Elam, Sandra K.; Sparks, David L.

1993-01-01

This report presents the results of the test matrix development for design verification at the component level for the National Launch System (NLS) space transportation main engine (STME) thrust chamber assembly (TCA) components including the following: injector, combustion chamber, and nozzle. A systematic approach was used in the development of the minimum recommended TCA matrix resulting in a minimum number of hardware units and a minimum number of hot fire tests.

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

Liu Ke; Li Yanqiu; Wang Hai

Characterization of measurement accuracy of the phase-shifting point diffraction interferometer (PS/PDI) is usually performed by two-pinhole null test. In this procedure, the geometrical coma and detector tilt astigmatism systematic errors are almost one or two magnitude higher than the desired accuracy of PS/PDI. These errors must be accurately removed from the null test result to achieve high accuracy. Published calibration methods, which can remove the geometrical coma error successfully, have some limitations in calibrating the astigmatism error. In this paper, we propose a method to simultaneously calibrate the geometrical coma and detector tilt astigmatism errors in PS/PDI null test. Basedmore » on the measurement results obtained from two pinhole pairs in orthogonal directions, the method utilizes the orthogonal and rotational symmetry properties of Zernike polynomials over unit circle to calculate the systematic errors introduced in null test of PS/PDI. The experiment using PS/PDI operated at visible light is performed to verify the method. The results show that the method is effective in isolating the systematic errors of PS/PDI and the measurement accuracy of the calibrated PS/PDI is 0.0088{lambda} rms ({lambda}= 632.8 nm).« less

A Systematic Review of Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Condomless Sex and Increase HIV Testing for Latino MSM.

PubMed

Pérez, Ashley; Santamaria, E Karina; Operario, Don

2017-12-15

Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States are disproportionately affected by HIV, and there have been calls to improve availability of culturally sensitive HIV prevention programs for this population. This article provides a systematic review of intervention programs to reduce condomless sex and/or increase HIV testing among Latino MSM. We searched four electronic databases using a systematic review protocol, screened 1777 unique records, and identified ten interventions analyzing data from 2871 Latino MSM. Four studies reported reductions in condomless anal intercourse, and one reported reductions in number of sexual partners. All studies incorporated surface structure cultural features such as bilingual study recruitment, but the incorporation of deep structure cultural features, such as machismo and sexual silence, was lacking. There is a need for rigorously designed interventions that incorporate deep structure cultural features in order to reduce HIV among Latino MSM.

Nutzwertanalyse

Treesearch

A. Henne

1978-01-01

Nutzwertanalyse (NUWA) is a psychometric instrument for finding the test compromise in the multiple use planning of forestry, when the multiple objectives cannot be expressed in the same physical or monetary unit. It insures a systematic assessment of the consequences of proposed alternatives and thoroughly documents the decision process. The method leads to a ranking...

Measurement properties of the craniocervical flexion test: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Araujo, Francisco Xavier de; Ferreira, Giovanni Esteves; Scholl Schell, Maurício; Castro, Marcelo Peduzzi de; Silva, Marcelo Faria; Ribeiro, Daniel Cury

2018-02-22

Neck pain is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide and it accounts for high economic and societal burden. Altered activation of the neck muscles is a common musculoskeletal impairment presented by patients with neck pain. The craniocervical flexion test with pressure biofeedback unit has been widely used in clinical practice to assess function of deep neck flexor muscles. This systematic review will assess the measurement properties of the craniocervical flexion test for assessing deep cervical flexor muscles. This is a protocol for a systematic review that will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus and Science Direct will be systematically searched from inception. Studies of any design that have investigated and reported at least one measurement property of the craniocervical flexion test for assessing the deep cervical flexor muscles will be included. All measurement properties will be considered as outcomes. Two reviewers will independently rate the risk of bias of individual studies using the updated COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments risk of bias checklist. A structured narrative synthesis will be used for data analysis. Quantitative findings for each measurement property will be summarised. The overall rating for a measurement property will be classified as 'positive', 'indeterminate' or 'negative'. The overall rating will be accompanied with a level of evidence. Ethical approval and patient consent are not required since this is a systematic review based on published studies. Findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. CRD42017062175. © 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.

Nevada Test Site craters used for astronaut training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, H. J.

1977-01-01

Craters produced by chemical and nuclear explosives at the Nevada Test Site were used to train astronauts before their lunar missions. The craters have characteristics suitable for reconnaissance-type field investigations. The Schooner test produced a crater about 300 m across and excavated more than 72 m of stratigraphic section deposited in a fairly regular fashion so that systematic observations yield systematic results. Other features common on the moon, such as secondary craters and glass-coated rocks, are present at Schooner crater. Smaller explosive tests on Buckboard Mesa excavated rocks from three horizontal alteration zones within basalt flows so that the original sequence of the zones could be determined. One crater illustrated the characteristics of craters formed across vertical boundaries between rock units. Although the exercises at the Nevada Test Site were only a small part of the training of the astronauts, voice transcripts of Apollo missions 14, 16, and 17 show that the exercises contributed to astronaut performance on the moon.

Computer-Assisted Instruction In Dental Diagnosis; A Systematic Product Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Thomas K.; Sokolow, Sonya

A developmental project created and field tested a computer-assisted instructional (CAI) unit in dental diagnosis. The main objectives were to determine 1) if, after having received CAI, the dental student could determine whether a patient had a clinical need for space management and 2) if the dental student's attitude toward CAI and space…

Adverse Selection in Insurance Markets: Policyholder Evidence from the U.K. Annuity Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkelstein, Amy; Poterba, James

2004-01-01

We use a unique data set of annuities in the United Kingdom to test for adverse selection. We find systematic relationships between ex post mortality and annuity characteristics, such as the timing of payments and the possibility of payments to the annuitant's estate. These patterns are consistent with the presence of asymmetric information.…

Developing Initiatives for Home-Based Child Care: Current Research and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Toni; Paulsell, Diane

2011-01-01

Home-based child care accounts for a significant share of the child care supply in the United States, especially for infants and toddlers. A synthesis of the home-based care research literature and information about recent home-based care quality initiatives points to a critical need for more systematic efforts to develop and test quality…

Two-Year Systematic Study To Assess Norovirus Contamination in Oysters from Commercial Harvesting Areas in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

Gustar, Nicole E.; Powell, Andrew L.; Hartnell, Rachel E.; Lees, David N.

2012-01-01

The contamination of bivalve shellfish with norovirus from human fecal sources is recognized as an important human health risk. Standardized quantitative methods for the detection of norovirus in molluscan shellfish are now available, and viral standards are being considered in the European Union and internationally. This 2-year systematic study aimed to investigate the impact of the application of these methods to the monitoring of norovirus contamination in oyster production areas in the United Kingdom. Twenty-four monthly samples of oysters from 39 United Kingdom production areas, chosen to represent a range of potential contamination risk, were tested for norovirus genogroups I and II by using a quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR method. Norovirus was detected in 76.2% (643/844) of samples, with all sites returning at least one positive result. Both prevalences (presence or absence) and norovirus levels varied markedly between sites. However, overall, a marked winter seasonality of contamination by both prevalence and quantity was observed. Correlations were found between norovirus contamination and potential risk indicators, including harvesting area classifications, Escherichia coli scores, and environmental temperatures. A predictive risk score for norovirus contamination was developed by using a combination of these factors. In summary, this study, the largest of its type undertaken to date, provides a systematic analysis of norovirus contamination in commercial oyster production areas in the United Kingdom. The data should assist risk managers to develop control strategies to reduce the risk of human illness resulting from norovirus contamination of bivalve molluscs. PMID:22685151

A systematic review of randomized trials assessing human papillomavirus testing in cervical cancer screening

PubMed Central

Patanwala, Insiyyah Y.; Bauer, Heidi M.; Miyamoto, Justin; Park, Ina U.; Huchko, Megan J.; Smith-McCune, Karen K.

2013-01-01

Our objective was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for cervical cancer screening in randomized trials. We conducted a systematic literature search of the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane. Eligible studies were randomized trials comparing HPV-based to cytology-based screening strategies, with disease status determined by colposcopy/biopsy for participants with positive results. Disease rates (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia [CIN]2 or greater and CIN3 or greater), sensitivity, and positive predictive value were abstracted or calculated from the articles. Six studies met inclusion criteria. Relative sensitivities for detecting CIN3 or greater of HPV testing-based strategies vs cytology ranged from 0.8 to 2.1. The main limitation of our study was that testing methodologies and screening/management protocols were highly variable across studies. Screening strategies in which a single initial HPV-positive test led to colposcopy were more sensitive than cytology but resulted in higher colposcopy rates. These results have implications for cotesting with HPV and cytology as recommended in the United States. PMID:23159693

What Works to Prevent Adolescent Smoking? A Systematic Review of the National Cancer Institute's Research-Tested Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Elyse J.; Primack, Brian A.

2009-01-01

Background: Cigarette use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Although school is an ideal setting for antismoking interventions, school-based programs have not been successful in the long term. The purpose of this study was to explore characteristics of programs deemed to be successful short-term Research-Tested…

Electrophysiological evidence of statistical learning of long-distance dependencies in 8-month-old preterm and full-term infants.

PubMed

Kabdebon, C; Pena, M; Buiatti, M; Dehaene-Lambertz, G

2015-09-01

Using electroencephalography, we examined 8-month-old infants' ability to discover a systematic dependency between the first and third syllables of successive words, concatenated into a monotonous speech stream, and to subsequently generalize this regularity to new items presented in isolation. Full-term and preterm infants, while exposed to the stream, displayed a significant entrainment (phase-locking) to the syllabic and word frequencies, demonstrating that they were sensitive to the word unit. The acquisition of the systematic dependency defining words was confirmed by the significantly different neural responses to rule-words and part-words subsequently presented during the test phase. Finally, we observed a correlation between syllabic entrainment during learning and the difference in phase coherence between the test conditions (rule-words vs part-words) suggesting that temporal processing of the syllable unit might be crucial in linguistic learning. No group difference was observed suggesting that non-adjacent statistical computations are already robust at 8 months, even in preterm infants, and thus develop during the first year of life, earlier than expected from behavioral studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Empirical evidence of the importance of comparative studies of diagnostic test accuracy.

PubMed

Takwoingi, Yemisi; Leeflang, Mariska M G; Deeks, Jonathan J

2013-04-02

Systematic reviews that "compare" the accuracy of 2 or more tests often include different sets of studies for each test. To investigate the availability of direct comparative studies of test accuracy and to assess whether summary estimates of accuracy differ between meta-analyses of noncomparative and comparative studies. Systematic reviews in any language from the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1994 to October 2012. 1 of 2 assessors selected reviews that evaluated at least 2 tests and identified meta-analyses that included both noncomparative studies and comparative studies. 1 of 3 assessors extracted data about review and study characteristics and test performance. 248 reviews compared test accuracy; of the 6915 studies, 2113 (31%) were comparative. Thirty-six reviews (with 52 meta-analyses) had adequate studies to compare results of noncomparative and comparative studies by using a hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic meta-regression model for each test comparison. In 10 meta-analyses, noncomparative studies ranked tests in the opposite order of comparative studies. A total of 25 meta-analyses showed more than a 2-fold discrepancy in the relative diagnostic odds ratio between noncomparative and comparative studies. Differences in accuracy estimates between noncomparative and comparative studies were greater than expected by chance (P < 0.001). A paucity of comparative studies limited exploration of direction in bias. Evidence derived from noncomparative studies often differs from that derived from comparative studies. Robustly designed studies in which all patients receive all tests or are randomly assigned to receive one or other of the tests should be more routinely undertaken and are preferred for evidence to guide test selection. National Institute for Health Research (United Kingdom).

Selective recruitment of single motor units in human flexor digitorum superficialis muscle during flexion of individual fingers.

PubMed

Butler, T J; Kilbreath, S L; Gorman, R B; Gandevia, S C

2005-08-15

Flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) is an extrinsic multi-tendoned muscle which flexes the proximal interphalangeal joints of the four fingers. It comprises four digital components, each with a tendon that inserts onto its corresponding finger. To determine the degree to which these digital components can be selectively recruited by volition, we recorded the activity of a single motor unit in one component via an intramuscular electrode while the subject isometrically flexed each of the remaining fingers, one at a time. The finger on which the unit principally acted was defined as the 'test finger' and that which flexed isometrically was the 'active' finger. Activity in 79 units was recorded. Isometric finger flexion forces of 50% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) activated less than 50% of single units in components of FDS acting on fingers that were not voluntarily flexed. With two exceptions, the median recruitment threshold for all active-test finger combinations involving the index, middle, ring and little finger test units was between 49 and 60% MVC (60% MVC being the value assigned to those not recruited). The exceptions were flexion of the little finger while recording from ring finger units (median: 40% MVC), and vice versa (median: 2% MVC). For all active-test finger combinations, only 35/181 units were activated when the active finger flexed at less than 20% MVC, and the fingers were adjacent for 28 of these. Functionally, to recruit FDS units during grasping and lifting, relatively heavy objects were required, although systematic variation occurred with the width of the object. In conclusion, FDS components can be selectively activated by volition and this may be especially important for grasping at high forces with one or more fingers.

The effectiveness of interventions to meet family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kynoch, Kate; Chang, Anne M; Coyer, Fiona

Background Attending to the needs of family members of critically ill patients is an important and necessary step in providing appropriate care for both the patient and the family. An initial search of the Cochrane and Joanna Briggs Institute Libraries did not reveal any published systematic reviews recommending effective interventions for addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an acute intensive care unit.Objectives This systematic review aims to establish best practice in addressing the needs of family members with a relative admitted to an adult critical care unit.Search strategy An extensive search of the major databases was conducted. Databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, psycINFO, Health source, Web of science, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and Database of abstracts of reviews of effects (DARE) as well as Pubmed. The search included published and unpublished studies and papers in English from 1980-2010.Selection criteria This review considered any randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit. In the absence of randomised controlled trials, other research designs such as quasi-experimental as well as before and after studies were considered for inclusion in the narrative summary to enable the identification of current approaches and possible future strategies for addressing family needs of critically ill patients.Assessment of quality Each included study was assessed by two independent reviewers using the appropriate appraisal checklist developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.Data collection and analysis Data was extracted from the papers included in this review using standardised data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument package. The studies included in this review were not suitable for meta-analysis and therefore the results are presented in narrative form.Results Fourteen studies and one dissertation met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. There were 12 quasi-experimental studies identified including 8 two or three group, pre-test/post-test studies; 1 one-way between subjects design; 1 interrupted time series and 1 two-group comparative design study. The dissertation was a quasi-experimental three group pre-test/post-test design. There were 3 prospective randomised trials included. The evidence identified includes: the use of support groups for family members of patients admitted to an intensive care unit, structured communication and/or education programs for family members, the use of leaflets or brochures to meet family information needs and open or more flexible visiting hours.Conclusion/Recommendations This review makes several recommendations for clinical practice to address family needs of patients admitted to a critical care unit, however this review highlights the need for significant further research in this area. Future intervention studies focusing on family needs could include: the use of technology such as DVD's and SMS for informing families and interventions specifically designed to improve family comfort.

Horizon scanning for new genomic tests.

PubMed

Gwinn, Marta; Grossniklaus, Daurice A; Yu, Wei; Melillo, Stephanie; Wulf, Anja; Flome, Jennifer; Dotson, W David; Khoury, Muin J

2011-02-01

The development of health-related genomic tests is decentralized and dynamic, involving government, academic, and commercial entities. Consequently, it is not easy to determine which tests are in development, currently available, or discontinued. We developed and assessed the usefulness of a systematic approach to identifying new genomic tests on the Internet. We devised targeted queries of Web pages, newspaper articles, and blogs (Google Alerts) to identify new genomic tests. We finalized search and review procedures during a pilot phase that ended in March 2010. Queries continue to run daily and are compiled weekly; selected data are indexed in an online database, the Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Finder. After the pilot phase, our scan detected approximately two to three new genomic tests per week. Nearly two thirds of all tests (122/188, 65%) were related to cancer; only 6% were related to hereditary disorders. Although 88 (47%) of the tests, including 2 marketed directly to consumers, were commercially available, only 12 (6%) claimed United States Food and Drug Administration licensure. Systematic surveillance of the Internet provides information about genomic tests that can be used in combination with other resources to evaluate genomic tests. The Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Finder makes this information accessible to a wide group of stakeholders.

Outbreaks in Health Care Settings.

PubMed

Sood, Geeta; Perl, Trish M

2016-09-01

Outbreaks and pseudo-outbreaks in health care settings can be complex and should be evaluated systematically using epidemiologic tools. Laboratory testing is an important part of an outbreak evaluation. Health care personnel, equipment, supplies, water, ventilation systems, and the hospital environment have been associated with health care outbreaks. Settings including the neonatal intensive care unit, endoscopy, oncology, and transplant units are areas that have specific issues which impact the approach to outbreak investigation and control. Certain organisms have a predilection for health care settings because of the illnesses of patients, the procedures performed, and the care provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Roles of University Support for International Students in the United States: Analysis of a Systematic Model of University Identification, University Support, and Psychological Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Jaehee; Yu, Hongsik

2015-01-01

Unlike previous research on international students' social support, this current study applied the concept of organizational support to university contexts, examining the effects of university support. Mainly based on the social identity/self-categorization stress model, this study developed and tested a path model composed of four key…

A systematic surveillance programme for infectious salmon anaemia virus supports its absence in the Pacific Northwest of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gustafson, Lori L.; Creekmore, Lynn H.; Snekvik, Kevin R.; Ferguson, Jayde A.; Warg, Janet V.; Blair, Marilyn; Meyers, Theodore R.; Stewart, Bruce; Warheit, Kenneth I.; Kerwin, John; Goodwin, Andrew E.; Rhodes, Linda D.; Whaley, Janet E.; Purcell, Maureen K.; Bentz, Collette; Shasa, Desiree; Bader, Joel; Winton, James R.

2018-01-01

In response to reported findings of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in 2011, U.S. national, state and tribal fisheries managers and fish health specialists developed and implemented a collaborative ISAV surveillance plan for the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Accordingly, over a 3-1/2-year period, 4,962 salmonids were sampled and successfully tested by real-time reverse-transcription PCR. The sample set included multiple tissues from free-ranging Pacific salmonids from coastal regions of Alaska and Washington and farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) from Washington, all representing fish exposed to marine environments. The survey design targeted physiologically compromised or moribund animals more vulnerable to infection as well as species considered susceptible to ISAV. Samples were handled with a documented chain of custody and testing protocols, and criteria for interpretation of test results were defined in advance. All 4,962 completed tests were negative for ISAV RNA. Results of this surveillance effort provide sound evidence to support the absence of ISAV in represented populations of free-ranging and marine-farmed salmonids on the northwest coast of the United States.

A systematic surveillance programme for infectious salmon anaemia virus supports its absence in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

PubMed

Gustafson, L L; Creekmore, L H; Snekvik, K R; Ferguson, J A; Warg, J V; Blair, M; Meyers, T R; Stewart, B; Warheit, K I; Kerwin, J; Goodwin, A E; Rhodes, L D; Whaley, J E; Purcell, M K; Bentz, C; Shasa, D; Bader, J; Winton, J R

2018-02-01

In response to reported findings of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in 2011, U.S. national, state and tribal fisheries managers and fish health specialists developed and implemented a collaborative ISAV surveillance plan for the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Accordingly, over a 3-1/2-year period, 4,962 salmonids were sampled and successfully tested by real-time reverse-transcription PCR. The sample set included multiple tissues from free-ranging Pacific salmonids from coastal regions of Alaska and Washington and farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) from Washington, all representing fish exposed to marine environments. The survey design targeted physiologically compromised or moribund animals more vulnerable to infection as well as species considered susceptible to ISAV. Samples were handled with a documented chain of custody and testing protocols, and criteria for interpretation of test results were defined in advance. All 4,962 completed tests were negative for ISAV RNA. Results of this surveillance effort provide sound evidence to support the absence of ISAV in represented populations of free-ranging and marine-farmed salmonids on the northwest coast of the United States. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Implementing health promotion in schools: protocol for a realist systematic review of research and experience in the United Kingdom (UK)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background School-based interventions and campaigns are used to promote health and address a wide variety of public health problems. Schools are considered to be key sites for the implementation of health promotion programmes for their potential to reach the whole population in particular age-groups and instil healthy patterns of behavior early in life. However, evidence for the effectiveness of school-based health promotion interventions is highly variable. Systematic reviews of the evidence of school-based interventions tend to be highly problem- or intervention- specific, thereby missing potential generic insights into implementation and effectiveness of such programmes across problems. Methods/design A realist systematic review will be undertaken to explain how, why and in what circumstances schools can provide feasible settings for effective health promotion programmes in the United Kingdom (UK). The review will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will identify programme theories about implementation (ideas about what enables or inhibits effective health promotion to be delivered in a school setting). Phase 2 will test the programme theories so that they can be challenged, endorsed and/or refined. A Review Advisory Group of education and health professionals will be convened to help identify and choose potential programme theories, provide a ‘reality check’ on the clarity and explanatory strength of the mechanisms to be tested, and help shape the presentation of findings to be usable by practitioners and decision-makers. Review findings will be disseminated through liaison with decision-makers, and voluntary and professional groups in the fields of education and health. PMID:23083508

Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia - a Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mahadev, Srihari; Laszkowska, Monika; Sundström, Johan; Björkholm, Magnus; Lebwohl, Benjamin; Green, Peter Hr; Ludvigsson, Jonas F

2018-04-21

Anemia is common in patients with celiac disease and a frequent presentation. Guidelines recommend screening iron-deficient patients with anemia for celiac disease. However, the reported prevalence of celiac disease among patients with iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) varies. We performed a systematic review to determine the prevalence of biopsy-verified celiac disease in patients with IDA. We performed a systematic review of manuscripts published in PubMed Medline or EMBASE through July 2017 for the term celiac disease combined with anemia or iron-deficiency. We used fixed-effects inverse variance-weighted models to measure the pooled prevalence of celiac disease. Meta-regression was used to assess subgroup heterogeneity. We identified 18 studies comprising 2998 patients with IDA for inclusion in our analysis. Studies originated from the United Kingdom, United States, Italy, Turkey, Iran, and Israel. The crude unweighted prevalence of celiac disease was 4.8% (n=143). Using a weighted pooled analysis, we demonstrated a prevalence of biopsy-confirmed celiac disease 3.2% (95% CI, 2.6%-3.9%) in patients with IDA. However, heterogeneity was high (I 2 = 67.7%). The prevalence of celiac disease was not significantly higher in studies with a mean participant age older or younger than years, nor in studies with a mixed-sex vs female-predominant (≥60%) population. On meta-regression, year of publication, the proportion of females, age at celiac disease testing, and the prevalence of in the general population were not associated with the prevalence of celiac disease in patients with IDA. In the 8 studies fulfilling all our quality criteria, the pooled prevalence of celiac disease was 5.5% (95% CI, 4.1%-6.9%). In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that approximately 1 in 31 patients with IDA have histologic evidence of celiac disease. This prevalence value justifies the practice of testing patients with IDA for celiac disease. Copyright © 2018 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness of computed tomography colonography in colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hanly, Paul; Skally, Mairead; Fenlon, Helen; Sharp, Linda

2012-10-01

The European Code Against Cancer recommends individuals aged ≥ 50 should participate in colorectal cancer screening. CT-colonography (CTC) is one of several screening tests available. We systematically reviewed evidence on, and identified key factors influencing, cost-effectiveness of CTC screening. PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane library were searched for cost-effectiveness or cost-utility analyses of CTC-based screening, published in English, January 1999 to July 2010. Data was abstracted on setting, model type and horizon, screening scenario(s), comparator(s), participants, uptake, CTC performance and cost, effectiveness, ICERs, and whether extra-colonic findings and medical complications were considered. Sixteen studies were identified from the United States (n = 11), Canada (n = 2), and France, Italy, and the United Kingdom (1 each). Markov state-transition (n = 14) or microsimulation (n = 2) models were used. Eleven considered direct medical costs only; five included indirect costs. Fourteen compared CTC with no screening; fourteen compared CTC with colonoscopy-based screening; fewer compared CTC with sigmoidoscopy (8) or fecal tests (4). Outcomes assessed were life-years gained/saved (13), QALYs (2), or both (1). Three considered extra-colonic findings; seven considered complications. CTC appeared cost-effective versus no screening and, in general, flexible sigmoidoscopy and fecal occult blood testing. Results were mixed comparing CTC to colonoscopy. Parameters most influencing cost-effectiveness included: CTC costs, screening uptake, threshold for polyp referral, and extra-colonic findings. Evidence on cost-effectiveness of CTC screening is heterogeneous, due largely to between-study differences in comparators and parameter values. Future studies should: compare CTC with currently favored tests, especially fecal immunochemical tests; consider extra-colonic findings; and conduct comprehensive sensitivity analyses.

Stroke unit care benefits patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Langhorne, Peter; Fearon, Patricia; Ronning, Ole M; Kaste, Markku; Palomaki, Heikki; Vemmos, Kostos; Kalra, Lalit; Indredavik, Bent; Blomstrand, Christian; Rodgers, Helen; Dennis, Martin S; Al-Shahi Salman, Rustam

2013-11-01

Patients with any type of stroke managed in organized inpatient (stroke unit) care are more likely to survive, return home, and regain independence. However, it is uncertain whether these benefits apply equally to patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. We conducted a secondary analysis of a systematic review of controlled clinical trials comparing stroke unit care with general ward care, including only trials published after 1990 that could separately report outcomes for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and tested for subgroup interactions by stroke type. We identified 13 trials (3570 patients) of modern stroke unit care that recruited patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke, of which 8 trials provided data on 2657 patients. Stroke unit care reduced death or dependency (risk ratio [RR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.471-0.92; P=0.0009; I2=60%) with no difference in benefits for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.61-1.00) than patients with ischemic stroke (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70-0.97; Pinteraction=0.77). Stroke unit care reduced death (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64-0.97; P=0.02; I2=49%) to a greater extent for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54-0.97) than patients with ischemic stroke (RR, 0.82; 95%, CI 0.61-1.09), but this difference was not statistically significant (Pinteraction=0.58). Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage seem to benefit at least as much as patients with ischemic stroke from organized inpatient (stroke unit) care.

Molecular testing of adult Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.) for several RNA viruses demonstrates widespread distribution of piscine orthoreovirus in Alaska and Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Purcell, Maureen; Thompson, Rachel L.; Evered, Joy; Kerwin, John; Meyers, Ted R.; Stewart, Bruce; Winton, James

2018-01-01

This research was initiated in conjunction with a systematic, multiagency surveillance effort in the United States (U.S.) in response to reported findings of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) RNA in British Columbia, Canada. In the systematic surveillance study reported in a companion paper, tissues from various salmonids taken from Washington and Alaska were surveyed for ISAV RNA using the U.S.-approved diagnostic method, and samples were released for use in this present study only after testing negative. Here, we tested a subset of these samples for ISAV RNA with three additional published molecular assays, as well as for RNA from salmonid alphavirus (SAV), piscine myocarditis virus (PMCV) and piscine orthoreovirus (PRV). All samples (n = 2,252; 121 stock cohorts) tested negative for RNA from ISAV, PMCV, and SAV. In contrast, there were 25 stock cohorts from Washington and Alaska that had one or more individuals test positive for PRV RNA; prevalence within stocks varied and ranged from 2% to 73%. The overall prevalence of PRV RNA-positive individuals across the study was 3.4% (77 of 2,252 fish tested). Findings of PRV RNA were most common in coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch Walbaum) and Chinook (O. tshawytscha Walbaum) salmon.

15 CFR 2008.13 - Systematic review guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Systematic review guidelines. 2008.13 Section 2008.13 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade Agreements OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT E.O. 12065; OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE...

15 CFR 2008.13 - Systematic review guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Systematic review guidelines. 2008.13 Section 2008.13 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade Agreements OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT E.O. 12065; OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE...

15 CFR 2008.13 - Systematic review guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Systematic review guidelines. 2008.13 Section 2008.13 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade Agreements OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT E.O. 12065; OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE...

15 CFR 2008.13 - Systematic review guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Systematic review guidelines. 2008.13 Section 2008.13 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade Agreements OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT E.O. 12065; OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE...

15 CFR 2008.13 - Systematic review guidelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Systematic review guidelines. 2008.13 Section 2008.13 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade Agreements OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT E.O. 12065; OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE...

Profiling Dissipation Measurements Using Chipods on Moored Profilers in Luzon Strait

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

quantify the energy losses to turbulence dissipation in the Luzon Strait in a systematic, comprehensive and extended way; • quantify the spring...neap variation in these energy losses; • obtain meaningful, long-term observations of the turbulent heat and momentum flux profiles in Luzon Strait...Std Z39-18 2 Initial engineering tests in December 2009 in Puget Sound prompted refinements which were incorporated into the unit deployed in

Systematic review on measurement properties of questionnaires assessing the neighbourhood environment in the context of youth physical activity behaviour

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background High-quality measurement instruments for assessing the neighbourhood environment are a prerequisite for identifying associations between the neighbourhood environment and a person’s physical activity. The aim of this systematic review was to identify reliable and valid questionnaires assessing neighbourhood environmental attributes in the context of physical activity behaviours in children and adolescents. In addition, current gaps and best practice models in instrumentation and their evaluation are discussed. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search using six databases (Web of Science, Medline, TRID, SportDISCUS, PsycARTICLES and PsycINFO). Two independent reviewers screened the identified English-language peer-reviewed journal articles. Only studies examining the measurement properties of self- or proxy-report questionnaires on any aspects of the neighbourhood environment in children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the COSMIN checklists. Results We identified 13 questionnaires on attributes of the neighbourhood environment. Most of these studies were conducted in the United States (n = 7). Eight studies evaluated self-report measures, two studies evaluated parent-report measures and three studies included both administration types. While eight studies had poor methodological quality, we identified three questionnaires with substantial test-retest reliability and two questionnaires with acceptable convergent validity based on sufficient evidential basis. Conclusions Based on the results of this review, we recommend that cross-culturally adapted questionnaires should be used and that existing questionnaires should be evaluated especially in diverse samples and in countries other than the United States. Further, high-quality studies on measurement properties should be promoted and measurement models (formative vs. reflexive) should be specified to ensure that appropriate methods for psychometric testing are applied in future studies. PMID:23663328

Systematic review on measurement properties of questionnaires assessing the neighbourhood environment in the context of youth physical activity behaviour.

PubMed

Reimers, Anne K; Mess, Filip; Bucksch, Jens; Jekauc, Darko; Woll, Alexander

2013-05-11

High-quality measurement instruments for assessing the neighbourhood environment are a prerequisite for identifying associations between the neighbourhood environment and a person's physical activity. The aim of this systematic review was to identify reliable and valid questionnaires assessing neighbourhood environmental attributes in the context of physical activity behaviours in children and adolescents. In addition, current gaps and best practice models in instrumentation and their evaluation are discussed. We conducted a systematic literature search using six databases (Web of Science, Medline, TRID, SportDISCUS, PsycARTICLES and PsycINFO). Two independent reviewers screened the identified English-language peer-reviewed journal articles. Only studies examining the measurement properties of self- or proxy-report questionnaires on any aspects of the neighbourhood environment in children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the COSMIN checklists. We identified 13 questionnaires on attributes of the neighbourhood environment. Most of these studies were conducted in the United States (n = 7). Eight studies evaluated self-report measures, two studies evaluated parent-report measures and three studies included both administration types. While eight studies had poor methodological quality, we identified three questionnaires with substantial test-retest reliability and two questionnaires with acceptable convergent validity based on sufficient evidential basis. Based on the results of this review, we recommend that cross-culturally adapted questionnaires should be used and that existing questionnaires should be evaluated especially in diverse samples and in countries other than the United States. Further, high-quality studies on measurement properties should be promoted and measurement models (formative vs. reflexive) should be specified to ensure that appropriate methods for psychometric testing are applied in future studies.

[Systematization of nursing assistance in critical care unit].

PubMed

Truppel, Thiago Christel; Meier, Marineli Joaquim; Calixto, Riciana do Carmo; Peruzzo, Simone Aparecida; Crozeta, Karla

2009-01-01

This is a methodological research, which aimed at organizing the systematization of nursing assistance in a critical care unit. The following steps were carried out: description of the nursing practice; transcription of nursing diagnoses; elaboration of a protocol for nursing diagnosis based in International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP); determination of nursing prescriptions and the elaboration of guidelines for care and procedures. The nursing practice and care complexity in ICU were characterized. Thus, systematization of nursing assistance is understood as a valuable tool for nursing practice.

The Evolving Practice of Developmental Care in the Neonatal Unit: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legendre, Valerie; Burtner, Patricia A.; Martinez, Katrina L.; Crowe, Terry K.

2011-01-01

Many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are experiencing changes in their approaches to preterm infant care as they consider and incorporate the philosophy of individualized developmental care. The aim of this systematic review is to research current literature documenting the short-term effects of developmental care and the Newborn…

Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (CEAI): Systematic Validation of a Measure

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (CEAI): SYSTEMATIC VALIDATION OF A MEASURE THESIS...the United States Government. AFIT/GIR/ENV/06M-05 CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (CEAI): SYSTEMATIC VALIDATION...DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT/GIR/ENV/06M-05 CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (CEAI): SYSTEMATIC VALIDATION OF A MEASURE

Thirty Years of Improving the NCEP Global Forecast System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, G. H.; Manikin, G.; Yang, F.

2014-12-01

Current eight day forecasts by the NCEP Global Forecast System are as accurate as five day forecasts 30 years ago. This revolution in weather forecasting reflects increases in computer power, improvements in the assimilation of observations, especially satellite data, improvements in model physics, improvements in observations and international cooperation and competition. One important component has been and is the diagnosis, evaluation and reduction of systematic errors. The effect of proposed improvements in the GFS on systematic errors is one component of the thorough testing of such improvements by the Global Climate and Weather Modeling Branch. Examples of reductions in systematic errors in zonal mean temperatures and winds and other fields will be presented. One challenge in evaluating systematic errors is uncertainty in what reality is. Model initial states can be regarded as the best overall depiction of the atmosphere, but can be misleading in areas of few observations or for fields not well observed such as humidity or precipitation over the oceans. Verification of model physics is particularly difficult. The Environmental Modeling Center emphasizes the evaluation of systematic biases against observations. Recently EMC has placed greater emphasis on synoptic evaluation and on precipitation, 2-meter temperatures and dew points and 10 meter winds. A weekly EMC map discussion reviews the performance of many models over the United States and has helped diagnose and alleviate significant systematic errors in the GFS, including a near surface summertime evening cold wet bias over the eastern US and a multi-week period when the GFS persistently developed bogus tropical storms off Central America. The GFS exhibits a wet bias for light rain and a dry bias for moderate to heavy rain over the continental United States. Significant changes to the GFS are scheduled to be implemented in the fall of 2014. These include higher resolution, improved physics and improvements to the assimilation. These changes significantly improve the tropospheric flow and reduce a tropical upper tropospheric warm bias. One important error remaining is the failure of the GFS to maintain deep convection over Indonesia and in the tropical west Pacific. This and other current systematic errors will be presented.

Mathematical structure of unit systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitano, Masao

2013-05-01

We investigate the mathematical structure of unit systems and the relations between them. Looking over the entire set of unit systems, we can find a mathematical structure that is called preorder (or quasi-order). For some pair of unit systems, there exists a relation of preorder such that one unit system is transferable to the other unit system. The transfer (or conversion) is possible only when all of the quantities distinguishable in the latter system are always distinguishable in the former system. By utilizing this structure, we can systematically compare the representations in different unit systems. Especially, the equivalence class of unit systems (EUS) plays an important role because the representations of physical quantities and equations are of the same form in unit systems belonging to an EUS. The dimension of quantities is uniquely defined in each EUS. The EUS's form a partially ordered set. Using these mathematical structures, unit systems and EUS's are systematically classified and organized as a hierarchical tree.

Streamflow trends in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lins, H.F.; Slack, J.R.

1999-01-01

Secular trends in streamflow are evaluated for 395 climate-sensitive streamgaging stations in the conterminous United States using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test. Trends are calculated for selected quantiles of discharge, from the 0th to the 100th percentile, to evaluate differences between low-, medium-, and high-flow regimes during the twentieth century. Two general patterns emerge; trends are most prevalent in the annual minimum (Q0) to median (Q50) flow categories and least prevalent in the annual maximum (Q100) category; and, at all but the highest quantiles, streamflow has increased across broad sections of the United States. Decreases appear only in parts of the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Systematic patterns are less apparent in the Q100 flow. Hydrologically, these results indicate that the conterminous U.S. is getting wetter, but less extreme.

[Evaluation of nursing care systematization through the phases of nursing process performance and registration in a teaching hospital].

PubMed

Reppetto, Maria Angela; de Souza, Mariana Fernandes

2005-01-01

This descriptive study was carried out in a teaching hospital at São Paulo city and had as objective to identify the phases performance and registration of nursing care systematization and the most frequent nursing diagnoses. Data were collected retrospectively from 135 patients records of three units: Cardiology, Adult Infectious Diseases and Neurosurgery, from January to July, 2002. The phases: history, nursing diagnoses, prescription, evolution and assessment were performed and registered in the three units, however, it was verified systematization gaps performance related to nursing diagnoses registered without the realization of nursing history and nursing prescriptions without evolution. The most frequent nursing diagnosis in the three units was risk for infection.

Enhancing Carbon Reactivity in Mercury Control in Lignite-Fired Systems

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

Chad Wocken; Michael Holmes; John Pavlish

2008-06-30

This project was awarded through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory Program Solicitation DE-PS26-03NT41718-01. The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) led a consortium-based effort to resolve mercury (Hg) control issues facing the lignite industry. The EERC team-the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); the URS Corporation; the Babcock & Wilcox Company; ADA-ES; Apogee; Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Otter Tail Power Company; Great River Energy; Texas Utilities; Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.; Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.; BNI Coal Ltd.; Dakota Westmoreland Corporation; the North American Coal Corporation; SaskPower; and the North Dakota Industrial Commission-demonstrated technologies that substantially enhanced themore » effectiveness of carbon sorbents to remove Hg from western fuel combustion gases and achieve a high level ({ge} 55% Hg removal) of cost-effective control. The results of this effort are applicable to virtually all utilities burning lignite and subbituminous coals in the United States and Canada. The enhancement processes were previously proven in pilot-scale and limited full-scale tests. Additional optimization testing continues on these enhancements. These four units included three lignite-fired units: Leland Olds Station Unit 1 (LOS1) and Stanton Station Unit 10 (SS10) near Stanton and Antelope Valley Station Unit 1 (AVS1) near Beulah and a subbituminous Powder River Basin (PRB)-fired unit: Stanton Station Unit 1 (SS1). This project was one of three conducted by the consortium under the DOE mercury program to systematically test Hg control technologies available for utilities burning lignite. The overall objective of the three projects was to field-test and verify options that may be applied cost-effectively by the lignite industry to reduce Hg emissions. The EERC, URS, and other team members tested sorbent injection technologies for plants equipped with electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) and spray dryer absorbers combined with fabric filters (SDAs-FFs). The work focused on technology commercialization by involving industry and emphasizing the communication of results to vendors and utilities throughout the project.« less

Predicting Vaccination Intention and Benefit and Risk Perceptions: The Incorporation of Affect, Trust, and Television Influence in a Dual-Mode Model.

PubMed

Chen, Nien-Tsu Nancy

2015-07-01

Major health behavior change models tend to consider health decisions as primarily resulting from a systematic appraisal of relevant beliefs, such as the perceived benefits and risks of a pharmacological intervention. Drawing on research from the disciplines of risk management, communication, and psychology, this study proposed the inclusion of a heuristic route in established theory and tested the direction of influence between heuristic and systematic process variables. Affect and social trust were included as key heuristics in the proposed dual-mode framework of health decision making. Furthermore, exposure to health-related coverage on television was considered potentially influential over both heuristic and systematic process variables. To test this framework, data were collected from a national probability sample of 584 adults in the United States in 2012 regarding their decision to vaccinate against a hypothetical avian flu. The results provided some support for the bidirectional influence between heuristic and systematic processing. Affect toward flu vaccination and trust in the Food and Drug Administration were found to be powerful predictors of vaccination intention, enhancing intention both directly and indirectly via certain systematic process variables. The direction of influence between perceived susceptibility and severity, on the one hand, and affect, on the other, is less clear, suggesting the need for further research. Contrary to the opinion of media critics, exposure to televised health coverage was negatively associated with the perceived risks of vaccination. Results from this study carry theoretical and practical implications, and applying this model to the acceptance of different health interventions constitutes an area for future inquiries. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

Management of infants born to women infected with hepatitis B in the military healthcare system.

PubMed

Sainato, Rebecca J; Simmons, Elizabeth G; Muench, Dawn F; Burnett, Mark W; Braun, LoRanée

2013-08-28

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endemic worldwide. Given significant rates of infectivity, all infants born to Hepatitis B surface antigen positive mothers need to receive treatment at birth, immunization and post-vaccination serologic testing. However, not all infants complete these requirements. We performed a retrospective review of the management of infants born to Hepatitis B infected mothers at two large military hospitals in the United States that use a global electronic medical record to track patient results. We then compared these results to those recently published by the National Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program (PHBPP), which does not include hospitals in the United States Military Healthcare System. Our results show that although all infants were managed appropriately at birth and immunization rates were very high, post vaccination follow-up testing rates were much lower than those seen in centers participating in the PHBPP. The rates of post vaccination serological testing were significantly higher for infants born to Hepatitis B e antigen positive mothers and those referred to a pediatric infectious disease specialist. Despite use of a global electronic medical record in the United States Military Healthcare System, management of HBV-exposed infants does not always follow recommended guidelines. These infants could benefit from a more systematic method of follow-up, similar to the PHBPP, to ensure HBV serologic testing is obtained after the vaccination series is complete.

[Access to primary healthcare services: still a way to go].

PubMed

Mendes, Antônio da Cruz Gouveia; Miranda, Gabriella Morais Duarte; Figueiredo, Karla Erika Gouveia; Duarte, Petra Oliveira; Furtado, Betise Mery Alencar Sousa Macau

2012-11-01

This study seeks to evaluate accessibility to the Basic Units of the Family Health Strategy (ESF-UB) and Traditional Basic Units (BU-T) in the city of Recife in 2009. Data were collected through three instruments: a roadmap for systematic observation of the units and questionnaires for users and professional units. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study using a quantitative approach, and 1180 users, 61 doctors and 56 nurses were interviewed. The results showed good ties and recognition of users whereby primary healthcare is seen as the access portal to the health system. In the comparison between ESF-UB and UB-T, evaluations are always more favorable to the family healthcare strategy, though with relatively insignificant differences. The overall result revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the difficulty of obtaining drugs and taking tests, and also with the waiting times and access to specialized care. This showed the existence of organizational problems that may constitute barriers limiting accessibility to basic healthcare services for users.

Systematic design of 3D auxetic lattice materials with programmable Poisson's ratio for finite strains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fengwen

2018-05-01

This paper presents a systematic approach for designing 3D auxetic lattice materials, which exhibit constant negative Poisson's ratios over large strain intervals. A unit cell model mimicking tensile tests is established and based on the proposed model, the secant Poisson's ratio is defined as the negative ratio between the lateral and the longitudinal engineering strains. The optimization problem for designing a material unit cell with a target Poisson's ratio is formulated to minimize the average lateral engineering stresses under the prescribed deformations. Numerical results demonstrate that 3D auxetic lattice materials with constant Poisson's ratios can be achieved by the proposed optimization formulation and that two sets of material architectures are obtained by imposing different symmetry on the unit cell. Moreover, inspired by the topology-optimized material architecture, a subsequent shape optimization is proposed by parametrizing material architectures using super-ellipsoids. By designing two geometrical parameters, simple optimized material microstructures with different target Poisson's ratios are obtained. By interpolating these two parameters as polynomial functions of Poisson's ratios, material architectures for any Poisson's ratio in the interval of ν ∈ [ - 0.78 , 0.00 ] are explicitly presented. Numerical evaluations show that interpolated auxetic lattice materials exhibit constant Poisson's ratios in the target strain interval of [0.00, 0.20] and that 3D auxetic lattice material architectures with programmable Poisson's ratio are achievable.

Prevalence of HIV Among U.S. Female Sex Workers: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Noble, Meredith; Salo, Kathryn; Tregear, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

Although female sex workers are known to be vulnerable to HIV infection, little is known about the epidemiology of HIV infection among this high-risk population in the United States. We systematically identified and critically assessed published studies reporting HIV prevalence among female sex workers in the United States. We searched for and included original English-language articles reporting data on the prevalence of HIV as determined by testing at least 50 females who exchanged sexual practices for money or drugs. We did not apply any restrictions on date of publication. We included 14 studies from 1987 to 2013 that reported HIV prevalence for a total of 3975 adult female sex workers. Only two of the 14 studies were conducted in the last 10 years. The pooled estimate of HIV prevalence was 17.3 % (95 % CI 13.5–21.9 %); however, the prevalence of HIV across individual studies varied considerably (ranging from 0.3 to 32 %) and statistical heterogeneity was substantial (I2 = 0.89, Q = 123; p < 0.001). Although the variance across the 14 studies was high, prevalence was generally high (10 % or greater in 11 of the 14 included studies). Very few studies have documented the prevalence of HIV among female sex workers in the United States; however, the available evidence does suggest that HIV prevalence among this vulnerable population is high. PMID:26914165

[Nurse supervision in health basic units].

PubMed

Correia, Valesca Silveira; Servo, Maria Lúcia Silva

2006-01-01

This qualitative study intends to evaluate the pattern of supervision of the nurse in health basic units, in Feira de Santana city (Bahía-Brasil), between August 2001 and June 2002. The objective was to describe the supervision and the existence of supervision systematics for the nurse. A questionnaire was used to take informations from a group of sixteen (16) nurses in actual professional work. Descriptive statistical procedures for data analysis were used. It can be concluded that systematic supervision is practiced in 64% of the nurses and in 36% of the cases systematic supervision do not occur.

Interventions to improve hemodialysis adherence: a systematic review of randomized-controlled trials.

PubMed

Matteson, Michelle L; Russell, Cynthia

2010-10-01

Over 485,000 people in the United States have chronic kidney disease, a progressive kidney disease that may lead to hemodialysis. Hemodialysis involves a complex regimen of treatment, medication, fluid, and diet management. In 2005, over 312,000 patients were undergoing hemodialysis in the United States. Dialysis nonadherence rates range from 8.5% to 86%. Dialysis therapy treatment nonadherence, including treatment, medication, fluid, and diet nonadherence, significantly increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review randomized-controlled trial intervention studies designed to increase treatment, medication, fluid, and diet adherence in adult hemodialysis patients. A search of Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (1982 to May 2008), MEDLINE (1950 to May 2008), PsycINFO (1806 to May 2008), and all Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Reviews (Cochran DSR, ACP Journal Club, DARE, and CCTR) was conducted to identify randomized-controlled studies that tested the efficacy of interventions to improve adherence in adult hemodialysis patients. Eight randomized-controlled trials met criteria for inclusion. Six of the 8 studies found statistically significant improvement in adherence with the intervention. Of these 6 intervention studies, all studies had a cognitive component, with 3 studies utilizing cognitive/behavioral intervention strategies. Based on this systematic review, interventions utilizing a cognitive or cognitive/behavioral component appear to show the most promise for future study. © 2010 The Authors. Hemodialysis International © 2010 International Society for Hemodialysis.

Operational Evaluation of VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, Gary W.; Newsham, Gerard; Morrow, Robert M.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

The 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) of the VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) was the first operational evaluation of salad crop production technology in a NASA analog test. A systematic evaluation of rooting media and nutrient delivery systems were evaluated for three lettuce cultivars that have shown promise as candidates for a surface based food production system. The VEGGIE nutrient delivery system worked well, was able to be maintained by multiple operators with a minimum of training, and supported excellent lettuce growth for the duration of the test. A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) evaluation was performed using ProSan(tm) as sanitation agent prior to consumption was approved, and the crew was allowed to consume the lettuce grown using the VEGGIE light cap and gravity based nutrient delivery system at the completion of the 14-day DRAT field test. The DRAT field test validated the crew operations; Growth of all lettuce cultivars was excellent. The operational DRAT field testing in the HDU identified light quality issues related to morphology and pigment development that will need to be addressed through additional testing. Feedback from the crew, ground support personnel, and human factors leads was uniformly positive on the psychological value of having the crop production system in the excursion module. A number of areas have been identified for future work, to minimize the "footprint" of the Food Production system through creative use of unused wall and floor space in the unit.

Operation Evaluation of the VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, Gary W.; Newsham, Gerard; Morrow, Robert M.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

The 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) of the VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) was the first operational evaluation of salad crop production technology in a NASA analog test. A systematic evaluation of rooting media and nutrient delivery systems were evaluated for three lettuce cultivars that have shown promise as candidates for a surface based food production system. The VEGGIE nutrient delivery system worked well, was able to be maintained by multiple operators with a minimum of training, and supported excellent lettuce growth for the duration of the test. A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) evaluation was performed using ProSantm as sanitation agent prior to consumption was approved, and the crew was allowed to consume the lettuce grown using the VEGGIE light cap and gravity based nutrient delivery system at the completion of the 14-day DRAT field test. The DRAT field test validated the crew operations; Growth of all lettuce cultivars was excellent. The operational DRAT field testing in the HDU identified light quality issues related to morphology and pigment development that will need to be addressed through additional testing. Feedback from the crew, ground support personnel, and human factors leads was uniformly positive on the psychological value of having the crop production system in the excursion module. A number of areas have been identified for future work, to minimize the "footprint" of the Food Production system through creative use of unused wall and floor space in the unit.

Summarizing systematic reviews: methodological development, conduct and reporting of an umbrella review approach.

PubMed

Aromataris, Edoardo; Fernandez, Ritin; Godfrey, Christina M; Holly, Cheryl; Khalil, Hanan; Tungpunkom, Patraporn

2015-09-01

With the increase in the number of systematic reviews available, a logical next step to provide decision makers in healthcare with the evidence they require has been the conduct of reviews of existing systematic reviews. Syntheses of existing systematic reviews are referred to by many different names, one of which is an umbrella review. An umbrella review allows the findings of reviews relevant to a review question to be compared and contrasted. An umbrella review's most characteristic feature is that this type of evidence synthesis only considers for inclusion the highest level of evidence, namely other systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A methodology working group was formed by the Joanna Briggs Institute to develop methodological guidance for the conduct of an umbrella review, including diverse types of evidence, both quantitative and qualitative. The aim of this study is to describe the development and guidance for the conduct of an umbrella review. Discussion and testing of the elements of methods for the conduct of an umbrella review were held over a 6-month period by members of a methodology working group. The working group comprised six participants who corresponded via teleconference, e-mail and face-to-face meeting during this development period. In October 2013, the methodology was presented in a workshop at the Joanna Briggs Institute Convention. Workshop participants, review authors and methodologists provided further testing, critique and feedback on the proposed methodology. This study describes the methodology and methods developed for the conduct of an umbrella review that includes published systematic reviews and meta-analyses as the analytical unit of the review. Details are provided regarding the essential elements of an umbrella review, including presentation of the review question in a Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome format, nuances of the inclusion criteria and search strategy. A critical appraisal tool with 10 questions to help assess risk of bias in systematic reviews and meta-analyses was also developed and tested. Relevant details to extract from included reviews and how to best present the findings of both quantitative and qualitative systematic reviews in a reader friendly format are provided. Umbrella reviews provide a ready means for decision makers in healthcare to gain a clear understanding of a broad topic area. The umbrella review methodology described here is the first to consider reviews that report other than quantitative evidence derived from randomized controlled trials. The methodology includes an easy to use and informative summary of evidence table to readily provide decision makers with the available, highest level of evidence relevant to the question posed.

Raising the standards of the calf-raise test: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hébert-Losier, Kim; Newsham-West, Richard J; Schneiders, Anthony G; Sullivan, S John

2009-11-01

The calf-raise test is used by clinicians and researchers in sports medicine to assess properties of the calf muscle-tendon unit. The test generally involves repetitive concentric-eccentric muscle action of the plantar-flexors in unipedal stance and is quantified by the number of raises performed. Although the calf-raise test appears to have acceptable reliability and face validity, and is commonly used for medical assessment and rehabilitation of injuries, no universally acceptable test parameters have been published to date. A systematic review of the existing literature was conducted to investigate the consistency as well as universal acceptance of the evaluation purposes, test parameters, outcome measurements and psychometric properties of the calf-raise test. Nine electronic databases were searched during the period May 30th to September 21st 2008. Forty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria and were quality assessed. Information on study characteristics and calf-raise test parameters, as well as quantitative data, were extracted; tabulated; and statistically analysed. The average quality score of the reviewed articles was 70.4+/-12.2% (range 44-90%). Articles provided various test parameters; however, a consensus was not ascertained. Key testing parameters varied, were often unstated, and few studies reported reliability or validity values, including sensitivity and specificity. No definitive normative values could be established and the utility of the test in subjects with pathologies remained unclear. Although adapted for use in several disciplines and traditionally recommended for clinical assessment, there is no uniform description of the calf-raise test in the literature. Further investigation is recommended to ensure consistent use and interpretation of the test by researchers and clinicians.

Adverse events and comparison of systematic and voluntary reporting from a paediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Silas, Reshma; Tibballs, James

2010-12-01

Little is known of the incidence of adverse events in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Perceived incidence may be dependent on data-collection methods. To determine the incidence of adverse events by voluntary reporting and systematic enquiry. Adverse events in PICU were recorded contemporaneously by systematic enquiry with bedside nurses and attending doctors, and compared with data submitted voluntarily to the hospital's quality and safety unit. Events were classified as insignificant, minor, moderate, major and catastrophic or lethal, and assigned origins as medical/surgical diagnosis or management, medical/surgical procedures, medication or miscellaneous. Among 740 patients, 524 adverse events (mean 0.71 per patient) occurred in 193 patients (26.1%). Systematic enquiry detected 405 (80%) among 165 patients and were classified by one investigator as insignificant 30 (7%); minor 100 (25%); moderate 160 (37%); major 103(25%) and catastrophic 12 (3%). The coefficient of agreement (kappa) of severity between the two investigators was 0.82 (95% CI 0.78-0.87). Voluntary reporting detected 166 (32%) adverse events among 100 patients, of which 119 were undetected by systematic reporting. Forty-nine events (9%) were detected by both methods. The number and severity of events reported by the two methods were significantly different (p<0.0001). Voluntary reporting, mainly by nurses, did not capture major, severe or catastrophic events related to medical/surgical diagnosis or management. Neither voluntary reporting nor systematic enquiry captures all adverse events. While the two methods both capture some events, systematic reporting captures serious events, while voluntary reporting captures mainly insignificant and minor events.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of microscopic observation drug susceptibility test versus Xpert MTB/Rif test for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV patients in Uganda.

PubMed

Walusimbi, Simon; Kwesiga, Brendan; Rodrigues, Rashmi; Haile, Melles; de Costa, Ayesha; Bogg, Lennart; Katamba, Achilles

2016-10-10

Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility (MODS) and Xpert MTB/Rif (Xpert) are highly sensitive tests for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of utilizing MODS versus Xpert for diagnosis of active pulmonary TB in HIV infected patients in Uganda. A decision analysis model comparing MODS versus Xpert for TB diagnosis was used. Costs were estimated by measuring and valuing relevant resources required to perform the MODS and Xpert tests. Diagnostic accuracy data of the tests were obtained from systematic reviews involving HIV infected patients. We calculated base values for unit costs and varied several assumptions to obtain the range estimates. Cost effectiveness was expressed as costs per TB patient diagnosed for each of the two diagnostic strategies. Base case analysis was performed using the base estimates for unit cost and diagnostic accuracy of the tests. Sensitivity analysis was performed using a range of value estimates for resources, prevalence, number of tests and diagnostic accuracy. The unit cost of MODS was US$ 6.53 versus US$ 12.41 of Xpert. Consumables accounted for 59 % (US$ 3.84 of 6.53) of the unit cost for MODS and 84 % (US$10.37 of 12.41) of the unit cost for Xpert. The cost effectiveness ratio of the algorithm using MODS was US$ 34 per TB patient diagnosed compared to US$ 71 of the algorithm using Xpert. The algorithm using MODS was more cost-effective compared to the algorithm using Xpert for a wide range of different values of accuracy, cost and TB prevalence. The cost (threshold value), where the algorithm using Xpert was optimal over the algorithm using MODS was US$ 5.92. MODS versus Xpert was more cost-effective for the diagnosis of PTB among HIV patients in our setting. Efforts to scale-up MODS therefore need to be explored. However, since other non-economic factors may still favour the use of Xpert, the current cost of the Xpert cartridge still needs to be reduced further by more than half, in order to make it economically competitive with MODS.

Blast protection of infrastructure using advanced composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodsky, Evan

This research was a systematic investigation detailing the energy absorption mechanisms of an E-glass web core composite sandwich panel subjected to an impulse loading applied orthogonal to the facesheet. Key roles of the fiberglass and polyisocyanurate foam material were identified, characterized, and analyzed. A quasi-static test fixture was used to compressively load a unit cell web core specimen machined from the sandwich panel. The web and foam both exhibited non-linear stress-strain responses during axial compressive loading. Through several analyses, the composite web situated in the web core had failed in axial compression. Optimization studies were performed on the sandwich panel unit cell in order to maximize the energy absorption capabilities of the web core. Ultimately, a sandwich panel was designed to optimize the energy dissipation subjected to through-the-thickness compressive loading.

Physical rehabilitation interventions for adult patients with critical illness across the continuum of recovery: an overview of systematic reviews protocol.

PubMed

Connolly, Bronwen; O'Neill, Brenda; Salisbury, Lisa; McDowell, Kathryn; Blackwood, Bronagh

2015-09-29

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit with critical illness often experience significant physical impairments, which typically persist for many years following resolution of the original illness. Physical rehabilitation interventions that enhance restoration of physical function have been evaluated across the continuum of recovery following critical illness including within the intensive care unit, following discharge to the ward and beyond hospital discharge. Multiple systematic reviews have been published appraising the expanding evidence investigating these physical rehabilitation interventions, although there appears to be variability in review methodology and quality. We aim to conduct an overview of existing systematic reviews of physical rehabilitation interventions for adult intensive care patients across the continuum of recovery. This protocol has been developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P) guidelines. We will search the Cochrane Systematic Review Database, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica Database and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases. We will include systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials of adult patients, admitted to the intensive care unit and who have received physical rehabilitation interventions at any time point during their recovery. Data extraction will include systematic review aims and rationale, study types, populations, interventions, comparators, outcomes and quality appraisal method. Primary outcomes of interest will focus on findings reflecting recovery of physical function. Quality of reporting and methodological quality will be appraised using the PRISMA checklist and the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews tool. We anticipate the findings from this novel overview of systematic reviews will contribute to the synthesis and interpretation of existing evidence regarding physical rehabilitation interventions and physical recovery in post-critical illness patients across the continuum of recovery. PROSPERO CRD42015001068.

Task and fatigue effects on low-threshold motor units in human hand muscle.

PubMed

Enoka, R M; Robinson, G A; Kossev, A R

1989-12-01

1. The activity of single motor units was recorded in the first dorsal interosseus muscle of human subjects while they performed an isometric ramp-and-hold maneuver. Motor-unit activity was characterized before and after fatigue by the use of a branched bipolar electrode that was positioned subcutaneously over the test muscle. Activity was characterized in terms of the forces of recruitment and derecruitment and the discharge pattern. The purpose was to determine, before and after fatigue, whether motor-unit activity was affected by the direction in which the force was exerted. 2. Regardless of the task during prefatigue trials, interimpulse intervals were 1) more variable during increases or decreases in force than when force was held constant at the target value (4-6% above the recruitment force), and 2) more clustered around an arbitrary central value than would be expected with a normal (Gaussian) distribution. Both effects were seen during the flexion and abduction tasks. The behavior of low-threshold motor units in first dorsal interosseus is thus largely unaffected by the direction of the force exerted by the index finger. The absence of a task (i.e., a direction of force) effect suggests that the resultant force vector about the metacarpophalangeal joint of the index finger is not coded in terms of discrete populations of motor units, but, rather, it is based on the net muscle activity about the joint. 3. Motor-unit behavior during and after fatigue showed that the relatively homogeneous behavior seen before fatigue could be severely disrupted. The fatiguing protocol involved the continuous repetition, to the endurance limit, of a 15-s ramp-and-hold maneuver in which the abduction target force was 50% of maximum and was held for 10-s epochs (ramps up and down were approximately 2 s each). Motor-unit threshold was assessed by the forces of recruitment and derecruitment associated with each cycle of the fatigue test. Changes in recruitment force during the protocol were either minimal or, when present, not systematic. In contrast, the derecruitment force of all units exhibited a marked and progressive increase over the course of the test. 4. After the fatigue test, when the initial threshold tasks were repeated, the behavior of most motor units changed. These changes included the derecruitment of previously active motor units, the recruitment of additional motor units, and an increased discharge variability of units that remained recruited. The variation in recruitment order seemed to be much greater than that reported previously for nonfatiguing conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The Role of Content and Context in PISA Interest Scales: A study of the embedded interest items in the PISA 2006 science assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drechsel, Barbara; Carstensen, Claus; Prenzel, Manfred

2011-01-01

This paper focuses interest in science as one of the attitudinal aspects of scientific literacy. Large-scale data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 are analysed in order to describe student interest more precisely. So far the analyses have provided a general indicator of interest, aggregated over all contexts and contents in the science test. With its innovative approach PISA embeds interest items within the cognitive test unit and its contents and contexts. The main difference from conventional interest measures is that in most questionnaires, a relatively small number of interest items cover broad fields of contents and contexts. The science units represent a number of systematically differentiated scientific contexts and contents. The units' stimulus texts allow for concrete descriptions of relevant content aspects, applications, and contexts. In the analyses, multidimensional item response models are applied in order to disentangle student interest. The results indicate that multidimensional models fit the data. A two-dimensional model separating interest into two different knowledge of science dimensions described in the PISA science framework is further analysed with respect to gender, performance differences, and country. The findings give a comprehensive description of students' interest in science. The paper deals with methodological problems and describes requirements of the test construction for further assessments. The results are discussed with regard to their significance for science education.

Systematic Assessment of the Hemolysis Index: Pros and Cons.

PubMed

Lippi, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

Preanalytical quality is as important as the analytical and postanalytical quality in laboratory diagnostics. After decades of visual inspection to establish whether or not a diagnostic sample may be suitable for testing, automated assessment of hemolysis index (HI) has now become available in a large number of laboratory analyzers. Although most national and international guidelines support systematic assessment of sample quality via HI, there is widespread perception that this indication has not been thoughtfully acknowledged. Potential explanations include concern of increased specimen rejection rate, poor harmonization of analytical techniques, lack of standardized units of measure, differences in instrument-specific cutoff, negative impact on throughput, organization and laboratory economics, and lack of a reliable quality control system. Many of these concerns have been addressed. Evidence now supports automated HI in improving quality and patient safety. These will be discussed. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of HIV Among U.S. Female Sex Workers: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Paz-Bailey, Gabriela; Noble, Meredith; Salo, Kathryn; Tregear, Stephen J

2016-10-01

Although female sex workers are known to be vulnerable to HIV infection, little is known about the epidemiology of HIV infection among this high-risk population in the United States. We systematically identified and critically assessed published studies reporting HIV prevalence among female sex workers in the United States. We searched for and included original English-language articles reporting data on the prevalence of HIV as determined by testing at least 50 females who exchanged sexual practices for money or drugs. We did not apply any restrictions on date of publication. We included 14 studies from 1987 to 2013 that reported HIV prevalence for a total of 3975 adult female sex workers. Only two of the 14 studies were conducted in the last 10 years. The pooled estimate of HIV prevalence was 17.3 % (95 % CI 13.5-21.9 %); however, the prevalence of HIV across individual studies varied considerably (ranging from 0.3 to 32 %) and statistical heterogeneity was substantial (I(2) = 0.89, Q = 123; p < 0.001). Although the variance across the 14 studies was high, prevalence was generally high (10 % or greater in 11 of the 14 included studies). Very few studies have documented the prevalence of HIV among female sex workers in the United States; however, the available evidence does suggest that HIV prevalence among this vulnerable population is high.

Academic Unit Planning and Management. Technical Report No. 75.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miyataki, Glenn K.; Byers, Maureen L.

Intended to provide a systematic aid for planning and managing academic units (schools, colleges, departments, or divisions) within an institution, the Academic Unit Planning and Management (AUPM) manual consists of a multifaceted set of techniques and procedures that can be used by academic unit administrators. Data regarding academic unit…

Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies: The PRISMA-DTA Statement.

PubMed

McInnes, Matthew D F; Moher, David; Thombs, Brett D; McGrath, Trevor A; Bossuyt, Patrick M; Clifford, Tammy; Cohen, Jérémie F; Deeks, Jonathan J; Gatsonis, Constantine; Hooft, Lotty; Hunt, Harriet A; Hyde, Christopher J; Korevaar, Daniël A; Leeflang, Mariska M G; Macaskill, Petra; Reitsma, Johannes B; Rodin, Rachel; Rutjes, Anne W S; Salameh, Jean-Paul; Stevens, Adrienne; Takwoingi, Yemisi; Tonelli, Marcello; Weeks, Laura; Whiting, Penny; Willis, Brian H

2018-01-23

Systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy synthesize data from primary diagnostic studies that have evaluated the accuracy of 1 or more index tests against a reference standard, provide estimates of test performance, allow comparisons of the accuracy of different tests, and facilitate the identification of sources of variability in test accuracy. To develop the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) diagnostic test accuracy guideline as a stand-alone extension of the PRISMA statement. Modifications to the PRISMA statement reflect the specific requirements for reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy studies and the abstracts for these reviews. Established standards from the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network were followed for the development of the guideline. The original PRISMA statement was used as a framework on which to modify and add items. A group of 24 multidisciplinary experts used a systematic review of articles on existing reporting guidelines and methods, a 3-round Delphi process, a consensus meeting, pilot testing, and iterative refinement to develop the PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy guideline. The final version of the PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy guideline checklist was approved by the group. The systematic review (produced 64 items) and the Delphi process (provided feedback on 7 proposed items; 1 item was later split into 2 items) identified 71 potentially relevant items for consideration. The Delphi process reduced these to 60 items that were discussed at the consensus meeting. Following the meeting, pilot testing and iterative feedback were used to generate the 27-item PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy checklist. To reflect specific or optimal contemporary systematic review methods for diagnostic test accuracy, 8 of the 27 original PRISMA items were left unchanged, 17 were modified, 2 were added, and 2 were omitted. The 27-item PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy checklist provides specific guidance for reporting of systematic reviews. The PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy guideline can facilitate the transparent reporting of reviews, and may assist in the evaluation of validity and applicability, enhance replicability of reviews, and make the results from systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy studies more useful.

Placental growth factor (alone or in combination with soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1) as an aid to the assessment of women with suspected pre-eclampsia: systematic review and economic analysis.

PubMed

Frampton, Geoff K; Jones, Jeremy; Rose, Micah; Payne, Liz

2016-11-01

Pre-eclampsia (PE) prediction based on blood pressure, presence of protein in the urine, symptoms and laboratory test abnormalities can result in false-positive diagnoses. This may lead to unnecessary antenatal admissions and preterm delivery. Blood tests that measure placental growth factor (PlGF) or the ratio of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to PlGF could aid prediction of PE if either were added to routine clinical assessment or used as a replacement for proteinuria testing. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of PlGF-based tests for patients referred to secondary care with suspected PE in weeks 20-37 of pregnancy. Systematic reviews and an economic analysis. Bibliographic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects were searched up to July 2015 for English-language references. Conferences, websites, systematic reviews and confidential company submissions were also accessed. Systematic reviews of test accuracy and economic studies were conducted to inform an economic analysis. Test accuracy studies were required to include women with suspected PE and report quantitatively the accuracy of PlGF-based tests; their risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) criteria. The economic studies review had broad eligibility criteria to capture any types of economic analysis; critical appraisal employed standard checklists consistent with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence criteria. Study selection, critical appraisal and data extraction in both reviews were performed by two reviewers. An independent economic analysis was conducted based on a decision tree model, using the best evidence available. The model evaluates costs (2014, GBP) from a NHS and Personal Social Services perspective. Given the short analysis time horizon, no discounting was undertaken. Four studies were included in the systematic review of test accuracy: two on Alere's Triage ® PlGF test (Alere, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) for predicting PE requiring delivery within a specified time and two on Roche Diagnostics' Elecsys ® sFlt-1 to PlGF ratio test (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) for predicting PE within a specified time. Three studies were included in the systematic review of economic studies, and two confidential company economic analyses were assessed separately. Study heterogeneity precluded meta-analyses of test accuracy or cost-analysis outcomes, so narrative syntheses were conducted to inform the independent economic model. The model predicts that, when supplementing routine clinical assessment for rule-out and rule-in of PE, the two tests would be cost-saving in weeks 20-35 of gestation, and marginally cost-saving in weeks 35-37, but with minuscule impact on quality of life. Length of neonatal intensive care unit stay was the most influential parameter in sensitivity analyses. All other sensitivity analyses had negligible effects on results. No head-to-head comparisons of the tests were identified. No studies investigated accuracy of PlGF-based tests when used as a replacement for proteinuria testing. Test accuracy studies were found to be at high risk of clinical review bias. The Triage and Elecsys tests would save money if added to routine clinical assessment for PE. The magnitude of savings is uncertain, but the tests remain cost-saving under worst-case assumptions. Further research is required to clarify how the test results would be interpreted and applied in clinical practice. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015017670. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Systematic Review of Health Economic Evaluations of Diagnostic Tests in Brazil: How accurate are the results?

PubMed

Oliveira, Maria Regina Fernandes; Leandro, Roseli; Decimoni, Tassia Cristina; Rozman, Luciana Martins; Novaes, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh; De Soárez, Patrícia Coelho

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is to identify and characterize the health economic evaluations (HEEs) of diagnostic tests conducted in Brazil, in terms of their adherence to international guidelines for reporting economic studies and specific questions in test accuracy reports. We systematically searched multiple databases, selecting partial and full HEEs of diagnostic tests, published between 1980 and 2013. Two independent reviewers screened articles for relevance and extracted the data. We performed a qualitative narrative synthesis. Forty-three articles were reviewed. The most frequently studied diagnostic tests were laboratory tests (37.2%) and imaging tests (32.6%). Most were non-invasive tests (51.2%) and were performed in the adult population (48.8%). The intended purposes of the technologies evaluated were mostly diagnostic (69.8%), but diagnosis and treatment and screening, diagnosis, and treatment accounted for 25.6% and 4.7%, respectively. Of the reviewed studies, 12.5% described the methods used to estimate the quantities of resources, 33.3% reported the discount rate applied, and 29.2% listed the type of sensitivity analysis performed. Among the 12 cost-effectiveness analyses, only two studies (17%) referred to the application of formal methods to check the quality of the accuracy studies that provided support for the economic model. The existing Brazilian literature on the HEEs of diagnostic tests exhibited reasonably good performance. However, the following points still require improvement: 1) the methods used to estimate resource quantities and unit costs, 2) the discount rate, 3) descriptions of sensitivity analysis methods, 4) reporting of conflicts of interest, 5) evaluations of the quality of the accuracy studies considered in the cost-effectiveness models, and 6) the incorporation of accuracy measures into sensitivity analyses.

Clinical outcomes following inpatient penicillin allergy testing: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Sacco, K A; Bates, A; Brigham, T J; Imam, J S; Burton, M C

2017-09-01

A documented penicillin allergy is associated with increased morbidity including length of hospital stay and an increased incidence of resistant infections attributed to use of broader-spectrum antibiotics. The aim of the systematic review was to identify whether inpatient penicillin allergy testing affected clinical outcomes during hospitalization. We performed an electronic search of Ovid MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library over the past 20 years. Inpatients having a documented penicillin allergy that underwent penicillin allergy testing were included. Twenty-four studies met eligibility criteria. Study sample size was between 24 and 252 patients in exclusively inpatient cohorts. Penicillin skin testing (PST) with or without oral amoxicillin challenge was the main intervention described (18 studies). The population-weighted mean for a negative PST was 95.1% [CI 93.8-96.1]. Inpatient penicillin allergy testing led to a change in antibiotic selection that was greater in the intensive care unit (77.97% [CI 72.0-83.1] vs 54.73% [CI 51.2-58.2], P<.01). An increased prescription of penicillin (range 9.9%-49%) and cephalosporin (range 10.7%-48%) antibiotics was reported. Vancomycin and fluoroquinolone use was decreased. Inpatient penicillin allergy testing was associated with decreased healthcare cost in four studies. Inpatient penicillin allergy testing is safe and effective in ruling out penicillin allergy. The rate of negative tests is comparable to outpatient and perioperative data. Patients with a documented penicillin allergy who require penicillin should be tested during hospitalization given its benefit for individual patient outcomes and antibiotic stewardship. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Method calibration of the model 13145 infrared target projectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jianxia; Gao, Yuan; Han, Ying

2014-11-01

The SBIR Model 13145 Infrared Target Projectors ( The following abbreviation Evaluation Unit ) used for characterizing the performances of infrared imaging system. Test items: SiTF, MTF, NETD, MRTD, MDTD, NPS. Infrared target projectors includes two area blackbodies, a 12 position target wheel, all reflective collimator. It provide high spatial frequency differential targets, Precision differential targets imaged by infrared imaging system. And by photoelectricity convert on simulate signal or digital signal. Applications software (IR Windows TM 2001) evaluate characterizing the performances of infrared imaging system. With regards to as a whole calibration, first differently calibration for distributed component , According to calibration specification for area blackbody to calibration area blackbody, by means of to amend error factor to calibration of all reflective collimator, radiance calibration of an infrared target projectors using the SR5000 spectral radiometer, and to analyze systematic error. With regards to as parameter of infrared imaging system, need to integrate evaluation method. According to regulation with -GJB2340-1995 General specification for military thermal imaging sets -testing parameters of infrared imaging system, the results compare with results from Optical Calibration Testing Laboratory . As a goal to real calibration performances of the Evaluation Unit.

Exploring the potential of a multi-level approach to improve capability for continuous organizational improvement and learning in a Swedish healthcare region.

PubMed

Nyström, M E; Höög, E; Garvare, R; Andersson Bäck, M; Terris, D D; Hansson, J

2018-05-24

Eldercare and care of people with functional impairments is organized by the municipalities in Sweden. Improving care in these areas is complex, with multiple stakeholders and organizations. Appropriate strategies to develop capability for continuing organizational improvement and learning (COIL) are needed. The purpose of our study was to develop and pilot-test a flexible, multilevel approach for COIL capability building and to identify what it takes to achieve changes in key actors' approaches to COIL. The approach, named "Sustainable Improvement and Development through Strategic and Systematic Approaches" (SIDSSA), was applied through an action-research and action-learning intervention. The SIDSSA approach was tested in a regional research and development (R&D) unit, and in two municipalities handling care of the elderly and people with functional impairments. Our approach included a multilevel strategy, development loops of five flexible phases, and an action-learning loop. The approach was designed to support systems understanding, strategic focus, methodological practices, and change process knowledge - all of which required double-loop learning. Multiple qualitative methods, i.e., repeated interviews, process diaries, and documents, provided data for conventional content analyses. The new approach was successfully tested on all cases and adopted and sustained by the R&D unit. Participants reported new insights and skills. The development loop facilitated a sense of coherence and control during uncertainty, improved planning and problem analysis, enhanced mapping of context and conditions, and supported problem-solving at both the individual and unit levels. The systems-level view and structured approach helped participants to explain, motivate, and implement change initiatives, especially after working more systematically with mapping, analyses, and goal setting. An easily understood and generalizable model internalized by key organizational actors is an important step before more complex development models can be implemented. SIDSSA facilitated individual and group learning through action-learning and supported systems-level views and structured approaches across multiple organizational levels. Active involvement of diverse organizational functions and levels in the learning process was facilitated. However, the time frame was too short to fully test all aspects of the approach, specifically in reaching beyond the involved managers to front-line staff and patients.

Multiple health risk perception and information processing among African Americans and whites living in poverty.

PubMed

Hovick, Shelly R; Freimuth, Vicki S; Johnson-Turbes, Ashani; Chervin, Doryn D

2011-11-01

We investigated the risk-information-processing behaviors of people living at or near the poverty line. Because significant gaps in health and communication exist among high- and low-income groups, increasing the information seeking and knowledge of poor individuals may help them better understand risks to their health and increase their engagement in health-protective behaviors. Most earlier studies assessed only a single health risk selected by the researcher, whereas we listed 10 health risks and allowed the respondents to identify the one that they worried about most but took little action to prevent. Using this risk, we tested one pathway inspired by the risk information seeking and processing model to examine predictors of information insufficiency and of systematic processing and extended this pathway to include health-protective action. A phone survey was conducted of African Americans and whites living in the southern United States with an annual income of ≤$35,000 (N= 431). The results supported the model pathway: worry partially mediated the relationship between perceived risk and information insufficiency, which, in turn, increased systematic processing. In addition, systematic processing increased health-protective action. Compared with whites and better educated respondents, African Americans and respondents with little education had significantly higher levels of information insufficiency but higher levels of systematic processing and health-protective action. That systematic processing and knowledge influenced health behavior suggests a potential strategy for reducing health disparities. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

Aquatic toxicity information retrieval data base: A technical support document. (Revised July 1992)

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

Not Available

The AQUIRE (AQUatic toxicity Information REtrieval) database was established in 1981 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth (ERL-D). The purpose of AQUIRE is to provide quick access to a comprehensive, systematic, computerized compilation of aquatic toxic effects data. As of July 1992, AQUIRE consists of over 98,300 individual test results on computer file. These tests contain information for 5,500 chemicals and 2,300 organisms, extracted from over 6,300 publications. In addition, the ERL-D data file, prepared by the University of Wisconsin-Superior is now included in AQUIRE. The data file consists of acute toxicity test resultsmore » for the effects of 525 organic chemicals to fathead minnow. All AQUIRE data entries have been subjected to established quality assurance procedures.« less

Doubly negative isotropic elastic metamaterial for sub-wavelength focusing: Design and realization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Joo Hwan; Seung, Hong Min; Kim, Yoon Young

2017-12-01

In spite of much progress in elastic metamaterials, tuning the effective density and stiffness to desired values ranging from negatives to large positives is still difficult. In particular, simultaneous realization of double negativity and isotropy, critical in sub-wavelength focusing, is very challenging since anisotropy is usually unavoidable in resonance-based metamaterials. The main difficulty is that there is no established systematic design method for simultaneous achieving of double negativity and isotropy. Thus, we propose a unique elastic metamaterial unit cell with which simultaneous realization can be achieved by an explicit step-by-step approach. The unit cell of the proposed metamaterial can be accurately modeled as an equivalent mass-spring system so that the effective properties can be easily controlled with the design parameters. The actual realization was carried out by acquiring the desired properties in sequential steps which is in detail. The specific application for this study is on sub-wavelength focusing, which will be demonstrated by waves from a single point source focused on a region smaller than half the wavelength. Actual experiments were performed on an aluminum plate where the designed metamaterial flat lens was imbedded. The results acquired through simulations and experiments suggest potential applications of the proposed metamaterial and the systematic design approach in advanced acoustic surgery or non-destructive testing.

Systematic Calibration for Ultra-High Accuracy Inertial Measurement Units.

PubMed

Cai, Qingzhong; Yang, Gongliu; Song, Ningfang; Liu, Yiliang

2016-06-22

An inertial navigation system (INS) has been widely used in challenging GPS environments. With the rapid development of modern physics, an atomic gyroscope will come into use in the near future with a predicted accuracy of 5 × 10(-6)°/h or better. However, existing calibration methods and devices can not satisfy the accuracy requirements of future ultra-high accuracy inertial sensors. In this paper, an improved calibration model is established by introducing gyro g-sensitivity errors, accelerometer cross-coupling errors and lever arm errors. A systematic calibration method is proposed based on a 51-state Kalman filter and smoother. Simulation results show that the proposed calibration method can realize the estimation of all the parameters using a common dual-axis turntable. Laboratory and sailing tests prove that the position accuracy in a five-day inertial navigation can be improved about 8% by the proposed calibration method. The accuracy can be improved at least 20% when the position accuracy of the atomic gyro INS can reach a level of 0.1 nautical miles/5 d. Compared with the existing calibration methods, the proposed method, with more error sources and high order small error parameters calibrated for ultra-high accuracy inertial measurement units (IMUs) using common turntables, has a great application potential in future atomic gyro INSs.

EMG Biofeedback Training Versus Systematic Desensitization for Test Anxiety Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romano, John L.; Cabianca, William A.

1978-01-01

Biofeedback training to reduce test anxiety among university students was investigated. Biofeedback training with systematic desensitization was compared to an automated systematic desensitization program not using EMG feedback. Biofeedback training is a useful technique for reducing test anxiety, but not necessarily more effective than systematic…

Use of systematic reviews in clinical practice guidelines: case study of smoking cessation

PubMed Central

Silagy, C A; Stead, L F; Lancaster, T

2001-01-01

Objective To examine the extent to which recommendations in the national guidelines for the cessation of smoking are based on evidence from systematic reviews of controlled trials. Design Retrospective analysis of recommendations for the national guidelines for the cessation of smoking. Materials National guidelines in clinical practice on smoking cessation published in English. Main outcome measures The type of evidence (systematic review of controlled trials, individual trials, other studies, expert opinion) used to support each recommendation. We also assessed whether a Cochrane systematic review was available and could have been used in formulating the recommendation. Results Four national smoking cessation guidelines (from Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) covering 105 recommendations were identified. An explicit evidence base for 100%, 89%, 68%, and 98% of recommendations, respectively, was detected, of which 60%, 56%, 59%, and 47% were based on systematic reviews of controlled studies. Cochrane systematic reviews could have been used to develop between 39% and 73% of recommendations but were actually used in 0% to 36% of recommendations. The UK guidelines had the highest proportion of recommendations based on Cochrane systematic reviews. Conclusions Use of systematic reviews in guidelines is a measure of the “payback” on investment in research synthesis. Systematic reviews commonly underpinned recommendations in guidelines on smoking cessation. The extent to which they were used varied by country and there was evidence of duplication of effort in some areas. Greater international collaboration in developing and maintaining an evidence base of systematic reviews can improve the efficiency of use of research resources. PMID:11597966

Effectiveness of Structured Psychodrama and Systematic Desensitization in Reducing Test Anxiety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kipper, David A.; Giladi, Daniel

1978-01-01

Students with examination anxiety took part in study of effectiveness of two kinds of treatment, structured psychodrama and systematic desensitization, in reducing test anxiety. Results showed that subjects in both treatment groups significantly reduced test-anxiety scores. Structured psychodrama is as effective as systematic desensitization in…

Hypnosis Versus Systematic Desensitization in the Treatment of Test Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melnick, Joseph; Russell, Ronald W.

1976-01-01

This study compared the effectiveness of systematic desensitization and the directed experience hypnotic technique in reducing self-reported test anxiety and increasing the academic performance of test-anxious undergraduates (N=36). The results are discussed as evidence for systematic desensitization as the more effective treatment in reducing…

The relationship between safety climate and recent accidents: behavioral learning and cognitive attributions.

PubMed

Desai, Vinit M; Roberts, Karlene H; Ciavarelli, Anthony P

2006-01-01

The association between accidents and subsequent work unit safety perceptions was assessed to address cognitive and behavioral changes following accidents. Many studies attempt to predict accident rates using measures of work unit safety, but effects vary considerably. Conversely, this study examined whether recent accidents may be positively associated with work unit safety perceptions, as suggested by behavioral learning mechanisms (increases in safety investments following accidents) or cognitive mechanisms (defensive attributions regarding accident causality). Lagged squadron-level accident experience was correlated with work unit safety perceptions obtained through a 61-question safety climate survey administered to 6,361 individuals in U.S. Navy flight squadrons. Positive associations between minor or intermediately severe accidents and future safety climate scores were found, although no effect was found for major accidents. We suggest that accident history should be considered when examining work unit safety perceptions because recent accidents may be associated with higher safety climate scores. We did not find that this varies systematically with accident severity, and longitudinal research on additional samples is needed to further test this possibility. This research may be used to refine measurement of work unit safety and to examine impacts of accidents or safety violations on workers' cognitive processes and group behavioral changes.

Evaluation and treatment of students with difficulties passing the Step examinations.

PubMed

Laatsch, Linda

2009-05-01

The author designed this retrospective case series study both to systematically examine characteristics of individuals referred for treatment after multiple failures on the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) Step 1 or 2 administered by the National Board of Medical Examiners and to evaluate treatment effectiveness in a uniform sample. Six medical students referred to rehabilitation psychology met selection criteria. All students completed the requisite neuropsychological, academic, and psychological testing to identify cognitive and emotional strengths and weaknesses. All six underwent individualized cognitive rehabilitation (CR) with a primary focus on reading fluency and accuracy. All participants improved on a quantitative measure of reading speed and accuracy, and five of the six passed their next USLME Step examination in spite of past failures. Medical students with identified difficulties on reading fluency, but no history of a learning disability, may benefit from systematic CR that addresses cognitive weaknesses related to test-taking abilities. The strong relationships between language and reading skills and the USMLE Step examinations suggest that some students may fail these examinations because of a relative weakness in language processing and reading fluency that may prohibit their successful completion of the Step examinations.

The Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease in Humans, A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of North American Research.

PubMed

Waddell, Lisa A; Greig, Judy; Mascarenhas, Mariola; Harding, Shannon; Lindsay, Robbin; Ogden, Nicholas

2016-01-01

There has been an increasing incidence of Lyme disease (LD) in Canada and the United States corresponding to the expanding range of the Ixodes tick vector and Lyme disease agent (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto). There are many diagnostic tests for LD available in North America, all of which have some performance issues, and physicians are concerned about the appropriate use and interpretation of these tests. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the North American evidence on the accuracy of diagnostic tests and test regimes at various stages of LD. Included in the review are 48 studies on diagnostic tests used in North America published since 1995. Thirteen studies examined a two-tier serological test protocol vs. clinical diagnosis, 24 studies examined single assays vs. clinical diagnosis, 9 studies examined single immunoblot vs. clinical diagnosis, 7 studies compared culture or PCR direct detection methods vs. clinical diagnosis, 22 studies compared two or more tests with each other and 8 studies compared a two-tiered serological test protocol to another test. Recent studies examining the sensitivity and specificity of various test protocols noted that the Immunetics® C6 B. burgdorferi ELISA™ and the two tier approach have superior specificity compared to proposed replacements, and the CDC recommended western blot algorithm has equivalent or superior specificity over other proposed test algorithms. There is a dramatic increase in test sensitivity with progression of B. burgdorferi infection from early to late LD. Direct detection methods, culture and PCR of tissue or blood samples were not as sensitive or timely compared to serological testing. It was also noted that there are a large number of both commercial (n = 42) and in-house developed tests used by private laboratories which have not been evaluated in the primary literature.

The Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease in Humans, A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of North American Research

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Robbin; Ogden, Nicholas

2016-01-01

There has been an increasing incidence of Lyme disease (LD) in Canada and the United States corresponding to the expanding range of the Ixodes tick vector and Lyme disease agent (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto). There are many diagnostic tests for LD available in North America, all of which have some performance issues, and physicians are concerned about the appropriate use and interpretation of these tests. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the North American evidence on the accuracy of diagnostic tests and test regimes at various stages of LD. Included in the review are 48 studies on diagnostic tests used in North America published since 1995. Thirteen studies examined a two-tier serological test protocol vs. clinical diagnosis, 24 studies examined single assays vs. clinical diagnosis, 9 studies examined single immunoblot vs. clinical diagnosis, 7 studies compared culture or PCR direct detection methods vs. clinical diagnosis, 22 studies compared two or more tests with each other and 8 studies compared a two-tiered serological test protocol to another test. Recent studies examining the sensitivity and specificity of various test protocols noted that the Immunetics® C6 B. burgdorferi ELISA™ and the two tier approach have superior specificity compared to proposed replacements, and the CDC recommended western blot algorithm has equivalent or superior specificity over other proposed test algorithms. There is a dramatic increase in test sensitivity with progression of B. burgdorferi infection from early to late LD. Direct detection methods, culture and PCR of tissue or blood samples were not as sensitive or timely compared to serological testing. It was also noted that there are a large number of both commercial (n = 42) and in-house developed tests used by private laboratories which have not been evaluated in the primary literature. PMID:28002488

Maternal Serologic Screening to Prevent Congenital Toxoplasmosis: A Decision-Analytic Economic Model

PubMed Central

Stillwaggon, Eileen; Carrier, Christopher S.; Sautter, Mari; McLeod, Rima

2011-01-01

Objective To determine a cost-minimizing option for congenital toxoplasmosis in the United States. Methodology/Principal Findings A decision-analytic and cost-minimization model was constructed to compare monthly maternal serological screening, prenatal treatment, and post-natal follow-up and treatment according to the current French (Paris) protocol, versus no systematic screening or perinatal treatment. Costs are based on published estimates of lifetime societal costs of developmental disabilities and current diagnostic and treatment costs. Probabilities are based on published results and clinical practice in the United States and France. One- and two-way sensitivity analyses are used to evaluate robustness of results. Universal monthly maternal screening for congenital toxoplasmosis with follow-up and treatment, following the French protocol, is found to be cost-saving, with savings of $620 per child screened. Results are robust to changes in test costs, value of statistical life, seroprevalence in women of childbearing age, fetal loss due to amniocentesis, and to bivariate analysis of test costs and incidence of primary T. gondii infection in pregnancy. Given the parameters in this model and a maternal screening test cost of $12, screening is cost-saving for rates of congenital infection above 1 per 10,000 live births. If universal testing generates economies of scale in diagnostic tools—lowering test costs to about $2 per test—universal screening is cost-saving at rates of congenital infection well below the lowest reported rates in the United States of 1 per 10,000 live births. Conclusion/Significance Universal screening according to the French protocol is cost saving for the US population within broad parameters for costs and probabilities. PMID:21980546

A theory-based approach to nursing shared governance.

PubMed

Joseph, M Lindell; Bogue, Richard J

2016-01-01

The discipline of nursing uses a general definition of shared governance. The discipline's lack of a specified theory with precepts and propositions contributes to persistent barriers in progress toward building evidence-based knowledge through systematic study. The purposes of this article were to describe the development and elements of a program theory approach for nursing shared governance implementation and to recommend further testing. Five studies using multiple methods are described using a structured framework. The studies led to the use of Lipsey's method of theory development for program implementation to develop a theory for shared governance for nursing. Nine competencies were verified to define nursing practice council effectiveness. Other findings reveal that nurse empowerment results from alignment between the competencies of self- directed work teams and the competencies of organizational leaders. Implementation of GEMS theory based nursing shared governance can advance goals at the individual, unit, department, and organization level. Advancing professional nursing practice requires that nursing concepts are systematically studied and then formalized for implementation. This article describes the development of a theoretical foundation for the systematic study and implementation of nursing shared governance. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Three Methods of Reducing Test Anxiety: Systematic Desensitization, Implosive Therapy, and Study Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornish, Richard D.; Dilley, Josiah S.

1973-01-01

Systematic desensitization, implosive therapy, and study counseling have all been effective in reducing test anxiety. In addition, systematic desensitization has been compared to study counseling for effectiveness. This study compares all three methods and suggests that systematic desentization is more effective than the others, and that implosive…

Randomised trial of educational visits to enhance use of systematic reviews in 25 obstetric units

PubMed Central

Wyatt, Jeremy C; Paterson-Brown, Sarah; Johanson, Richard; Altman, Douglas G; Bradburn, Michael J; Fisk, Nicholas M

1998-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational visit to help obstetricians and midwives select and use evidence from a Cochrane database containing 600 systematic reviews. Design Randomised single blind controlled trial with obstetric units allocated to an educational visit or control group. Setting 25 of the 26 district general obstetric units in two former NHS regions. Subjects The senior obstetrician and midwife from each intervention unit participated in educational visits. Clinical practices of all staff were assessed in 4508 pregnancies. Intervention Single informal educational visit by a respected obstetrician including discussion of evidence based obstetrics, guidance on implementation, and donation of Cochrane database and other materials. Main outcome measures Rates of perineal suturing with polyglycolic acid, ventouse delivery, prophylactic antibiotics in caesarean section, and steroids in preterm delivery, before and 9 months after visits, and concordance of guidelines with review evidence for same marker practices before and after visits. Results Rates varied greatly, but the overall baseline mean of 43% (986/2312) increased to 54% (1189/2196) 9 months later. Rates of ventouse delivery increased significantly in intervention units but not in control units; there was no difference between the two types of units in uptake of other practices. Pooling rates from all 25 units, use of antibiotics in caesarean section and use of polyglycolic acid sutures increased significantly over the period, but use of steroids in preterm delivery was unchanged. Labour ward guidelines seldom agreed with evidence at baseline; this hardly improved after visits. Educational visits cost £860 each (at 1995 prices). Conclusions There was considerable uptake of evidence into practice in both control and intervention units between 1994 and 1995. Our educational visits added little to this, despite the informal setting, targeting of senior staff from two disciplines, and donation of educational materials. Further work is needed to define cost effective methods to enhance the uptake of evidence from systematic reviews and to clarify leadership and roles of senior obstetric staff in implementing the evidence. Key messagesThere was marked variation in four common obstetric practices known to improve patient outcomes in 25 district general obstetric units across south east England in both 1994 and 1995Labour ward guidelines in the 25 units showed little concordance with Cochrane review evidence in 1994 and 1995The gap between Cochrane review evidence and clinical practice narrowed in 1995, but 46% (1010) of 2196 pregnant women studied were still not managed according to current evidenceEducational visits to senior staff led to a significant but clinically modest uptake of evidence from systematic reviews in only one of the four practices studiedReducing practice variations and improving clinical knowledge management by helping clinicians to locate, select, and implement systematic review evidence remain important challenges for the NHS PMID:9774287

Auditor recommendations resulting from three clinical audit rounds in Finnish radiology units.

PubMed

Miettunen, Kirsi; Metsälä, Eija

2017-06-01

Background The purpose of clinical audits performed in radiology units is to reduce the radiation dose of patients and staff and to implement evidence-based best practices. Purpose To describe auditor recommendations in three Finnish clinical audit rounds performed in 2002-2014, and to determine if auditor recommendations have had any impact on improving medical imaging practice. Material and Methods The retrospective observational study was performed in radiology units holding a radiation safety license issued by the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. The data comprised a systematic sample (n = 120) of auditor reports produced in three auditing rounds in these units during the years 2002-2014. The data were analyzed by descriptive methods and by using the Friedman two-way ANOVA test. Results The number of auditor recommendations given varied between clinical audit rounds and according to the type of imaging unit, as well as according to calculation method. Proportionally, the most recommendations in all three clinical audit rounds were given about defining and using quality assurance functions and about guidelines and practices for carrying out procedures involving radiation exposure. Demanding radiology units improved their practices more than basic imaging units towards the third round. Conclusion Auditor recommendations help to address the deficiencies in imaging practices. There is a need to develop uniform guidelines and to provide tutoring for clinical auditors in order to produce comparable clinical audit results.

The study design elements employed by researchers in preclinical animal experiments from two research domains and implications for automation of systematic reviews.

PubMed

O'Connor, Annette M; Totton, Sarah C; Cullen, Jonah N; Ramezani, Mahmood; Kalivarapu, Vijay; Yuan, Chaohui; Gilbert, Stephen B

2018-01-01

Systematic reviews are increasingly using data from preclinical animal experiments in evidence networks. Further, there are ever-increasing efforts to automate aspects of the systematic review process. When assessing systematic bias and unit-of-analysis errors in preclinical experiments, it is critical to understand the study design elements employed by investigators. Such information can also inform prioritization of automation efforts that allow the identification of the most common issues. The aim of this study was to identify the design elements used by investigators in preclinical research in order to inform unique aspects of assessment of bias and error in preclinical research. Using 100 preclinical experiments each related to brain trauma and toxicology, we assessed design elements described by the investigators. We evaluated Methods and Materials sections of reports for descriptions of the following design elements: 1) use of comparison group, 2) unit of allocation of the interventions to study units, 3) arrangement of factors, 4) method of factor allocation to study units, 5) concealment of the factors during allocation and outcome assessment, 6) independence of study units, and 7) nature of factors. Many investigators reported using design elements that suggested the potential for unit-of-analysis errors, i.e., descriptions of repeated measurements of the outcome (94/200) and descriptions of potential for pseudo-replication (99/200). Use of complex factor arrangements was common, with 112 experiments using some form of factorial design (complete, incomplete or split-plot-like). In the toxicology dataset, 20 of the 100 experiments appeared to use a split-plot-like design, although no investigators used this term. The common use of repeated measures and factorial designs means understanding bias and error in preclinical experimental design might require greater expertise than simple parallel designs. Similarly, use of complex factor arrangements creates novel challenges for accurate automation of data extraction and bias and error assessment in preclinical experiments.

Developing and Implementing a Process for the Review of Nonacademic Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Marilyn K.

1989-01-01

A major research university's recently developed process for systematic evaluation of nonacademic units is described, and the steps in its development and implementation are outlined: review of literature on organizational effectiveness; survey of peer institutions; development of guidelines for review; and implementation in several campus units.…

Temporal integration in nasal lateralization of homologous propionates.

PubMed

Wise, Paul M; Toczydlowski, Sean E; Zhao, Kai; Wysocki, Charles J

2009-08-01

For nasal irritation from volatile chemicals, a version of Haber's rule (k = C(n)T) can model the trade-off between concentration (C) and duration of exposure (T) to achieve a fixed sensory impact, e.g. threshold-level irritation or a fixed suprathreshold intensity. The term k is a constant. The exponent, n, represents how well the system integrates over time. An exponent of 1 indicates complete temporal integration: an x-fold increase in stimulus duration exactly compensates for cutting the concentration 1/x. An exponent greater than 1 indicates incomplete temporal integration: more than an x-fold increase in duration is needed. In a previous study of homologous alcohols, n varied systematically with number of methylene units: integration became more complete as the length of the carbon chain increased. To explore the generality of this finding, we tested homologous esters that differ in the number of methylene units: n-ethyl propionate, n-propyl propionate, and n-butyl propionate. Nasal lateralization was used to measure irritation thresholds. Human subjects received a fixed concentration of a single compound within each experimental session. Stimulus duration was varied to find the briefest stimulus that caused lateralizable irritation. Concentration and compound varied across sessions. Consistent with results with n-alcohols, integration became more complete as the number of methylene units increased. Lipid solubility varies with chain length; hence, solubility in the nasal mucosa may play a role in the dynamics of irritation. Further, preliminary analyses suggest that, for data pooled across both chemical series, n varies systematically with molecular parameters related to solubility and diffusion.

The problem of genesis and systematic of sedimentary units of hydrocarbon reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhilina, E. N.; Chernova, O. S.

2017-12-01

The problem of identifying and ranking sedimentation, facies associations and their constituent parts - lithogenetic types of sedimentary rocks was considered. As a basis for paleo-sedimentary modelling, the author has developed a classification for terrigenous natural reservoirs,that for the first time links separate sedimentological units into a single hierarchical system. Hierarchy ranking levels are based on a compilation of global knowledge and experience in sediment geology, sedimentological study and systematization, and data from deep-well coresrepresentingJurassichydrocarbon-bearing formationsof the southeastern margin of the Western Siberian sedimentary basin.

Systematics of Thysanoptera, pear thrips and other economic species

Treesearch

Sueo Nakahara

1991-01-01

The systematics of the Thysanoptera, and several economic species in the United States and Canada (North America) are discussed briefly. Morphological characters to distinguish the six families in North America and the following economic species, pear thrips (Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel)), basswood thrips (Thrips calcaratus...

Human Performance Technology and HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carliner, Saul

2014-01-01

Performance--the achievement of results--is central to definitions of HRD. Performance Technology (HPT) refers to a systematic methodology for developing performance in individuals and organizations. Through a systematic process, HPT explores issues at the organizational, unit, and individual level, and with skills and knowledge, resources, and…

Key Considerations for the Success of Medical Education Research and Innovation Units in Canada: Unit Director Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varpio, Lara; Bidlake, Erin; Humphrey-Murto, Sue; Sutherland, Stephanie; Hamstra, Stanley J.

2014-01-01

Growth in the field of medical education is evidenced by the proliferation of units dedicated to advancing Medical Education Research and Innovation (MERI). While a review of the literature discovered narrative accounts of MERI unit development, we found no systematic examinations of the dimensions of and structures that facilitate the success of…

Cell-free DNA noninvasive prenatal screening for aneuploidy versus conventional screening: A systematic review of economic evaluations.

PubMed

Nshimyumukiza, L; Menon, S; Hina, H; Rousseau, F; Reinharz, D

2018-07-01

Although noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for aneuploidies using cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood has been reported to have a high accuracy, only little evidence about its cost-effectiveness is available. We systematically reviewed and assessed quality of economic evaluation studies published between January 1, 2009 and January 1, 2016 where NIPT was compared to the current screening practices consisting of biochemical markers with or without nuchal translucency (NT) and/or maternal age. We included 16 studies and we found that, at current level of NIPT prices, contingent NIPT provide the best value for money, especially for publicly funded screening programs. NIPT as first-line test was found not cost-effective in the majority of studies. The NIPT unit cost, the risk cut-offs for current screening practice, the screening uptake rates (first- and second-line screening) as well as the costs and uptake rates of invasive diagnostic screening were the most common uncertain variables. The overall quality of included studies was fair. Considering a possible drop in prices and an ongoing NIPT expansion to include other chromosomes abnormalities other than T21, T18, T13 and sex chromosomes aneuploidies, future research are needed to examine the potential cost-effectiveness of implementing NIPT as first-line test. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Systematic review and retrospective validation of prediction models for weight loss after bariatric surgery.

PubMed

Sharples, Alistair J; Mahawar, Kamal; Cheruvu, Chandra V N

2017-11-01

Patients often have less than realistic expectations of the weight loss they are likely to achieve after bariatric surgery. It would be useful to have a well-validated prediction tool that could give patients a realistic estimate of their expected weight loss. To perform a systematic review of the literature to identify existing prediction models and attempt to validate these models. University hospital, United Kingdom. A systematic review was performed. All English language studies were included if they used data to create a prediction model for postoperative weight loss after bariatric surgery. These models were then tested on patients undergoing bariatric surgery between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014 within our unit. An initial literature search produced 446 results, of which only 4 were included in the final review. Our study population included 317 patients. Mean preoperative body mass index was 46.1 ± 7.1. For 257 (81.1%) patients, 12-month follow-up was available, and mean body mass index and percentage excess weight loss at 12 months was 33.0 ± 6.7 and 66.1% ± 23.7%, respectively. All 4 of the prediction models significantly overestimated the amount of weight loss achieved by patients. The best performing prediction model in our series produced a correlation coefficient (R 2 ) of .61 and an area under the curve of .71 on receiver operating curve analysis. All prediction models overestimated weight loss after bariatric surgery in our cohort. There is a need to develop better procedures and patient-specific models for better patient counselling. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of oral care with versus without toothbrushing on the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Introduction Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a common hazardous complication in mechanically ventilated patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to assess the effect of toothbrushing as a component of oral care on the prevention of VAP in adult critically ill patients. Methods A systematic literature search of PubMed and Embase (up to April 2012) was conducted. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials of mechanically ventilated adult patients receiving oral care with toothbrushing. Relative risks (RRs), weighted mean differences (WMDs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and heterogeneity was assessed with the I2 test. Results Four studies with a total of 828 patients met the inclusion criteria. Toothbrushing did not significantly reduce the incidence of VAP (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.50 to 1.21) and intensive care unit mortality (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.10). Toothbrushing was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in duration of mechanical ventilation (WMD, -0.88 days; 95% CI, -2.58 to 0.82), length of intensive care unit stay (WMD, -1.48 days; 95% CI, -3.40 to 0.45), antibiotic-free day (WMD, -0.52 days; 95% CI, -2.82 to 1.79), or mechanical ventilation-free day (WMD, -0.43 days; 95% CI, -1.23 to 0.36). Conclusions Oral care with toothbrushing versus without toothbrushing does not significantly reduce the incidence of VAP and alter other important clinical outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously since relevant evidence is still limited, although accumulating. Further large-scale, well-designed randomized controlled trials are urgently needed. PMID:23062250

Analysis of Wind Tunnel Polar Replicates Using the Modern Design of Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deloach, Richard; Micol, John R.

2010-01-01

The role of variance in a Modern Design of Experiments analysis of wind tunnel data is reviewed, with distinctions made between explained and unexplained variance. The partitioning of unexplained variance into systematic and random components is illustrated, with examples of the elusive systematic component provided for various types of real-world tests. The importance of detecting and defending against systematic unexplained variance in wind tunnel testing is discussed, and the random and systematic components of unexplained variance are examined for a representative wind tunnel data set acquired in a test in which a missile is used as a test article. The adverse impact of correlated (non-independent) experimental errors is described, and recommendations are offered for replication strategies that facilitate the quantification of random and systematic unexplained variance.

A Hydrostratigraphic System for Modeling Groundwater Flow and Radionuclide Migration at the Corrective Action Unit Scale, Nevada Test Site and Surrounding Areas, Clark, Lincoln, and Nye Counties, Nevada

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

Prothro, Lance; Drellack Jr., Sigmund; Mercadante, Jennifer

2009-01-31

Underground Test Area (UGTA) corrective action unit (CAU) groundwater flow and contaminant transport models of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and vicinity are built upon hydrostratigraphic framework models (HFMs) that utilize the hydrostratigraphic unit (HSU) as the fundamental modeling component. The delineation and three-dimensional (3-D) modeling of HSUs within the highly complex geologic terrain that is the NTS requires a hydrostratigraphic system that is internally consistent, yet flexible enough to account for overlapping model areas, varied geologic terrain, and the development of multiple alternative HFMs. The UGTA CAU-scale hydrostratigraphic system builds on more than 50 years of geologic and hydrologicmore » work in the NTS region. It includes 76 HSUs developed from nearly 300 stratigraphic units that span more than 570 million years of geologic time, and includes rock units as diverse as marine carbonate and siliciclastic rocks, granitic intrusives, rhyolitic lavas and ash-flow tuffs, and alluvial valley-fill deposits. The UGTA CAU-scale hydrostratigraphic system uses a geology-based approach and two-level classification scheme. The first, or lowest, level of the hydrostratigraphic system is the hydrogeologic unit (HGU). Rocks in a model area are first classified as one of ten HGUs based on the rock’s ability to transmit groundwater (i.e., nature of their porosity and permeability), which at the NTS is mainly a function of the rock’s primary lithology, type and degree of postdepositional alteration, and propensity to fracture. The second, or highest, level within the UGTA CAU-scale hydrostratigraphic system is the HSU, which is the fundamental mapping/modeling unit within UGTA CAU-scale HFMs. HSUs are 3-D bodies that are represented in the finite element mesh for the UGTA groundwater modeling process. HSUs are defined systematically by stratigraphically organizing HGUs of similar character into larger HSUs designations. The careful integration of stratigraphic information in the development of HSUs is important to assure individual HSUs are internally consistent, correlatable, and mappable throughout all the model areas.« less

Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis in the United States: a systematic review--1940-2010.

PubMed

Starr, Michelle C; Montgomery, Susan P

2011-10-01

The epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminth infections (hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis) in the United States is poorly understood. To gain understanding of the status of disease, a systematic review was performed to assess the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the United States. Of all studies reviewed, 14 were designated as high-quality. High-quality studies were published from 1942 to 1982 and showed that infection was prevalent throughout the southern United States and Appalachia as recently as 1982, finding that hookworm (19.6%), T. trichiura (55.2%), A. lumbricoides (49.4%), and S. stercoralis (3.8%) affected significant percentages of the population. However, because the most recent high-quality studies were published over 25 years ago, the literature does not provide sufficient data to assess current endemic transmission. Because the status of disease remains unclear, there is a need for additional studies to determine if soil-transmitted helminths remain endemic in the United States.

77 FR 47415 - Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-08

... 1974; Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)--004... Citizenship and Immigration Services--004-- Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program System of Records.'' The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Systematic Alien Verification for...

Theory-based metrological traceability in education: A reading measurement network.

PubMed

Fisher, William P; Stenner, A Jackson

2016-10-01

Huge resources are invested in metrology and standards in the natural sciences, engineering, and across a wide range of commercial technologies. Significant positive returns of human, social, environmental, and economic value on these investments have been sustained for decades. Proven methods for calibrating test and survey instruments in linear units are readily available, as are data- and theory-based methods for equating those instruments to a shared unit. Using these methods, metrological traceability is obtained in a variety of commercially available elementary and secondary English and Spanish language reading education programs in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Given established historical patterns, widespread routine reproduction of predicted text-based and instructional effects expressed in a common language and shared frame of reference may lead to significant developments in theory and practice. Opportunities for systematic implementations of teacher-driven lean thinking and continuous quality improvement methods may be of particular interest and value.

The internal structure of lava flows—insights from AMS measurements II: Hawaiian pahoehoe, toothpaste lava and 'a'ā

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cañón-Tapia, Edgardo; Walker, George P. L.; Herrero-Bervera, Emilio

1997-03-01

We studied the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of 22 basaltic flow units, including S-type pahoehoe, P-type pahoehoe, toothpaste lava and 'a'ā emplaced over different slopes in two Hawaiian islands. Systematic differences occur in several aspects of AMS (mean susceptibility, degree of anisotropy, magnetic fabric and orientation of the principal susceptibilities) among the morphological types that can be related to different modes of lava emplacement. AMS also detects systematic changes in the rate of shear with position in a unit, allowing us to infer local flow direction and some other aspects of the velocity field of each unit. 'A'ā flows are subject to stronger deformation than pahoehoe, and also their internal parts behave more like a unit. According to AMS, the central part of pahoehoe commonly reveals a different deformation history than the upper and lower extremes, probably resulting from endogenous growth.

Systematic evaluation of an atomic clock at 2 × 10−18 total uncertainty

PubMed Central

Nicholson, T.L.; Campbell, S.L.; Hutson, R.B.; Marti, G.E.; Bloom, B.J.; McNally, R.L.; Zhang, W.; Barrett, M.D.; Safronova, M.S.; Strouse, G.F.; Tew, W.L.; Ye, J.

2015-01-01

The pursuit of better atomic clocks has advanced many research areas, providing better quantum state control, new insights in quantum science, tighter limits on fundamental constant variation and improved tests of relativity. The record for the best stability and accuracy is currently held by optical lattice clocks. Here we take an important step towards realizing the full potential of a many-particle clock with a state-of-the-art stable laser. Our 87Sr optical lattice clock now achieves fractional stability of 2.2 × 10−16 at 1 s. With this improved stability, we perform a new accuracy evaluation of our clock, reducing many systematic uncertainties that limited our previous measurements, such as those in the lattice ac Stark shift, the atoms' thermal environment and the atomic response to room-temperature blackbody radiation. Our combined measurements have reduced the total uncertainty of the JILA Sr clock to 2.1 × 10−18 in fractional frequency units. PMID:25898253

Non-Relative Value Unit-Generating Activities Represent One-Fifth of Academic Neuroradiologist Productivity.

PubMed

Wintermark, M; Zeineh, M; Zaharchuk, G; Srivastava, A; Fischbein, N

2016-07-01

A neuroradiologist's activity includes many tasks beyond interpreting relative value unit-generating imaging studies. Our aim was to test a simple method to record and quantify the non-relative value unit-generating clinical activity represented by consults and clinical conferences, including tumor boards. Four full-time neuroradiologists, working an average of 50% clinical and 50% academic activity, systematically recorded all the non-relative value unit-generating consults and conferences in which they were involved during 3 months by using a simple, Web-based, computer-based application accessible from smartphones, tablets, or computers. The number and type of imaging studies they interpreted during the same period and the associated relative value units were extracted from our billing system. During 3 months, the 4 neuroradiologists working an average of 50% clinical activity interpreted 4241 relative value unit-generating imaging studies, representing 8152 work relative value units. During the same period, they recorded 792 non-relative value unit-generating study reviews as part of consults and conferences (not including reading room consults), representing 19% of the interpreted relative value unit-generating imaging studies. We propose a simple Web-based smartphone app to record and quantify non-relative value unit-generating activities including consults, clinical conferences, and tumor boards. The quantification of non-relative value unit-generating activities is paramount in this time of a paradigm shift from volume to value. It also represents an important tool for determining staffing levels, which cannot be performed on the basis of relative value unit only, considering the importance of time spent by radiologists on non-relative value unit-generating activities. It may also influence payment models from medical centers to radiology departments or practices. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

A Systematic Examination of Food Intake and Adaptation to the Food Environment by Refugees Settled in the United States1234

PubMed Central

Wang, Youfa; Min, Jungwon; Harris, Kisa; Khuri, Jacob; Anderson, Laura M

2016-01-01

The United States is the largest refugee resettlement country in the world. Refugees may face health-related challenges after resettlement in the United States, including higher rates of chronic diseases due to problems such as language barriers and difficulty adapting to new food environments. However, reported refugee diet challenges varied, and no systematic examination has been reported. This study examined refugee food intake pre- and postresettlement in the United States and differences in intake across various refugee groups. We systematically reviewed relevant studies that reported on refugee food intake and adaptation to the US food environment. We searched PubMed for literature published between January 1985 and April 2015, including cross-sectional and prospective studies. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Limited research has been conducted, and most studies were based on small convenience samples. In general, refugees increased meat and egg consumption after resettling in the United States. Changes in refugee intake of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products varied by socioeconomic status, food insecurity, past food deprivation experience, length of stay in the United States, region of origin, and age. South Asians were more likely to maintain traditional diets, and increased age was associated with more conservative and traditional diets. Despite the abundance of food in the United States, postresettlement refugees reported difficulty in finding familiar or healthy foods. More research with larger samples and follow-up data are needed to study how refugees adapt to the US food environment and what factors may influence their food- and health-related outcomes. The work could inform future interventions to promote healthy eating and living among refugees and help to reduce health disparities. PMID:28140324

A Systematic Examination of Food Intake and Adaptation to the Food Environment by Refugees Settled in the United States.

PubMed

Wang, Youfa; Min, Jungwon; Harris, Kisa; Khuri, Jacob; Anderson, Laura M

2016-11-01

The United States is the largest refugee resettlement country in the world. Refugees may face health-related challenges after resettlement in the United States, including higher rates of chronic diseases due to problems such as language barriers and difficulty adapting to new food environments. However, reported refugee diet challenges varied, and no systematic examination has been reported. This study examined refugee food intake pre- and postresettlement in the United States and differences in intake across various refugee groups. We systematically reviewed relevant studies that reported on refugee food intake and adaptation to the US food environment. We searched PubMed for literature published between January 1985 and April 2015, including cross-sectional and prospective studies. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Limited research has been conducted, and most studies were based on small convenience samples. In general, refugees increased meat and egg consumption after resettling in the United States. Changes in refugee intake of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products varied by socioeconomic status, food insecurity, past food deprivation experience, length of stay in the United States, region of origin, and age. South Asians were more likely to maintain traditional diets, and increased age was associated with more conservative and traditional diets. Despite the abundance of food in the United States, postresettlement refugees reported difficulty in finding familiar or healthy foods. More research with larger samples and follow-up data are needed to study how refugees adapt to the US food environment and what factors may influence their food- and health-related outcomes. The work could inform future interventions to promote healthy eating and living among refugees and help to reduce health disparities. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Units Dedicated to Acute Coronary Syndromes.

PubMed

Azeredo-Da-Silva, André Luis Ferreira; Perini, Silvana; Rigotti Soares, Pedro Henrique; Polaczyk, Carisi Anne

2016-01-01

Dedicated units for the care of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been submitted to economic evaluations; however, the results have not been systematically presented. To identify and summarize economic outcomes of studies on hospital units dedicated to the initial care of patients with suspected or confirmed ACS. A systematic review of literature to identify economic evaluations of chest pain unit (CPU), coronary care unit (CCU), or equivalent units was done. Two search strategies were used: the first one to identify economic evaluations irrespective of study design, and the second one to identify randomized clinical trials that reported economic outcomes. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and National Health Service (NHS)Economic Evaluation Database. Data extraction was performed by two independent reviewers. Costs were inflated to 2012 values. Search strategies retrieved five partial economic evaluations based on observational studies, six randomized clinical trials that reported economic outcomes, and five model-based economic evaluations. Overall, cost estimates based on observational studies and randomized clinical trials reported statistically significant cost savings of more than 50% with the adoption of CPU care instead of routine hospitalization or CCU care for suspected low-to-intermediate risk patients with ACS (median per-patient cost US $1,969.89; range US $1,002.12-13,799.15). Model-based economic evaluations reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratios below US $ 50,000/quality-adjusted life-year for all comparisons between intermediate care unit, CPU, or CCU with routine hospital admissions. This finding was sensible to myocardial infarction probability. Published economic evaluations indicate that more intensive care is likely to be cost-effective in comparison to routine hospital admission for patients with suspected ACS. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen

PubMed Central

Amole, C.; Ashkezari, M. D.; Baquero-Ruiz, M.; Bertsche, W.; Butler, E.; Capra, A.; Cesar, C. L.; Charlton, M.; Eriksson, S.; Fajans, J.; Friesen, T.; Fujiwara, M. C.; Gill, D. R.; Gutierrez, A.; Hangst, J. S.; Hardy, W. N.; Hayden, M. E.; Isaac, C. A.; Jonsell, S.; Kurchaninov, L.; Little, A.; Madsen, N.; McKenna, J. T. K.; Menary, S.; Napoli, S. C.; Nolan, P.; Olchanski, K.; Olin, A.; Povilus, A.; Pusa, P.; Rasmussen, C.Ø.; Robicheaux, F.; Sarid, E.; Silveira, D. M.; So, C.; Tharp, T. D.; Thompson, R. I.; van der Werf, D. P.; Vendeiro, Z.; Wurtele, J. S.; Zhmoginov, A. I.; Charman, A. E.

2014-01-01

The properties of antihydrogen are expected to be identical to those of hydrogen, and any differences would constitute a profound challenge to the fundamental theories of physics. The most commonly discussed antiatom-based tests of these theories are searches for antihydrogen-hydrogen spectral differences (tests of CPT (charge-parity-time) invariance) or gravitational differences (tests of the weak equivalence principle). Here we, the ALPHA Collaboration, report a different and somewhat unusual test of CPT and of quantum anomaly cancellation. A retrospective analysis of the influence of electric fields on antihydrogen atoms released from the ALPHA trap finds a mean axial deflection of 4.1±3.4 mm for an average axial electric field of 0.51 V mm−1. Combined with extensive numerical modelling, this measurement leads to a bound on the charge Qe of antihydrogen of Q=(−1.3±1.1±0.4) × 10−8. Here, e is the unit charge, and the errors are from statistics and systematic effects. PMID:24892800

A Systematic Analysis of 2 Monoisocentric Techniques for the Treatment of Multiple Brain Metastases.

PubMed

Narayanasamy, Ganesh; Stathakis, Sotirios; Gutierrez, Alonso N; Pappas, Evangelos; Crownover, Richard; Floyd, John R; Papanikolaou, Niko

2017-10-01

In this treatment planning study, we compare the plan quality and delivery parameters for the treatment of multiple brain metastases using 2 monoisocentric techniques: the Multiple Metastases Element from Brainlab and the RapidArc volumetric-modulated arc therapy from Varian Medical Systems. Eight patients who were treated in our institution for multiple metastases (3-7 lesions) were replanned with Multiple Metastases Element using noncoplanar dynamic conformal arcs. The same patients were replanned with the RapidArc technique in Eclipse using 4 noncoplanar arcs. Both techniques were designed using a single isocenter. Plan quality metrics (conformity index, homogeneity index, gradient index, and R 50% ), monitor unit, and the planning time were recorded. Comparison of the Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans was performed using Shapiro-Wilk test, paired Student t test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test. A paired Wilcoxon signed rank test between Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc showed comparable plan quality metrics and dose to brain. Mean ± standard deviation values of conformity index were 1.8 ± 0.7 and 1.7 ± 0.6, homogeneity index were 1.3 ± 0.1 and 1.3 ± 0.1, gradient index were 5.0 ± 1.8 and 5.1 ± 1.9, and R 50% were 4.9 ± 1.8 and 5.0 ± 1.9 for Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans, respectively. Mean brain dose was 2.3 and 2.7 Gy for Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans, respectively. The mean value of monitor units in Multiple Metastases Element plan was 7286 ± 1065, which is significantly lower than the RapidArc monitor units of 9966 ± 1533 ( P < .05). For the planning of multiple brain lesions to be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, Multiple Metastases Element planning software produced equivalent conformity, homogeneity, dose falloff, and brain V 12 Gy but required significantly lower monitor units, when compared to RapidArc plans.

A Systematic Analysis of 2 Monoisocentric Techniques for the Treatment of Multiple Brain Metastases

PubMed Central

Stathakis, Sotirios; Gutierrez, Alonso N.; Pappas, Evangelos; Crownover, Richard; Floyd, John R.; Papanikolaou, Niko

2016-01-01

Background: In this treatment planning study, we compare the plan quality and delivery parameters for the treatment of multiple brain metastases using 2 monoisocentric techniques: the Multiple Metastases Element from Brainlab and the RapidArc volumetric-modulated arc therapy from Varian Medical Systems. Methods: Eight patients who were treated in our institution for multiple metastases (3-7 lesions) were replanned with Multiple Metastases Element using noncoplanar dynamic conformal arcs. The same patients were replanned with the RapidArc technique in Eclipse using 4 noncoplanar arcs. Both techniques were designed using a single isocenter. Plan quality metrics (conformity index, homogeneity index, gradient index, and R50%), monitor unit, and the planning time were recorded. Comparison of the Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans was performed using Shapiro-Wilk test, paired Student t test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: A paired Wilcoxon signed rank test between Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc showed comparable plan quality metrics and dose to brain. Mean ± standard deviation values of conformity index were 1.8 ± 0.7 and 1.7 ± 0.6, homogeneity index were 1.3 ± 0.1 and 1.3 ± 0.1, gradient index were 5.0 ± 1.8 and 5.1 ± 1.9, and R50% were 4.9 ± 1.8 and 5.0 ± 1.9 for Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans, respectively. Mean brain dose was 2.3 and 2.7 Gy for Multiple Metastases Element and RapidArc plans, respectively. The mean value of monitor units in Multiple Metastases Element plan was 7286 ± 1065, which is significantly lower than the RapidArc monitor units of 9966 ± 1533 (P < .05). Conclusion: For the planning of multiple brain lesions to be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, Multiple Metastases Element planning software produced equivalent conformity, homogeneity, dose falloff, and brain V12 Gy but required significantly lower monitor units, when compared to RapidArc plans. PMID:27612917

Causal Inference for fMRI Time Series Data with Systematic Errors of Measurement in a Balanced On/Off Study of Social Evaluative Threat.

PubMed

Sobel, Michael E; Lindquist, Martin A

2014-07-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has facilitated major advances in understanding human brain function. Neuroscientists are interested in using fMRI to study the effects of external stimuli on brain activity and causal relationships among brain regions, but have not stated what is meant by causation or defined the effects they purport to estimate. Building on Rubin's causal model, we construct a framework for causal inference using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI time series data. In the usual statistical literature on causal inference, potential outcomes, assumed to be measured without systematic error, are used to define unit and average causal effects. However, in general the potential BOLD responses are measured with stimulus dependent systematic error. Thus we define unit and average causal effects that are free of systematic error. In contrast to the usual case of a randomized experiment where adjustment for intermediate outcomes leads to biased estimates of treatment effects (Rosenbaum, 1984), here the failure to adjust for task dependent systematic error leads to biased estimates. We therefore adjust for systematic error using measured "noise covariates" , using a linear mixed model to estimate the effects and the systematic error. Our results are important for neuroscientists, who typically do not adjust for systematic error. They should also prove useful to researchers in other areas where responses are measured with error and in fields where large amounts of data are collected on relatively few subjects. To illustrate our approach, we re-analyze data from a social evaluative threat task, comparing the findings with results that ignore systematic error.

A Systematic Review of Factors Utilized in Preconception Health Behavior Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delissaint, Dieula; McKyer, E. Lisako J.

2011-01-01

This systematic review critically synthesizes the literature focusing on factors related to preconception health behaviors (PCHBs) among childbearing age women in the United States, developed countries, and developing countries. Ovid Medline and CINAHL databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 1998 and 2008 relating to…

Medical marijuana laws and adolescent marijuana use in the United States: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

PubMed Central

Sarvet, Aaron L.; Wall, Melanie M.; Fink, David S.; Greene, Emily; Le, Aline; Boustead, Anne E.; Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo; Keyes, Katherine M.; Cerdá, Magdalena; Galea, Sandro

2018-01-01

Abstract Aims To conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies in order to estimate the effect of US medical marijuana laws (MMLs) on past‐month marijuana use prevalence among adolescents. Methods A total of 2999 papers from 17 literature sources were screened systematically. Eleven studies, developed from four ongoing large national surveys, were meta‐analyzed. Estimates of MML effects on any past‐month marijuana use prevalence from included studies were obtained from comparisons of pre–post MML changes in MML states to changes in non‐MML states over comparable time‐periods. These estimates were standardized and entered into a meta‐analysis model with fixed‐effects for each study. Heterogeneity among the study estimates by national data survey was tested with an omnibus F‐test. Estimates of effects on additional marijuana outcomes, of MML provisions (e.g. dispensaries) and among demographic subgroups were abstracted and summarized. Key methodological and modeling characteristics were also described. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Results None of the 11 studies found significant estimates of pre–post MML changes compared with contemporaneous changes in non‐MML states for marijuana use prevalence among adolescents. The meta‐analysis yielded a non‐significant pooled estimate (standardized mean difference) of −0.003 (95% confidence interval = −0.012, +0.007). Four studies compared MML with non‐MML states on pre‐MML differences and all found higher rates of past‐month marijuana use in MML states pre‐MML passage. Additional tests of specific MML provisions, of MML effects on additional marijuana outcomes and among subgroups generally yielded non‐significant results, although limited heterogeneity may warrant further study. Conclusions Synthesis of the current evidence does not support the hypothesis that US medical marijuana laws (MMLs) until 2014 have led to increases in adolescent marijuana use prevalence. Limited heterogeneity exists among estimates of effects of MMLs on other patterns of marijuana use, of effects within particular population subgroups and of effects of specific MML provisions. PMID:29468763

A review of alternatives to di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-containing medical devices in the neonatal intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Van Vliet, EDS; Reitano, EM; Chhabra, JS; Bergen, GP; Whyatt, RM

2012-01-01

Objective To conduct an extensive literature and toxicological database review on substitute compounds and available alternative medical products to replace polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and/or di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and conduct a DEHP-medical inventory analysis at a large metropolitan neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Study Design A systematic search for DEHP-free alternative products was performed using online databases. An informal audit of a large metropolitan NICU was undertaken in 2005 and 2006; 21 products were identified that could potentially contain DEHP. Availability of DEHP-free alternatives was determined through company websites and phone interviews. Result Two alternative approaches are available for replacing DEHP in NICU medical products: (1) replacement by DEHP-free plasticizers; and (2) replacement of PVC entirely through the use of other polymers. Both approaches seem to provide less harmful substitutes to DEHP, but support PVC-free polymers as the preferred alternative. However, significant data gaps exist, particularly for the alternative polymers. In all, 10 out of 21 (48%) products in the NICU audit were DEHP-free; six consisted of alternative polymers and four of alternative plasticizers. Of the remaining 11 products, only three were available without DEHP at the time of the audit. Conclusion Because of significant data gaps, systematic toxicological testing of DEHP-free alternatives is imperative. Continued development of alternative products is also needed. PMID:21311501

Archaeological Investigations at Sites 45-OK-250 and 45-OK-4, Chief Joseph Dam Project, Washington.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

level behind Chief Joseph Dam. Systematic random sampling using I x I x ’ - 0.1-m collection units in 1 x 1, 1 x 2, or 2 x 2 m cel Is disclosed...ft to the operating pool . level behind Chief Joseph Dam. Systematic random sampling using 1 x 1 x 0.1-i collection units In 1 x 1, 1 x 2, or 2 x 2 m...contingencies under which data were collected , describe data collection and analysis, and organize and summarize data In a torm useful to the widest

Nuchal translucency and first trimester risk assessment: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sheppard, Celeste; Platt, Lawrence D

2007-06-01

First-trimester risk assessment for fetal aneuploidy using nuchal translucency (NT) measurement is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. In combination with maternal serum markers in the first trimester, the screening performance is exceptionally good, with detection rates of more than 80% at a screen positive rate of 5%. Recently, the method has been validated for screening for Down syndrome and other aneuploidies in multicenter trials in the United States and elsewhere. Compliance with established criteria for measurement of the NT is essential to achieve uniform reliability and high screening test sensitivity. There is an international consensus about the importance of specific training in the NT examination, conformity to standards of NT measurement, and regular audit for quality assurance. In the United States, the Nuchal Translucency Quality Review program has been developed to administer credentialing and quality review for registered practitioners. The Nuchal Translucency Quality Review credentials signify the proficiency of the sonographer or sonologist in NT measurement and participation in a regular quality assurance audit. We encourage accreditation of clinical sites offering first-trimester risk assessment to ensure the highest quality care.

Does humor in radio advertising affect recognition of novel product brand names?

PubMed

Berg, E M; Lippman, L G

2001-04-01

The authors proposed that item selection during shopping is based on brand name recognition rather than recall. College students rated advertisements and news stories of a simulated radio program for level of amusement (orienting activity) before participating in a surprise recognition test. Humor level of the advertisements was varied systematically, and content was controlled. According to signal detection analysis, humor did not affect the strength of recognition memory for brand names (nonsense units). However, brand names and product types were significantly more likely to be associated when appearing in humorous advertisements than in nonhumorous advertisements. The results are compared with prior findings concerning humor and recall.

Cultural Resources Investigations: Terrace Survey and Site Evaluation, Table Rock Lake, Missouri and Arkansas,

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high...e Tl -’J. 39.1 37miA o= -0 38cvq 39 47am 0 0 . Unit 11 17N, 38E Unrt 12 I7N 39E Drsn by A ProjectAv. paint t WACe 0 Vh.wtewre sherd * 3u1t4oR 10-6...tape and transit method but because of the vegetation it was not possible to place the shovel tests at completely systematic intervals. Their location

A systematic review of financial and economic assessments of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) prevention and mitigation activities worldwide.

PubMed

Pinior, Beate; Firth, Clair L; Richter, Veronika; Lebl, Karin; Trauffler, Martine; Dzieciol, Monika; Hutter, Sabine E; Burgstaller, Johann; Obritzhauser, Walter; Winter, Petra; Käsbohrer, Annemarie

2017-02-01

Infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) results in major economic losses either directly through decreased productive performance in cattle herds or indirectly, such as through expenses for control programs. The aim of this systematic review was to review financial and/or economic assessment studies of prevention and/or mitigation activities of BVDV at national, regional and farm level worldwide. Once all predefined criteria had been met, 35 articles were included for this systematic review. Studies were analyzed with particular focus on the type of financially and/or economically-assessed prevention and/or mitigation activities. Due to the wide range of possible prevention and/or mitigation activities, these activities were grouped into five categories: i) control and/or eradication programs, ii) monitoring or surveillance, iii) prevention, iv) vaccination and v) individual culling, control and testing strategies. Additionally, the studies were analyzed according to economically-related variables such as efficiency, costs or benefits of prevention and/or mitigation activities, the applied financial and/or economic and statistical methods, the payers of prevention and/or mitigation activities, the assessed production systems, and the countries for which such evaluations are available. Financial and/or economic assessments performed in Europe were dominated by those from the United Kingdom, which assessed mostly vaccination strategies, and Norway which primarily carried out assessments in the area of control and eradication programs; whereas among non-European countries the United States carried out the majority of financial and/or economic assessments in the area of individual culling, control and testing. More than half of all studies provided an efficiency calculation of prevention and/or mitigation activities and demonstrated whether the inherent costs of implemented activities were or were not justified. The dairy sector was three times more likely to be assessed by the countries than beef production systems. In addition, the dairy sector was approximately eight times more likely to be assessed economically with respect to prevention and/or mitigation activities than calf and youngstock production systems. Furthermore, the private sector was identified as the primary payer of prevention and/or mitigation activities. This systematic review demonstrated a lack of studies relating to efficiency calculations, in particular at national and regional level, and the specific production systems. Thus, we confirmed the need for more well-designed studies in animal health economics in order to demonstrate that the implementation and inherent costs of BVDV prevention and/or mitigation activities are justified. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic and Scalable Testing of Concurrent Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-16

The evaluation of CHESS [107] checked eight different programs ranging from process management libraries to a distributed execution engine to a research...tool (§3.1) targets systematic testing of scheduling nondeterminism in multi- threaded components of the Omega cluster management system [129], while...tool for systematic testing of multithreaded com- ponents of the Omega cluster management system [129]. In particular, §3.1.1 defines a model for

Cognitive Modification and Systematic Desensitization with Test Anxious High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leal, Lois L.; And Others

1981-01-01

Compares the relative effectiveness of cognitive modification and systematic desensitization with test anxious high school students (N=30). The systematic desensitization treatment appeared to be significantly more effective on the performance measure while cognitive modification was more effective on one of the self-report measures. (Author/JAC)

Design for multipurpose use: an application of DfE concept in a developing economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunmade, Israel

2004-12-01

Design for Environment (DfE) has been defined as the systematic integration of environmental considerations into product and process design. And it has been discovered that material and space can be saved when several functions are integrated into a single product by taking advantage of common components. In this design and development project, a multipurpose thresher was designed based on an integrated concept of design for modularity, disassembly, demanufacturing and remanufacturing. The machine can be used to thresh various types of farm produce such as rice, sorghum, cowpea and rye by changing the concave and the cylinder (threshing drum). The configuration of the machine enables access to most of the component parts without changing the tools needed for disassembly because the same type of fasteners was used. Furthermore, the functional units (the shelling unit, the separation unit and the grading unit) were assembled into modules such that only the faulty part needs to be replaced if necessary. The design was so simplified that the operator can make the changes for different uses without any difficulty. The machine has been successfully tested with a number of these products and it is scheduled for tests with other produce like corn and peanuts. The modularity of the functional unit will facilitate multi-lifecycle use of machine and/or its component parts. The uniformity of the liaisons and simplification of the configuration will reduce both the disassembly times and maintenance cost. By this integration, the material requirements for four different machines are conserved, environmental emissions that would be associated with the manufacture, transportation and disposal of four machines are eliminated while the capital requirements by farmers for machinery are reduced to about a quarter. Consequently the total lifecycle cost is kept minimum while the eco-efficiency is maximized.

Systematic reviews of diagnostic tests in endocrinology: an audit of methods, reporting, and performance.

PubMed

Spencer-Bonilla, Gabriela; Singh Ospina, Naykky; Rodriguez-Gutierrez, Rene; Brito, Juan P; Iñiguez-Ariza, Nicole; Tamhane, Shrikant; Erwin, Patricia J; Murad, M Hassan; Montori, Victor M

2017-07-01

Systematic reviews provide clinicians and policymakers estimates of diagnostic test accuracy and their usefulness in clinical practice. We identified all available systematic reviews of diagnosis in endocrinology, summarized the diagnostic accuracy of the tests included, and assessed the credibility and clinical usefulness of the methods and reporting. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL from inception to December 2015 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses reporting accuracy measures of diagnostic tests in endocrinology. Experienced reviewers independently screened for eligible studies and collected data. We summarized the results, methods, and reporting of the reviews. We performed subgroup analyses to categorize diagnostic tests as most useful based on their accuracy. We identified 84 systematic reviews; half of the tests included were classified as helpful when positive, one-fourth as helpful when negative. Most authors adequately reported how studies were identified and selected and how their trustworthiness (risk of bias) was judged. Only one in three reviews, however, reported an overall judgment about trustworthiness and one in five reported using adequate meta-analytic methods. One in four reported contacting authors for further information and about half included only patients with diagnostic uncertainty. Up to half of the diagnostic endocrine tests in which the likelihood ratio was calculated or provided are likely to be helpful in practice when positive as are one-quarter when negative. Most diagnostic systematic reviews in endocrine lack methodological rigor, protection against bias, and offer limited credibility. Substantial efforts, therefore, seem necessary to improve the quality of diagnostic systematic reviews in endocrinology.

Chlamydia screening strategies and outcomes in educational settings: a systematic review.

PubMed

Jamil, Muhammad Shahid; Bauer, Heidi M; Hocking, Jane S; Ali, Hammad; Wand, Handan; Walker, Jennifer; Douglas, Laura; Donovan, Basil; Kaldor, John M; Guy, Rebecca J

2014-03-01

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) screening programs have been established in educational settings in many countries during the past 2 decades. However, recent evidence suggests that high uptake of screening and management (treatment, partner notification, and retesting for reinfection) improves program effectiveness. We conducted a systematic review to understand the screening strategies, the extent of screening conducted, and uptake of management strategies in educational settings. Screening studies in educational settings were identified through a systematic search of published literature from 2005 to 2011. We identified 27 studies describing 30 screening programs in the United States/Canada (n = 10), Europe (n = 8), Australia/New Zealand (n = 5), and Asia (n = 4). Most studies targeted both male and female students (74%). Classroom-based strategies resulted in 21,117 testes overall (4 programs), followed by opportunistic screening during routine health examination (n = 13,470; 5 programs) and opportunistic screening at school-based health centers (n = 13,006; 5 programs). The overall median CT positivity was 4.7% (range, 1.3%-18.1%). Only 5 programs reported treatment rates (median, 100%; range, 86%-100%), 1 partner notification rate (71%), 1 retesting rate within a year of an initial CT diagnosis (47%), and 2 reported repeat positivity rates (21.1% and 26.3%). In conclusion, this systematic review shows that a variety of strategies have been used to screen large numbers of students in educational settings; however, only a few studies have reported CT management outcomes.

Detecting fatigue thresholds from electromyographic signals: A systematic review on approaches and methodologies.

PubMed

Ertl, Peter; Kruse, Annika; Tilp, Markus

2016-10-01

The aim of the current paper was to systematically review the relevant existing electromyographic threshold concepts within the literature. The electronic databases MEDLINE and SCOPUS were screened for papers published between January 1980 and April 2015 including the keywords: neuromuscular fatigue threshold, anaerobic threshold, electromyographic threshold, muscular fatigue, aerobic-anaerobictransition, ventilatory threshold, exercise testing, and cycle-ergometer. 32 articles were assessed with regard to their electromyographic methodologies, description of results, statistical analysis and test protocols. Only one article was of very good quality. 21 were of good quality and two articles were of very low quality. The review process revealed that: (i) there is consistent evidence of one or two non-linear increases of EMG that might reflect the additional recruitment of motor units (MU) or different fiber types during fatiguing cycle ergometer exercise, (ii) most studies reported no statistically significant difference between electromyographic and metabolic thresholds, (iii) one minute protocols with increments between 10 and 25W appear most appropriate to detect muscular threshold, (iv) threshold detection from the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris is recommended, and (v) there is a great variety in study protocols, measurement techniques, and data processing. Therefore, we recommend further research and standardization in the detection of EMGTs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Care Cascade for targeted tuberculosis testing and linkage to Care in Homeless Populations in the United States: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Parriott, Andrea; Malekinejad, Mohsen; Miller, Amanda P; Marks, Suzanne M; Horvath, Hacsi; Kahn, James G

2018-04-12

Homelessness increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease and latent TB infection (LTBI), but persons experiencing homelessness often lack access to testing and treatment. We assessed the yield of TB testing and linkage to care for programs targeting homeless populations in the United States. We conducted a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature, adapting Cochrane systematic review methods. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility and abstracted key data on the testing to care cascade: number of persons reached, recruited for testing, tested for LTBI, with valid test results, referred to follow-up care, and initiating care. We used random effects to calculate pooled proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of persons retained in each step via inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis, and cumulative proportions as products of adjacent step proportions. We identified 23 studies published between 1986 and 2014, conducted in 12 states and 15 cities. Among studies using tuberculin skin tests (TST) we found that 93.7% (CI 72.4-100%) of persons reached were recruited, 97.9% (89.3-100%) of those recruited had tests placed, 85.5% (78.6-91.3%) of those with tests placed returned for reading, 99.9% (99.6-100%) of those with tests read had valid results, and 24.7% (21.0-28.5%) with valid results tested positive. All persons testing positive were referred to follow-up care, and 99.8% attended at least one session of follow-up care. Heterogeneity was high for most pooled proportions. For a hypothetical cohort of 1000 persons experiencing homelessness reached by a targeted testing program using TST, an estimated 917 were tested, 194 were positive, and all of these initiated follow-up care. Targeted TB testing of persons experiencing homelessness appears effective in detecting LTBI and connecting persons to care and potential treatment. Future evaluations should assess diagnostic use of interferon gamma release assays and completion of treatment, and costs of testing and treatment.

The Effect of Geographic Units of Analysis on Measuring Geographic Variation in Medical Services Utilization.

PubMed

Kim, Agnus M; Park, Jong Heon; Kang, Sungchan; Hwang, Kyosang; Lee, Taesik; Kim, Yoon

2016-07-01

We aimed to evaluate the effect of geographic units of analysis on measuring geographic variation in medical services utilization. For this purpose, we compared geographic variations in the rates of eight major procedures in administrative units (districts) and new areal units organized based on the actual health care use of the population in Korea. To compare geographic variation in geographic units of analysis, we calculated the age-sex standardized rates of eight major procedures (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, surgery after hip fracture, knee-replacement surgery, caesarean section, hysterectomy, computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance imaging scan) from the National Health Insurance database in Korea for the 2013 period. Using the coefficient of variation, the extremal quotient, and the systematic component of variation, we measured geographic variation for these eight procedures in districts and new areal units. Compared with districts, new areal units showed a reduction in geographic variation. Extremal quotients and inter-decile ratios for the eight procedures were lower in new areal units. While the coefficient of variation was lower for most procedures in new areal units, the pattern of change of the systematic component of variation between districts and new areal units differed among procedures. Geographic variation in medical service utilization could vary according to the geographic unit of analysis. To determine how geographic characteristics such as population size and number of geographic units affect geographic variation, further studies are needed.

Quantitative Simulations of MST Visual Receptive Field Properties Using a Template Model of Heading Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Leland S.; Perrone, J. A.

1997-01-01

We previously developed a template model of primate visual self-motion processing that proposes a specific set of projections from MT-like local motion sensors onto output units to estimate heading and relative depth from optic flow. At the time, we showed that that the model output units have emergent properties similar to those of MSTd neurons, although there was little physiological evidence to test the model more directly. We have now systematically examined the properties of the model using stimulus paradigms used by others in recent single-unit studies of MST: 1) 2-D bell-shaped heading tuning. Most MSTd neurons and model output units show bell-shaped heading tuning. Furthermore, we found that most model output units and the finely-sampled example neuron in the Duffy-Wurtz study are well fit by a 2D gaussian (sigma approx. 35deg, r approx. 0.9). The bandwidth of model and real units can explain why Lappe et al. found apparent sigmoidal tuning using a restricted range of stimuli (+/-40deg). 2) Spiral Tuning and Invariance. Graziano et al. found that many MST neurons appear tuned to a specific combination of rotation and expansion (spiral flow) and that this tuning changes little for approx. 10deg shifts in stimulus placement. Simulations of model output units under the same conditions quantitatively replicate this result. We conclude that a template architecture may underlie MT inputs to MST.

US policies to enhance older driver safety: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Dugan, Elizabeth; Barton, Kelli N; Coyle, Caitlin; Lee, Chae Man

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature related to state policies concerning older drivers and to draw policy conclusions about which policies appear to work to reduce older driver crashes and to identify areas needed for further research. Specific policies examined in this paper concern medical reporting and medical review, license renewal processes, and driver testing. A study was included in the systematic review if it met the following criteria: published in English between 1991and January 2013; included data on human subjects aged 65 and older residing in the United States; included information on at least one policy related to older drivers; and had a transportation-related outcome variable (e.g., crash, fatality, renewal). A total of 29 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-two studies investigated license renewal and seven articles examined medical reporting. In-person license renewal requirements were associated with reduced risk for fatal crashes. Restricted licenses were associated with reduced number of miles driven per week. More intensive renewal requirements and being the subject of a medical report to the licensing authority was associated with delicensure. Given the importance of driving to mobility, quality of life, and public safety, more research is needed.

Screening patients with stroke for rehabilitation needs: validation of the post-stroke rehabilitation guidelines.

PubMed

Edwards, Dorothy F; Hahn, Michele G; Baum, Carolyn M; Perlmutter, Monica S; Sheedy, Catherine; Dromerick, Alexander W

2006-03-01

The authors assessed patients with acute stroke to determine whether the systematic use of brief screening measures would more efficiently detect cognitive and sensory impairment than standard clinical practice. Fifty-three patients admitted to an acute stroke unit were assessed within 10 days of stroke onset. Performance on the screening measures was compared to information obtained from review of the patient's chart at discharge. Cognition, language, visual acuity, visual-spatial neglect, hearing, and depression were evaluated. Formal screening detected significantly more impairments than were noted in patient charts in every domain. Only 3 patients had no impairments identified on screening; all remaining patients had at least 1 impairment detected by screening that was not documented in the chart. Thirty-five percent had 3 or more undetected impairments. Memory impairment was most likely to be noted in the chart; for all other domains tested, undocumented impairment ranged from 61% (neglect) to 97% (anomia). Many acute stroke patients had cognitive and perceptual deficits that were not documented in their charts. These data support the Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Guidelines for systematic assessment even when deficits are not immediately apparent. Systematic screening may improve discharge planning, rehabilitation treatment, and long-term outcome of persons with stroke.

Software Testing and Verification in Climate Model Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clune, Thomas L.; Rood, RIchard B.

2011-01-01

Over the past 30 years most climate models have grown from relatively simple representations of a few atmospheric processes to a complex multi-disciplinary system. Computer infrastructure over that period has gone from punch card mainframes to modem parallel clusters. Model implementations have become complex, brittle, and increasingly difficult to extend and maintain. Existing verification processes for model implementations rely almost exclusively upon some combination of detailed analysis of output from full climate simulations and system-level regression tests. In additional to being quite costly in terms of developer time and computing resources, these testing methodologies are limited in terms of the types of defects that can be detected, isolated and diagnosed. Mitigating these weaknesses of coarse-grained testing with finer-grained "unit" tests has been perceived as cumbersome and counter-productive. In the commercial software sector, recent advances in tools and methodology have led to a renaissance for systematic fine-grained testing. We discuss the availability of analogous tools for scientific software and examine benefits that similar testing methodologies could bring to climate modeling software. We describe the unique challenges faced when testing complex numerical algorithms and suggest techniques to minimize and/or eliminate the difficulties.

Comparison between Kemp, Smith & Ragan, Dick & Carey's Instructional Design Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birgili, Bengi

2013-01-01

Instructional design (ID) is systematic way of suggesting a structure and giving meaning to an instructional problem by helping to visualize the problem and breaking into discrete and manageable units. In addition, ID is a systematic reflective process of applying instructional principles into plans by material, activity, resources and evaluation…

Internal robustness: systematic search for systematic bias in SN Ia data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amendola, Luca; Marra, Valerio; Quartin, Miguel

2013-04-01

A great deal of effort is currently being devoted to understanding, estimating and removing systematic errors in cosmological data. In the particular case of Type Ia supernovae, systematics are starting to dominate the error budget. Here we propose a Bayesian tool for carrying out a systematic search for systematic contamination. This serves as an extension to the standard goodness-of-fit tests and allows not only to cross-check raw or processed data for the presence of systematics but also to pin-point the data that are most likely contaminated. We successfully test our tool with mock catalogues and conclude that the Union2.1 data do not possess a significant amount of systematics. Finally, we show that if one includes in Union2.1 the supernovae that originally failed the quality cuts, our tool signals the presence of systematics at over 3.8σ confidence level.

[Nursing care systematization at the intensive care unit (ICU) based on Wanda Horta's theory].

PubMed

Amante, Lúcia Nazareth; Rossetto, Annelise Paula; Schneider, Dulcinéia Ghizoni

2009-03-01

The purpose of this study was to implement the Nursing Care Systematization--Sistematização da Assistência de Enfermagem (SAE)--with Wanda Aguiar Horta's Theory of Basic Human Necessities and the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association's (NANDA) Nursing Diagnosis as its references. The starting point was the evaluation of the knowledge of the nursing team about the SAE, including their participation in this process. This is a qualitative study, performed in the Intensive Care Unit in a hospital in the city of Brusque, Santa Catarina, from October, 2006 to March, 2007. It was observed that the nursing professionals know little about SAE, but they are greatly interested in learning and developing it in their daily practice. In conclusion, it was possible to execute the healthcare systematization in an easy way, with the use of simple brochures that provided all the necessary information for the qualified development of nursing care.

The Role of Supralexical Prosodic Units in Speech Production: Evidence from the Distribution of Speech Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choe, Wook Kyung

2013-01-01

The current dissertation represents one of the first systematic studies of the distribution of speech errors within supralexical prosodic units. Four experiments were conducted to gain insight into the specific role of these units in speech planning and production. The first experiment focused on errors in adult English. These were found to be…

A systematic approach to designing statistically powerful heteroscedastic 2 × 2 factorial studies while minimizing financial costs.

PubMed

Jan, Show-Li; Shieh, Gwowen

2016-08-31

The 2 × 2 factorial design is widely used for assessing the existence of interaction and the extent of generalizability of two factors where each factor had only two levels. Accordingly, research problems associated with the main effects and interaction effects can be analyzed with the selected linear contrasts. To correct for the potential heterogeneity of variance structure, the Welch-Satterthwaite test is commonly used as an alternative to the t test for detecting the substantive significance of a linear combination of mean effects. This study concerns the optimal allocation of group sizes for the Welch-Satterthwaite test in order to minimize the total cost while maintaining adequate power. The existing method suggests that the optimal ratio of sample sizes is proportional to the ratio of the population standard deviations divided by the square root of the ratio of the unit sampling costs. Instead, a systematic approach using optimization technique and screening search is presented to find the optimal solution. Numerical assessments revealed that the current allocation scheme generally does not give the optimal solution. Alternatively, the suggested approaches to power and sample size calculations give accurate and superior results under various treatment and cost configurations. The proposed approach improves upon the current method in both its methodological soundness and overall performance. Supplementary algorithms are also developed to aid the usefulness and implementation of the recommended technique in planning 2 × 2 factorial designs.

Facilitators and barriers of parental attitudes and beliefs toward school-located influenza vaccination in the United States: Systematic review.

PubMed

Kang, Gloria J; Culp, Rachel K; Abbas, Kaja M

2017-04-11

The study objective was to identify facilitators and barriers of parental attitudes and beliefs toward school-located influenza vaccination in the United States. In 2009, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded their recommendations for influenza vaccination to include school-aged children. We conducted a systematic review of studies focused on facilitators and barriers of parental attitudes toward school-located influenza vaccination in the United States from 1990 to 2016. We reviewed 11 articles by use of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework. Facilitators were free/low cost vaccination; having belief in vaccine efficacy, influenza severity, and susceptibility; belief that vaccination is beneficial, important, and a social norm; perception of school setting advantages; trust; and parental presence. Barriers were cost; concerns regarding vaccine safety, efficacy, equipment sterility, and adverse effects; perception of school setting barriers; negative physician advice of contraindications; distrust in vaccines and school-located vaccination programs; and health information privacy concerns. We identified the facilitators and barriers of parental attitudes and beliefs toward school-located influenza vaccination to assist in the evidence-based design and implementation of influenza vaccination programs targeted for children in the United States and to improve influenza vaccination coverage for population-wide health benefits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

20 CFR 655.3 - Special procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... FOREIGN WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES Labor Certification Process and Enforcement of Attestations for Temporary Employment in Occupations Other Than Agriculture or Registered Nursing in the United States (H-2B Workers) § 655.3 Special procedures. (a) Systematic process. This subpart provides procedures for the...

DRASTIC: A STANDARDIZED SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING GROUND WATER POLLUTION USING HYDROGEOLOGIC SETTINGS

EPA Science Inventory

A methodology is described that will allow the pollution potential of any hydrogeologic setting to be systematically evaluated anywhere in the United States. The system has two major portions: the designation of mappable units, termed hydrogeologic settings, and the superposit...

Third-degree burns caused by ignition of chlorhexidine: A case report and systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Vo, Anthony; Bengezi, Omar

2014-01-01

Ignition of chlorhexidine by an electrocautery unit is rare but can have devastating consequences for the patient and the surgeon. A case involving a 77-year-old man who underwent removal of an indwelling artificial urethral sphincter is presented. The chlorhexidine was ignited when the urologist activated the electrocautery unit, causing third-degree burns to the patient. A plastic surgeon treated the burns with surgical debridement and split-thickness skin grafting. A systematic review of the literature was performed with best practice recommendations. To the authors’ knowledge, the present case is the ninth such case reported. PMID:25535466

Predictors of cervical cancer screening adherence in the United States: a systematic review.

PubMed

Limmer, Karen; LoBiondo-Wood, Geri; Dains, Joyce

2014-01-01

Cervical cancer incidence rates have decreased dramatically since the implementation of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. Nevertheless, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates for 2013 predicted more than 12,000 new cases of cervical cancer in the United States. Given that some subpopulations in the United States are at a higher risk for cervical cancer than others, efforts to increase screening adherence are warranted. Many studies have explored the demographics of underscreened women, but no systematic reviews of screening demographics in adult US women were identified in the past 10 years, after release of the 2002 ACS cervical cancer screening guidelines. Knowledge of adherence to these guidelines becomes important as new guidelines were developed and released in 2012. The purpose of this systematic review of relevant studies was to identify factors that predict the use of cervical cancer screening in US women. Variables found to be significantly associated with adherence to screening included education, financial status, acculturation, psychosocial issues, and marital status. Using this information, nurse practitioners and other providers can target specific at-risk populations to increase screening by educating women about the need for cervical cancer screening and ensuring access to methods for prevention and early detection of the disease.

The Effect of Systematic Error in Forced Oscillation Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Brianne Y.; Landman, Drew; Flory, Isaac L., IV; Murphy, Patrick C.

2012-01-01

One of the fundamental problems in flight dynamics is the formulation of aerodynamic forces and moments acting on an aircraft in arbitrary motion. Classically, conventional stability derivatives are used for the representation of aerodynamic loads in the aircraft equations of motion. However, for modern aircraft with highly nonlinear and unsteady aerodynamic characteristics undergoing maneuvers at high angle of attack and/or angular rates the conventional stability derivative model is no longer valid. Attempts to formulate aerodynamic model equations with unsteady terms are based on several different wind tunnel techniques: for example, captive, wind tunnel single degree-of-freedom, and wind tunnel free-flying techniques. One of the most common techniques is forced oscillation testing. However, the forced oscillation testing method does not address the systematic and systematic correlation errors from the test apparatus that cause inconsistencies in the measured oscillatory stability derivatives. The primary objective of this study is to identify the possible sources and magnitude of systematic error in representative dynamic test apparatuses. Sensitivities of the longitudinal stability derivatives to systematic errors are computed, using a high fidelity simulation of a forced oscillation test rig, and assessed using both Design of Experiments and Monte Carlo methods.

GROUND-WATER MODEL TESTING: SYSTEMATIC EVALUATION AND TESTING OF CODE FUNCTIONALITY AND PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Effective use of ground-water simulation codes as management decision tools requires the establishment of their functionality, performance characteristics, and applicability to the problem at hand. This is accomplished through application of a systematic code-testing protocol and...

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa or C. indica) agriculture and the environment: a systematic, spatially-explicit survey and potential impacts

Treesearch

Van Butsic; Jacob C. Brenner

2017-01-01

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa or C. indica) agriculture is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States that is changing rapidly with policy liberalization. Anecdotal observations fuel speculation about associated environmental impacts, and there is an urgent need for systematic empirical research. An example from Humboldt...

Psychological Treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackner, Jeffrey M.; Mesmer, Christina; Morley, Stephen; Dowzer, Clare; Hamilton, Simon

2004-01-01

This study conducted a systematic review to assess the quality of existing literature on psychological treatments for irritable bowel syndrome and to quantify the evidence for their efficacy. Three independent reviewers (2 from England, 1 from the United States) coded the quality of 32 studies, 17 of which provided data suitable for meta-analysis.…

Improved nurse-parent communication in neonatal intensive care unit: evaluation and adjustment of an implementation strategy.

PubMed

Weis, Janne; Zoffmann, Vibeke; Egerod, Ingrid

2014-12-01

To evaluate and adjust systematic implementation of guided family-centred care in a neonatal intensive care unit. Family-centred care is valued in neonatal intensive care units internationally, but innovative strategies are needed to realise the principles. Guided family-centred care was developed to facilitate person-centred communication by bridging the gap between theory and practice in family-centred care. Main mechanisms of guided family-centred care are structured dialogue, reflection and person-centred communication. Qualitative and quantitative data were used to monitor participatory implementation of a systematic approach to training and certification of nurses delivering guided family-centred care. Systematic implementation of guided family-centred care included workshops, supervised delivery and certification. Evaluation and adjustment of nurse adherence to guided family-centred care was conducted by monitoring (1) knowledge, (2) delivery, (3) practice uptake and (4) certification. Implementation was improved by the development of a strategic framework and by adjusting the framework according to the real-life context of a busy neonatal care unit. Promoting practice uptake was initially underestimated, but nurse guided family-centred care training was improved by increasing the visibility of the study in the unit, demonstrating intervention progress to the nurses and assuring a sense of ownership among nurse leaders and nonguided-family-centred-care-trained nurses. An adjusted framework for guided family-centred care implementation was successful in overcoming barriers and promoting facilitators. Insights gained from our pioneering work might help nurses in a similar context to reach their goals of improving family-centred care. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Standardized Tests of Handwriting Readiness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Hartingsveldt, Margo J.; de Groot, Imelda J. M.; Aarts, Pauline B. M.; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W. G.

2011-01-01

Aim: To establish if there are psychometrically sound standardized tests or test items to assess handwriting readiness in 5- and 6-year-old children on the levels of occupations activities/tasks and performance. Method: Electronic databases were searched to identify measurement instruments. Tests were included in a systematic review if: (1)…

An Unconventional Inchworm Actuator Based on PZT/ERFs Control Technology

PubMed Central

Liu, Guojun; Zhang, Yanyan; Liu, Jianfang; Li, Jianqiao; Tang, Chunxiu; Wang, Tengfei; Yang, Xuhao

2016-01-01

An unconventional inchworm actuator for precision positioning based on piezoelectric (PZT) actuation and electrorheological fluids (ERFs) control technology is presented. The actuator consists of actuation unit (PZT stack pump), fluid control unit (ERFs valve), and execution unit (hydraulic actuator). In view of smaller deformation of PZT stack, a new structure is designed for actuation unit, which integrates the advantages of two modes (namely, diaphragm type and piston type) of the volume changing of pump chamber. In order to improve the static shear yield strength of ERFs, a composite ERFs valve is designed, which adopts the series-parallel plate compound structure. The prototype of the inchworm actuator has been designed and manufactured in the lab. Systematic test results indicate that the displacement resolution of the unconventional inchworm actuator reaches 0.038 μm, and the maximum driving force and velocity are 42 N, 14.8 mm/s, respectively. The optimal working frequency for the maximum driving velocity is 120 Hz. The complete research and development processes further confirm the feasibility of developing a new type of inchworm actuator with high performance based on PZT actuation and ERFs control technology, which provides a reference for the future development of a new type of actuator. PMID:27022234

An Unconventional Inchworm Actuator Based on PZT/ERFs Control Technology.

PubMed

Liu, Guojun; Zhang, Yanyan; Liu, Jianfang; Li, Jianqiao; Tang, Chunxiu; Wang, Tengfei; Yang, Xuhao

2016-01-01

An unconventional inchworm actuator for precision positioning based on piezoelectric (PZT) actuation and electrorheological fluids (ERFs) control technology is presented. The actuator consists of actuation unit (PZT stack pump), fluid control unit (ERFs valve), and execution unit (hydraulic actuator). In view of smaller deformation of PZT stack, a new structure is designed for actuation unit, which integrates the advantages of two modes (namely, diaphragm type and piston type) of the volume changing of pump chamber. In order to improve the static shear yield strength of ERFs, a composite ERFs valve is designed, which adopts the series-parallel plate compound structure. The prototype of the inchworm actuator has been designed and manufactured in the lab. Systematic test results indicate that the displacement resolution of the unconventional inchworm actuator reaches 0.038 μm, and the maximum driving force and velocity are 42 N, 14.8 mm/s, respectively. The optimal working frequency for the maximum driving velocity is 120 Hz. The complete research and development processes further confirm the feasibility of developing a new type of inchworm actuator with high performance based on PZT actuation and ERFs control technology, which provides a reference for the future development of a new type of actuator.

Agricultural Structures, Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linhardt, Richard E.; Burhoe, Steve

This guide to a curriculum unit in agricultural structures is designed to expand the curriculum materials available in vocational agriculture in Missouri. It and Agricultural Structures I (see note) provide reference materials to systematize the curriculum. The six units cover working with concrete (19 lessons, 2 laboratory exercises), drawing and…

eHealth Interventions for HIV Prevention in High-Risk Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Travers, Jasmine; Rojas, Marlene; Carballo-Diéguez, Alex

2014-01-01

Background While the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence rate has remained steady in most groups, the overall incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been steadily increasing in the United States. eHealth is a platform for health behavior change interventions and provides new opportunities for the delivery of HIV prevention messages. Objective The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the use of eHealth interventions for HIV prevention in high-risk MSM. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, OVID, ISI Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, and Google for articles and grey literature reporting the original results of any studies related to HIV prevention in MSM and developed a standard data collection form to extract information on study characteristics and outcome data. Results In total, 13 articles met the inclusion criteria, of which five articles targeted HIV testing behaviors and eight focused on decreasing HIV risk behaviors. Interventions included Web-based education modules, text messaging (SMS, short message service), chat rooms, and social networking. The methodological quality of articles ranged from 49.4-94.6%. Wide variation in the interventions meant synthesis of the results using meta-analysis would not be appropriate. Conclusions This review shows evidence that eHealth for HIV prevention in high-risk MSM has the potential to be effective in the short term for reducing HIV risk behaviors and increasing testing rates. Given that many of these studies were short term and had other limitations, but showed strong preliminary evidence of improving outcomes, additional work needs to rigorously assess the use of eHealth strategies for HIV prevention in high-risk MSM. PMID:24862459

Advances in Retinal Prosthetic Research: A Systematic Review of Engineering and Clinical Characteristics of Current Prosthetic Initiatives.

PubMed

Cheng, Derrick L; Greenberg, Paul B; Borton, David A

2017-03-01

To date, reviews of retinal prostheses have focused primarily on devices undergoing human trials in the Western Hemisphere and fail to capture significant advances in materials and engineering research in countries such as Japan and Korea, as well as projects in early stages of development. To address these gaps, this systematic review examines worldwide advances in retinal prosthetic research, evaluates engineering characteristics and clinical progress of contemporary device initiatives, and identifies potential directions for future research in the field of retinal prosthetics. A literature search using PubMed, Google Scholar, and IEEExplore was conducted following the PRISMA Guidelines for Systematic Review. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed papers demonstrating progress in human or animal trials and papers discussing the prosthetic engineering design. For each initiative, a description of the device, its engineering considerations, and recent clinical results were provided. Ten prosthetic initiatives met our inclusion criteria and were organized by stimulation location. Of these initiatives, four have recently completed human trials, three are undergoing multi- or single-center human trials, and three are undergoing preclinical animal testing. Only the Argus II (FDA 2013, CE 2011) has obtained FDA approval for use in the United States; the Alpha-IMS (CE 2013) has achieved the highest visual acuity using a Landolt-C test to date and is the only device presently undergoing a multicenter clinical trial. Several distinct approaches to retinal stimulation have been successful in eliciting visual precepts in animals and/or humans. However, many clinical needs are still not met and engineering challenges must be addressed before a retinal prosthesis with the capability to fully and safely restore functional vision can be realized.

A systematic review of emergency department based HIV testing and linkage to care initiatives in low resource settings.

PubMed

Hansoti, Bhakti; Kelen, Gabor D; Quinn, Thomas C; Whalen, Madeleine M; DesRosiers, Taylor T; Reynolds, Steven J; Redd, Andrew; Rothman, Richard E

2017-01-01

Only 45% of people currently living with HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa are aware of their HIV status. Unmet testing needs may be addressed by utilizing the Emergency Department (ED) as an innovative testing venue in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The purpose of this review is to examine the burden of HIV infection described in EDs in LMICs, with a focus on summarizing the implementation of various ED-based HIV testing strategies. We performed a systematic review of Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library on June 12, 2016. A three-concept search was employed with emergency medicine (e.g., Emergency department, emergency medical services), HIV/AIDS (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), and LMIC terms (e.g., developing country, under developed countries, specific country names). The search returned 2026 unique articles. Of these, thirteen met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. There was a large variation in the reported prevalence of HIV infection in the ED population ranging from to 2.14% in India to 43.3% in Uganda. The proportion HIV positive patients with previously undiagnosed infection ranged from 90% to 65.22%. In the United States ED-based HIV testing strategies have been front and center at curbing the HIV epidemic. The limited number of ED-based studies we observed in this study may represent the paucity of HIV testing in this venue in LMICs. All of the studies in this review demonstrated a high prevalence of HIV infection in the ED and an extraordinarily high percentage of previously undiagnosed HIV infection. Although the numbers of published reports are few, these diverse studies imply that in HIV endemic low resource settings EDs carry a large burden of undiagnosed HIV infections and may offer a unique testing venue.

The Relative Effectiveness of Systematic Desensitization and Hypnosis in Alleviating Test Anxiety in Community College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Roy D., Jr.

In order to determine whether or not systematic desensitization or hypnosis have any effect in alleviating the test anxiety of community college students, 30 Massasoit Community College student volunteers were matched for GPA and assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) a systematic desensitization group, in which subjects listened to tape…

The evolution of urban sprawl: evidence of spatial heterogeneity and increasing land fragmentation.

PubMed

Irwin, Elena G; Bockstael, Nancy E

2007-12-26

We investigate the dynamics and spatial distribution of land use fragmentation in a rapidly urbanizing region of the United States to test key propositions regarding the evolution of sprawl. Using selected pattern metrics and data from 1973 and 2000 for the state of Maryland, we find significant increases in developed and undeveloped land fragmentation but substantial spatial heterogeneity as well. Estimated fragmentation gradients that describe mean fragmentation as a function of distance from urban centers confirm the hypotheses that fragmentation rises and falls with distance and that the point of maximum fragmentation shifted outward over time. However, rather than outward increases in sprawl balanced by development infill, we find substantial and significant increases in mean fragmentation values along the entire urban-rural gradient. These findings are in contrast to the results of Burchfield et al. [Burchfield M, Overman HG, Puga D, Turner MA (2006) Q J Econ 121:587-633], who conclude that the extent of sprawl remained roughly unchanged in the Unites States between 1976 and 1992. As demonstrated here, both the data and pattern measure used in their study are systematically biased against recording low-density residential development, the very land use that we find is most strongly associated with fragmentation. Other results demonstrate the association between exurban growth and increasing fragmentation and the systematic variation of fragmentation with nonurban factors. In particular, proximity to the Chesapeake Bay is negatively associated with fragmentation, suggesting that an attraction effect associated with this natural amenity has concentrated development.

Group Systematic Desensitization Versus Covert Positive Reinforcement in the Reduction of Test Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostka, Marion P.; Galassi, John P.

1974-01-01

The study compared modified versions of systematic desensitization and covert positive reinforcement to a no-treatment control condition in the reduction of test anxiety. On an anagrams performance test, the covert reinforcement and control groups were superior to the desensitization group. (Author)

Comparative analysis of quantitative methodologies for Vibrionaceae biofilms.

PubMed

Chavez-Dozal, Alba A; Nourabadi, Neda; Erken, Martina; McDougald, Diane; Nishiguchi, Michele K

2016-11-01

Multiple symbiotic and free-living Vibrio spp. grow as a form of microbial community known as a biofilm. In the laboratory, methods to quantify Vibrio biofilm mass include crystal violet staining, direct colony-forming unit (CFU) counting, dry biofilm cell mass measurement, and observation of development of wrinkled colonies. Another approach for bacterial biofilms also involves the use of tetrazolium (XTT) assays (used widely in studies of fungi) that are an appropriate measure of metabolic activity and vitality of cells within the biofilm matrix. This study systematically tested five techniques, among which the XTT assay and wrinkled colony measurement provided the most reproducible, accurate, and efficient methods for the quantitative estimation of Vibrionaceae biofilms.

Certification of highly complex safety-related systems.

PubMed

Reinert, D; Schaefer, M

1999-01-01

The BIA has now 15 years of experience with the certification of complex electronic systems for safety-related applications in the machinery sector. Using the example of machining centres this presentation will show the systematic procedure for verifying and validating control systems using Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and microcomputers for safety functions. One section will describe the control structure of machining centres with control systems using "integrated safety." A diverse redundant architecture combined with crossmonitoring and forced dynamization is explained. In the main section the steps of the systematic certification procedure are explained showing some results of the certification of drilling machines. Specification reviews, design reviews with test case specification, statistical analysis, and walk-throughs are the analytical measures in the testing process. Systematic tests based on the test case specification, Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI), and environmental testing, and site acceptance tests on the machines are the testing measures for validation. A complex software driven system is always undergoing modification. Most of the changes are not safety-relevant but this has to be proven. A systematic procedure for certifying software modifications is presented in the last section of the paper.

Immigrant-Responsive Multicultural Education in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oikonomidoy, Eleni

2011-01-01

In this article, it is proposed that systematic attention to certain characteristics of newcomer immigrant students' identity construction could enhance the premises of the field of multicultural education in the United States, with immigrant-responsive insights. Elements from the scholarship in the sociology of migration, which attend to critical…

Regional Patterns of Communication in the United States: A Theoretical Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Peter A.; And Others

1987-01-01

Provides the rationale for a systematic study of regional patterns of communication in the United States. Conceptualizes regionalism, appraises regional influences on communication, and establishes their significance. Describes regional development of the U.S. and proposes a program of regional research on U.S. communication. Examines deficiencies…

Exporting U.S. CTE Goods and Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fretwell, David

2009-01-01

The United States needs to develop and implement systematic programs to market Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) models internationally--the way other nations have. The short- and long-term social, political and economic implications for the United States are considerable, including the acquisition of new knowledge to improve…

Review of Education-Focused Health Impact Assessments Conducted in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gase, Lauren N.; DeFosset, Amelia R.; Gakh, Maxim; Harris, Celia; Weisman, Susan R.; Dannenberg, Andrew L.

2017-01-01

Background: Health impact assessment (HIA) provides a structured process for examining the potential health impacts of proposed policies, plans, programs, and projects. This study systematically reviewed HIAs conducted in the United States on prekindergarten, primary, and secondary education-focused decisions. Methods: Relevant HIA reports were…

Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States. Echinodermata: Holothuroidea.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawson, David L.

This report is part of a subseries entitled "Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States" which is designed for use by biology students, biologists, biological oceanographers and informed laymen. Contents of this report include: (1) Introduction; (2) Morphology; (3) Systematic Characters; (4) Examination Procedures; (5)…

Impact of systematic HIV testing on case finding and retention in care at a primary care clinic in South Africa.

PubMed

Clouse, Kate; Hanrahan, Colleen F; Bassett, Jean; Fox, Matthew P; Sanne, Ian; Van Rie, Annelies

2014-12-01

Systematic, opt-out HIV counselling and testing (HCT) may diagnose individuals at lower levels of immunodeficiency but may impact loss to follow-up (LTFU) if healthier people are less motivated to engage and remain in HIV care. We explored LTFU and patient clinical outcomes under two different HIV testing strategies. We compared patient characteristics and retention in care between adults newly diagnosed with HIV by either voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) plus targeted provider-initiated counselling and testing (PITC) or systematic HCT at a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. One thousand one hundred and forty-four adults were newly diagnosed by VCT/PITC and 1124 by systematic HCT. Two-thirds of diagnoses were in women. Median CD4 count at HIV diagnosis (251 vs. 264 cells/μl, P = 0.19) and proportion of individuals eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART) (67.2% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.80) did not differ by HCT strategy. Within 1 year of HIV diagnosis, half were LTFU: 50.5% under VCT/PITC and 49.6% under systematic HCT (P = 0.64). The overall hazard of LTFU was not affected by testing policy (aHR 0.98, 95%CI: 0.87-1.10). Independent of HCT strategy, males, younger adults and those ineligible for ART were at higher risk of LTFU. Implementation of systematic HCT did not increase baseline CD4 count. Overall retention in the first year after HIV diagnosis was low (37.9%), especially among those ineligible for ART, but did not differ by testing strategy. Expansion of HIV testing should coincide with effective strategies to increase retention in care, especially among those not yet eligible for ART at initial diagnosis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

History of United States Army physical fitness and physical readiness training.

PubMed

Knapik, Joseph J; East, Whitfield B

2014-01-01

This article traces the history of US Army physical fitness assessments from the first test developed for Cadets at the US Military Academy in 1858 through efforts to revise the current Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT). The first "Individual Efficiency Test" (1920) for all Soldiers consisted of a 100-yard run, running broad jump, wall climb, hand grenade throw, and obstacle course. The first scientific efforts involved testing of 400 Soldiers and a factor analysis of 25 individual test items. In 1944, this resulted in a 7-item test (pull-up, burpee, squat jump, push-up, man-carry, sit-up and 300-yard run) with a 100-point scoring system. In 1943, women were encouraged to take a "self-assessment" consisting of push-ups, bent knee sit-ups, wing lifts, squat thrusts, running, and a stork stand. In 1946, age-adjusted standards were introduced and in 1965 semiannual fitness assessments were mandated. The number of tests proliferated in the 1969-1973 period with 7 separate assessments. The current APFT consisting of push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run was introduced in 1980 and alternative tests for those with physical limitations in 1982. Current efforts to revise the assessment involve systematic literature reviews and validating the relationship between test items and common Soldiering tasks.

Association between migration and cognitive status among middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review.

PubMed

Xu, Hanzhang; Zhang, Yinan; Wu, Bei

2017-08-17

This study aimed to synthesize the current literature examining the association between migration and cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults. We used the PRISMA as a guideline for this systematic review and searched the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Global Health. Twenty-five published studies were included. Twenty-two studies were focused on international migrants, while only 3 studied internal migrants. Fourteen studies were conducted in the United States, followed by UK (n = 2), Israel (n = 2), India (n = 2) and other countries like Canada and Australia. Some studies showed that middle-aged and older migrants demonstrated poorer cognitive function comparing to non-migrants in hosting places; while other studies indicated no association between migration and cognitive function. A higher level of acculturation was associated with better performance on cognitive function tests among migrants. It is unclear how or whether migration and cognitive function are related. The quality of current literature suffered from methodological deficiencies. Additional research is needed to examine the linkages using more comprehensive measures of migration and cognitive function.

Systematic and deliberate orientation and instruction for dedicated education unit staff.

PubMed

Smyer, Tish; Tejada, Marianne Bundalian; Tan, Rhigel Alforque

2015-03-01

On the basis of increasing complexity of the health care environment and recommended changes in how nurses are educated to meet these challenges, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, School of Nursing established an academic-practice partnership with Summerlin Hospital Medical Center to develop a dedicated education unit (DEU). When the DEU model was implemented, variables that were not discussed in the literature needed to be addressed. One such challenge was how to impart pedagogy related to clinical teaching to the DEU nursing staff who would be acting as clinical dedicated unit instructors (CDIs). Of chief concern was the evaluation and monitoring of the quality of CDI-student interactions to ensure optimal student learning outcomes. This article addresses the development of a deliberate, systematic approach to the orientation and continued education of CDIs in the DEU. This information will assist other nursing programs as they begin to implement DEUs. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

[Preliminarily application of content analysis to qualitative nursing data].

PubMed

Liang, Shu-Yuan; Chuang, Yeu-Hui; Wu, Shu-Fang

2012-10-01

Content analysis is a methodology for objectively and systematically studying the content of communication in various formats. Content analysis in nursing research and nursing education is called qualitative content analysis. Qualitative content analysis is frequently applied to nursing research, as it allows researchers to determine categories inductively and deductively. This article examines qualitative content analysis in nursing research from theoretical and practical perspectives. We first describe how content analysis concepts such as unit of analysis, meaning unit, code, category, and theme are used. Next, we describe the basic steps involved in using content analysis, including data preparation, data familiarization, analysis unit identification, creating tentative coding categories, category refinement, and establishing category integrity. Finally, this paper introduces the concept of content analysis rigor, including dependability, confirmability, credibility, and transferability. This article elucidates the content analysis method in order to help professionals conduct systematic research that generates data that are informative and useful in practical application.

A Systematic Review of the Effects of Postsecondary Education in the Penal System on Recidivism and Incarceration Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munroe, Monekka L.

2016-01-01

The problem is Florida is ranked as having the 10th largest incarceration rate in the United States, with a recidivism rate of almost 30%. Therefore, this researcher conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine any benefits to providing college courses to inmates, including the reduction of recidivism. To determine the…

A management-oriented classification of pinyon-juniper woodlands of the Great Basin

Treesearch

Neil E. West; Robin J. Tausch; Paul T. Tueller

1998-01-01

A hierarchical framework for the classification of Great Basin pinyon-juniper woodlands was based on a systematic sample of 426 stands from a random selection of 66 of the 110 mountain ranges in the region. That is, mountain ranges were randomly selected, but stands were systematically located on mountain ranges. The National Hierarchical Framework of Ecological Units...

Forest resources of southeast Alaska, 2000: results of a single-phase systematic sample.

Treesearch

Willem W.S. van Hees

2003-01-01

A baseline assessment of forest resources in southeast Alaska was made by using a single-phase, unstratified, systematic-grid sample, with ground plots established at each grid intersection. Ratio-of-means estimators were used to develop population estimates. Forests cover an estimated 48 percent of the 22.9-million-acre southeast Alaska inventory unit. Dominant forest...

[Analysis of the implementation of Nursing Assistance Systematization in a rehabilitation unit].

PubMed

Neves, Rinaldo de Souza; Shimizu, Helena Eri

2010-01-01

This study seeks to analyze the execution of the Infirmary Attendance Systematization Nursing stages through an exploratory, qualitative and retrospective approach. The retrospective analysis took place using 25 medic reports containing 25 historical reports, 12 diagnosis reports, 100 prescriptions and 100 nursing evolution reports. The results demonstrated the many difficulties the nurses faced to make Nursing Assistance Systematization operational. Although all Nursing Assistance Systematization stages were accomplished - historical, diagnosis, prescription, evolution and nursing - it was verified a larger frequency in filling prescription and historical related forms and a lesser one related with evolution and diagnosis related forms. In short, Nursing Assistance Systematization procedures still are fragmentized, showing the need to reorganize this attendance methodology attendance, and, above all, to invest in continuous nursing training to improve the customer care services quality.

Treatment of Test Anxiety by Cue-Controlled Relaxation and Systematic Desensitization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Richard K.; And Others

1976-01-01

Test-anxious subjects (N=19) participated in an outcome study comparing systematic desensitization, cue-controlled relaxation, and no treatment. The treatment groups demonstrated significant improvement on the self-report measures of test and state anxiety but not on the behavioral indices. The potential advantages of this technique over…

Bad data detection in two stage estimation using phasor measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarali, Aditya

The ability of the Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) to directly measure the system state, has led to steady increase in the use of PMU in the past decade. However, in spite of its high accuracy and the ability to measure the states directly, they cannot completely replace the conventional measurement units due to high cost. Hence it is necessary for the modern estimators to use both conventional and phasor measurements together. This thesis presents an alternative method to incorporate the new PMU measurements into the existing state estimator in a systematic manner such that no major modification is necessary to the existing algorithm. It is also shown that if PMUs are placed appropriately, the phasor measurements can be used to detect and identify the bad data associated with critical measurements by using this model, which cannot be detected by conventional state estimation algorithm. The developed model is tested on IEEE 14, IEEE 30 and IEEE 118 bus under various conditions.

Assessment of Arbovirus Surveillance 13 Years after Introduction of West Nile Virus, United States1

PubMed Central

Patel, Dhara; Nasci, Roger S.; Petersen, Lyle R.; Hughes, James M.; Bradley, Kristy; Etkind, Paul; Kan, Lilly; Engel, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Before 1999, the United States had no appropriated funding for arboviral surveillance, and many states conducted no such surveillance. After emergence of West Nile virus (WNV), federal funding was distributed to state and selected local health departments to build WNV surveillance systems. The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists conducted assessments of surveillance capacity of resulting systems in 2004 and in 2012; the assessment in 2012 was conducted after a 61% decrease in federal funding. In 2004, nearly all states and assessed local health departments had well-developed animal, mosquito, and human surveillance systems to monitor WNV activity and anticipate outbreaks. In 2012, many health departments had decreased mosquito surveillance and laboratory testing capacity and had no systematic disease-based surveillance for other arboviruses. Arboviral surveillance in many states might no longer be sufficient to rapidly detect and provide information needed to fully respond to WNV outbreaks and other arboviral threats (e.g., dengue, chikungunya). PMID:26079471

Adoption of medical devices: perspectives of professionals in Swedish neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Roback, Kerstin; Gäddlin, Per-Olof; Nelson, Nina; Persson, Jan

2007-01-01

Advances in biomedical engineering enable us to treat increasingly severe conditions. This implies an increased need for regulation and priority setting in healthcare, to ensure appropriate safety cautions and to avoid accelerating expenditures. This interview study investigates the mechanisms behind the adoption and use of medical devices through the subjective experiences of hospital staff working with devices for neonatal intensive care. The adoption was found to be primarily initiated by vendor activities, but professionals preferably sought information about functionality from close colleagues. Full integration of devices was sometimes not achieved, and even though the adopting units had good introduction routines, there was no systematic follow-up of how adopted devices had been integrated in the work practices. Diffusion variations were, however, mainly found for temporarily tested devices and not for permanently available technologies. Three factors were found to be the major explanatory variables of the adoption of medical devices: (1) the subjective expected value of the device, (2) information and learning, and (3) the innovativeness of the adopting unit.

Harms of cervical cancer screening in the United States and the Netherlands.

PubMed

Habbema, Dik; Weinmann, Sheila; Arbyn, Marc; Kamineni, Aruna; Williams, Andrew E; M C M de Kok, Inge; van Kemenade, Folkert; Field, Terry S; van Rosmalen, Joost; Brown, Martin L

2017-03-01

We studied harms related to cervical cancer screening and management of screen-positive women in the United States (US) and the Netherlands. We utilized data from four US integrated health care systems (SEARCH), the US National Health Interview Survey, New Mexico state, the Netherlands national histopathology registry, and included studies on adverse health effects of cervical screening. We compared the number of Papanicolaou (Pap) smear tests, abnormal test results, punch biopsies, treatments, health problems (anxiety, pain, bleeding and discharge) and preterm births associated with excisional treatments. Results were age-standardized to the 2007 US population. Based on SEARCH, an estimated 36 million Pap tests were performed in 2007 for 91 million US women aged 21-65 years, leading to 2.3 million abnormal Pap tests, 1.5 million punch biopsies, 0.3 million treatments for precancerous lesions, 5 thousand preterm births and over 8 million health problems. Under the Netherlands screening practice, fewer Pap tests (58%), abnormal test results (64%), punch biopsies (75%), treatment procedures (40%), preterm births (60%) and health problems (63%) would have occurred. The SEARCH data did not differ much from other US data for 2007 or from more recent data up to 2013. Thus compared to the less intensive screening practice in the Netherlands, US practice of cervical cancer screening may have resulted in two- to threefold higher harms, while the effects on cervical cancer incidence and mortality are similar. The results are also of high relevance in making recommendations for HPV screening. Systematic collection of harms data is needed for monitoring and for better incorporation of harms in making screening recommendations. © 2016 UICC.

Calibration of the aerodynamic coefficient identification package measurements from the shuttle entry flights using inertial measurement unit data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heck, M. L.; Findlay, J. T.; Compton, H. R.

1983-01-01

The Aerodynamic Coefficient Identification Package (ACIP) is an instrument consisting of body mounted linear accelerometers, rate gyros, and angular accelerometers for measuring the Space Shuttle vehicular dynamics. The high rate recorded data are utilized for postflight aerodynamic coefficient extraction studies. Although consistent with pre-mission accuracies specified by the manufacturer, the ACIP data were found to contain detectable levels of systematic error, primarily bias, as well as scale factor, static misalignment, and temperature dependent errors. This paper summarizes the technique whereby the systematic ACIP error sources were detected, identified, and calibrated with the use of recorded dynamic data from the low rate, highly accurate Inertial Measurement Units.

Relating Language and Music Skills in Young Children: A First Approach to Systemize and Compare Distinct Competencies on Different Levels

PubMed Central

Cohrdes, Caroline; Grolig, Lorenz; Schroeder, Sascha

2016-01-01

Children in transition from kindergarten to school develop fundamental skills important for the acquisition of reading and writing. Previous research pointed toward substantial correlations between specific language- and music-related competencies as well as positive transfer effects from music on pre-literacy skills. However, until now the relationship between diverse music and language competencies remains unclear. In the present study, we used a comprehensive approach to clarify the relationships between a broad variety of language and music skills on different levels, not only between but also within domains. In order to do so, we selected representative language- and music-related competencies and systematically compared the performance of N = 44 5- to 7-year-old children with a control group of N = 20 young adults aged from 20 to 30. Competencies were organized in distinct levels according to varying units of vowels/sounds, words or syllables/short melodic or rhythmic phrases, syntax/harmony and context of a whole story/song to test for their interrelatedness within each domain. Following this, we conducted systematic correlation analyses between the competencies of both domains. Overall, selected competencies appeared to be appropriate for the measurement of language and music skills in young children with reference to comprehension, difficulty and a developmental perspective. In line with a hierarchical model of skill acquisition, performance on lower levels was predictive for the performance on higher levels within domains. Moreover, correlations between domains were stronger for competencies reflecting a similar level of cognitive processing, as expected. In conclusion, a systematic comparison of various competencies on distinct levels according to varying units turned out to be appropriate regarding comparability and interrelatedness. Results are discussed with regard to similarities and differences in the development of language and music skills as well as in terms of implications for further research on transfer effects from music on language. PMID:27826266

Relating Language and Music Skills in Young Children: A First Approach to Systemize and Compare Distinct Competencies on Different Levels.

PubMed

Cohrdes, Caroline; Grolig, Lorenz; Schroeder, Sascha

2016-01-01

Children in transition from kindergarten to school develop fundamental skills important for the acquisition of reading and writing. Previous research pointed toward substantial correlations between specific language- and music-related competencies as well as positive transfer effects from music on pre-literacy skills. However, until now the relationship between diverse music and language competencies remains unclear. In the present study, we used a comprehensive approach to clarify the relationships between a broad variety of language and music skills on different levels, not only between but also within domains. In order to do so, we selected representative language- and music-related competencies and systematically compared the performance of N = 44 5- to 7-year-old children with a control group of N = 20 young adults aged from 20 to 30. Competencies were organized in distinct levels according to varying units of vowels/sounds, words or syllables/short melodic or rhythmic phrases, syntax/harmony and context of a whole story/song to test for their interrelatedness within each domain. Following this, we conducted systematic correlation analyses between the competencies of both domains. Overall, selected competencies appeared to be appropriate for the measurement of language and music skills in young children with reference to comprehension, difficulty and a developmental perspective. In line with a hierarchical model of skill acquisition, performance on lower levels was predictive for the performance on higher levels within domains. Moreover, correlations between domains were stronger for competencies reflecting a similar level of cognitive processing, as expected. In conclusion, a systematic comparison of various competencies on distinct levels according to varying units turned out to be appropriate regarding comparability and interrelatedness. Results are discussed with regard to similarities and differences in the development of language and music skills as well as in terms of implications for further research on transfer effects from music on language.

Calculating inspector probability of detection using performance demonstration program pass rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumblidge, Stephen; D'Agostino, Amy

2016-02-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has been working since the 1970's to ensure that nondestructive testing performed on nuclear power plants in the United States will provide reasonable assurance of structural integrity of the nuclear power plant components. One tool used by the NRC has been the development and implementation of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI Appendix VIII[1] (Appendix VIII) blind testing requirements for ultrasonic procedures, equipment, and personnel. Some concerns have been raised, over the years, by the relatively low pass rates for the Appendix VIII qualification testing. The NRC staff has applied statistical tools and simulations to determine the expected probability of detection (POD) for ultrasonic examinations under ideal conditions based on the pass rates for the Appendix VIII qualification tests for the ultrasonic testing personnel. This work was primarily performed to answer three questions. First, given a test design and pass rate, what is the expected overall POD for inspectors? Second, can we calculate the probability of detection for flaws of different sizes using this information? Finally, if a previously qualified inspector fails a requalification test, does this call their earlier inspections into question? The calculations have shown that one can expect good performance from inspectors who have passed appendix VIII testing in a laboratory-like environment, and the requalification pass rates show that the inspectors have maintained their skills between tests. While these calculations showed that the PODs for the ultrasonic inspections are very good under laboratory conditions, the field inspections are conducted in a very different environment. The NRC staff has initiated a project to systematically analyze the human factors differences between qualification testing and field examinations. This work will be used to evaluate and prioritize potential human factors issues that may degrade performance in the field.

Systematic Assessment of the Correlations of Household Income With Infectious, Biochemical, Physiological, and Environmental Factors in the United States, 1999–2006

PubMed Central

Patel, Chirag J.; Ioannidis, John P. A.; Cullen, Mark R.; Rehkopf, David H.

2015-01-01

A fuller understanding of the social epidemiology of disease requires an extended description of the relationships between social factors and health indicators in a systematic manner. In the present study, we investigated the correlations between income and 330 indicators of physiological, biochemical, and environmental health in participants in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (1999–2006). We combined data from 3 survey waves (n = 249–23,649 for various indicators) to search for linear and nonlinear (quadratic) correlates of income, and we validated significant (P < 0.00015) correlations in an independent testing data set (n = 255–7,855). We validated 66 out of 330 factors, including infectious (e.g., hepatitis A), biochemical (e.g., carotenoids, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), physiological (e.g., upper leg length), and environmental (e.g., lead, cotinine) measures. We found only a modest amount of association modification by age, race/ethnicity, and gender, and there was no association modification for blacks. The present study is descriptive, not causal. We have shown in our systematic investigation the crucial place income has in relation to health risk factors. Future research can use these correlations to better inform theory and studies of pathways to disease, as well as utilize these findings to understand when confounding by income is most likely to introduce bias. PMID:25589242

"May I Buy a Pack of Marlboros, Please?" A Systematic Review of Evidence to Improve the Validity and Impact of Youth Undercover Buy Inspections.

PubMed

Lee, Joseph G L; Gregory, Kyle R; Baker, Hannah M; Ranney, Leah M; Goldstein, Adam O

2016-01-01

Most smokers become addicted to tobacco products before they are legally able to purchase these products. We systematically reviewed the literature on protocols to assess underage purchase and their ecological validity. We conducted a systematic search in May 2015 in PubMed and PsycINFO. We independently screened records for inclusion. We conducted a narrative review and examined implications of two types of legal authority for protocols that govern underage buy enforcement in the United States: criminal (state-level laws prohibiting sales to youth) and administrative (federal regulations prohibiting sales to youth). Ten studies experimentally assessed underage buy protocols and 44 studies assessed the association between youth characteristics and tobacco sales. Protocols that mimicked real-world youth behaviors were consistently associated with substantially greater likelihood of a sale to a youth. Many of the tested protocols appear to be designed for compliance with criminal law rather than administrative enforcement in ways that limited ecological validity. This may be due to concerns about entrapment. For administrative enforcement in particular, entrapment may be less of an issue than commonly thought. Commonly used underage buy protocols poorly represent the reality of youths' access to tobacco from retailers. Compliance check programs should allow youth to present themselves naturally and attempt to match the community's demographic makeup.

"May I Buy a Pack of Marlboros, Please?" A Systematic Review of Evidence to Improve the Validity and Impact of Youth Undercover Buy Inspections

PubMed Central

Lee, Joseph G. L.; Gregory, Kyle R.; Baker, Hannah M.; Ranney, Leah M.; Goldstein, Adam O.

2016-01-01

Most smokers become addicted to tobacco products before they are legally able to purchase these products. We systematically reviewed the literature on protocols to assess underage purchase and their ecological validity. We conducted a systematic search in May 2015 in PubMed and PsycINFO. We independently screened records for inclusion. We conducted a narrative review and examined implications of two types of legal authority for protocols that govern underage buy enforcement in the United States: criminal (state-level laws prohibiting sales to youth) and administrative (federal regulations prohibiting sales to youth). Ten studies experimentally assessed underage buy protocols and 44 studies assessed the association between youth characteristics and tobacco sales. Protocols that mimicked real-world youth behaviors were consistently associated with substantially greater likelihood of a sale to a youth. Many of the tested protocols appear to be designed for compliance with criminal law rather than administrative enforcement in ways that limited ecological validity. This may be due to concerns about entrapment. For administrative enforcement in particular, entrapment may be less of an issue than commonly thought. Commonly used underage buy protocols poorly represent the reality of youths' access to tobacco from retailers. Compliance check programs should allow youth to present themselves naturally and attempt to match the community’s demographic makeup. PMID:27050671

[Therapeutic restraint management in Intensive Care Units: Phenomenological approach to nursing reality].

PubMed

Acevedo-Nuevo, M; González-Gil, M T; Solís-Muñoz, M; Láiz-Díez, N; Toraño-Olivera, M J; Carrasco-Rodríguez-Rey, L F; García-González, S; Velasco-Sanz, T R; Martínez-Álvarez, A; Martin-Rivera, B E

2016-01-01

To identify nursing experience on physical restraint management in Critical Care Units. To analyse similarities and differences in nursing experience on physical restraint management according to the clinical context that they are involved in. A multicentre phenomenological study was carried out including 14 Critical Care Units in Madrid, classified according to physical restraint use: Common/systematic use, lacking/personalised use, and mixed use. Five focus groups (23 participants were selected following purposeful sampling) were convened, concluding in data saturation. Data analysis was focused on thematic content analysis following Colaizzi's method. Six main themes: Physical restraint meaning in Critical Care Units, safety (self-retreat vital devices), contribution factors, feelings, alternatives, and pending issues. Although some themes are common to the 3 Critical Care Unit types, discourse differences are found as regards to indication, feelings, systematic use of pain and sedation measurement tools. In order to achieve real physical restraint reduction in Critical Care Units, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of restraints use in the specific clinical context. As self-retreat vital devices emerge as central concept, some interventions proposed in other settings could not be effective, requiring alternatives for critical care patients. Discourse variations laid out in the different Critical Care Unit types could highlight key items that determine the use and different attitudes towards physical restraint. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEEIUC. All rights reserved.

A Practical Methodology for Quantifying Random and Systematic Components of Unexplained Variance in a Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deloach, Richard; Obara, Clifford J.; Goodman, Wesley L.

2012-01-01

This paper documents a check standard wind tunnel test conducted in the Langley 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (0.3M TCT) that was designed and analyzed using the Modern Design of Experiments (MDOE). The test designed to partition the unexplained variance of typical wind tunnel data samples into two constituent components, one attributable to ordinary random error, and one attributable to systematic error induced by covariate effects. Covariate effects in wind tunnel testing are discussed, with examples. The impact of systematic (non-random) unexplained variance on the statistical independence of sequential measurements is reviewed. The corresponding correlation among experimental errors is discussed, as is the impact of such correlation on experimental results generally. The specific experiment documented herein was organized as a formal test for the presence of unexplained variance in representative samples of wind tunnel data, in order to quantify the frequency with which such systematic error was detected, and its magnitude relative to ordinary random error. Levels of systematic and random error reported here are representative of those quantified in other facilities, as cited in the references.

Using Climate Regionalization to Understand Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2) Precipitation Performance for the Conterminous United States (CONUS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Regonda, Satish K.; Zaitchik, Benjamin F.; Badr, Hamada S.; Rodell, Matthew

2016-01-01

Dynamically based seasonal forecasts are prone to systematic spatial biases due to imperfections in the underlying global climate model (GCM). This can result in low-forecast skill when the GCM misplaces teleconnections or fails to resolve geographic barriers, even if the prediction of large-scale dynamics is accurate. To characterize and address this issue, this study applies objective climate regionalization to identify discrepancies between the Climate Forecast SystemVersion 2 (CFSv2) and precipitation observations across the Contiguous United States (CONUS). Regionalization shows that CFSv2 1 month forecasts capture the general spatial character of warm season precipitation variability but that forecast regions systematically differ from observation in some transition zones. CFSv2 predictive skill for these misclassified areas is systematically reduced relative to correctly regionalized areas and CONUS as a whole. In these incorrectly regionalized areas, higher skill can be obtained by using a regional-scale forecast in place of the local grid cell prediction.

Family Caregivers' Experiences of Caring for a Relative With Younger Onset Dementia: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

PubMed

Cabote, Christy Joy; Bramble, Marguerite; McCann, Damhnat

2015-08-01

Family caregiving for people with younger onset dementia affects everyone in the family unit. This article presents findings of a qualitative systematic review exploring the experiences of family caregivers of persons with younger onset dementia. A systematic search resulted in the inclusion of five relevant articles, and two groups within the family unit were identified-child caregivers and adult and spousal caregivers. Using the thematic synthesis approach, five themes emerged: dementia damage, grief for loss of relationship, changes in family roles, positive and negative impacts of family caregiving, and transition to formal care. The review findings support increasing evidence that despite the stress of caring for a person with dementia damage, family members have the capacity to cope, adapt, and grow through their experiences. Nurses can assist families to identify their unique strengths and enhance family resiliency so they can navigate the "lonely road" of younger onset dementia. © The Author(s) 2015.

Error analysis and system optimization of non-null aspheric testing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Yongjie; Yang, Yongying; Liu, Dong; Tian, Chao; Zhuo, Yongmo

2010-10-01

A non-null aspheric testing system, which employs partial null lens (PNL for short) and reverse iterative optimization reconstruction (ROR for short) technique, is proposed in this paper. Based on system modeling in ray tracing software, the parameter of each optical element is optimized and this makes system modeling more precise. Systematic error of non-null aspheric testing system is analyzed and can be categorized into two types, the error due to surface parameters of PNL in the system modeling and the rest from non-null interferometer by the approach of error storage subtraction. Experimental results show that, after systematic error is removed from testing result of non-null aspheric testing system, the aspheric surface is precisely reconstructed by ROR technique and the consideration of systematic error greatly increase the test accuracy of non-null aspheric testing system.

Community‐Academic Partnerships: A Systematic Review of the State of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Research

PubMed Central

MEZA, ROSEMARY D.; BRIKHO, BRIGITTE; NAAF, MEGHAN; ESTABILLO, JASPER A.; GOMEZ, EMILY D.; VEJNOSKA, SARAH F.; DUFEK, SARAH; STAHMER, AUBYN C.; AARONS, GREGORY A.

2016-01-01

Policy Points: Communities, funding agencies, and institutions are increasingly involving community stakeholders as partners in research, to provide firsthand knowledge and insight.Based on our systematic review of major literature databases, we recommend using a single term, community‐academic partnership (CAP), and a conceptual definition to unite multiple research disciplines and strengthen the field.Interpersonal and operational factors that facilitate or hinder the collaborative process have been consistently identified, including “trust among partners” and “respect among partners” (facilitating interpersonal factors) and “excessive time commitment” (hindering operational factor).Once CAP processes and characteristics are better understood, the effectiveness of collaborative partner involvement can be tested. Context Communities, funding agencies, and institutions are increasingly involving community stakeholders as partners in research. Community stakeholders can provide firsthand knowledge and insight, thereby increasing research relevance and feasibility. Despite the greater emphasis and use of community‐academic partnerships (CAP) across multiple disciplines, definitions of partnerships and methodologies vary greatly, and no systematic reviews consolidating this literature have been published. The purpose of this article, then, is to facilitate the continued growth of this field by examining the characteristics of CAPs and the current state of the science, identifying the facilitating and hindering influences on the collaborative process, and developing a common term and conceptual definition for use across disciplines. Methods Our systematic search of 6 major literature databases generated 1,332 unique articles, 50 of which met our criteria for inclusion and provided data on 54 unique CAPs. We then analyzed studies to describe CAP characteristics and to identify the terms and methods used, as well as the common influences on the CAP process and distal outcomes. Findings CAP research spans disciplines, involves a variety of community stakeholders, and focuses on a large range of study topics. CAP research articles, however, rarely report characteristics such as membership numbers or duration. Most studies involved case studies using qualitative methods to collect data on the collaborative process. Although various terms were used to describe collaborative partnerships, few studies provided conceptual definitions. Twenty‐three facilitating and hindering factors influencing the CAP collaboration process emerged from the literature. Outcomes from the CAPs most often included developing or refining tangible products. Conclusions Based on our systematic review, we recommend using a single term, community‐academic partnership, as well as a conceptual definition to unite multiple research disciplines. In addition, CAP characteristics and methods should be reported more systematically to advance the field (eg, to develop CAP evaluation tools). We have identified the most common influences that facilitate and hinder CAPs, which in turn should guide their development and sustainment. PMID:26994713

Systematic, Cross-Cortex Variation in Neuron Numbers in Rodents and Primates

PubMed Central

Charvet, Christine J.; Cahalane, Diarmuid J.; Finlay, Barbara L.

2015-01-01

Uniformity, local variability, and systematic variation in neuron numbers per unit of cortical surface area across species and cortical areas have been claimed to characterize the isocortex. Resolving these claims has been difficult, because species, techniques, and cortical areas vary across studies. We present a stereological assessment of neuron numbers in layers II–IV and V–VI per unit of cortical surface area across the isocortex in rodents (hamster, Mesocricetus auratus; agouti, Dasyprocta azarae; paca, Cuniculus paca) and primates (owl monkey, Aotus trivigratus; tamarin, Saguinus midas; capuchin, Cebus apella); these chosen to vary systematically in cortical size. The contributions of species, cortical areas, and techniques (stereology, “isotropic fractionator”) to neuron estimates were assessed. Neurons per unit of cortical surface area increase across the rostro-caudal (RC) axis in primates (varying by a factor of 1.64–2.13 across the rostral and caudal poles) but less in rodents (varying by a factor of 1.15–1.54). Layer II–IV neurons account for most of this variation. When integrated into the context of species variation, and this RC gradient in neuron numbers, conflicts between studies can be accounted for. The RC variation in isocortical neurons in adulthood mirrors the gradients in neurogenesis duration in development. PMID:23960207

A Systematic Review of the Liaison Nurse Role on Patient's Outcomes after Intensive Care Unit Discharge.

PubMed

Tabanejad, Zeinab; Pazokian, Marzieh; Ebadi, Abbas

2014-10-01

This review focuses on the impact of liaison nurse in nursing care of patient after ICU discharge on patient's outcomes, compared with patients that are not taken care of by liaison nurses. The role of the ICU liaison nurse has transpired to solve the gap between intensive care unit and wards. Therefore, we aimed to review the outcomes of all studies in this field. A systematic review of intervention studies between 2004 and 2013 was undertaken using standard and sensitive keywords such as liaison nurse, intensive care unit, and patient outcomes in the following databases: Science direct, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Oxford, Wiley, Scholar, and Mosby. Then, the articles which had the inclusion criteria after quality control were selected for a systematic review. From 662 retrieved articles, six articles were analyzed in a case study and four articles showed a statistically significant effect of the liaison nurse on the patient's outcomes such as reducing delays in patient discharge, effective discharge planning, improvement in survival for patients at the risk for readmission. Liaison nurses have a positive role on the outcomes of patients who are discharged from the ICU and more research should be done to examine the exact function of liaison nurses and other factors that influence outcomes in patients discharged from ICU.

Chapter 3: choosing the important outcomes for a systematic review of a medical test.

PubMed

Segal, Jodi B

2012-06-01

In this chapter of the Evidence-based Practice Centers Methods Guide for Medical Tests, we describe how the decision to use a medical test generates a broad range of outcomes and that each of these outcomes should be considered for inclusion in a systematic review. Awareness of these varied outcomes affects how a decision maker balances the benefits and risks of the test; therefore, a systematic review should present the evidence on these diverse outcomes. The key outcome categories include clinical management outcomes and direct health effects; emotional, social, cognitive, and behavioral responses to testing; legal and ethical outcomes, and costs. We describe the challenges of incorporating these outcomes in a systematic review, suggest a framework for generating potential outcomes for inclusion, and describe the role of stakeholders in choosing the outcomes for study. Finally, we give examples of systematic reviews that either included a range of outcomes or that might have done so. The following are the key messages in this chapter: Consider both the outcomes that are relevant to the process of testing and those that are relevant to the results of the test. Consider inclusion of outcomes in all five domains: clinical management effects, direct test effects; emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral effects; legal and ethical effects, and costs. Consider to which group the outcomes of testing are most relevant. Given resource limitations, prioritize which outcomes to include. This decision depends on the needs of the stakeholder(s), who should be assisted in prioritizing the outcomes for inclusion.

Tolerance for Diversity of Beliefs: A Secondary Curriculum Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, Patricia; And Others

This document consists on a 6-week curriculum unit designed to allow secondary students to actively explore issues associated with freedom of belief and expression. Throughout the curriculum students systematically examine the ways in which the legal and constitutional framework of our society directly embodies the norms of freedom of speech and…

Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States. Sipuncula.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutler, Edward B.

This report is part of a subseries entitled "Marine Flora and Fauna of the Northeastern United States" which is designed for use by biology students, biologists, biological oceanographers and informed laymen. Contents of this report include: (1) Introduction; (2) Key to Sipuncula (Peanut Worms); (3) Annotated Systematic List of Species;…

A systematic meta-analysis of Toxoplasma gondii prevalence in meat animals in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii is a widely distributed protozoan parasite. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that T. gondii is one of three pathogens (along with Salmonella and Listeria), which together account for >70% of all deaths due to foodborne illness in the United States. Meat...

Guidelines for performing systematic reviews in the development of toxicity factors.

PubMed

Schaefer, Heather R; Myers, Jessica L

2017-12-01

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) developed guidance on conducting systematic reviews during the development of chemical-specific toxicity factors. Using elements from publicly available frameworks, the TCEQ systematic review process was developed in order to supplement the existing TCEQ Guidelines for developing toxicity factors (TCEQ Regulatory Guidance 442). The TCEQ systematic review process includes six steps: 1) Problem Formulation; 2) Systematic Literature Review and Study Selection; 3) Data Extraction; 4) Study Quality and Risk of Bias Assessment; 5) Evidence Integration and Endpoint Determination; and 6) Confidence Rating. This document provides guidance on conducting a systematic literature review and integrating evidence from different data streams when developing chemical-specific reference values (ReVs) and unit risk factors (URFs). However, this process can also be modified or expanded to address other questions that would benefit from systematic review practices. The systematic review and evidence integration framework can improve regulatory decision-making processes, increase transparency, minimize bias, improve consistency between different risk assessments, and further improve confidence in toxicity factor development. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crossover from Incoherent to Coherent Phonon Scattering in Epitaxial Oxide Superlattices

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-08

function of interface density. We do so by synthesizing superlattices of electrically insulating perovskite oxides 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE...synthesizing superlattices of electrically insulating perovskite oxides and systematically varying the interface density, with unit-cell precision, using two...a function of interface density. Wedo so by synthesizing superlattices of electrically insulating perovskite oxides and systematically varying the

The direct cost of epilepsy in the United States: A systematic review of estimates.

PubMed

Begley, Charles E; Durgin, Tracy L

2015-09-01

To develop estimates of the direct cost of epilepsy in the United States for the general epilepsy population and sub-populations by systematically comparing similarities and differences in types of estimates and estimation methods from recently published studies. Papers published since 1995 were identified by systematic literature search. Information on types of estimates, study designs, data sources, types of epilepsy, and estimation methods was extracted from each study. Annual per person cost estimates from methodologically similar studies were identified, converted to 2013 U.S. dollars, and compared. From 4,104 publications discovered in the literature search, 21 were selected for review. Three were added that were published after the search. Eighteen were identified that reported estimates of average annual direct costs for the general epilepsy population in the United States. For general epilepsy populations (comprising all clinically defined subgroups), total direct healthcare costs per person ranged from $10,192 to $47,862 and epilepsy-specific costs ranged from $1,022 to $19,749. Four recent studies using claims data from large general populations yielded relatively similar epilepsy-specific annual cost estimates ranging from $8,412 to $11,354. Although more difficult to compare, studies examining direct cost differences for epilepsy sub-populations indicated a consistent pattern of markedly higher costs for those with uncontrolled or refractory epilepsy, and for those with comorbidities. This systematic review found that various approaches have been used to estimate the direct costs of epilepsy in the United States. However, recent studies using large claims databases and similar methods allow estimation of the direct cost burden of epilepsy for the general disease population, and show that it is greater for some patient subgroups. Additional research is needed to further understand the broader economic burden of epilepsy and how it varies across subpopulations. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 International League Against Epilepsy.

Psychoactive substances, alcohol and tobacco consumption in HIV-infected outpatients.

PubMed

Jacquet, Jean-Marc; Peyriere, Hélène; Makinson, Alain; Peries, Marianne; Nagot, Nicolas; Donnadieu-Rigole, Hélène; Reynes, Jacques

2018-06-01

To assess the alcohol consumption, tobacco addiction and psychoactive substance use (PSU) of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Cross-sectional study in an HIV outpatient unit. Autoquestionnaire systematically proposed to all patients during their usual clinical care visit during a 6-months period, for alcohol (AUDIT test), tobacco (Short Fagerstrom Test) and PSU (ASSIST V3.0 test). Of 1334 distributed questionnaires, 1018 PLHIV responded: 76.8% were men [528 patients were MSM), and the median age was 49 years (interquartile range: 42-46). A prevalence of excessive alcohol drinking was found in 22% [95% confidence interval (CI) 19.5-24.7%] and 44.6% (CI 41.5-47.7%) were current smokers, with high dependence in 29.1% (CI 24.9-33.7%). The prevalence of PSU was 37.8% (CI 34.8-41%) in the past 3 months: cannabis 27.7%, poppers 16.4%, cocaine 8.9%, psychotropic medications 7.1%, gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) 4.7%, stimulants 3.1%, synthetic cathinones 2.7%, hallucinogens 1.5%. In the past 3 months, PSU was more prevalent in MSM than in non-MSM patients (46 versus 30%, P < 0.001). MSM consumed significantly more inhaled solvents (poppers) 31.0 versus 1.1%, GHB/GBL 7.8 versus 0.8%, stimulants 5.0 versus 1.1%, synthetic cathinones 4.9 versus 0.3%, and hallucinogens 2.3 versus 0.5%. Given the high prevalence of PSU and other addictions (alcohol and smoking) among PLHIV, and particularly among MSM, a systematic screening of PSU and other addictions should be part of routine clinical care.

Composite Material Testing Data Reduction to Adjust for the Systematic 6-DOF Testing Machine Aberrations

Treesearch

Athanasios lliopoulos; John G. Michopoulos; John G. C. Hermanson

2012-01-01

This paper describes a data reduction methodology for eliminating the systematic aberrations introduced by the unwanted behavior of a multiaxial testing machine, into the massive amounts of experimental data collected from testing of composite material coupons. The machine in reference is a custom made 6-DoF system called NRL66.3 and developed at the NAval...

On the suitability of different representations of solid catalysts for combinatorial library design by genetic algorithms.

PubMed

Gobin, Oliver C; Schüth, Ferdi

2008-01-01

Genetic algorithms are widely used to solve and optimize combinatorial problems and are more often applied for library design in combinatorial chemistry. Because of their flexibility, however, their implementation can be challenging. In this study, the influence of the representation of solid catalysts on the performance of genetic algorithms was systematically investigated on the basis of a new, constrained, multiobjective, combinatorial test problem with properties common to problems in combinatorial materials science. Constraints were satisfied by penalty functions, repair algorithms, or special representations. The tests were performed using three state-of-the-art evolutionary multiobjective algorithms by performing 100 optimization runs for each algorithm and test case. Experimental data obtained during the optimization of a noble metal-free solid catalyst system active in the selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with propene was used to build up a predictive model to validate the results of the theoretical test problem. A significant influence of the representation on the optimization performance was observed. Binary encodings were found to be the preferred encoding in most of the cases, and depending on the experimental test unit, repair algorithms or penalty functions performed best.

EVA Development and Verification Testing at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jairala, Juniper C.; Durkin, Robert; Marak, Ralph J.; Sipila, Stepahnie A.; Ney, Zane A.; Parazynski, Scott E.; Thomason, Arthur H.

2012-01-01

As an early step in the preparation for future Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), astronauts perform neutral buoyancy testing to develop and verify EVA hardware and operations. Neutral buoyancy demonstrations at NASA Johnson Space Center's Sonny Carter Training Facility to date have primarily evaluated assembly and maintenance tasks associated with several elements of the International Space Station (ISS). With the retirement of the Shuttle, completion of ISS assembly, and introduction of commercial players for human transportation to space, evaluations at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) will take on a new focus. Test objectives are selected for their criticality, lack of previous testing, or design changes that justify retesting. Assembly tasks investigated are performed using procedures developed by the flight hardware providers and the Mission Operations Directorate (MOD). Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) maintenance tasks are performed using a more systematic set of procedures, EVA Concept of Operations for the International Space Station (JSC-33408), also developed by the MOD. This paper describes the requirements and process for performing a neutral buoyancy test, including typical hardware and support equipment requirements, personnel and administrative resource requirements, examples of ISS systems and operations that are evaluated, and typical operational objectives that are evaluated.

The reliability of physical examination tests for the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament rupture--A systematic review.

PubMed

Lange, Toni; Freiberg, Alice; Dröge, Patrik; Lützner, Jörg; Schmitt, Jochen; Kopkow, Christian

2015-06-01

Systematic literature review. Despite their frequent application in routine care, a systematic review on the reliability of clinical examination tests to evaluate the integrity of the ACL is missing. To summarize and evaluate intra- and interrater reliability research on physical examination tests used for the diagnosis of ACL tears. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and AMED until May 30th 2013. Studies were included if they assessed the intra- and/or interrater reliability of physical examination tests for the integrity of the ACL. Methodological quality was evaluated with the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) tool by two independent reviewers. 110 hits were achieved of which seven articles finally met the inclusion criteria. These studies examined the reliability of four physical examination tests. Intrarater reliability was assessed in three studies and ranged from fair to almost perfect (Cohen's k = 0.22-1.00). Interrater reliability was assessed in all included studies and ranged from slight to almost perfect (Cohen's k = 0.02-0.81). The Lachman test is the physical tests with the highest intrarater reliability (Cohen's k = 1.00), the Lachman test performed in prone position the test with the highest interrater reliability (Cohen's k = 0.81). Included studies were partly of low methodological quality. A meta-analysis could not be performed due to the heterogeneity in study populations, reliability measures and methodological quality of included studies. Systematic investigations on the reliability of physical examination tests to assess the integrity of the ACL are scarce and of varying methodological quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening strategies for atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Welton, Nicky J; McAleenan, Alexandra; Thom, Howard Hz; Davies, Philippa; Hollingworth, Will; Higgins, Julian Pt; Okoli, George; Sterne, Jonathan Ac; Feder, Gene; Eaton, Diane; Hingorani, Aroon; Fawsitt, Christopher; Lobban, Trudie; Bryden, Peter; Richards, Alison; Sofat, Reecha

2017-05-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that increases the risk of thromboembolic events. Anticoagulation therapy to prevent AF-related stroke has been shown to be cost-effective. A national screening programme for AF may prevent AF-related events, but would involve a substantial investment of NHS resources. To conduct a systematic review of the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of screening tests for AF, update a systematic review of comparative studies evaluating screening strategies for AF, develop an economic model to compare the cost-effectiveness of different screening strategies and review observational studies of AF screening to provide inputs to the model. Systematic review, meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. Primary care. Adults. Screening strategies, defined by screening test, age at initial and final screens, screening interval and format of screening {systematic opportunistic screening [individuals offered screening if they consult with their general practitioner (GP)] or systematic population screening (when all eligible individuals are invited to screening)}. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratios; the odds ratio of detecting new AF cases compared with no screening; and the mean incremental net benefit compared with no screening. Two reviewers screened the search results, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. A DTA meta-analysis was perfomed, and a decision tree and Markov model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the screening strategies. Diagnostic test accuracy depended on the screening test and how it was interpreted. In general, the screening tests identified in our review had high sensitivity (> 0.9). Systematic population and systematic opportunistic screening strategies were found to be similarly effective, with an estimated 170 individuals needed to be screened to detect one additional AF case compared with no screening. Systematic opportunistic screening was more likely to be cost-effective than systematic population screening, as long as the uptake of opportunistic screening observed in randomised controlled trials translates to practice. Modified blood pressure monitors, photoplethysmography or nurse pulse palpation were more likely to be cost-effective than other screening tests. A screening strategy with an initial screening age of 65 years and repeated screens every 5 years until age 80 years was likely to be cost-effective, provided that compliance with treatment does not decline with increasing age. A national screening programme for AF is likely to represent a cost-effective use of resources. Systematic opportunistic screening is more likely to be cost-effective than systematic population screening. Nurse pulse palpation or modified blood pressure monitors would be appropriate screening tests, with confirmation by diagnostic 12-lead electrocardiography interpreted by a trained GP, with referral to a specialist in the case of an unclear diagnosis. Implementation strategies to operationalise uptake of systematic opportunistic screening in primary care should accompany any screening recommendations. Many inputs for the economic model relied on a single trial [the Screening for Atrial Fibrillation in the Elderly (SAFE) study] and DTA results were based on a few studies at high risk of bias/of low applicability. Comparative studies measuring long-term outcomes of screening strategies and DTA studies for new, emerging technologies and to replicate the results for photoplethysmography and GP interpretation of 12-lead electrocardiography in a screening population. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42014013739. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Operational methods of HIV testing in emergency departments: a systematic review.

PubMed

Haukoos, Jason S; White, Douglas A E; Lyons, Michael S; Hopkins, Emily; Calderon, Yvette; Kalish, Brian; Rothman, Richard E

2011-07-01

Casual review of existing literature reveals a multitude of individualized approaches to emergency department (ED) HIV testing. Cataloging the operational options of each approach could assist translation by disseminating existing knowledge, endorsing variability as a means to address testing barriers, and laying a foundation for future work in the area of operational models and outcomes investigation. The objective of this study is to provide a detailed account of the various models and operational constructs that have been described for performing HIV testing in EDs. Systematic review of PUBMED, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Web of Science through February 6, 2009 was performed. Three investigators independently reviewed all potential abstracts and identified all studies that met the following criteria for inclusion: original research, performance of HIV testing in an ED in the United States, description of operational methods, and reporting of specific testing outcomes. Each study was independently assessed and data from each were abstracted with standardized instruments. Summary and pooled descriptive statistics were reported by using recently published nomenclature and definitions for ED HIV testing. The primary search yielded 947 potential studies, of which 25 (3%) were included in the final analysis. Of the 25 included studies, 13 (52%) reported results using nontargeted screening as the only patient selection method. Most programs reported using voluntary, opt-in consent and separate, signed consent forms. A variety of assays and communication methods were used, but relatively limited outcomes data were reported. Currently, limited evidence exists to inform HIV testing practices in EDs. There appears to be recent progression toward the use of rapid assays and nontargeted patient selection methods, with the rate at which reports are published in the peer-reviewed literature increasing. Additional research will be required, including controlled clinical trials, more structured program evaluation, and a focus on an expanded profile of outcome measures, to further improve our understanding of which HIV testing methods are most effective in the ED. Copyright © 2011. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Experiences of Patients in Acute and Closed Psychiatric Wards: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Nugteren, Willem; van der Zalm, Yvonne; Hafsteinsdóttir, Thóra B; van der Venne, Cokky; Kool, Nienke; van Meijel, Berno

2016-10-01

To obtain insight into the patients' experiences during treatment in an acute, closed psychiatric ward. A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane. Ten articles were selected. Four main themes emerged from the literature: (a) the inappropriate use of the ward rules, (b) nurses' lack of time for interacting with patients, (c) the feeling of humiliation, and (d) the involvement of significant others. Nurses can use the findings of this systematic review to improve quality of care in acute psychiatric units. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Accuracy of Immunofluorescence in the Diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

PubMed Central

Frost, Emily; Dixon, Mellisa; Ollosson, Sarah; Kilpin, Kate; Patel, Mitali; Scully, Juliet; Rogers, Andrew V.; Mitchison, Hannah M.; Bush, Andrew; Hogg, Claire

2017-01-01

Rationale: The standard approach to diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) in the United Kingdom consists of assessing ciliary function by high-speed microscopy and ultrastructure by election microscopy, but equipment and expertise is not widely available internationally. The identification of biallelic disease-causing mutations is also diagnostic, but many disease-causing genes are unknown, and testing is not widely available outside the United States. Fluorescent antibodies to ciliary proteins are used to validate research genetic studies, but diagnostic utility in this disease has not been systematically evaluated. Objectives: To determine utility of a panel of six fluorescent labeled antibodies as a diagnostic tool for PCD. Methods: The study used immunofluorescent labeling of nasal brushings from a discovery cohort of 35 patients diagnosed with PCD by ciliary ultrastructure, and a diagnostic accuracy cohort of 386 patients referred with symptoms suggestive of disease. The results were compared with diagnostic outcome. Measurements and Main Results: Immunofluorescence correctly identified mislocalized or absent staining in 100% of the discovery cohort. In the diagnostic cohort immunofluorescence successfully identified 22 of 25 patients with PCD and normal staining in all 252 in whom PCD was considered highly unlikely. In addition, immunofluorescence provided a result in 55% (39) of cases that were previously inconclusive. Immunofluorescence results were available within 14 days, costing $187 per sample compared with electron microscopy (27 days; cost $1,452). Conclusions: Immunofluorescence is a highly specific diagnostic test for PCD, and it improves the speed and availability of diagnostic testing. However, sensitivity is limited and immunofluorescence is not suitable as a stand-alone test. PMID:28199173

Viraemia and Ebola virus secretion in survivors of Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional cohort study.

PubMed

Green, Edward; Hunt, Luke; Ross, J C Gareth; Nissen, Nina Marie; Curran, Tanya; Badhan, Anjna; Sutherland, Katherine A; Richards, Jade; Lee, James S; Allen, Samuel H; Laird, Steven; Blackman, Mandy; Collacott, Ian; Parker, Paul A; Walbridge, Andrew; Phillips, Rebecca; Sellu, Sia Jammie; Dama, Agnes; Sheriff, Alpha Karim; Zombo, Joseph; Ngegba, Doris; Wurie, Alieh H; Checchi, Francesco; Brooks, Timothy J

2016-09-01

In survivors of Ebola virus disease, clinical sequelae including uveitis, arthralgia, and fatigue are common and necessitate systematic follow-up. However, the infection risk to health-care providers is poorly defined. Here we report Ebola virus RT-PCR data for body site and fluid samples from a large cohort of Ebola virus survivors at clinic follow-up. In this cross-sectional cohort study, consecutive survivors of Ebola virus disease attending Kerry Town survivor clinic (Freetown, Sierra Leone), who had been discharged from the Kerry Town Ebola treatment unit, were invited to participate. We collected and tested axillary, blood, conjunctival, forehead, mouth, rectal, semen, urine, and vaginal specimens for presence of Ebola virus using RT-PCR. We regarded samples to be positive for Ebola virus disease if the cycle threshold was 40 or lower. We collected demographic data from survivors of their age, sex, time since discharge from the treatment unit, and length of acute admission in the Ebola treatment unit using anonymised standard forms. Between April 2, and June 16, 2015, of 151 survivors of Ebola virus disease invited to participate, 112 (74%) provided consent. The median age of participants was 21·5 years (IQR 14-31·5) with 34 (30%) participants younger than 16 years. 50 (45%) of 112 participants were male. We tested a total of 555 specimens: 103 from the axilla, 93 from blood, 92 from conjunctiva, 54 from forehead, 105 from mouth, 17 from the rectum, one from semen, 69 from urine, and 21 from the vagina. The median time from Ebola treatment unit discharge to specimen collection was 142 days (IQR 127-159). 15 participants had a total of 74 swabs taken less than 100 days from discharge. The semen sample from one participant tested positive for Ebola virus at 114 days after discharge from the treatment unit; specimens taken from the axilla, blood, conjunctiva, forehead, mouth, rectum, and urine of the same participant tested negative. All specimens from the other 111 participants tested negative. Patients recovering from Ebola virus disease who do not meet the case definition for acute disease pose a low infection risk to health-care providers 6 weeks after clearance of viraemia. Personal protective equipment after this time might be limited to standard barrier precautions, unless contact with fluids from sanctuary sites is envisaged. Save the Children International, Public Health England. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Action Potential Waveform Variability Limits Multi-Unit Separation in Freely Behaving Rats

PubMed Central

Stratton, Peter; Cheung, Allen; Wiles, Janet; Kiyatkin, Eugene; Sah, Pankaj; Windels, François

2012-01-01

Extracellular multi-unit recording is a widely used technique to study spontaneous and evoked neuronal activity in awake behaving animals. These recordings are done using either single-wire or mulitwire electrodes such as tetrodes. In this study we have tested the ability of single-wire electrodes to discriminate activity from multiple neurons under conditions of varying noise and neuronal cell density. Using extracellular single-unit recording, coupled with iontophoresis to drive cell activity across a wide dynamic range, we studied spike waveform variability, and explored systematic differences in single-unit spike waveform within and between brain regions as well as the influence of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the similarity of spike waveforms. We also modelled spike misclassification for a range of cell densities based on neuronal recordings obtained at different SNRs. Modelling predictions were confirmed by classifying spike waveforms from multiple cells with various SNRs using a leading commercial spike-sorting system. Our results show that for single-wire recordings, multiple units can only be reliably distinguished under conditions of high recording SNR (≥4) and low neuronal density (≈20,000/ mm3). Physiological and behavioural changes, as well as technical limitations typical of awake animal preparations, reduce the accuracy of single-channel spike classification, resulting in serious classification errors. For SNR <4, the probability of misclassifying spikes approaches 100% in many cases. Our results suggest that in studies where the SNR is low or neuronal density is high, separation of distinct units needs to be evaluated with great caution. PMID:22719894

Withdrawing low risk women from cervical screening programmes: mathematical modelling study.

PubMed

Sherlaw-Johnson, C; Gallivan, S; Jenkins, D

1999-02-06

To evaluate the impact of policies for removing women before the recommended age of 64 from screening programmes for cervical cancer in the United Kingdom. A mathematical model of the clinical course of precancerous lesions which accounts for the influence of infection with the human papillomavirus, the effects of screening on the progression of disease, and the accuracy of the testing procedures. Two policies are compared: one in which women are withdrawn from the programme if their current smear is negative and they have a recent history of regular, negative results and one in which women are withdrawn if their current smear test is negative and a simultaneous test is negative for exposure to high risk types of human papillomavirus. United Kingdom cervical screening programme. The incidence of invasive cervical cancer and the use of resources. Early withdrawal of selected women from the programme is predicted to give rise to resource savings of up to 25% for smear tests and 18% for colposcopies when withdrawal occurs from age 50, the youngest age considered in the study. An increase in the incidence of invasive cervical cancer, by up to 2 cases/100 000 women each year is predicted. Testing for human papillomavirus infection to determine which women should be withdrawn from the programme makes little difference to outcome. This model systematically analyses the consequences of screening options using available data and the clinical course of precancerous lesions. If further audit studies confirm the model's forecasts, a policy of early withdrawal might be considered. This would be likely to release substantial resources which could be channelled into other aspects of health care or may be more effectively used within the cervical screening programme to counteract the possible increase in cancer incidence that early withdrawal might bring.

Thermal Cycle Testing of the Powersphere Engineering Development Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, Henry; Piszczor, Mike; Kerslake, Thomas W.; Peterson, Todd T.; Scheiman, David A.; Simburger, Edward J.; Giants, Thomas W.; Matsumoto, James H.; Garcia, Alexander; Liu, Simon H.;

Internal consistency tests for evaluation of measurements of anthropogenic hydrocarbons in the troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrish, D. D.; Trainer, M.; Young, V.; Goldan, P. D.; Kuster, W. C.; Jobson, B. T.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Lonneman, W. A.; Zika, R. D.; Farmer, C. T.; Riemer, D. D.; Rodgers, M. O.

1998-09-01

Measurements of tropospheric nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) made in continental North America should exhibit a common pattern determined by photochemical removal and dilution acting upon the typical North American urban emissions. We analyze 11 data sets collected in the United States in the context of this hypothesis, in most cases by analyzing the geometric mean and standard deviations of ratios of selected NMHCs. In the analysis we attribute deviations from the common pattern to plausible systematic and random experimental errors. In some cases the errors have been independently verified and the specific causes identified. Thus this common pattern provides a check for internal consistency in NMHC data sets. Specific tests are presented which should provide useful diagnostics for all data sets of anthropogenic NMHC measurements collected in the United States. Similar tests, based upon the perhaps different emission patterns of other regions, presumably could be developed. The specific tests include (1) a lower limit for ethane concentrations, (2) specific NMHCs that should be detected if any are, (3) the relatively constant mean ratios of the longer-lived NMHCs with similar atmospheric lifetimes, (4) the constant relative patterns of families of NMHCs, and (5) limits on the ambient variability of the NMHC ratios. Many experimental problems are identified in the literature and the Southern Oxidant Study data sets. The most important conclusion of this paper is that a rigorous field intercomparison of simultaneous measurements of ambient NMHCs by different techniques and researchers is of crucial importance to the field of atmospheric chemistry. The tests presented here are suggestive of errors but are not definitive; only a field intercomparison can resolve the uncertainties.

Correlations between Physical Fitness Tests and Performance of Military Tasks: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-30

U.S. Army Public Health Command Correlations between Physical Fitness Tests and Performance of Military Tasks: A Systematic Review and Meta...30 JUN 2014 2. REPORT TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERE D 4. TITLE AN D SUBTITLE Correlations between Physical Fitness Tests and Performance of... Physical Fitness Test (APFT) and ensure a future test is associated with Soldiers’ performance of common physical job requirements, the USAPHC applied

Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews Published in the Urological Literature from 1998 to 2012.

PubMed

Corbyons, Katherine; Han, Julia; Neuberger, Molly M; Dahm, Philipp

2015-11-01

Systematic reviews synthesize the current best evidence to address a clinical question. Given the growing emphasis on evidence-based clinical practice, systematic reviews are being increasingly sought after and published. We previously reported limitations in the methodological quality of 57 individual systematic reviews published from 1998 to 2008. We provide an update to our previous study, adding systematic reviews published from 2009 to 2012. We systematically searched PubMed® and hand searched the table of contents of 4 major urological journals to identify systematic reviews related to questions of prevention and therapy. Two independent reviewers with prior formal evidence-based medicine training assessed the methodological quality using the validated 11-point AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) instrument. We performed predefined statistical hypothesis testing for differences by publication period (1998 to 2008 vs 2009 to 2012) and journal of publication. We performed statistical testing using SPSS®, version 23.0 with a 2-sided α of 0.05 using the Student t-test, ANOVA and the chi-square test. A total of 113 systematic reviews published from 2009 to 2012 met study inclusion criteria. The most common topics were oncology (44 reviews or 38.9%), voiding dysfunction (26 or 23.0%) and stones/endourology (13 or 11.5%). The largest contributor was European Urology (46 reviews or 40.7%), followed by BJU International (31 or 27.4%) and The Journal of Urology® (22 or 19.5%). The mean ± SD AMSTAR score for the 2009 to 2012 period was 5.3 ± 2.3 compared to 4.8 ± 2.0 for 1998 to 2008 with a mean difference of 0.5 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.2, p = 0.133). While the number of systematic reviews published in the urological literature has increased substantially, the methodological quality of these studies remains suboptimal. Systematic review authors and editors should make every effort to adhere to well established methodological standards to enhance the impact of their research efforts. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dissecting random and systematic differences between noisy composite data sets.

PubMed

Diederichs, Kay

2017-04-01

Composite data sets measured on different objects are usually affected by random errors, but may also be influenced by systematic (genuine) differences in the objects themselves, or the experimental conditions. If the individual measurements forming each data set are quantitative and approximately normally distributed, a correlation coefficient is often used to compare data sets. However, the relations between data sets are not obvious from the matrix of pairwise correlations since the numerical value of the correlation coefficient is lowered by both random and systematic differences between the data sets. This work presents a multidimensional scaling analysis of the pairwise correlation coefficients which places data sets into a unit sphere within low-dimensional space, at a position given by their CC* values [as defined by Karplus & Diederichs (2012), Science, 336, 1030-1033] in the radial direction and by their systematic differences in one or more angular directions. This dimensionality reduction can not only be used for classification purposes, but also to derive data-set relations on a continuous scale. Projecting the arrangement of data sets onto the subspace spanned by systematic differences (the surface of a unit sphere) allows, irrespective of the random-error levels, the identification of clusters of closely related data sets. The method gains power with increasing numbers of data sets. It is illustrated with an example from low signal-to-noise ratio image processing, and an application in macromolecular crystallography is shown, but the approach is completely general and thus should be widely applicable.

Indigenous Youth Peer-Led Health Promotion in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States: A Systematic Review of the Approaches, Study Designs, and Effectiveness.

PubMed

Vujcich, Daniel; Thomas, Jessica; Crawford, Katy; Ward, James

2018-01-01

Youth peer-led interventions have become a popular way of sharing health information with young people and appear well suited to Indigenous community contexts. However, no systematic reviews focusing on Indigenous youth have been published. We conducted a systematic review to understand the range and characteristics of Indigenous youth-led health promotion projects implemented and their effectiveness. A systematic search of Medline, Embase, and ProQuest Social Sciences databases was conducted, supplemented by gray literature searches. Included studies focused on interventions where young Indigenous people delivered health information to age-matched peers. Twenty-four studies were identified for inclusion, based on 20 interventions (9 Australian, 4 Canadian, and 7 from the United States of America). Only one intervention was evaluated using a randomized controlled study design. The majority of evaluations took the form of pre-post studies. Methodological limitations were identified in a majority of studies. Study outcomes included improved knowledge, attitude, and behaviors. Currently, there is limited high quality evidence for the effectiveness of peer-led health interventions with Indigenous young people, and the literature is dominated by Australian-based sexual health interventions. More systematic research investigating the effectiveness of peer-led inventions is required, specifically with Indigenous populations. To improve health outcomes for Indigenous youth, greater knowledge of the mechanisms and context under which peer-delivered health promotion is effective in comparison to other methods of health promotion is needed.

Behavioral, Psychological, Educational, and Vocational Interventions to Facilitate Employment Outcomes for Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews 2015:5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fong, Carlton J.; Murphy, Kathleen M.; Westbrook, John D.; Markle, Minda M.

2015-01-01

In the United States, an estimated 1.5 million people are diagnosed annually with some type of cancer (American Cancer Society, 2011). Work is an important stabilizing factor for cancer survivors (Arnold, 1999). De Boer and colleagues (2009) identified a rate of 33.8% unemployment among cancer survivors beyond the age of 18 compared to 15.2% among…

The Stories of Inventions: An Interdisciplinary, Project-Based Unit for U.S. History Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nargund-Joshi, Vanashri; Bragg, John

2017-01-01

During the second industrial revolution (1870-1914), scientists moved away from trial-anderror methods to more systematically apply the principles of chemistry, physics, and biology (Mokyr 1998). The authors chose this period as the foundation of a project-based learning (PBL) unit integrated with the ninth-grade U.S. history curriculum (Thomas…

Phrase Units as Determinants of Visual Processing in Music Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloboda, John A.

1977-01-01

Keyboard musicians sight-read passages of music in which the amount of information about the presence of phrase units was systematically varied. Results suggest a clear analogy between the cognition of music and language, in that knowledge of abstract structure is of importance in the organization of immediate visual processing of text. (Editor/RK)

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SURVEY, AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROJECT. VOLUME I, THE RESEARCH MODEL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WHITMAN, LAURIS B.; AND OTHERS

AS PART OF AN OVERALL EVALUATION OF ITS EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM, THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, IN 1964, COMMISSIONED THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES TO PROVIDE SYSTEMATIC AND COHERENT PROFILES OF COMMUNICANTS, YOUTH, CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND MINISTERS. THIS RESEARCH WAS BASED ON THE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO…

Archaeological Investigations at Site 45-DO-285, Chief Joseph Dam Project, Washington.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

systematic design. Sampling strata were created by dividing the site Into seven sets of grid units, each composed of 25 2 x 2-in units arranged in squares...NISP=23) C-r-s-my pJc (painted turtle) -- 23 elements. Painted turtle Is the only turtle currently I lving in the project area. Clemmys marmoraa

Overview of the Special Issue: A Multi-Model Framework to Achieve Consistent Evaluation of Climate Change Impacts in the United States

EPA Science Inventory

The Climate Change Impacts and Risk Analysis (CIRA) project establishes a new multi-model framework to systematically assess the impacts, economic damages, and risks from climate change in the United States. The primary goal of this framework to estimate how climate change impac...

Goals and Basic Units of Instruction for Treatment Media Courses for the Preparation of Occupational Therapists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preitz, Clarence Harold

The problem of this research was to ascertain the essential major goals for university level treatment media courses for the professional preparation of occupational therapists and to determine units of instruction to fulfill these goals. A pretested survey instrument, systematic observations, and interviews were used to collect data from the…

Understanding Impediments and Enablers to Physical Activity among African American Adults: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siddiqi, Zoveen; Tiro, Jasmin A.; Shuval, Kerem

2011-01-01

Physical inactivity is a leading cause of premature death, disability and numerous chronic diseases. Minority and underserved populations in the United States and worldwide have a higher prevalence of physical inactivity affecting their morbidity and mortality rates. In the United States, African Americans are less physically active and have a…

Risk Factors of Cancer in the United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Razzak, Hira Abdul; Harbi, Alya; Shelpai, Wael; Qawas, xAhmadxx

2018-01-01

Cancer is recognized to be a major healthcare problem globally. Cancer is a disease that mainly occurs when alterations in a normal cell group within the body leads to uncontrolled growth, mainly causing a lump referred to as a tumor. The aim of this study is to systematically review and extract studies reporting the risk factors of cancer in UAE between 2007 and 2016. A systematic literature search was performed by using "PubMed, Scopus databases, Science direct, and local journals" and appropriate key terms to retrieve studies carried out in United Arab Emirates with regards to risk factors of the cancer. 75 articles were extracted in the beginning. After screening for exclusion criteria and retrieval of full texts, overall 16 articles were used in this study. Search limits were restricted to studies in English language, between 2007 and 2016, and on UAE population (both citizens and expatriates). This review yielded 16 studies about the cancer risk factors in United Arab Emirates, including cross sectional studies (n = 9), population-based crosssectional retrospective survey (n = 1), retrospective cohort studies (n = 4) and qualitative studies (n = 2). Tobacco use, unhealthy diet, family history, infection with HPV, physical activity, and radiation exposure were among the factors investigated. There was insufficient evidence available on some potentially essential risk factors such as use of alcohol, aging, and being overweight. This systematic review signifies an increasing cancer prevalence in the United Arab Emirates and suggests that extra effort is needed with a multi-sectorial approach in future at both the national and international level to effectively tackle the burden of cancer.

Implementing the dynamic appraisal of situational aggression in mental health units.

PubMed

Lantta, Tella; Daffern, Michael; Kontio, Raija; Välimäki, Maritta

2015-01-01

The aims of this study are to explain the intervention of implementing a structured violence risk assessment procedure in mental health inpatient units using the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) as a guiding framework and to consider nurses' perspectives of its clinical utility and implementation process. Patient aggression toward staff is a global concern in mental health units. The limited extant literature exploring the use of structured violence risk assessments in mental health units, although small and inconsistent, reveals some positive impacts on the incidence of aggression and staff's use of restrictive interventions. Although numerous violence risk assessment instruments have been developed and tested, their systematic implementation and use are still limited. A project titled "Safer Working Management" (111298) was conducted in a Finnish hospital district, across 3 mental health units. The 6 steps of OMRU were followed during implementation of the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA). Nurses' views toward structured violence risk assessment procedures varied. Although implementation of the DASA was seen as a useful method to increase discussions with patients and nursing staff, some staff preferred their own clinical judgment for assessment of violence risk. It is possible to use a specific model to promote the implementation of risk assessment instruments in mental health units. However, the complex mental health inpatient environment and the difficulties in understanding and managing aggressive patients present challenges for the implementation of structured violence risk assessment methods. The OMRU provides a tool for clinical nurse specialists to guide implementation process in mental health units. Clinical nurse specialists must promote training for staff regarding use of new innovations, such as the DASA. Implementation processes should be reviewed so that clinical nurse specialists can lead and support mental health staff to properly use structured violence risk assessment measures.

Evidence for Mojave-Sonora megashear-Systematic left-lateral offset of Neoproterozoic to Lower Jurassic strata and facies, western United States and northwestern Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stewart, John H.

2005-01-01

Major successions as well as individual units of Neoproterozoic to Lower Jurassic strata and facies appear to be systematically offset left laterally from eastern California and western Nevada in the western United States to Sonora, Mexico. This pattern is most evident in units such as the "Johnnie oolite," a 1- to 2-m-thick oolite of the Neoproterozoic Rainstorm Member of the Johnnie Formation in the western United States and of the Clemente Formation in Sonora. The pattern is also evident in the Lower Cambrian Zabriskie Quartzite of the western United States and the correlative Proveedora Quartzite in Sonora. Matching of isopach lines of the Zabriskie Quartzite and Proveedora Quartzite suggests ???700-800 km of left-lateral offset. The offset pattern is also apparent in the distribution of distinctive lithologic types, unconformities, and fossil assemblages in other rocks ranging in age from Neoproterozoic to Early Jurassic. In the western United States, the distribution of facies in Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic strata indicates that the Cordilleran miogeocline trends north-south. A north-south trend is also suggested in Sonora, and if so is compatible with offset of the miogeocline but not with the ideas that the miogeocline wrapped around the continental margin and trends east-west in Sonora. An imperfect stratigraphic match of supposed offset segments along the megashear is apparent. Some units, such as the "Johnnie oolite" and Zabriskie-Proveedora, show almost perfect correspondence, but other units are significantly different. The differences seem to indicate that the indigenous succession of the western United States and offset segments in Mexico were not precisely side by side before offset but were separated by an area-now buried, eroded, or destroyed-that contained strata of intermediate facies. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Controlling systematic perioperative anaerobic contamination during sinus-lift procedures by using metronidazole: an innovative approach.

PubMed

Choukroun, Joseph; Simonpieri, Alain; Del Corso, Marco; Mazor, Ziv; Sammartino, Gilberto; Dohan Ehrenfest, David M

2008-09-01

Analysis of tomodensitometric controls following sinus grafts clearly demonstrates a quite systematic lack of homogeneity. Sinus contamination by anaerobic bacteria seems almost unavoidable during bone graft surgery, and this problem may jeopardize the healing process. The aim of this study was to characterize in a systematic way the nonhomogeneities observed at 1, 2, or 3 months postsurgery within allogenous sinus grafts, and to assess the possible influence of a 0.5% sterile solution of metronidazole incorporated in the sinus bone graft. This clinical study was conducted on 72 patients treated with single or bilateral sinus-lifts: 94 sinus elevations performed with freeze-dried bone allograft (Phoenix, TBF, Mions, France), with (test group) or without (control group) metronidazole. In the test group, each bone graft was hydrated with 2 mL of a 0.5% metronidazole solution, i.e., only 10 mg of metronidazole. All the patients went through a first presurgical computerized tomography (CT)-scan followed by a second scan performed at 1, 2, or 3 months postsurgery (which was used as the preimplant reference scan). For 11 patients, 2 postsurgical CT-scans were performed respectively at 10 days and 2 months. Using an arbitrary gray scale (Arbitrary Densitometric Unit) which functions according to the Hounsfield unit principle, the degree of radiographic homogeneity of the grafts was established. Density scattering provides some information on the homogeneity or nonhomogeneity of the bone graft. The 12 grafts performed without metronidazole show significant nonhomogeneities at 1, 2, or 3 months. Moreover, when a CT-scan is performed during the first postoperative days (at 10 days), the presence of air bubbles in the graft is confirmed. The tomodensitometric aspects of all grafts treated with metronidazole in this series are absolutely identical: they show a high degree of homogeneity. Sixty-three cases (76.8%) are homogeneous, and 19 cases (23.2%) are significantly homogeneous. The time at which the control scan is performed (10 days, 1, 2, or 3 months) does not seem to influence significantly the degree of homogeneity assessed. In the control group, some inflammatory events associated with facial oedema were observed in 25% of the cases. In the test group, no such event was recorded for the 82 sinus-lifts treated with metronidazole. A possible correlation may exist between the occurrence of non homogeneities within the bone grafts and the anaerobic bacterial contamination. The local use of a very small quantity of metronidazole (equivalent to only 1/20 of a common 200 mg oral tablet) could provide more security when performing sinus-lift procedures and an improved quality of the graft. This protocol should not be considered as an antibiotherapy, but only as way to limit the initial contamination of bone graft.

Modeling the North American vertical datum of 1988 errors in the conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.

2018-02-01

A large systematic difference (ranging from -20 cm to +130 cm) was found between NAVD 88 (North AmericanVertical Datum of 1988) and the pure gravimetric geoid models. This difference not only makes it very difficult to augment the local geoid model by directly using the vast NAVD 88 network with state-of-the-art technologies recently developed in geodesy, but also limits the ability of researchers to effectively demonstrate the geoid model improvements on the NAVD 88 network. Here, both conventional regression analyses based on various predefined basis functions such as polynomials, B-splines, and Legendre functions and the Latent Variable Analysis (LVA) such as the Factor Analysis (FA) are used to analyze the systematic difference. Besides giving a mathematical model, the regression results do not reveal a great deal about the physical reasons that caused the large differences in NAVD 88, which may be of interest to various researchers. Furthermore, there is still a significant amount of no-Gaussian signals left in the residuals of the conventional regression models. On the other side, the FA method not only provides a better not of the data, but also offers possible explanations of the error sources. Without requiring extra hypothesis tests on the model coefficients, the results from FA are more efficient in terms of capturing the systematic difference. Furthermore, without using a covariance model, a novel interpolating method based on the relationship between the loading matrix and the factor scores is developed for predictive purposes. The prediction error analysis shows that about 3-7 cm precision is expected in NAVD 88 after removing the systematic difference.

Predictors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in primary care: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Rumbwere Dube, Benhildah N; Marshall, Tom P; Ryan, Ronan P

2016-09-20

Antiretroviral therapies for human immunodeficiency virus are more effective if infected individuals are diagnosed early, before they have irreversible immunologic damage. A large proportion of patients that are diagnosed with HIV, in United Kingdom, would have seen a general practitioner (GP) within the previous year. Determining the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients prior to diagnosis of HIV may be useful in identifying patients likely to be HIV positive in primary care. This could help inform a strategy of early HIV testing in primary care. This systematic review aims to identify characteristics of HIV-infected adults prior to diagnosis that could be used in a prediction model for early detection of HIV in primary care. The systematic review will search for literature, mainly observational (cohort and case-control) studies, with human participants aged 18 years and over. The exposures are demographic, socio-economic or clinical risk factors or characteristics associated with HIV infection. The comparison group will be patients with no risk factors or no comparison group. The outcome is laboratory-confirmed HIV/AIDS infection. Evidence will be identified from electronic searches of online databases of EMBASE, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library and grey literature search engines of Open Grey, Web of Science Conference Proceedings Citation Index and examination of reference lists from selected studies (reference searching). Two reviewers will be involved in quality assessment and data extraction of the review. A data extraction form will be developed to collate data from selected studies. A checklist for quality assessment will be adapted from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). This systematic review will identify and consolidate existing scientific evidence on characteristics of HIV infected individuals that could be used to inform decision-making in prognostic model development. PROSPERO CRD42016042427.

The evolution of urban sprawl: Evidence of spatial heterogeneity and increasing land fragmentation

PubMed Central

Irwin, Elena G.; Bockstael, Nancy E.

2007-01-01

We investigate the dynamics and spatial distribution of land use fragmentation in a rapidly urbanizing region of the United States to test key propositions regarding the evolution of sprawl. Using selected pattern metrics and data from 1973 and 2000 for the state of Maryland, we find significant increases in developed and undeveloped land fragmentation but substantial spatial heterogeneity as well. Estimated fragmentation gradients that describe mean fragmentation as a function of distance from urban centers confirm the hypotheses that fragmentation rises and falls with distance and that the point of maximum fragmentation shifted outward over time. However, rather than outward increases in sprawl balanced by development infill, we find substantial and significant increases in mean fragmentation values along the entire urban–rural gradient. These findings are in contrast to the results of Burchfield et al. [Burchfield M, Overman HG, Puga D, Turner MA (2006) Q J Econ 121:587–633], who conclude that the extent of sprawl remained roughly unchanged in the Unites States between 1976 and 1992. As demonstrated here, both the data and pattern measure used in their study are systematically biased against recording low-density residential development, the very land use that we find is most strongly associated with fragmentation. Other results demonstrate the association between exurban growth and increasing fragmentation and the systematic variation of fragmentation with nonurban factors. In particular, proximity to the Chesapeake Bay is negatively associated with fragmentation, suggesting that an attraction effect associated with this natural amenity has concentrated development. PMID:18093930

Nonbleeding adenomas: Evidence of systematic false-negative fecal immunochemical test results and their implications for screening effectiveness-A modeling study.

PubMed

van der Meulen, Miriam P; Lansdorp-Vogelaar, Iris; van Heijningen, Else-Mariëtte B; Kuipers, Ernst J; van Ballegooijen, Marjolein

2016-06-01

If some adenomas do not bleed over several years, they will cause systematic false-negative fecal immunochemical test (FIT) results. The long-term effectiveness of FIT screening has been estimated without accounting for such systematic false-negativity. There are now data with which to evaluate this issue. The authors developed one microsimulation model (MISCAN [MIcrosimulation SCreening ANalysis]-Colon) without systematic false-negative FIT results and one model that allowed a percentage of adenomas to be systematically missed in successive FIT screening rounds. Both variants were adjusted to reproduce the first-round findings of the Dutch CORERO FIT screening trial. The authors then compared simulated detection rates in the second screening round with those observed, and adjusted the simulated percentage of systematically missed adenomas to those data. Finally, the authors calculated the impact of systematic false-negative FIT results on the effectiveness of repeated FIT screening. The model without systematic false-negativity simulated higher detection rates in the second screening round than observed. These observed rates could be reproduced when assuming that FIT systematically missed 26% of advanced and 73% of nonadvanced adenomas. To reduce the false-positive rate in the second round to the observed level, the authors also had to assume that 30% of false-positive findings were systematically false-positive. Systematic false-negative FIT testing limits the long-term reduction of biennial FIT screening in the incidence of colorectal cancer (35.6% vs 40.9%) and its mortality (55.2% vs 59.0%) in participants. The results of the current study provide convincing evidence based on the combination of real-life and modeling data that a percentage of adenomas are systematically missed by repeat FIT screening. This impairs the efficacy of FIT screening. Cancer 2016;122:1680-8. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Cue-Controlled Relaxation and Systematic Desensitization versus Nonspecific Factors in Treating Test Anxiety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Richard K.; Lent, Robert W.

1982-01-01

Compared the efficacy of two behavioral anxiety reduction techniques against "subconscious reconditioning," an empirically derived placebo method. Examination of within-group changes showed systematic desensitization produced significant reductions in test and trait anxiety, and remaining treatments and the placebo demonstrated…

SpeciesGeoCoder: Fast Categorization of Species Occurrences for Analyses of Biodiversity, Biogeography, Ecology, and Evolution.

PubMed

Töpel, Mats; Zizka, Alexander; Calió, Maria Fernanda; Scharn, Ruud; Silvestro, Daniele; Antonelli, Alexandre

2017-03-01

Understanding the patterns and processes underlying the uneven distribution of biodiversity across space constitutes a major scientific challenge in systematic biology and biogeography, which largely relies on effectively mapping and making sense of rapidly increasing species occurrence data. There is thus an urgent need for making the process of coding species into spatial units faster, automated, transparent, and reproducible. Here we present SpeciesGeoCoder, an open-source software package written in Python and R, that allows for easy coding of species into user-defined operational units. These units may be of any size and be purely spatial (i.e., polygons) such as countries and states, conservation areas, biomes, islands, biodiversity hotspots, and areas of endemism, but may also include elevation ranges. This flexibility allows scoring species into complex categories, such as those encountered in topographically and ecologically heterogeneous landscapes. In addition, SpeciesGeoCoder can be used to facilitate sorting and cleaning of occurrence data obtained from online databases, and for testing the impact of incorrect identification of specimens on the spatial coding of species. The various outputs of SpeciesGeoCoder include quantitative biodiversity statistics, global and local distribution maps, and files that can be used directly in many phylogeny-based applications for ancestral range reconstruction, investigations of biome evolution, and other comparative methods. Our simulations indicate that even datasets containing hundreds of millions of records can be analyzed in relatively short time using a standard computer. We exemplify the use of SpeciesGeoCoder by inferring the historical dispersal of birds across the Isthmus of Panama, showing that lowland species crossed the Isthmus about twice as frequently as montane species with a marked increase in the number of dispersals during the last 10 million years. [ancestral area reconstruction; biodiversity patterns; ecology; evolution; point in polygon; species distribution data.]. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists.

A systematic review on current status of health technology reassessment: insights for South Korea.

PubMed

Seo, Hyun-Ju; Park, Ji Jeong; Lee, Seon Heui

2016-11-11

To systematically investigate the current status and methodology of health technology reassessment (HTR) in various countries to draw insights for the healthcare system in South Korea. A systematic literature search was conducted on the articles published between January 2000 and February 2015 on Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PubMed. The titles and abstracts of retrieved records were screened and selected by two independent reviewers. Data related to HTR were extracted using a pre-standardised form. The review was conducted using narrative synthesis to understand and summarise the HTR process and policies. Forty five studies, conducted in seven countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, and the United States of America, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Informed by the literature review, and complemented by informant interviews, we focused on HTR activities in four jurisdictions: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Spain. There were similarities in the HTR processes, namely the use of existing health technology assessment agencies, reassessment candidate technology identification and priority setting, stakeholder involvement, support for reimbursement coverage, and implementation strategies. Considering the findings of the systematic review in the context of the domestic healthcare environment in Korea, an appropriate HTR model was developed. This model included four stages, those of identification, prioritisation, reassessment and decision. Disinvestment and reinvestment through the HTR was used to increase the efficiency and quality of care to help patients receive optimal treatment. Based on the lessons learnt from other countries' experiences, Korea should make efforts to establish an HTR process that optimises the National Healthcare Insurance system through revision of the existing Medical Service Act.

Reviewing the evidence to inform the population of cost-effectiveness models within health technology assessments.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Tappenden, Paul; Paisley, Suzy

2013-01-01

Health technology assessments (HTAs) typically require the development of a cost-effectiveness model, which necessitates the identification, selection, and use of other types of information beyond clinical effectiveness evidence to populate the model parameters. The reviewing activity associated with model development should be transparent and reproducible but can result in a tension between being both timely and systematic. Little procedural guidance exists in this area. The purpose of this article was to provide guidance, informed by focus groups, on what might constitute a systematic and transparent approach to reviewing information to populate model parameters. A focus group series was held with HTA experts in the United Kingdom including systematic reviewers, information specialists, and health economic modelers to explore these issues. Framework analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data elicited during focus groups. Suggestions included the use of rapid reviewing methods and the need to consider the trade-off between relevance and quality. The need for transparency in the reporting of review methods was emphasized. It was suggested that additional attention should be given to the reporting of parameters deemed to be more important to the model or where the preferred decision regarding the choice of evidence is equivocal. These recommendations form part of a Technical Support Document produced for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Decision Support Unit in the United Kingdom. It is intended that these recommendations will help to ensure a more systematic, transparent, and reproducible process for the review of model parameters within HTA. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fecal immunochemical tests in combination with blood tests for colorectal cancer and advanced adenoma detection—systematic review

PubMed Central

Niedermaier, Tobias; Weigl, Korbinian; Hoffmeister, Michael; Brenner, Hermann

2017-01-01

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common but largely preventable cancer. Although fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) detect the majority of CRCs, they miss some of the cancers and most advanced adenomas (AAs). The potential of blood tests in complementing FITs for the detection of CRC or AA has not yet been systematically investigated. Methods We conducted a systematic review of performance of FIT combined with an additional blood test for CRC and AA detection versus FIT alone. PubMed and Web of Science were searched until June 9, 2017. Results Some markers substantially increased sensitivity for CRC when combined with FIT, albeit typically at a major loss of specificity. For AA, no relevant increase in sensitivity could be achieved. Conclusion Combining FIT and blood tests might be a promising approach to enhance sensitivity of CRC screening, but comprehensive evaluation of promising marker combinations in screening populations is needed. PMID:29435309

User-centered design and usability testing of an innovative health-related quality of life module.

PubMed

Nagykaldi, Z J; Jordan, M; Quitoriano, J; Ciro, C A; Mold, J W

2014-01-01

Various computerized health risk appraisals (HRAs) are available, but few of them assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a goal-directed framework. This study describes the user-centered development and usability testing of an innovative HRQoL module that extends a validated HRA tool in primary care settings. Systematic user-centered design, usability testing, and qualitative methods were used to develop the HRQoL module in primary care practices. Twenty two patients and 5 clinicians participated in two rounds of interactive technology think-out-loud sessions (TOLs) and semi-structured interviews (SSIs) to iteratively develop a four-step, computerized process that collects information on patient goals for meaningful life activities and current level of disability and presents a personalized and prioritized list of preventive recommendations linked to online resources. Analysis of TOLs and SSIs generated 5 categories and 11 sub-categories related to facilitators and barriers to usability and human-technology interaction. The categories included: Understanding the Purpose, Usability, Perceived Value, Literacy, and Participant Motivation. Some categories were inter-connected. The technology was continually and iteratively improved between sessions until saturation of positive feedback was achieved in 4 categories (addressing motivation will require more research). Usability of all screen units of the module was improved substantially. Clinician feedback emphasized the importance of the module's ability to translate the patient-centered HRQoL Report into actionable items for clinicians to facilitate shared decision-making. Complete integration of the HRQoL module into the existing HRA will require further development and testing. Systematic application of user-centered design and human factors principles in technology development and testing may significantly improve the usability and clinical value of health information systems. This more sophisticated approach helped us translate complex clinical concepts, goal-setting steps, and decision-support processes into an accepted and value-added technology.

Advanced Photovoltaic Inverter Control Development and Validation in a Controller-Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Bed

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

Prabakar, Kumaraguru; Shirazi, Mariko; Singh, Akanksha

Penetration levels of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation on the electric grid have increased in recent years. In the past, most PV installations have not included grid-support functionalities. But today, standards such as the upcoming revisions to IEEE 1547 recommend grid support and anti-islanding functions-including volt-var, frequency-watt, volt-watt, frequency/voltage ride-through, and other inverter functions. These functions allow for the standardized interconnection of distributed energy resources into the grid. This paper develops and tests low-level inverter current control and high-level grid support functions. The controller was developed to integrate advanced inverter functions in a systematic approach, thus avoiding conflict among the differentmore » control objectives. The algorithms were then programmed on an off-the-shelf, embedded controller with a dual-core computer processing unit and field-programmable gate array (FPGA). This programmed controller was tested using a controller-hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) test bed setup using an FPGA-based real-time simulator. The CHIL was run at a time step of 500 ns to accommodate the 20-kHz switching frequency of the developed controller. The details of the advanced control function and CHIL test bed provided here will aide future researchers when designing, implementing, and testing advanced functions of PV inverters.« less

Within-Tunnel Variations in Pressure Data for Three Transonic Wind Tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLoach, Richard

2014-01-01

This paper compares the results of pressure measurements made on the same test article with the same test matrix in three transonic wind tunnels. A comparison is presented of the unexplained variance associated with polar replicates acquired in each tunnel. The impact of a significance component of systematic (not random) unexplained variance is reviewed, and the results of analyses of variance are presented to assess the degree of significant systematic error in these representative wind tunnel tests. Total uncertainty estimates are reported for 140 samples of pressure data, quantifying the effects of within-polar random errors and between-polar systematic bias errors.

Seasonality in sales of nicotine replacement therapies: patterns and implications for tobacco control.

PubMed

Chandra, Siddharth; Gitchell, Joseph G; Shiffman, Saul

2011-05-01

Over the counter, nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) are the most widely used smoking cessation treatment. This study sheds light on the seasonality of sales of NRT. A seasonal adjustment algorithm was applied to data on the sales of NRT products for 50 metro markets in the United States to test for and characterize seasonality in NRT sales. Granger's test was applied to the data to test whether changes in NRT sales systematically predicted changes in cigarette sales 1 month later. The results show (a) that sales of NRT products are seasonal, (b) that the seasonality pattern is the opposite of the seasonality pattern for cigarette sales, (c) that seasonally higher NRT sales in a given month tend to be followed by seasonally lower cigarette sales in the following month, and (d) that seasonally high months for NRT sales (January to March) correspond to seasonally low months for cigarette sales. NRT sales show a strong seasonality pattern that is the opposite of the seasonality pattern for cigarette sales. These patterns are indicative of seasonal variations in quitting behavior.

Systematic, cross-cortex variation in neuron numbers in rodents and primates.

PubMed

Charvet, Christine J; Cahalane, Diarmuid J; Finlay, Barbara L

2015-01-01

Uniformity, local variability, and systematic variation in neuron numbers per unit of cortical surface area across species and cortical areas have been claimed to characterize the isocortex. Resolving these claims has been difficult, because species, techniques, and cortical areas vary across studies. We present a stereological assessment of neuron numbers in layers II-IV and V-VI per unit of cortical surface area across the isocortex in rodents (hamster, Mesocricetus auratus; agouti, Dasyprocta azarae; paca, Cuniculus paca) and primates (owl monkey, Aotus trivigratus; tamarin, Saguinus midas; capuchin, Cebus apella); these chosen to vary systematically in cortical size. The contributions of species, cortical areas, and techniques (stereology, "isotropic fractionator") to neuron estimates were assessed. Neurons per unit of cortical surface area increase across the rostro-caudal (RC) axis in primates (varying by a factor of 1.64-2.13 across the rostral and caudal poles) but less in rodents (varying by a factor of 1.15-1.54). Layer II-IV neurons account for most of this variation. When integrated into the context of species variation, and this RC gradient in neuron numbers, conflicts between studies can be accounted for. The RC variation in isocortical neurons in adulthood mirrors the gradients in neurogenesis duration in development. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Consolidating emerging evidence surrounding HIVST and HIVSS: a rapid systematic mapping protocol.

PubMed

Witzel, T Charles; Weatherburn, Peter; Burns, Fiona M; Johnson, Cheryl C; Figueroa, Carmen; Rodger, Alison J

2017-04-05

HIV self-testing (HIVST) is becoming popular with policy makers and commissioners globally, with a key aim of expanding access through reducing barriers to testing for individuals at risk of HIV infection. HIV self-sampling (HIVSS) was available previously to self-testing but was confined mainly to the USA and the UK. It remains to be seen whether the momentum behind HIVST will also energise efforts to expand HIVSS. Recent years have seen a rapid growth in the type of evidence related to these interventions as well as several systematic reviews. The vast majority of this evidence relates to acceptability as well as values and preferences, although new types of evidence are emerging. This systematic map aims to consolidate all emerging evidence related to HIVST and HIVSS to respond to this rapidly changing area. We will systematically search databases and the abstracts of five conferences from 2006 to the present date, with monthly-automated database searches. Searches will combine key terms relating to HIV (e.g. HIV, AIDS, human immune-deficiency syndrome) with terms related to self-testing (e.g. home-test, self-test, mail-test, home dried blood spot test). Abstracts will be reviewed against inclusion criteria in duplicate. Data will be manually extracted through a standard form and then entered to an open access relational map (HIVST.org). When new and sufficient evidence emerges which addresses existing knowledge gaps, we will complete a review on a relevant topic. This innovative approach will allow rapid cataloguing, documenting and dissemination of new evidence and key findings as they emerge into the public domain. This protocol has not been registered with PROSPERO as they do not register systematic maps.

Nitrate supplementation improves physical performance specifically in non-athletes during prolonged open-ended tests: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Campos, Helton O; Drummond, Lucas R; Rodrigues, Quezia T; Machado, Frederico S M; Pires, Washington; Wanner, Samuel P; Coimbra, Cândido C

2018-03-01

Nitrate (NO3 -) is an ergogenic nutritional supplement that is widely used to improve physical performance. However, the effectiveness of NO3 - supplementation has not been systematically investigated in individuals with different physical fitness levels. The present study analysed whether different fitness levels (non-athletes v. athletes or classification of performance levels), duration of the test used to measure performance (short v. long duration) and the test protocol (time trials v. open-ended tests v. graded-exercise tests) influence the effects of NO3 - supplementation on performance. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted and reported according to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. A systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and ProQuest, was performed in August 2017. On the basis of the search and inclusion criteria, fifty-four and fifty-three placebo-controlled studies evaluating the effects of NO3 - supplementation on performance in humans were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. NO3 - supplementation was ergogenic in non-athletes (mean effect size (ES) 0·25; 95 % CI 0·11, 0·38), particularly in evaluations of performance using long-duration open-ended tests (ES 0·47; 95 % CI 0·23, 0·71). In contrast, NO3 - supplementation did not enhance the performance of athletes (ES 0·04; 95 % CI -0·05, 0·15). After objectively classifying the participants into different performance levels, the frequency of trials showing ergogenic effects in individuals classified at lower levels was higher than that in individuals classified at higher levels. Thus, the present study indicates that dietary NO3 - supplementation improves physical performance in non-athletes, particularly during long-duration open-ended tests.

Investigation of Systematic Effects in Atmospheric Microthermal Probe Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

MICROTHERMAL PROBE DATA by Daniel S. Roper December, 1992 Thesis Advisor. Donald L. Walters Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 93...EFFWS IN ATMOSP RIC MICROTHERMAL PROBE DATA 12. PERSONALAUTHOR(S) Da s. Roper 13s. TYPE OF REPORT 13b. TIME COVERED 14. DATE OF REPORT (year, moith, day...distribution is unlimited. Investigation of Systematic Effects in Atmospheric Microthermal Probe Data by Daniel S. Roper Captain, United States Army B.S

Practice variation in the transfer of premature infants from incubators to open cots in Australian and New Zealand neonatal nurseries: results of an electronic survey.

PubMed

New, Karen; Bogossian, Fiona; East, Christine; Davies, Mark William

2010-06-01

The incubator environment is essential for optimal physiological functioning and development of the premature infant but the infant is ultimately required to make a successful transfer from incubator to open cot in order to be discharged from hospital. Criteria for transfer lack a systematic approach because no clear, specific guideline predominates in clinical practice. Practice variation exists between continents, regions and nurseries in the same countries, but there is no recent review of current practices utilised for transferring premature infants from incubators to open cots. To document current practice for transferring premature infants to open cots in neonatal nurseries. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey. Twenty-two neonatal intensive care units and fifty-six high dependency special care baby units located in public hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. A sample of 78 key clinical nursing leaders (nurse unit managers, clinical nurse consultants or clinical nurse specialists) within neonatal nurseries identified through email or telephone contact. Data were collected using a web-based survey on practice, decision-making and strategies utilised for transferring premature infants from incubators to open cots. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and crosstabs) were used to analyse data. Comparisons between groups were tested for statistical significance using Chi-squared or Fisher's exact test. Significant practice variation between countries was found for only one variable, nursing infants clothed (p=0.011). Processes and practices undertaken similarly in both countries include use of incubator air control mode, current weight criterion, thermal challenging, single-walled incubators and heated mattress systems. Practice variation was significant between neonatal intensive care units and special care baby units for weight range (p=0.005), evidence-based practice (p=0.004), historical nursery practice (p=0.029) and incubator air control mode (p=0.001). Differences in these variables were also found between nurseries in metropolitan and rural locations. Practice variation exists however; many practices are uniformly performed throughout neonatal nurseries in Australian and New Zealand. Commonality was seen between countries and in nurseries with a neonatal intensive care unit. Variation was significant between neonatal intensive care units and special care baby units and nurseries in metropolitan and rural locations. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethical and social issues in presymptomatic testing for Huntington's disease: a European Community collaborative study. European Community Huntington's Disease Collaborative Study Group.

PubMed Central

1993-01-01

An analysis of social and ethical aspects of presymptomatic testing for Huntington's disease has been carried out, based on data on linked DNA markers, from four major testing centres in different European Community countries (Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, and United Kingdom). Information was available on 603 applicants, with 213 final results given, of which 32% gave an increased risk. A series of specific issues and problems were documented systematically for all applicants, results being given on frequency of occurrence and illustrated by individual case histories. The principal issues could be grouped as problems of inappropriate referral, problems involving relatives, and problems relating to disclosure of results. At least one important problem was encountered in 46% of applicants, emphasising the importance of expert counselling, preparation, and support of applicants, and of close liaison between clinical, counselling, and laboratory staff. The extensive and detailed information available for Huntington's disease from this and other studies will be of considerable value in relation to genetic testing for other late onset genetic disorders and will be even more relevant to Huntington's disease now that specific mutation analysis is possible for this disorder. PMID:8133502

Using a Theory-Driven Approach to Manage the Relocation of an Intensive Care Unit: An Exemplar.

PubMed

Lin, Frances; Marshall, Andrea; Hervey, Lucy; Foster, Michelle; Hancock, Jane; Chaboyer, Wendy

Proactive planning and managing moving from old to newly built hospitals, and the relocation process of patients for complex specialized units such as intensive care units, are necessary for both patient safety and staff well-being. This article provides an exemplar for how theory can be used to facilitate a positive relocation experience. Using change management theory, a systematic approach to cocreate implementation strategy among researchers and clinicians was critical to the success of this project.

Mortality, or Probability of Death, from a Suicidal Act in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedmann, Harry; Kohn, Robert

2008-01-01

The probability of death resulting from a suicidal act as a function of age is explored. Until recently, data on suicide attempts in the United States were not available, and therefore the relationship between attempts and completed suicide could not be systematically investigated. Now, with new surveillance of self-harm data from the Centers for…

The Impact of Educational Reforms on the Work of the School Principal in the United Arab Emirates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorne, Christine

2011-01-01

Although much has been written about the complexity of educational change and reform elsewhere, the educational reform movement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a relatively recent phenomenon with little systematic documentation as yet; educators are still searching for a clear understanding of their roles. However, it is clear that the…

Reducing Operating Costs by Optimizing Space in Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Base level 5 engineering units will provide facility floor plans, furniture layouts, and staffing documentation as necessary. One obstacle...due to the quantity and diverse locations. Base level engineering units provided facility floor plans, furniture layouts, and staffing documentation... furniture purchases and placement 5. Follow a quality systematic process in all decisions The per person costs can be better understood with a real

Warming and earlier spring increase Western U.S. forest wildfire activity

Treesearch

A.L. Westerling; H.G. Hidalgo; D.R. Cayan; T.W. Swetnam

2006-01-01

Western United States forest wildfire activity is widely thought to have increased in recent decades, yet neither the extent of recent changes nor the degree to which climate may be driving regional changes in wildfire has been systematically documented. Much of the public and scientific discussion of changes in western United States wildfire has focused instead on...

Employment as a Social Determinant of Health: A Review of Longitudinal Studies Exploring the Relationship between Employment Status and Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hergenrather, Kenneth C.; Zeglin, Robert J.; McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen; Rhodes, Scott D.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To explore employment as a social determinant of health through examining the relationship between employment status and mental health. Method: The authors conducted a systematic review of 48 longitudinal studies conducted in Australia, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, and United States…

dETECT: A Model for the Evaluation of Instructional Units for Teaching Computing in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Wangenheim, Christiane G.; Petri, Giani; Zibertti, André W.; Borgatto, Adriano F.; Hauck, Jean C. R.; Pacheco, Fernando S.; Filho, Raul Missfeldt

2017-01-01

The objective of this article is to present the development and evaluation of dETECT (Evaluating TEaching CompuTing), a model for the evaluation of the quality of instructional units for teaching computing in middle school based on the students' perception collected through a measurement instrument. The dETECT model was systematically developed…

Interventions Using Social Media for Cancer Prevention and Management: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Han, Claire Jungyoun; Lee, Young Ji; Demiris, George

2017-07-27

Regarding cancer awareness, social media effectively promotes health and supports self-management. Given the diverse study designs, methodologies, and approaches of social media interventions in oncology, it is difficult to determine the effects of social media on cancer prevention and management. We aim to systematically review intervention studies using social media for cancer care. A systematic search, using 7 electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Scopus, EMBASE, and PsycINFO), was conducted to identify surveys and interventions using contemporary social media tools with a focus on cancer. Of the 18 selected studies, 7 were randomized controlled trials. Most studies were conducted for all types of cancer, and some were conducted for breast cancer in the United States, with mostly white female participants. Facebook was the most frequently used platform. Most studies targeted healthy participants providing cancer prevention education. With social media platforms as part of a larger intervention, or the main component of interventions, interventions were overall feasible and showed a significant improvement in cancer prevention and management. Social media tools have the potential to be effective in delivering interventions for cancer prevention and management. However, there was a dearth of studies with rigorous study methodologies to test social media effects on various cancer-related clinical outcomes. Social media use in cancer care will facilitate improved communication and support among patients, caregivers, and clinicians and, ultimately, improved patient care. Clinicians need to carefully harness social media to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.

Treatment Interventions for Early Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Foster, Byron A; Farragher, Jill; Parker, Paige; Sosa, Erica T

2015-01-01

With 25% of preschool-age children in the United States being overweight or obese, effective interventions for these children would have significant public health implications. Randomized trials targeting this age group have been performed since the last systematic review. To systematically review the literature on treatment interventions for overweight or obesity in preschool-age children. Medline (1948-July 2014), the Cochrane Central Registry (1991-July 2014), CINAHL (1990-July2014), and PAS abstracts (2000-2014). Inclusion criteria were children aged 0 to 6 in the study and adiposity as an outcome. Exclusions were having normal-weight children in the trial and not having a comparison group. Data were extracted independently by 2 authors using a template. The initial search yielded 1981 results, narrowed to 289 abstracts after initial review. Further analysis and cross-referencing led to the selection of 6 randomized controlled trials representing 1222 children. Two studies used systems changes and motivational interviewing and showed no significant effect on adiposity. Two studies used an intensive, multidisciplinary approach over 6 months and demonstrated significant decreases in adiposity. One study tested parental coaching and showed a significant reduction in adiposity at 6 months. One study used education on a dairy-rich diet and showed a possible effect on adiposity. The study designs were too heterogeneous for meta-analysis; few ethnic minority subjects were included. Multidisciplinary, intensive interventions have some evidence of efficacy in reducing adiposity in preschool children. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the radionuclide composition of "hot particles" sampled in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant fourth reactor unit.

PubMed

Bondarkov, Mikhail D; Zheltonozhsky, Viktor A; Zheltonozhskaya, Maryna V; Kulich, Nadezhda V; Maksimenko, Andrey M; Farfán, Eduardo B; Jannik, G Timothy; Marra, James C

2011-10-01

Fuel-containing materials sampled from within the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) Unit 4 Confinement Shelter were spectroscopically studied for gamma and alpha content. Isotopic ratios for cesium, europium, plutonium, americium, and curium were identified, and the fuel burn-up in these samples was determined. A systematic deviation in the burn-up values based on the cesium isotopes in comparison with other radionuclides was observed. The studies conducted were the first ever performed to demonstrate the presence of significant quantities of 242Cm and 243Cm. It was determined that there was a systematic underestimation of activities of transuranic radionuclides in fuel samples from inside of the ChNPP Confinement Shelter, starting from 241Am (and going higher) in comparison with the theoretical calculations.

[Single-family rooms for neonatal intensive care units impacts on preterm newborns, families, and health-care staff. A systematic literature review].

PubMed

Servel, A-C; Rideau Batista Novais, A

2016-09-01

The quality of the environment is an essential point in the care of preterm newborns. The design of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) (open-bay, single-patient room, single-family room) directly affects both the preterm newborns and their caregivers (parents, healthcare staff). The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of single-family rooms on the preterm newborn, its parents, and the staff. Single-family rooms improve outcome for the preterm newborn, with increasing parental involvement and better control of the environment (fewer inappropriate stimulations such as high levels of noise and illumination). This kind of NICU design also improves parental and staff satisfaction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing the role of masculinity in the transmission of HIV: a systematic review to inform HIV risk reduction counseling interventions for men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Zeglin, Robert J

2015-10-01

HIV affects over 1.2 million people in the United States; a substantial number are men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite an abundance of literature evaluating numerous social/structural and individual risk factors associated with HIV for this population, relatively little is known regarding the individual-level role of masculinity in community-level HIV transmission risk. To address this gap, the current analysis systematically reviewed the masculinity and HIV literature for MSM. The findings of 31 sources were included. Seven themes were identified: (1) number of partners, (2) attitudes toward condoms, (3) drug use, (4) sexual positioning, (5) condom decision-making, (6) attitudes toward testing, and (7) treatment compliance. These factors, representing the enactment of masculine norms, potentiate the spread of HIV. The current article aligns these factors into a masculinity model of community HIV transmission. Opportunities for counseling interventions include identifying how masculinity informs a client's cognitions, emotions, and behaviors as well as adapting gender-transformative interventions to help create new conceptualizations of masculinity for MSM clients. This approach could reduce community-level HIV incidence.

Assessing the Role of Masculinity in the Transmission of HIV: A Systematic Review to Inform HIV Risk Reduction Counseling Interventions for MSM

PubMed Central

Zeglin, Robert J.

2017-01-01

HIV affects over 1.2 million people in the United States; a substantial number are men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite an abundance of literature evaluating numerous social/structural and individual risk factors associated with HIV for this population, relatively little is known regarding the individual-level role of masculinity in community-level HIV transmission risk. To address this gap, the current analysis systematically reviewed the masculinity and HIV literature for MSM. The findings of 31 sources were included. Seven themes were identified: 1) Number of partners, 2) Attitudes toward condoms, 3) Drug use, 4) Sexual positioning, 5) Condom decision-making, 6) Attitudes toward testing, and 7) Treatment compliance. These factors, representing the enactment of masculine norms, potentiate the spread of HIV. The current article aligns these factors into a Masculinity Model of Community HIV Transmission. Opportunities for counseling interventions include identifying how masculinity informs a client’s cognitions, emotions, and behaviors as well as adapting gender transformative interventions to help create new conceptualizations of masculinity for MSM clients. This approach could reduce community-level HIV incidence. PMID:25917411

Evolution, biogeography, and systematics of Puriana: evolution and speciation in Ostracoda, III.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, T. M.

1987-01-01

Three types of geographic isolation - land barriers, deep water barriers, and climatic barriers - resulted in three distinct evolutionary responses in Neogene and Quaternary species of the epineritic ostracode genus Puriana. Through systematic, paleobiogeographic, and morphologic study of several hundred fossil and Recent populations from the eastern Pacific, western Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean, the phylogeny of the genus and the geography of speciation events were determined. Isolation of large populations by the Isthumus of Panama during the Pliocene did not lead to lineage splitting in species known to have existed before the Isthmus formed. Conversely, the establishment of small isolated populations on Caribbean islands by passive dispersal mechanisms frequently led to the evolution of new species or subspecies. Climatic changes along the southeastern United States during the Pliocene also catalyzed possible parapatric speciation as populations that immigrated to the northeastern periphery of the genus' range split to form new species. The results provide evidence that evolutionary models describing the influence of abiotic events on patterns of evolution and speciation can be tested using properly selected tectonic and climatic events and fossil groups amenable to species-level analysis. Two new species, P. bajaensis and P. paikensis, are described. -Author

Expanding the Political Philosophy Dimension of the RISP Model: Examining the Conditional Indirect Effects of Cultural Cognition.

PubMed

Hmielowski, Jay D; Wang, Meredith Y; Donaway, Rebecca R

2018-04-25

This article attempts to connect literatures from the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model and cultural cognition theory. We do this by assessing the relationship between the two prominent cultural cognition variables (i.e., group and grid) and risk perceptions. We then examine whether these risk perceptions are associated with three outcomes important to the RISP model: information seeking, systematic processing, and heuristic processing, through a serial mediation model. We used 2015 data collected from 10 communities across the United States to test our hypotheses. Our results show that people high on group and low on grid (egalitarian communitarians) show greater risk perceptions regarding water quality issues. Moreover, these higher levels of perceived risk translate into increased information seeking, systematic processing of information, and lower heuristic processing through intervening variables from the RISP model (e.g., negative emotions and information insufficiency). These results extend the extant literature by expanding on the treatment of political ideology within the RISP model literature and taking a more nuanced approach to political beliefs in accordance with the cultural cognitions literature. Our article also expands on the RISP literature by looking at information-processing variables. © 2018 Society for Risk Analysis.

[HTLV and "donating" milk].

PubMed

Rigourd, V; Meyer, V; Kieffer, F; Aubry, S; Magny, J-F

2011-08-01

In France, the screening for human T-cell leukemia/ lymphoma virus type 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) during the donation of human milk has been carried out from 1992 with the application of the circular DGS 24 November 1992. The screening for antibodies against these viruses is regulated and done systematically during every donation of milk. Breast feeding being the main mode of transmission of the HTLV-1, the last ministerial decree of 25 August 2010 has made the screening test compulsory for the anonymous donation and for the personalized donation (of a mother for her own child) from all women including those affected by the infection. The milk delivered by milk banks is pasteurized (62.5 °C for 30 minutes) before freezing at -18 °C, which inactivates the pathogens. This double means of prevention of the transmission of the HTLV-1 paradoxically seems disproportionate in the absence of any precautionary measure in the case of direct breast-feeding and the use of mother's raw milk. Indeed, in most neonatal intensive care units in maternity hospitals, unpasteurized milk is administered to the neonates without any systematic preliminary testing of the serological HTLV-1 status of the mother. An increased sensitization of the community of the obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists by the Association of the Milk Banks of France (ADLF) and the Société de pathologie exotique could address the issue of screening for HTLV-1 in "donated" milk and breast-feeding.

The air forces on a systematic series of biplane and triplane cellule models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munk, Max M

1927-01-01

The air forces on a systematic series of biplane and triplane cellule models are the subject of this report. The test consist in the determination of the lift, drag, and moment of each individual airfoil in each cellule, mostly with the same wing section. The magnitude of the gap and of the stagger is systematically varied; not, however, the decalage, which is zero throughout the tests. Certain check tests with a second wing section make the tests more complete and conclusions more convincing. The results give evidence that the present army and navy specifications for the relative lifts of biplanes are good. They furnish material for improving such specifications for the relative lifts of triplanes. A larger number of factors can now be prescribed to take care of different cases.

A Systematic Approach to Error Free Telemetry

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-28

A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO ERROR FREE TELEMETRY 412TW-TIM-17-03 DISTRIBUTION A: Approved for public release. Distribution is...Systematic Approach to Error-Free Telemetry) was submitted by the Commander, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, California 93524. Prepared by...Technical Information Memorandum 3. DATES COVERED (From - Through) February 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A Systematic Approach to Error-Free

Tactical Defenses Against Systematic Variation in Wind Tunnel Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLoach, Richard

2002-01-01

This paper examines the role of unexplained systematic variation on the reproducibility of wind tunnel test results. Sample means and variances estimated in the presence of systematic variations are shown to be susceptible to bias errors that are generally non-reproducible functions of those variations. Unless certain precautions are taken to defend against the effects of systematic variation, it is shown that experimental results can be difficult to duplicate and of dubious value for predicting system response with the highest precision or accuracy that could otherwise be achieved. Results are reported from an experiment designed to estimate how frequently systematic variations are in play in a representative wind tunnel experiment. These results suggest that significant systematic variation occurs frequently enough to cast doubts on the common assumption that sample observations can be reliably assumed to be independent. The consequences of ignoring correlation among observations induced by systematic variation are considered in some detail. Experimental tactics are described that defend against systematic variation. The effectiveness of these tactics is illustrated through computational experiments and real wind tunnel experimental results. Some tutorial information describes how to analyze experimental results that have been obtained using such quality assurance tactics.

Methodological quality of systematic reviews on influenza vaccination.

PubMed

Remschmidt, Cornelius; Wichmann, Ole; Harder, Thomas

2014-03-26

There is a growing body of evidence on the risks and benefits of influenza vaccination in various target groups. Systematic reviews are of particular importance for policy decisions. However, their methodological quality can vary considerably. To investigate the methodological quality of systematic reviews on influenza vaccination (efficacy, effectiveness, safety) and to identify influencing factors. A systematic literature search on systematic reviews on influenza vaccination was performed, using MEDLINE, EMBASE and three additional databases (1990-2013). Review characteristics were extracted and the methodological quality of the reviews was evaluated using the assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR) tool. U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, chi-square test, and multivariable linear regression analysis were used to assess the influence of review characteristics on AMSTAR-score. Fourty-six systematic reviews fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Average methodological quality was high (median AMSTAR-score: 8), but variability was large (AMSTAR range: 0-11). Quality did not differ significantly according to vaccination target group. Cochrane reviews had higher methodological quality than non-Cochrane reviews (p=0.001). Detailed analysis showed that this was due to better study selection and data extraction, inclusion of unpublished studies, and better reporting of study characteristics (all p<0.05). In the adjusted analysis, no other factor, including industry sponsorship or journal impact factor had an influence on AMSTAR score. Systematic reviews on influenza vaccination showed large differences regarding their methodological quality. Reviews conducted by the Cochrane collaboration were of higher quality than others. When using systematic reviews to guide the development of vaccination recommendations, the methodological quality of a review in addition to its content should be considered. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can environmental purchasing reduce mercury in U.S. health care?

PubMed Central

Eagan, Patrick D; Kaiser, Barb

2002-01-01

Environmental purchasing represents an innovative approach to mercury control for the health care sector in the United States. The U.S. health care sector creates significant environmental impacts, including the release of toxic substances such as mercury. Our goal in this study was to provide the health care industry with a method of identifying the environmental impacts associated with the products they use. The Health Care Environmental Purchasing Tool (HCEPT) was developed and tested at nine health care facilities in the Great Lakes region of the United States. As a result, more than 1 kg of mercury was removed from four facilities. The complexity of the supply chain inhibits a direct environmental information exchange between health-care decision makers and suppliers. However, a dialogue is starting within the health care supply chain to address environmental issues. The HCEPT has been shown to assist health care facilities with that dialogue by identifying products that have environmental consequences. This promising tool is now available for further experimentation and modification, to facilitate overall environmental improvement, and to provide a systematic method for environmental assessment of health care products. PMID:12204816

Effective energy data management for low-carbon growth planning: An analytical framework for assessment

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

Liu, Bo; Evans, Meredydd; Yu, Sha

Readily available and reliable energy data is fundamental to effective analysis and policymaking for the energy sector. Energy statistics of high quality, systematically compiled and effectively disseminated, not only support governments to ensure national security and evaluate energy policies, but they also guide investment decisions in both the private and public sectors. Because of energy’s close link to greenhouse gas emissions, energy data has a particularly important role in assessing emissions and strategies to reduce emissions. In this study, energy data management in four countries – Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States – are examined from bothmore » organizational and operational perspectives. With insights from these best practices, we present a framework for the evaluation of national energy data management systems. It can be used by national statistics compilers to assess their chosen model and to identify areas for improvement. We then use India as a test case for this framework. Its government is working to enhance India’s energy data management to improve sustainable growth planning.« less

Developing High PV Penetration Cases for Frequency Response Study of U.S. Western Interconnection: Preprint

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

Tan, Jin; Zhang, Yingchen; Veda, Santosh

Recent large penetrations of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and the inertial characteristics of inverter-based generation technologies have caught the attention of those in the electric power industry in the United States. This paper presents a systematic approach to developing test cases of high penetrations of PV for the Western Interconnection. First, to examine the accuracy of the base case model, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) model is validated by using measurement data from synchronized phasor measurement units. Based on the 2022 Light Spring case, we developed four high PV penetration cases for the WECC system that are of interestmore » to the industry: 5% PV+15 % wind, 25% PV+15% wind, 45% PV+15% wind, 65% PV+15% wind). Additionally, a method to project PV is proposed that is based on collected, realistic PV distribution information, including the current and future PV power plant locations and penetrations in the WECC system. Both the utility-scale PV plant and residential rooftop PV are included in this study.« less

Developing High PV Penetration Cases for Frequency Response Study of U.S. Western Interconnection

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

Tan, Jin; Zhang, Yingchen; Veda, Santosh

Recent large penetrations of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and the inertial characteristics of inverter-based generation technologies have caught the attention of those in the electric power industry in the United States. This paper presents a systematic approach to developing test cases of high penetrations of PV for the Western Interconnection. First, to examine the accuracy of the base case model, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) model is validated by using measurement data from synchronized phasor measurement units. Based on the 2022 Light Spring case, we developed four high PV penetration cases for the WECC system that are of interestmore » to the industry: 5% PV+15 % wind, 25% PV+15% wind, 45% PV+15% wind, 65% PV+15% wind). Additionally, a method to project PV is proposed that is based on collected, realistic PV distribution information, including the current and future PV power plant locations and penetrations in the WECC system. Both the utility-scale PV plant and residential rooftop PV are included in this study.« less

Developing High PV Penetration Cases for Frequency Response Study of U.S. Western Interconnection: Preprint

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

Tan, Jin; Zhang, Yingchen; Veda, Santosh

2017-04-11

Recent large penetrations of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and the inertial characteristics of inverter-based generation technologies have caught the attention of those in the electric power industry in the United States. This paper presents a systematic approach to developing test cases of high penetrations of PV for the Western Interconnection. First, to examine the accuracy of the base case model, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) model is validated by using measurement data from synchronized phasor measurement units. Based on the 2022 Light Spring case, we developed four high PV penetration cases for the WECC system that are of interestmore » to the industry: 5% PV+15 % wind, 25% PV+15% wind, 45% PV+15% wind, 65% PV+15% wind). Additionally, a method to project PV is proposed that is based on collected, realistic PV distribution information, including the current and future PV power plant locations and penetrations in the WECC system. Both the utility-scale PV plant and residential rooftop PV are included in this study.« less

Nasa's Land Remote Sensing Plans for the 1980's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higg, H. C.; Butera, K. M.; Settle, M.

1985-01-01

Research since the launch of LANDSAT-1 has been primarily directed to the development of analysis techniques and to the conduct of applications studies designed to address resource information needs in the United States and in many other countries. The current measurement capabilities represented by MSS, TM, and SIR-A and B, coupled with the present level of remote sensing understanding and the state of knowledge in the discipline earth sciences, form the foundation for NASA's Land Processes Program. Science issues to be systematically addressed include: energy balance, hydrologic cycle, biogeochemical cycles, biological productivity, rock cycle, landscape development, geological and botanical associations, and land surface inventory, monitoring, and modeling. A global perspective is required for using remote sensing technology for problem solving or applications context. A successful model for this kind of activity involves joint research with a user entity where the user provides a test site and ground truth and NASA provides the remote sensing techniques to be tested.

The theory of granular packings for coarse soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanqui, Calixtro

2013-06-01

Coarse soils are substances made of grains of different shape, size and orientation. In this paper, new massive-measurable grain indexes are defined to develop a simple and systematic theory for the ideal packing of grains. First, a linear relationship between an assemblage of monodisperse spheres and an assemblage of polydisperse grains is deduced. Then, a general formula for the porosity of linearly ordered packings of spheres in contact is settled down by the appropriated choosing of eight neighboring spheres located at the vertices of the unit parallelepiped. The porosity of axisymmetric packings of grains, related to sand piles and axisymmetric compression tests, is proposed to be determined averaging the respective linear parameters. Since they can be tested experimentally, porosities of the densest state and the loosest state of a granular soil can be used to verify the accuracy of the present theory. Diagrams for these extreme quantities show a good agreement between the theoretical lines and the experimental data, no matter the dependency on the protocols and mineral composition.

A comparison of helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems for hydrogeologic studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedrosian, Paul A.; Schamper, Cyril; Auken, Esben

2016-01-01

The increased application of airborne electromagnetic surveys to hydrogeological studies is driving a demand for data that can consistently be inverted for accurate subsurface resistivity structure from the near surface to depths of several hundred metres. We present an evaluation of three commercial airborne electromagnetic systems over two test blocks in western Nebraska, USA. The selected test blocks are representative of shallow and deep alluvial aquifer systems with low groundwater salinity and an electrically conductive base of aquifer. The aquifer units show significant lithologic heterogeneity and include both modern and ancient river systems. We compared the various data sets to one another and inverted resistivity models to borehole lithology and to ground geophysical models. We find distinct differences among the airborne electromagnetic systems as regards the spatial resolution of models, the depth of investigation, and the ability to recover near-surface resistivity variations. We further identify systematic biases in some data sets, which we attribute to incomplete or inexact calibration or compensation procedures.

Implementation of quality assurance in diagnostic radiology in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republic of Srpska).

PubMed

Bosnjak, J; Ciraj-Bjelac, O; Strbac, B

2008-01-01

Application of a quality control (QC) programme is very important when optimisation of image quality and reduction of patient exposure is desired. QC surveys of diagnostics imaging equipment in Republic of Srpska (entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina) has been systematically performed since 2001. The presented results are mostly related to the QC test results of X-ray tubes and generators for diagnostic radiology units in 92 radiology departments. In addition, results include workplace monitoring and usage of personal protective devices for staff and patients. Presented results showed the improvements in the implementation of the QC programme within the period 2001--2005. Also, more attention is given to appropriate maintenance of imaging equipment, which was one of the main problems in the past. Implementation of a QC programme is a continuous and complex process. To achieve good performance of imaging equipment, additional tests are to be introduced, along with image quality assessment and patient dosimetry. Training is very important in order to achieve these goals.

Identifying additional studies for a systematic review of retention strategies in randomised controlled trials: making contact with trials units and trial methodologists.

PubMed

Brueton, Valerie; Tierney, Jayne F; Stenning, Sally; Rait, Greta

2017-08-22

Search strategies for systematic reviews aim to identify all evidence relevant to the research question posed. Reports of methodological research can be difficult to find leading to biased results in systematic reviews of research methodology. Evidence suggests that contact with investigators can help to identify unpublished research. To identify additional eligible randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for a Cochrane systematic review of strategies to improve retention in RCTs, we conducted a survey of UK clinical trials units (CTUs) and made contact with RCT methodologists. Key contacts for all UK CTUs were sent a personalised email with a short questionnaire and summary protocol of the Cochrane methodology review. The questionnaire asked whether a RCT evaluating strategies to improve retention embedded in a RCT had ever been conducted by the CTU. Questions about the stage of completion and publication of such RCTs were included. The summary protocol outlined the aims, eligibility criteria, examples of types of retention strategies, and the primary outcome for the systematic review. Personal communication with RCT methodologists and presentations of preliminary results of the review at conferences were also used to identify additional eligible RCTs. We checked the results of our standard searches to see if eligible studies identified through these additional methods were also found using our standard searches. We identified 14 of the 38 RCTs included in the Cochrane methodology review by contacting trials units and methodologists. Eleven of the 14 RCTs identified by these methods were either published in grey literature, in press or unpublished. Three remaining RCTs were fully published at the time. Six of the RCTs identified were not found through any other searches. The RCTs identified represented data for 6 of 14 RCTs of incentive strategies (52% of randomised participants included in the review), and 6 of 14 RCTs of communication strategies (52% of randomised participants included in the Cochrane review). Data were unavailable for two of the RCTs identified. Methodological evaluations embedded in RCTs may be unpublished, published in the grey literature or where published, poorly indexed in bibliographic databases. To identify such studies and minimise selection bias in systematic reviews of methodological evaluations, reviewers should consider contacting CTUs and trial methodologists.

Diagnostic accuracy of scapular physical examination tests for shoulder disorders: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wright, Alexis A; Wassinger, Craig A; Frank, Mason; Michener, Lori A; Hegedus, Eric J

2013-09-01

To systematically review and critique the evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests for the scapula in patients with shoulder disorders. A systematic, computerised literature search of PubMED, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library databases (from database inception through January 2012) using keywords related to diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests of the scapula. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool was used to critique the quality of each paper. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria; three were considered to be of high quality. Of the three high-quality studies, two were in reference to a 'diagnosis' of shoulder pain. Only one high-quality article referenced specific shoulder pathology of acromioclavicular dislocation with reported sensitivity of 71% and 41% for the scapular dyskinesis and SICK scapula test, respectively. Overall, no physical examination test of the scapula was found to be useful in differentially diagnosing pathologies of the shoulder.

The Utility of Routine Intensive Care Admission for Patients Undergoing Intracranial Neurosurgical Procedures: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

de Almeida, Cesar Cimonari; Boone, M Dustin; Laviv, Yosef; Kasper, Burkhard S; Chen, Clark C; Kasper, Ekkehard M

2018-02-01

Patients who have undergone intracranial neurosurgical procedures have traditionally been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) for close postoperative neurological observation. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the evidence for routine ICU admission in patients undergoing intracranial neurosurgical procedures and to evaluate the safety of alternative postoperative pathways. We were interested in identifying studies that examined selected patients who presented for elective, non-emergent intracranial surgery whose postoperative outcomes were compared as a function of ICU versus non-ICU admission. A systematic review was performed in July 2016 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist of the Medline database. The search strategy was created based on the following key words: "craniotomy," "neurosurgical procedure," and "intensive care unit." The nine articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria yielded a total of 2227 patients. Of these patients, 879 were observed in a non-ICU setting. The most frequent diagnoses were supratentorial brain tumors, followed by patients with cerebrovascular diseases and infratentorial brain tumors. Three percent (30/879) of the patients originally assigned to floor or intermediate care status were transferred to the ICU. The most frequently observed neurological complications leading to ICU transfer were delayed postoperative neurological recovery, seizures, worsening of neurological deficits, hemiparesis, and cranial nerves deficits. Our systematic review demonstrates that routine postoperative ICU admission may not benefit carefully selected patients who have undergone elective intracranial neurosurgical procedures. In addition, limiting routine ICU admission may result in significant cost savings.

The reliability of physical examination tests for the clinical assessment of scapular dyskinesis in subjects with shoulder complaints: A systematic review.

PubMed

Lange, Toni; Struyf, Filip; Schmitt, Jochen; Lützner, Jörg; Kopkow, Christian

2017-07-01

Systematic review. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize and evaluate intra- and interrater reliability research of physical examination tests used for the assessment of scapular dyskinesis. Scapular dyskinesis, defined as alteration of normal scapular kinematics, is described as a non-specific response to different shoulder pathologies. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and PEDro until March 20th, 2015. Methodological quality was assessed with the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) by two independent reviewers. The search strategy revealed 3259 articles, of which 15 met the inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated the reliability of 41 test and test variations used for the assessment of scapular dyskinesis. This review identified a lack of high-quality studies evaluating intra- as well as interrater reliability of tests used for the assessment of scapular dyskinesis. In addition, reliability measures differed between included studies hindering proper cross-study comparisons. The effect of manual correction of the scapula on shoulder symptoms was evaluated in only one study, which is striking, since symptom alteration tests are used in routine care to guide further treatment. Thus, there is a strong need for further research in this area. Diagnosis, level 3a. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessing changes in a patient's condition - perspectives of intensive care nurses.

PubMed

Kvande, Monica; Delmar, Charlotte; Lykkeslet, Else; Storli, Sissel Lisa

2017-03-01

To explore the phenomenon of assessing changes in patients' conditions in intensive care units from the perspectives of experienced intensive care nurses. Providing safe care for patients in intensive care units requires an awareness and perception of the signs that indicate changes in a patient's condition. Nurses in intensive care units play an essential role in preventing the deterioration of a patient's condition and in improving patient outcomes. This hermeneutic phenomenological study conducted close observations and in-depth interviews with 11 intensive care nurses. The nurses' experience ranged from 7 to 28 years in the intensive care unit. Data were collected at two intensive care units in two Norwegian university hospitals. The analysis was performed using the reflective methods of van Manen. An overarching theme of 'sensitive situational attention' was identified, in which the nurses were sensitive in relation to a patient and understood the significance of a given situation. This theme was further unfolded in four subthemes: (1) being sensitive and emotionally present, (2) being systematic and concentrating, (3) being physically close to the bedside and (4) being trained and familiar with the routines. Nurses understand each patient's situation and foresee clinical eventualities through a sensitive and attentive way of thinking and working. This requires nurses to be present at the bedside with both their senses (sight, hearing, smell and touch) and emotions and to work in a concentrated and systematic manner. Knowledge about the unique patient exists in interplay with past experiences and medical knowledge, which are essential for nurses to understand the situation. Clinical practice should develop routines that enable nurses to be present at the bedside and to work in a concentrated and systematic manner. Furthermore, providing safe care requires nurses to be sensitive and attentive to each patient's unique situation. © 2016 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Mental Health and Resilience: Soldiers’ Perceptions about Psychotherapy, Medication, and Barriers to Care in the United States Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Dr. Benham caused a shut down of all research activities at Fort Drum. This research embargo caused a 6-month delay while we awaited decisions from...as race, gender, and socio-demographic variables. To ourknowledge there have not been any systematic investigations into what soldiers believe...systematic investigations into what soldiers believe about mental health treatment. Moreover, there have been no studies examining how beliefs about

Mental Health and Resilience: Soldiers’ Perceptions about Psychotherapy, Medication, and Barriers to Care in the United States Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

research group that was also collaborating with Dr. Benham caused a shut down of all research activities at Fort Drum. This research embargo caused a 6...variables. To ourknowledge there have not been any systematic investigations into what soldiers believe about mental health treatment.Results from...knowledge there have not been any systematic investigations into what soldiers believe about mental health treatment. Moreover, there have been no

Systematic use of closed-circuit television in a general practice teaching unit

PubMed Central

Irwin, W. George; Perrott, Jon S.

1981-01-01

We describe use of closed-circuit television in teaching general practice consulting skills in a new central teaching unit of a department of general practice. We explain how the system works, present a simple analysis of student performance in communicating with real and simulated patients and discuss the value of teaching from the consultation with closed-circuit television and video. PMID:7328539

A systematic approach for locating optimum sites

Treesearch

Angel Ramos; Isabel Otero

1979-01-01

The basic information collected for landscape planning studies may be given the form of a "s x m" matrix, where s is the number of landscape units and m the number of data gathered for each unit. The problem of finding the optimum location for a given project is translated in the problem of ranking the series of vectors in the matrix which represent landscape...

Evaluation of the CONSUME and FOFEM fuel consumption models in pine and mixed hardwood forests of the eastern United States

Treesearch

Susan J. Prichard; Eva C. Karau; Roger D. Ottmar; Maureen C. Kennedy; James B. Cronan; Clinton S. Wright; Robert E. Keane

2014-01-01

Reliable predictions of fuel consumption are critical in the eastern United States (US), where prescribed burning is frequently applied to forests and air quality is of increasing concern. CONSUME and the First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM), predictive models developed to estimate fuel consumption and emissions from wildland fires, have not been systematically...

Universals and cultural variations in 22 emotional expressions across five cultures.

PubMed

Cordaro, Daniel T; Sun, Rui; Keltner, Dacher; Kamble, Shanmukh; Huddar, Niranjan; McNeil, Galen

2018-02-01

We collected and Facial Action Coding System (FACS) coded over 2,600 free-response facial and body displays of 22 emotions in China, India, Japan, Korea, and the United States to test 5 hypotheses concerning universals and cultural variants in emotional expression. New techniques enabled us to identify cross-cultural core patterns of expressive behaviors for each of the 22 emotions. We also documented systematic cultural variations of expressive behaviors within each culture that were shaped by the cultural resemblance in values, and identified a gradient of universality for the 22 emotions. Our discussion focused on the science of new expressions and how the evidence from this investigation identifies the extent to which emotional displays vary across cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Minimize Solvent Oxidation with NO X Pre-Scrubbing

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

Sexton, Andrew; Sachde, Darshan; Vance, Austyn

A novel method to remove nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants with CO 2 capture was further developed for commercial implementation. The technology leverages the equipment and chemistry in an existing (sulfur dioxide) SO 2 polishing scrubber upstream of the main CO 2 capture unit to remove the NO 2, preventing degradation of the CO 2 capture solvent and formation of nitrosamines (environmental hazards). The research in this report focuses on further evaluation of the chemical additives and operating conditions associated with the NO 2 removal process to define conditions for commercial scale testingmore » and deployment. Experimental work systematically evaluated a series of potential additives to minimize the oxidation of sulfite in a representative SO 2 pre-scrubber solution (sulfite, in turn, absorbs NO 2). The additive combinations and concentrations were varied alongside important process conditions such as temperature, oxygen concentration, and metals present in solution to mimic the conditions expected in a commercial system. Important results of the parametric experimental work include identifying a new, potent sulfite oxidation inhibitor, revealing the importance of combining inhibitors with metal chelating agents, validation of a low-cost additive process, and development of a new semi-empirical model to represent mechanisms associated with sulfite oxidation. In addition, the experimental work reveled the impact of operating at higher temperatures (representative of a field test unit), which will guide the selection and concertation of additives as well. Engineering analysis found that waste solutions from the pre-scrubber with NO 2 additives may potentially be integrated with existing processes on site (e.g., flue gas desulfurization unit). In addition, techno-economic analysis identified potential net savings as large as $1.30/tonne CO 2 captured and quantified the potential benefit of low cost additive options actively being pursued by the development team. Finally, the experimental results and engineering analysis supported the development of a detailed field testing plan and protocol to evaluate the technology at near-commercial scale. The field test preparation included development of procedures to introduce chemical additives to an existing SO 2 polishing unit and identification of representative flue gas conditions based on a review of existing plants. These activities will have direct bearing on operation and design of commercial units.« less

Devonian and Mississippian rocks of the northern Antelope Range, Eureka County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hose, Richard Kenneth; Armstrong, A.K.; Harris, A.G.; Mamet, B.L.

1982-01-01

Lower through Upper Devonian rocks of the northern Antelope Range, Nev., consist of four formational rank units more than 800 m thick, separated from Mississippian units by an unconformity. The lower three Devonian units, the Beacon Peak Dolomite, McColley Canyon Formation, and Denay Limestone are known in other areas; the top unit, the Fenstermaker Wash Formation, is new. The Mississippian units, more than 280 m thick, are divisible into three units which are unlike coeval units elsewhere, and are herein named the Davis Spring Formation, Kinkead Spring Limestone, and Antelope Range Formation. Systematic sampling of the Devonian sequence has yielded relatively abundant conodonts containing several biostratigraphic ally significant taxa. The Mississippian units contain redeposited conodonts of chiefly Late Devonian and Early Mississippian (Kinderhookian) age together with indigenous Osagean foraminifers and algae in the Kinkead Spring Limestone.

Cross-cultural assessment of HIV-associated cognitive impairment using the Kaufman assessment battery for children: a systematic review.

PubMed

van Wyhe, Kaylee S; van de Water, Tanya; Boivin, Michael J; Cotton, Mark F; Thomas, Kevin Gf

2017-06-14

Despite improved efficacy of, and access to, combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-associated cognitive impairments remain prevalent in both children and adults. Neuropsychological tests that detect such impairment can help clinicians formulate effective treatment plans. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), although developed and standardized in the United States, is used frequently in many different countries and cultural contexts to assess paediatric performance across various cognitive domains. This systematic review investigated the cross-cultural utility of the original KABC, and its 2nd edition (KABC-II), in detecting HIV-associated cognitive impairment in children and adolescents. We entered relevant keywords and MeSH terms into the PubMed, PsycInfo, EBSCOHost, ProQuest, and Scopus databases, with search limits set from 1983-2017. Two independent reviewers evaluated the retrieved abstracts and manuscripts. Studies eligible for inclusion in the review were those that (a) used the KABC/KABC-II to assess cognitive function in children/adolescents aged 2-18 years, (b) featured a definition of cognitive impairment (e.g. >2 SD below the mean) or compared the performance of HIV-infected and uninfected control groups, and (c) used a sample excluded from population on which the instruments were normed. We identified nine studies (eight conducted in African countries, and one in the United Kingdom) to comprise the review's sample. All studies detected cognitive impairment in HIV-infected children, including those who were cART-naïve or who were cART treated and clinically stable. KABC/KABC-II subtests assessing simultaneous processing appeared most sensitive. Evaluation of the methodological quality of the selected studies by two independent reviews suggested that shortcomings included reporting and selection biases. This systematic review provides evidence for the cross-cultural utility of the KABC/KABC-II, particularly the simultaneous processing subtests, in detecting cognitive impairment in HIV-infected children (including those who are clinically stable). Although the current results suggest there is justification for using the KABC/KABC-II primarily in East Africa, further investigation is required to explore the instrument's utility in other HIV-prevalent regions of the globe.

A grey literature review of special events for promoting cancer screenings

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cancer remains the second leading cause of mortality in the United States. Special events such as health fairs, screening days or cultural festivals are employed often for community education about cancer screening. A previous systematic review of the published literature was conducted in 2012-2013. The purpose of this study was to conduct a grey literature component of special events that promote breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening in the U.S. Methods We conducted a grey literature search of dissertations/theses and conference abstracts. The theses/dissertations were restricted to those: 1) written in English, 2) published from January 1990 to December 2011, 3) examined at least one of the predefined categories of special events, 4) involved cancer screening for breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer, 5) included outcome data, and 6) conducted in the United States. A review of U.S. public health and cancer conference abstracts, that were readily available and had focused on at least of 3 cancer types and included outcome data, was conducted. Data were abstracted on the purpose, location, primary audience(s), activities conducted, screening provided onsite or referrals, and evaluation results. Results The grey literature review found 6 special events. The types of events found added to the numbers found in the systematic review, especially receptions or parties and cultural festivals/events. All focused on increasing breast and cervical cancer screening except one that focused on breast cancer only. The reach of these events was targeted at mostly minorities or underserved communities. Common evidence-based strategies were group education, small media, and reducing structural barriers. Group education involved presentations from physicians, lay-health advisors, or cancer survivors, while reducing structural barriers included activities such as providing screening appointment sign-ups at the event or providing transportation for event participants. Mammogram screening rates ranged from 6.8% to 60% and Pap tests from 52% to 70%. Conclusions Further evaluation of special events to promote cancer screening will prove their effectiveness. A grey literature review can augment a systematic review of published literature. Additional data about these events through the grey literature offered additional insights into the goals, intervention components and outcomes of interventions. PMID:24942822

A grey literature review of special events for promoting cancer screenings.

PubMed

Escoffery, Cam; Rodgers, Kirsten C; Kegler, Michelle C; Ayala, Mary; Pinsker, Erika; Haardörfer, Regine

2014-06-19

Cancer remains the second leading cause of mortality in the United States. Special events such as health fairs, screening days or cultural festivals are employed often for community education about cancer screening. A previous systematic review of the published literature was conducted in 2012-2013. The purpose of this study was to conduct a grey literature component of special events that promote breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening in the U.S. We conducted a grey literature search of dissertations/theses and conference abstracts. The theses/dissertations were restricted to those: 1) written in English, 2) published from January 1990 to December 2011, 3) examined at least one of the predefined categories of special events, 4) involved cancer screening for breast, cervical, and/or colorectal cancer, 5) included outcome data, and 6) conducted in the United States. A review of U.S. public health and cancer conference abstracts, that were readily available and had focused on at least of 3 cancer types and included outcome data, was conducted. Data were abstracted on the purpose, location, primary audience(s), activities conducted, screening provided onsite or referrals, and evaluation results. The grey literature review found 6 special events. The types of events found added to the numbers found in the systematic review, especially receptions or parties and cultural festivals/events. All focused on increasing breast and cervical cancer screening except one that focused on breast cancer only. The reach of these events was targeted at mostly minorities or underserved communities. Common evidence-based strategies were group education, small media, and reducing structural barriers. Group education involved presentations from physicians, lay-health advisors, or cancer survivors, while reducing structural barriers included activities such as providing screening appointment sign-ups at the event or providing transportation for event participants. Mammogram screening rates ranged from 6.8% to 60% and Pap tests from 52% to 70%. Further evaluation of special events to promote cancer screening will prove their effectiveness. A grey literature review can augment a systematic review of published literature. Additional data about these events through the grey literature offered additional insights into the goals, intervention components and outcomes of interventions.

A systematic review of novel technology for monitoring infant and newborn heart rate.

PubMed

Kevat, Ajay C; Bullen, Denise V R; Davis, Peter G; Kamlin, C Omar F

2017-05-01

Heart rate (HR) is a vital sign for assessing the need for resuscitation. We performed a systematic review of studies assessing novel methods of measuring HR in newborns and infants in the neonatal unit. Two investigators completed independent literature searches. Identified papers were independently evaluated, and relevant data were extracted and analysed. This systematic review identified seven new technologies, including camera-based photoplethysmography, reflectance pulse oximetry, laser Doppler methods, capacitive sensors, piezoelectric sensors, electromyography and a digital stethoscope. Clinicians should be aware of several of these, which may become available for clinical use in the near future. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Demographics of the gay and lesbian population in the United States: evidence from available systematic data sources.

PubMed

Black, D; Gates, G; Sanders, S; Taylor, L

2000-05-01

This work provides an overview of standard social science data sources that now allow some systematic study of the gay and lesbian population in the United States. For each data source, we consider how sexual orientation can be defined, and we note the potential sample sizes. We give special attention to the important problem of measurement error, especially the extent to which individuals recorded as gay and lesbian are indeed recorded correctly. Our concern is that because gays and lesbians constitute a relatively small fraction of the population, modest measurement problems could lead to serious errors in inference. In examining gays and lesbians in multiple data sets we also achieve a second objective: We provide a set of statistics about this population that is relevant to several current policy debates.

ASSESSMENT OF THE RADIONUCLIDE COMPOSITION OF "HOT PARTICLES" SAMPLED IN THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOURTH REACTOR UNIT

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

Farfan, E.; Jannik, T.; Marra, J.

2011-10-01

Fuel-containing materials sampled from within the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) 4th Reactor Unit Confinement Shelter were spectroscopically studied for gamma and alpha content. Isotopic ratios for cesium, europium, plutonium, americium, and curium were identified and the fuel burnup in these samples was determined. A systematic deviation in the burnup values based on the cesium isotopes, in comparison with other radionuclides, was observed. The conducted studies were the first ever performed to demonstrate the presence of significant quantities of {sup 242}Cm and {sup 243}Cm. It was determined that there was a systematic underestimation of activities of transuranic radionuclides in fuelmore » samples from inside of the ChNPP Confinement Shelter, starting from {sup 241}Am (and going higher), in comparison with the theoretical calculations.« less

Procalcitonin as a diagnostic test for sepsis in critically ill adults and after surgery or trauma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Uzzan, Bernard; Cohen, Régis; Nicolas, Patrick; Cucherat, Michel; Perret, Gérard-Yves

2006-07-01

To quantify the accuracy of serum procalcitonin as a diagnostic test for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock in adults in intensive care units or after surgery or trauma, alone and compared with C-reactive protein. To draw and compare the summary receiver operating characteristics curves for procalcitonin and C-reactive protein from the literature. MEDLINE (keywords: procalcitonin, intensive care, sepsis, postoperative sepsis, trauma); screening of the literature. Meta-analysis of all 49 published studies in medical, surgical, or polyvalent intensive care units or postoperative wards. Children, medical patients, and immunocompromised patients were excluded. Thirty-three studies fulfilled inclusion criteria (3,943 patients, 1,828 males, 922 females; mean age: 56.1 yrs; 1,825 patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock; 1,545 with only systemic inflammatory response syndrome); eight studies could not be analyzed statistically. Global mortality rate was 29.3%. Global odds ratios for diagnosis of infection complicated by systemic inflammation were 15.7 for the 25 studies (2,966 patients) using procalcitonin (95% confidence interval, 9.1-27.1) and 5.4 for the 15 studies (1,322 patients) using C-reactive protein (95% confidence interval, 3.2-9.2). The summary receiver operating characteristics curve for procalcitonin was better than for C-reactive protein. In the 15 studies using both markers, the Q* value (intersection of summary receiver operating characteristics curve with the diagonal line where sensitivity equals specificity) was significantly higher for procalcitonin than for C-reactive protein (0.78 vs. 0.71, p = .02), the former test showing better accuracy. Procalcitonin represents a good biological diagnostic marker for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock, difficult diagnoses in critically ill patients. Procalcitonin is superior to C-reactive protein. Procalcitonin should be included in diagnostic guidelines for sepsis and in clinical practice in intensive care units.

Non-invasive prenatal testing for aneuploidy: a systematic review of Internet advertising to potential users by commercial companies and private health providers.

PubMed

Skirton, Heather; Goldsmith, Lesley; Jackson, Leigh; Lewis, Celine; Chitty, Lyn S

2015-12-01

The development of non-invasive prenatal testing has increased accessibility of fetal testing. Companies are now advertising prenatal testing for aneuploidy via the Internet. The aim of this systematic review of websites advertising non-invasive prenatal testing for aneuploidy was to explore the nature of the information being provided to potential users. We systematically searched two Internet search engines for relevant websites using the following terms: 'prenatal test', 'antenatal test', 'non-invasive test', 'noninvasive test', 'cell-free fetal DNA', 'cffDNA', 'Down syndrome test' or 'trisomy test'. We examined the first 200 websites identified through each search. Relevant web-based text was examined, and key topics were identified, tabulated and counted. To analyse the text further, we used thematic analysis. Forty websites were identified. Whilst a number of sites provided balanced, accurate information, in the majority supporting evidence was not provided to underpin the information and there was inadequate information on the need for an invasive test to definitely diagnose aneuploidy. The information provided on many websites does not comply with professional recommendations. Guidelines are needed to ensure that companies offering prenatal testing via the Internet provide accurate and comprehensible information. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparing transfusion reaction rates for various plasma types: a systematic review and meta-analysis/regression.

PubMed

Saadah, Nicholas H; van Hout, Fabienne M A; Schipperus, Martin R; le Cessie, Saskia; Middelburg, Rutger A; Wiersum-Osselton, Johanna C; van der Bom, Johanna G

2017-09-01

We estimated rates for common plasma-associated transfusion reactions and compared reported rates for various plasma types. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of peer-reviewed articles that reported plasma transfusion reaction rates. Random-effects pooled rates were calculated and compared between plasma types. Meta-regression was used to compare various plasma types with regard to their reported plasma transfusion reaction rates. Forty-eight studies reported transfusion reaction rates for fresh-frozen plasma (FFP; mixed-sex and male-only), amotosalen INTERCEPT FFP, methylene blue-treated FFP, and solvent/detergent-treated pooled plasma. Random-effects pooled average rates for FFP were: allergic reactions, 92/10 5 units transfused (95% confidence interval [CI], 46-184/10 5 units transfused); febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs), 12/10 5 units transfused (95% CI, 7-22/10 5 units transfused); transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), 6/10 5 units transfused (95% CI, 1-30/10 5 units transfused); transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), 1.8/10 5 units transfused (95% CI, 1.2-2.7/10 5 units transfused); and anaphylactic reactions, 0.8/10 5 units transfused (95% CI, 0-45.7/10 5 units transfused). Risk differences between plasma types were not significant for allergic reactions, TACO, or anaphylactic reactions. Methylene blue-treated FFP led to fewer FNHTRs than FFP (risk difference = -15.3 FNHTRs/10 5 units transfused; 95% CI, -24.7 to -7.1 reactions/10 5 units transfused); and male-only FFP led to fewer cases of TRALI than mixed-sex FFP (risk difference = -0.74 TRALI/10 5 units transfused; 95% CI, -2.42 to -0.42 injuries/10 5 units transfused). Meta-regression demonstrates that the rate of FNHTRs is lower for methylene blue-treated compared with FFP, and the rate of TRALI is lower for male-only than for mixed-sex FFP; whereas no significant differences are observed between plasma types for allergic reactions, TACO, or anaphylactic reactions. Reported transfusion reaction rates suffer from high heterogeneity. © 2017 AABB.

Functional Assessment-Based Interventions for Students with or At-Risk for High-Incidence Disabilities: Field Testing Single-Case Synthesis Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Common, Eric Alan; Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Pustejovsky, James E.; Johnson, Austin H.; Johl, Liane Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This systematic review investigated one systematic approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating functional assessment-based interventions (FABI) for use in supporting school-age students with or at-risk for high-incidence disabilities. We field tested several recently developed methods for single-case design syntheses. First, we appraised…

Building and Solving Odd-One-Out Classification Problems: A Systematic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz, Philippe E.

2011-01-01

Classification problems ("find the odd-one-out") are frequently used as tests of inductive reasoning to evaluate human or animal intelligence. This paper introduces a systematic method for building the set of all possible classification problems, followed by a simple algorithm for solving the problems of the R-ASCM, a psychometric test derived…

Systematics of Rydberg Series of Diatomic Molecules and Correlation Diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chun-Woo

2015-06-01

Rydberg states are studied for H2, Li2, HeH, LiH and BeH using the multi-reference configuration interaction (MRCI) method. The systematics and regularities of the physical properties such as potential energies curves (PECs), quantum defect curves, permanent dipole moment and transition dipole moment curves of the Rydberg series are studied. They are explained using united atom perturbation theory by Bingel and Byers-Brown, Fermi model, Stark theory, and Mulliken's theory. Interesting mirror relationships of the dipole moments are observed between l-mixed Rydberg series, indicating that the members of the l-mixed Rydberg series have dipole moments with opposite directions, which are related to the reversal of the polarity of a dipole moment at the avoided crossing points. The assignment of highly excited states is difficult because of the usual absence of the knowledge on the behaviors of potential energy curves at small internuclear separation whereby the correlation between the united atom limit and separated atoms limit cannot be given. All electron MRCI calculations of PECs are performed to obtain the correlation diagrams between Rydberg orbitals at the united-atom and separated atoms limits.

Design of experiments applications in bioprocessing: concepts and approach.

PubMed

Kumar, Vijesh; Bhalla, Akriti; Rathore, Anurag S

2014-01-01

Most biotechnology unit operations are complex in nature with numerous process variables, feed material attributes, and raw material attributes that can have significant impact on the performance of the process. Design of experiments (DOE)-based approach offers a solution to this conundrum and allows for an efficient estimation of the main effects and the interactions with minimal number of experiments. Numerous publications illustrate application of DOE towards development of different bioprocessing unit operations. However, a systematic approach for evaluation of the different DOE designs and for choosing the optimal design for a given application has not been published yet. Through this work we have compared the I-optimal and D-optimal designs to the commonly used central composite and Box-Behnken designs for bioprocess applications. A systematic methodology is proposed for construction of the model and for precise prediction of the responses for the three case studies involving some of the commonly used unit operations in downstream processing. Use of Akaike information criterion for model selection has been examined and found to be suitable for the applications under consideration. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Neurometric amplitude-modulation detection threshold in the guinea-pig ventral cochlear nucleus

PubMed Central

Sayles, Mark; Füllgrabe, Christian; Winter, Ian M

2013-01-01

Amplitude modulation (AM) is a pervasive feature of natural sounds. Neural detection and processing of modulation cues is behaviourally important across species. Although most ecologically relevant sounds are not fully modulated, physiological studies have usually concentrated on fully modulated (100% modulation depth) signals. Psychoacoustic experiments mainly operate at low modulation depths, around detection threshold (∼5% AM). We presented sinusoidal amplitude-modulated tones, systematically varying modulation depth between zero and 100%, at a range of modulation frequencies, to anaesthetised guinea-pigs while recording spikes from neurons in the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN). The cochlear nucleus is the site of the first synapse in the central auditory system. At this locus significant signal processing occurs with respect to representation of AM signals. Spike trains were analysed in terms of the vector strength of spike synchrony to the amplitude envelope. Neurons showed either low-pass or band-pass temporal modulation transfer functions, with the proportion of band-pass responses increasing with increasing sound level. The proportion of units showing a band-pass response varies with unit type: sustained chopper (CS) > transient chopper (CT) > primary-like (PL). Spike synchrony increased with increasing modulation depth. At the lowest modulation depth (6%), significant spike synchrony was only observed near to the unit's best modulation frequency for all unit types tested. Modulation tuning therefore became sharper with decreasing modulation depth. AM detection threshold was calculated for each individual unit as a function of modulation frequency. Chopper units have significantly better AM detection thresholds than do primary-like units. AM detection threshold is significantly worse at 40 dB vs. 10 dB above pure-tone spike rate threshold. Mean modulation detection thresholds for sounds 10 dB above pure-tone spike rate threshold at best modulation frequency are (95% CI) 11.6% (10.0–13.1) for PL units, 9.8% (8.2–11.5) for CT units, and 10.8% (8.4–13.2) for CS units. The most sensitive guinea-pig VCN single unit AM detection thresholds are similar to human psychophysical performance (∼3% AM), while the mean neurometric thresholds approach whole animal behavioural performance (∼10% AM). PMID:23629508

Systematic evaluation of non-animal test methods for skin sensitisation safety assessment.

PubMed

Reisinger, Kerstin; Hoffmann, Sebastian; Alépée, Nathalie; Ashikaga, Takao; Barroso, Joao; Elcombe, Cliff; Gellatly, Nicola; Galbiati, Valentina; Gibbs, Susan; Groux, Hervé; Hibatallah, Jalila; Keller, Donald; Kern, Petra; Klaric, Martina; Kolle, Susanne; Kuehnl, Jochen; Lambrechts, Nathalie; Lindstedt, Malin; Millet, Marion; Martinozzi-Teissier, Silvia; Natsch, Andreas; Petersohn, Dirk; Pike, Ian; Sakaguchi, Hitoshi; Schepky, Andreas; Tailhardat, Magalie; Templier, Marie; van Vliet, Erwin; Maxwell, Gavin

2015-02-01

The need for non-animal data to assess skin sensitisation properties of substances, especially cosmetics ingredients, has spawned the development of many in vitro methods. As it is widely believed that no single method can provide a solution, the Cosmetics Europe Skin Tolerance Task Force has defined a three-phase framework for the development of a non-animal testing strategy for skin sensitization potency prediction. The results of the first phase – systematic evaluation of 16 test methods – are presented here. This evaluation involved generation of data on a common set of ten substances in all methods and systematic collation of information including the level of standardisation, existing test data,potential for throughput, transferability and accessibility in cooperation with the test method developers.A workshop was held with the test method developers to review the outcome of this evaluation and to discuss the results. The evaluation informed the prioritisation of test methods for the next phase of the non-animal testing strategy development framework. Ultimately, the testing strategy – combined with bioavailability and skin metabolism data and exposure consideration – is envisaged to allow establishment of a data integration approach for skin sensitisation safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients.

A test for correction made to spin systematics for coupled band in doubly-odd nuclei

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

Kumar, Vinod, E-mail: vinod2.k2@gmail.com

2015-12-15

Systematic Spin Assignments were generally made by using the argument that the energy of levels is a function of neutron number. In the present systematics, the excitation energy of the levels incorporated the effect of nuclear deformation and signature splitting. The nuclear deformation changes toward the mid-shell, therefore a smooth variation in the excitation energy of the levels is observed towards the mid-shell, that intended to make systematics as a function of neutron number towards the mid-shell. Another term “signature splitting” that push the energy of levels for odd- and even-spin sequences up and down, caused the different energy variationmore » pattern for odd- and even-spin sequences. The corrections made in the spin systematics were tested for the known spins of various isotopic chain. In addition, the inconsistency in spin assignments made by the spin systematics and other methods of the configuration πh{sub 11/2} ⊗ νh{sub 11/2} band belonging to {sup 112,114,116}Cs, {sup 126}Pr, and {sup 138}Pr, as an example, was resolved by the correctionmade in the present spin systematics.« less

User testing of an adaptation of fishbone diagrams to depict results of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Gartlehner, Gerald; Schultes, Marie-Therese; Titscher, Viktoria; Morgan, Laura C; Bobashev, Georgiy V; Williams, Peyton; West, Suzanne L

2017-12-12

Summary of findings tables in systematic reviews are highly informative but require epidemiological training to be interpreted correctly. The usage of fishbone diagrams as graphical displays could offer researchers an effective approach to simplify content for readers with limited epidemiological training. In this paper we demonstrate how fishbone diagrams can be applied to systematic reviews and present the results of an initial user testing. Findings from two systematic reviews were graphically depicted in the form of the fishbone diagram. To test the utility of fishbone diagrams compared with summary of findings tables, we developed and pilot-tested an online survey using Qualtrics. Respondents were randomized to the fishbone diagram or a summary of findings table presenting the same body of evidence. They answered questions in both open-ended and closed-answer formats; all responses were anonymous. Measures of interest focused on first and second impressions, the ability to find and interpret critical information, as well as user experience with both displays. We asked respondents about the perceived utility of fishbone diagrams compared to summary of findings tables. We analyzed quantitative data by conducting t-tests and comparing descriptive statistics. Based on real world systematic reviews, we provide two different fishbone diagrams to show how they might be used to display complex information in a clear and succinct manner. User testing on 77 students with basic epidemiological training revealed that participants preferred summary of findings tables over fishbone diagrams. Significantly more participants liked the summary of findings table than the fishbone diagram (71.8% vs. 44.8%; p < .01); significantly more participants found the fishbone diagram confusing (63.2% vs. 35.9%, p < .05) or indicated that it was difficult to find information (65.8% vs. 45%; p < .01). However, more than half of the participants in both groups were unable to find critical information and answer three respective questions correctly (52.6% in the fishbone group; 51.3% in the summary of findings group). Fishbone diagrams are compact visualizations that, theoretically, may prove useful for summarizing the findings of systematic reviews. Initial user testing, however, did not support the utility of such graphical displays.

Repeated and Time-Correlated Morphological Convergence in Cave-Dwelling Harvestmen (Opiliones, Laniatores) from Montane Western North America

PubMed Central

Derkarabetian, Shahan; Steinmann, David B.; Hedin, Marshal

2010-01-01

Background Many cave-dwelling animal species display similar morphologies (troglomorphism) that have evolved convergent within and among lineages under the similar selective pressures imposed by cave habitats. Here we study such ecomorphological evolution in cave-dwelling Sclerobuninae harvestmen (Opiliones) from the western United States, providing general insights into morphological homoplasy, rates of morphological change, and the temporal context of cave evolution. Methodology/Principal Findings We gathered DNA sequence data from three independent gene regions, and combined these data with Bayesian hypothesis testing, morphometrics analysis, study of penis morphology, and relaxed molecular clock analyses. Using multivariate morphometric analysis, we find that phylogenetically unrelated taxa have convergently evolved troglomorphism; alternative phylogenetic hypotheses involving less morphological convergence are not supported by Bayesian hypothesis testing. In one instance, this morphology is found in specimens from a high-elevation stony debris habitat, suggesting that troglomorphism can evolve in non-cave habitats. We discovered a strong positive relationship between troglomorphy index and relative divergence time, making it possible to predict taxon age from morphology. Most of our time estimates for the origin of highly-troglomorphic cave forms predate the Pleistocene. Conclusions/Significance While several regions in the eastern and central United States are well-known hotspots for cave evolution, few modern phylogenetic studies have addressed the evolution of cave-obligate species in the western United States. Our integrative studies reveal the recurrent evolution of troglomorphism in a perhaps unexpected geographic region, at surprisingly deep time depths, and in sometimes surprising habitats. Because some newly discovered troglomorphic populations represent undescribed species, our findings stress the need for further biological exploration, integrative systematic research, and conservation efforts in western US cave habitats. PMID:20479884

The methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews from China and the USA are similar.

PubMed

Tian, Jinhui; Zhang, Jun; Ge, Long; Yang, Kehu; Song, Fujian

2017-05-01

To compare the methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews by authors from China and those from the United States (USA). From systematic reviews of randomized trials published in 2014 in English, we randomly selected 100 from China and 100 from the USA. The methodological quality was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool, and reporting quality assessed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) tool. Compared with systematic reviews from the USA, those from China were more likely to be a meta-analysis, published in low-impact journals, and a non-Cochrane review. The mean summary Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews score was 6.7 (95% confidence interval: 6.5, 7.0) for reviews from China and 6.6 (6.1, 7.1) for reviews from the USA, and the mean summary Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses score was 21.2 (20.7, 21.6) for reviews from China and 20.6 (19.9, 21.3) for reviews from the USA. The differences in summary quality scores between China and the USA were statistically nonsignificant after adjusting for multiple review factors. The overall methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews by authors from China are similar to those from the USA, although the quality of systematic reviews from both countries could be further improved. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spillover effects of HIV testing policies: changes in HIV testing guidelines and HCV testing practices in drug treatment programs in the United States.

PubMed

Frimpong, Jemima A; D'Aunno, Thomas; Helleringer, Stéphane; Metsch, Lisa R

2016-07-29

To examine the extent to which state adoption of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2006 revisions to adult and adolescent HIV testing guidelines is associated with availability of other important prevention and medical services. We hypothesized that in states where the pretest counseling requirement for HIV testing was dropped from state legislation, substance use disorder treatment programs would have higher availability of HCV testing services than in states that had maintained this requirement. We analyzed a nationally representative sample of 383 opioid treatment programs from the 2005 and 2011 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS). Data were collected from program directors and clinical supervisors through telephone surveys. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to measure associations between state adoption of CDC recommended guidelines for HIV pretest counseling and availability of HCV testing services. The effects of HIV testing legislative changes on HCV testing practices varied by type of opioid treatment program. In states that had removed the requirement for HIV pretest counseling, buprenorphine-only programs were more likely to offer HCV testing to their patients. The positive spillover effect of HIV pretest counseling policies, however, did not extend to methadone programs and did not translate into increased availability of on-site HCV testing in either program type. Our findings highlight potential positive spillover effects of HIV testing policies on HCV testing practices. They also suggest that maximizing the benefits of HIV policies may require other initiatives, including resources and programmatic efforts that support systematic integration with other services and effective implementation.

The Integration of International Agricultural Concepts into Agricultural Science Programs in the North Central Region of the United States. Summary of Research 78.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibezim, Don O.; McCracken, J. David

A study examined the extent to which international agricultural dimensions were taught in secondary agricultural programs and factors associated with the extent of integration. A systematic sampling technique was used to select a random sample of 332 of the 2,612 secondary agricultural teachers in 12 states of the North Central United States. Of…

A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Risky Sexual Behavior and Decrease Sexually Transmitted Infections in Latinas Living in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Althoff, Meghan D.; Grayson, Cary T.; Witt, Lucy; Holden, Julie; Reid, Daniel; Kissinger, Patricia

2015-01-01

The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the effect of behavioral interventions in reducing risky sexual behavior and incident sexually transmitted infections (STI) among Latina women living in the United States. Studies were found by systematically searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsychInfo databases without language restriction.…

Assessing Gilligan Vs. Sommers: Gender-Specific Trends in Child and Youth Well-Being in the United States, 1985-2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meadows, Sarah O.; Land, Kenneth C.; Lamb, Vicki L.

2005-01-01

The question of whether boys or girls (and young males and females) have been doing better in terms of their well-being in the United States has been a point of sometimes rancorous debate among feminist and other scholars in recent decades. But suprisingly little systematic empirical inquiry has been devoted to this question. The present study…

Measurement of impulsive choice in rats: Same and alternate form test-retest reliability and temporal tracking

PubMed Central

Peterson, Jennifer R.; Hill, Catherine C.; Kirkpatrick, Kimberly

2016-01-01

Impulsive choice is typically measured by presenting smaller-sooner (SS) versus larger-later (LL) rewards, with biases towards the SS indicating impulsivity. The current study tested rats on different impulsive choice procedures with LL delay manipulations to assess same-form and alternate-form test-retest reliability. In the systematic-GE procedure (Green & Estle, 2003), the LL delay increased after several sessions of training; in the systematic-ER procedure (Evenden & Ryan, 1996), the delay increased within each session; and in the adjusting-M procedure (Mazur, 1987), the delay changed after each block of trials within a session based on each rat’s choices in the previous block. In addition to measuring choice behavior, we also assessed temporal tracking of the LL delays using the median times of responding during LL trials. The two systematic procedures yielded similar results in both choice and temporal tracking measures following extensive training, whereas the adjusting procedure resulted in relatively more impulsive choices and poorer temporal tracking. Overall, the three procedures produced acceptable same form test-retest reliability over time, but the adjusting procedure did not show significant alternate form test-retest reliability with the other two procedures. The results suggest that systematic procedures may supply better measurements of impulsive choice in rats. PMID:25490901

Physiotherapy in the intensive care unit: an evidence-based, expert driven, practical statement and rehabilitation recommendations.

PubMed

Sommers, Juultje; Engelbert, Raoul H H; Dettling-Ihnenfeldt, Daniela; Gosselink, Rik; Spronk, Peter E; Nollet, Frans; van der Schaaf, Marike

2015-11-01

To develop evidence-based recommendations for effective and safe diagnostic assessment and intervention strategies for the physiotherapy treatment of patients in intensive care units. We used the EBRO method, as recommended by the 'Dutch Evidence Based Guideline Development Platform' to develop an 'evidence statement for physiotherapy in the intensive care unit'. This method consists of the identification of clinically relevant questions, followed by a systematic literature search, and summary of the evidence with final recommendations being moderated by feedback from experts. Three relevant clinical domains were identified by experts: criteria to initiate treatment; measures to assess patients; evidence for effectiveness of treatments. In a systematic literature search, 129 relevant studies were identified and assessed for methodological quality and classified according to the level of evidence. The final evidence statement consisted of recommendations on eight absolute and four relative contra-indications to mobilization; a core set of nine specific instruments to assess impairments and activity restrictions; and six passive and four active effective interventions, with advice on (a) physiological measures to observe during treatment (with stopping criteria) and (b) what to record after the treatment. These recommendations form a protocol for treating people in an intensive care unit, based on best available evidence in mid-2014. © The Author(s) 2015.

SOFIA: Flying the Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asher, Troy; Cumming, Steve

2012-01-01

The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is an international cooperative development and operations program between the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the German Space Agency, DLR (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft-und Raumfahrt). SOFIA is a 2.5 meter, optical/infrared/sub-millimeter telescope mounted in a Boeing model 747SP-21 aircraft and will be used for many basic astronomical observations performed at stratospheric altitudes. It will accommodate installation of different focal plane instruments with in-flight accessibility provided by investigators selected from the international science community. The Facility operational lifetime is planned to be greater than 20 years. This presentation will present the results of developmental testing of SOFIA, including analysis, envelope expansion and the first operational mission. It will describe a brief history of open cavities in flight, how NASA designed and tested SOFIAs cavity, as well as flight test results. It will focus on how the test team achieved key milestones by systematically and efficiently reducing the number of test points to only those absolutely necessary to achieve mission requirements, thereby meeting all requirements and saving the potential loss of program funding. Finally, it will showcase examples of the observatory in action and the first operational mission of the observatory, illustrating the usefulness of the system to the international scientific community. Lessons learned on how to whittle a mountain of test points into a manageable sum will be presented at the conclusion.

Dolutegravir Plus Two Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors versus Efavirenz Plus Two Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors As Initial Antiretroviral Therapy for People with HIV: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Rutherford, George W; Horvath, Hacsi

2016-01-01

Dolutegravir (DTG) is a once-daily unboosted second-generation integrase-inhibitor that along with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors is one of several regimens recommended by the United States, United Kingdom and European Union for first-line antiretroviral treatment of people with HIV infection. Our objective was to review the evidence for the efficacy and safety of DTG-based first-line regimens compared to efavirenz (EFV)-based regimens. We conducted a systematic review. We comprehensively searched a range of databases as well as conference abstracts and a trials registry. We used Cochrane methods in screening and data collection and assessed each study's risk of bias with the Cochrane tool. We meta-analyzed data using a fixed-effects model. We used GRADE to assess evidence quality. From 492 search results, we identified two randomized controlled trials, reported in five peer-reviewed articles and one conference abstract. One trial tested two DTG-based regimens (DTG + abacavir (ABC) + lamivudine (3TC) or DTG + tenofovir + emtricitabine) against an EFV-based regimen (EFV+ ABC+3TC). The other trial tested DTG+ABC+3TC against EFV+ABC+3TC. In meta-analysis, DTG-containing regimens were superior to EFV-containing regimens at 48 weeks and at 96 weeks (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.16; and RR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.21, respectively). In one trial, the DTG-containing regimen was superior at 144 weeks (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.24). DTG-containing regimens were superior in reducing treatment discontinuation compared to those containing EFV at 96 weeks and at 144 weeks (RR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.15-0.50; and RR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.16-0.48, respectively). Risk of serious adverse events was similar in each regimen at 96 weeks (RR = 1.15, 95% CI 0.80-1.63) and 144 weeks (RR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.68-1.29). Risk of bias was moderate overall, as was GRADE evidence quality. DTG-based regimens should be considered in future World Health Organization guidelines for initial HIV treatment.

A systematic review of definitions and classification systems of adjacent segment pathology.

PubMed

Kraemer, Paul; Fehlings, Michael G; Hashimoto, Robin; Lee, Michael J; Anderson, Paul A; Chapman, Jens R; Raich, Annie; Norvell, Daniel C

2012-10-15

Systematic review. To undertake a systematic review to determine how "adjacent segment degeneration," "adjacent segment disease," or clinical pathological processes that serve as surrogates for adjacent segment pathology are classified and defined in the peer-reviewed literature. Adjacent segment degeneration and adjacent segment disease are terms referring to degenerative changes known to occur after reconstructive spine surgery, most commonly at an immediately adjacent functional spinal unit. These can include disc degeneration, instability, spinal stenosis, facet degeneration, and deformity. The true incidence and clinical impact of degenerative changes at the adjacent segment is unclear because there is lack of a universally accepted classification system that rigorously addresses clinical and radiological issues. A systematic review of the English language literature was undertaken and articles were classified using the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. RESULTS.: Seven classification systems of spinal degeneration, including degeneration at the adjacent segment, were identified. None have been evaluated for reliability or validity specific to patients with degeneration at the adjacent segment. The ways in which terms related to adjacent segment "degeneration" or "disease" are defined in the peer-reviewed literature are highly variable. On the basis of the systematic review presented in this article, no formal classification system for either cervical or thoracolumbar adjacent segment disorders currently exists. No recommendations regarding the use of current classification of degeneration at any segments can be made based on the available literature. A new comprehensive definition for adjacent segment pathology (ASP, the now preferred terminology) has been proposed in this Focus Issue, which reflects the diverse pathology observed at functional spinal units adjacent to previous spinal reconstruction and balances detailed stratification with clinical utility. A comprehensive classification system is being developed through expert opinion and will require validation as well as peer review. Strength of Statement: Strong.

Social determinants and maternal exposure to intimate partner violence of obstetric patients with severe maternal morbidity in the intensive care unit: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Ayala Quintanilla, Beatriz Paulina; Taft, Angela; McDonald, Susan; Pollock, Wendy; Roque Henriquez, Joel Christian

2016-11-28

Maternal mortality is a potentially preventable public health issue. Maternal morbidity is increasingly of interest to aid the reduction of maternal mortality. Obstetric patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are an important part of the global burden of maternal morbidity. Social determinants influence health outcomes of pregnant women. Additionally, intimate partner violence has a great negative impact on women's health and pregnancy outcome. However, little is known about the contextual and social aspects of obstetric patients treated in the ICU. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the social determinants and exposure to intimate partner violence of obstetric patients admitted to an ICU. A systematic search will be conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest, LILACS and SciELO from 2000 to 2016. Studies published in English and Spanish will be identified in relation to data reporting on social determinants of health and/or exposure to intimate partner violence of obstetric women, treated in the ICU during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy. Two reviewers will independently screen for study eligibility and data extraction. Risk of bias and assessment of the quality of the included studies will be performed by using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Data will be analysed and summarised using a narrative description of the available evidence across studies. This systematic review protocol will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. Since this systematic review will be based on published studies, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be presented at La Trobe University, in Conferences and Congresses, and published in a peer-reviewed journal. CRD42016037492. 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/.

Social determinants and maternal exposure to intimate partner violence of obstetric patients with severe maternal morbidity in the intensive care unit: a systematic review protocol

PubMed Central

Ayala Quintanilla, Beatriz Paulina; Taft, Angela; McDonald, Susan; Pollock, Wendy; Roque Henriquez, Joel Christian

2016-01-01

Introduction Maternal mortality is a potentially preventable public health issue. Maternal morbidity is increasingly of interest to aid the reduction of maternal mortality. Obstetric patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are an important part of the global burden of maternal morbidity. Social determinants influence health outcomes of pregnant women. Additionally, intimate partner violence has a great negative impact on women's health and pregnancy outcome. However, little is known about the contextual and social aspects of obstetric patients treated in the ICU. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the social determinants and exposure to intimate partner violence of obstetric patients admitted to an ICU. Methods and analysis A systematic search will be conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest, LILACS and SciELO from 2000 to 2016. Studies published in English and Spanish will be identified in relation to data reporting on social determinants of health and/or exposure to intimate partner violence of obstetric women, treated in the ICU during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy. Two reviewers will independently screen for study eligibility and data extraction. Risk of bias and assessment of the quality of the included studies will be performed by using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Data will be analysed and summarised using a narrative description of the available evidence across studies. This systematic review protocol will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. Ethics and dissemination Since this systematic review will be based on published studies, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be presented at La Trobe University, in Conferences and Congresses, and published in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number CRD42016037492. PMID:27895065

Predictors of Post-School Success: A Systematic Review of NLTS2 Secondary Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzotti, Valerie L.; Rowe, Dawn A.; Sinclair, James; Poppen, Marcus; Woods, William E.; Shearer, Mackenzie L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to (a) systematically review the literature to identify National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 secondary analyses articles published since 2009 that met the quality indicators for correlational research, (b) further extend the findings of Test et al. by identifying additional evidence to support the…

Spatial Abilities and Anatomy Knowledge Assessment: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langlois, Jean; Bellemare, Christian; Toulouse, Josée; Wells, George A.

2017-01-01

Anatomy knowledge has been found to include both spatial and non-spatial components. However, no systematic evaluation of studies relating spatial abilities and anatomy knowledge has been undertaken. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment. A…

Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests of the ankle/foot complex: a systematic review.

PubMed

Schwieterman, Braun; Haas, Deniele; Columber, Kirby; Knupp, Darren; Cook, Chad

2013-08-01

Orthopedic special tests of the ankle/foot complex are routinely used during the physical examination process in order to help diagnose ankle/lower leg pathologies. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of ankle/lower leg special tests. A search of the current literature was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Sources, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Studies were eligible if they included the following: 1) a diagnostic clinical test of musculoskeletal pathology in the ankle/foot complex, 2) description of the clinical test or tests, 3) a report of the diagnostic accuracy of the clinical test (e.g. sensitivity and specificity), and 4) an acceptable reference standard for comparison. The quality of included studies was determined by two independent reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Nine diagnostic accuracy studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review; analyzing a total of 16 special tests of the ankle/foot complex. After assessment using the QUADAS-2, only one study had low risk of bias and low concerns regarding applicability. Most ankle/lower leg orthopedic special tests are confirmatory in nature and are best utilized at the end of the physical examination. Most of the studies included in this systematic review demonstrate notable biases, which suggest that results and recommendations in this review should be taken as a guide rather than an outright standard. There is need for future research with more stringent study design criteria so that more accurate diagnostic power of ankle/lower leg special tests can be determined. 3a.

DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF PHYSICAL EXAMINATION TESTS OF THE ANKLE/FOOT COMPLEX: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

PubMed Central

Schwieterman, Braun; Haas, Deniele; Columber, Kirby; Knupp, Darren

2013-01-01

Background: Orthopedic special tests of the ankle/foot complex are routinely used during the physical examination process in order to help diagnose ankle/lower leg pathologies. Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of ankle/lower leg special tests. Methods: A search of the current literature was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Sources, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Studies were eligible if they included the following: 1) a diagnostic clinical test of musculoskeletal pathology in the ankle/foot complex, 2) description of the clinical test or tests, 3) a report of the diagnostic accuracy of the clinical test (e.g. sensitivity and specificity), and 4) an acceptable reference standard for comparison. The quality of included studies was determined by two independent reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Results: Nine diagnostic accuracy studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review; analyzing a total of 16 special tests of the ankle/foot complex. After assessment using the QUADAS-2, only one study had low risk of bias and low concerns regarding applicability. Conclusion: Most ankle/lower leg orthopedic special tests are confirmatory in nature and are best utilized at the end of the physical examination. Most of the studies included in this systematic review demonstrate notable biases, which suggest that results and recommendations in this review should be taken as a guide rather than an outright standard. There is need for future research with more stringent study design criteria so that more accurate diagnostic power of ankle/lower leg special tests can be determined. Level of Evidence: 3a PMID:24175128

Characteristics of an OSLD in the diagnostic energy range.

PubMed

Al-Senan, Rani M; Hatab, Mustapha R

2011-07-01

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry has been recently introduced in radiation therapy as a potential alternative to the thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) system. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using OSL point dosimeters in the energy range used in diagnostic imaging. NanoDot OSL dosimeters (OSLDs) were used in this study, which started with testing the homogeneity of a new packet of nanoDots. Reproducibility and the effect of optical treatment (bleaching) were then examined, followed by an investigation of the effect of accumulated dose on the OSLD indicated doses. OSLD linearity, angular dependence, and energy dependence were also studied. Furthermore, comparison with LiF:Mg,Ti TLD chips using standard CT dose phantoms at 80 and 120 kVp settings was performed. Batch homogeneity showed a coefficient of variation of <5%. Single-irradiation measurements with bleaching after each OSL readout was found to be associated with a 3.3% reproducibility (one standard deviation measured with a 8 mGy test dose), and no systematic change in OSLDs sensitivity could be noted from measurement to measurement. In contrast, the multiple-irradiation readout without bleaching in between measurements was found to be associated with an uncertainty (using a 6 mGy test dose) that systematically increased with accumulated dose, reaching 42% at 82 mGy. Good linearity was shown by nanoDots under general x-ray, CT, and mammography units with an R2 > 0.99. The angular dependence test showed a drop of approximately 70% in the OSLD response at 90 degrees in mammography (25 kVp). With the general radiography unit, the maximum drop was 40% at 80 kVp and 20% at 120 kVp, and it was only 10% with CT at both 80 and 120 kVp. The energy dependence study showed a range of ion chamber-to-OSLDs ratios between 0.81 and 1.56, at the energies investigated (29-62 keV). A paired t-test for comparing the OSLDs and TLDs showed no significant variation (p > 0.1). OSLDs exhibited good batch homogeneity (<5%) and reproducibility (3.3%), as well as a linear response. In addition, they showed no statistically significant difference with TLDs in CT measurements (p > 0.1). However, high uncertainty (42%) in the dose estimate was found as a result of relatively high accumulated dose. Furthermore, nanoDots showed high angular dependence (up to 70%) in low kVp techniques. Energy dependence of about 60% was found, and correction factors were suggested for the range of energies investigated. Therefore, if angular and energy dependences are taken into consideration and the uncertainty associated with accumulated dose is avoided, OSLDs (nanoDots) can be suitable for use as point dosimeters in diagnostic settings.

HIV Testing among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM): Systematic Review of Qualitative Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenc, Theo; Marrero-Guillamon, Isaac; Llewellyn, Alexis; Aggleton, Peter; Cooper, Chris; Lehmann, Angela; Lindsay, Catriona

2011-01-01

We conducted a systematic review of qualitative evidence relating to the views and attitudes of men who have sex with men (MSM) concerning testing for HIV. Studies conducted in high-income countries (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members) since 1996 were included. Seventeen studies were identified, most of gay or bisexual…

Spatial abilities and anatomy knowledge assessment: A systematic review.

PubMed

Langlois, Jean; Bellemare, Christian; Toulouse, Josée; Wells, George A

2017-06-01

Anatomy knowledge has been found to include both spatial and non-spatial components. However, no systematic evaluation of studies relating spatial abilities and anatomy knowledge has been undertaken. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment. A literature search was done up to March 20, 2014 in Scopus and in several databases on the OvidSP and EBSCOhost platforms. Of the 556 citations obtained, 38 articles were identified and fully reviewed yielding 21 eligible articles and their quality were formally assessed. Non-significant relationships were found between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment using essays and non-spatial multiple-choice questions. Significant relationships were observed between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment using practical examination, three-dimensional synthesis from two-dimensional views, drawing of views, and cross-sections. Relationships between spatial abilities test and anatomy knowledge assessment using spatial multiple-choice questions were unclear. The results of this systematic review provide evidence for spatial and non-spatial methods of anatomy knowledge assessment. Anat Sci Educ 10: 235-241. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Development and pilot test of a process to identify research needs from a systematic review.

PubMed

Saldanha, Ian J; Wilson, Lisa M; Bennett, Wendy L; Nicholson, Wanda K; Robinson, Karen A

2013-05-01

To ensure appropriate allocation of research funds, we need methods for identifying high-priority research needs. We developed and pilot tested a process to identify needs for primary clinical research using a systematic review in gestational diabetes mellitus. We conducted eight steps: abstract research gaps from a systematic review using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Settings (PICOS) framework; solicit feedback from the review authors; translate gaps into researchable questions using the PICOS framework; solicit feedback from multidisciplinary stakeholders at our institution; establish consensus among multidisciplinary external stakeholders on the importance of the research questions using the Delphi method; prioritize outcomes; develop conceptual models to highlight research needs; and evaluate the process. We identified 19 research questions. During the Delphi method, external stakeholders established consensus for 16 of these 19 questions (15 with "high" and 1 with "medium" clinical benefit/importance). We pilot tested an eight-step process to identify clinically important research needs. Before wider application of this process, it should be tested using systematic reviews of other diseases. Further evaluation should include assessment of the usefulness of the research needs generated using this process for primary researchers and funders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health beliefs toward cardiovascular risk reduction in patients admitted to chest pain observation units.

PubMed

Katz, David A; Graber, Mark; Birrer, Emily; Lounsbury, Patricia; Baldwin, Austin; Hillis, Stephen L; Christensen, Alan J

2009-05-01

Even after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is ruled out, observational studies have suggested that many patients with nonspecific chest pain have a high burden of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) and are at increased long-term risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD)-related mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the premise that evaluation in an observation unit for symptoms of possible ACS is a "teachable moment" with regard to modification of CRFs. The authors conducted a baseline face-to-face interview and a 3-month telephone interview of 83 adult patients with at least one modifiable CRF who presented with symptoms of possible ACS to an academic medical center. Existing questionnaires were adapted to measure Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs for IHD. Stage of change and self-reported CRF-related behaviors (diet, exercise, and smoking) were assessed using previously validated measures. The paired t-test or signed rank test was used to compare baseline and 3-month measures of health behavior within the analysis sample. Of the 83 study patients, 45 and 40% reported having received clinician advice regarding diet and physical activity during the observation unit encounter, respectively; 69% of current smokers received advice to quit smoking. Patients reported lower susceptibility to IHD (13.3 vs. 14.0, p = 0.06) and greater perceived benefit of healthy lifestyles (27.5 vs. 26.4, p = 0.0003) at 3-month follow-up compared to baseline. Patients also reported greater readiness to change and improved self-reported behaviors at follow-up (vs. baseline): decreased intake of saturated fat (10.1% vs. 10.5% of total calories, p = 0.005), increased fruit and vegetable intake (4.0 servings/day vs. 3.6 servings/day, p = 0.01), and fewer cigarettes (13 vs. 18, p = 0.002). Observed changes in IHD health beliefs and CRF-related behaviors during follow-up support the idea that observation unit admission is a teachable moment. Patients with modifiable risk factors may benefit from systematic interventions to deliver CRF-related counseling during observation unit evaluation.

Optimal sampling design for estimating spatial distribution and abundance of a freshwater mussel population

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pooler, P.S.; Smith, D.R.

2005-01-01

We compared the ability of simple random sampling (SRS) and a variety of systematic sampling (SYS) designs to estimate abundance, quantify spatial clustering, and predict spatial distribution of freshwater mussels. Sampling simulations were conducted using data obtained from a census of freshwater mussels in a 40 X 33 m section of the Cacapon River near Capon Bridge, West Virginia, and from a simulated spatially random population generated to have the same abundance as the real population. Sampling units that were 0.25 m 2 gave more accurate and precise abundance estimates and generally better spatial predictions than 1-m2 sampling units. Systematic sampling with ???2 random starts was more efficient than SRS. Estimates of abundance based on SYS were more accurate when the distance between sampling units across the stream was less than or equal to the distance between sampling units along the stream. Three measures for quantifying spatial clustering were examined: Hopkins Statistic, the Clumping Index, and Morisita's Index. Morisita's Index was the most reliable, and the Hopkins Statistic was prone to false rejection of complete spatial randomness. SYS designs with units spaced equally across and up stream provided the most accurate predictions when estimating the spatial distribution by kriging. Our research indicates that SYS designs with sampling units equally spaced both across and along the stream would be appropriate for sampling freshwater mussels even if no information about the true underlying spatial distribution of the population were available to guide the design choice. ?? 2005 by The North American Benthological Society.

The systematic activation method as a nursing intervention in depressed elderly: a protocol for a multi-centre cluster randomized trial.

PubMed

Clignet, Frans; van Meijel, Berno; van Straten, Annemiek; Cuijpers, Pim

2012-09-18

Depression in later life is a common mental disorder with a prevalence rate of between 3% and 35% for minor depression and approximately 2% for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The most common treatment modalities for MDD are antidepressant medication and psychological interventions. Recently, Behavioral Activation (BA) has gained renewed attention as an effective treatment modality in MDD. Although BA is considered an easy accessible intervention for both patients and health care workers (such as nurses), there is no research on the effectiveness of the intervention in inpatient depressed elderly.The aim of study, described in the present proposal, is to examine the effects of BA when executed by nurses in an inpatient population of elderly persons with MDD. The study is designed as a multi-center cluster randomized controlled trial. BA, described as The Systematic Activation Method (SAM) will be compared with Treatment as Usual (TAU). We aim to include ten mental health care units in the Netherlands that will each participate as a control unit or an experimental unit. The patients will meet the following criteria: (1) a primary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) according to the DSM-IV criteria; (2) 60 years or older; (3) able to read and write in Dutch; (4) have consented to participate via the informed consent procedure. Based on an effect size d = 0.7, we intend to include 51 participants per condition (n = 102). The SAM will be implemented within the experimental units as an adjunctive therapy to Treatment As Usual (TAU). All patients will be assessed at baseline, after eight weeks, and after six months. The primary outcome will be the level of depression measured by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (Dutch version). Other assessments will be activity level, mastery, costs, anxiety and quality of life. To our knowledge this is the first study to test the effect of Behavioral Activation as a nursing intervention in an inpatient elderly population. This research has been approved by the medical research ethics committee for health-care settings in the Netherlands (No. NL26878.029.09) and is listed in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR No.1809).

The systematic activation method as a nursing intervention in depressed elderly: a protocol for a multi – centre cluster randomized trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Depression in later life is a common mental disorder with a prevalence rate of between 3% and 35% for minor depression and approximately 2% for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The most common treatment modalities for MDD are antidepressant medication and psychological interventions. Recently, Behavioral Activation (BA) has gained renewed attention as an effective treatment modality in MDD. Although BA is considered an easy accessible intervention for both patients and health care workers (such as nurses), there is no research on the effectiveness of the intervention in inpatient depressed elderly. The aim of study, described in the present proposal, is to examine the effects of BA when executed by nurses in an inpatient population of elderly persons with MDD. Methods/design The study is designed as a multi-center cluster randomized controlled trial. BA, described as The Systematic Activation Method (SAM) will be compared with Treatment as Usual (TAU). We aim to include ten mental health care units in the Netherlands that will each participate as a control unit or an experimental unit. The patients will meet the following criteria: (1) a primary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) according to the DSM-IV criteria; (2) 60 years or older; (3) able to read and write in Dutch; (4) have consented to participate via the informed consent procedure. Based on an effect size d = 0.7, we intend to include 51 participants per condition (n = 102). The SAM will be implemented within the experimental units as an adjunctive therapy to Treatment As Usual (TAU). All patients will be assessed at baseline, after eight weeks, and after six months. The primary outcome will be the level of depression measured by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (Dutch version). Other assessments will be activity level, mastery, costs, anxiety and quality of life. Discussion To our knowledge this is the first study to test the effect of Behavioral Activation as a nursing intervention in an inpatient elderly population. This research has been approved by the medical research ethics committee for health-care settings in the Netherlands (No. NL26878.029.09) and is listed in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR No.1809). PMID:22989021

Effect of systematic local infiltration analgesia on postoperative pain in vaginal hysterectomy: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

Hristovska, Ana-Marija; Kristensen, Billy B; Rasmussen, Marianne A; Rasmussen, Yvonne H; Elving, Lisbeth B; Nielsen, Christian V; Kehlet, Henrik

2014-03-01

To assess the effect of systematic local infiltration analgesia on postoperative pain in vaginal hysterectomy, and describe the technique in detail. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study following the CONSORT criteria. A university hospital. Thirty-seven patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy. Patients received high-volume (50 mL) ropivacaine 0.50% (n = 20) or saline (n = 17) infiltration using a systematic technique ensuring uniform delivery to all tissues incised, handled or instrumented during the procedure. Pain, nausea, vomiting and opioid requirements were assessed for 32 h as well as time spent in the post-anesthesia care unit and time to first mobilization. Pain at rest was significantly reduced after one, four and eight hours in the ropivacaine group (p ≤ 0.001-0.01). Pain during coughing was significantly reduced after one and four hours (p ≤ 0.001 and p ≤ 0.003), and pain during movement was significantly reduced after four hours (p ≤ 0.02). Opioid requirements and time spent in the post-anesthesia care unit were significantly reduced in the ropivacaine group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively), as well as the time to first mobilization (p < 0.001). Intra-operative systematic local infiltration analgesia reduces postoperative pain in patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy, facilities mobilization and improves early recovery. © 2013 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Bile leakage test in liver resection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Wang, Hai-Qing; Yang, Jian; Yang, Jia-Yin; Yan, Lu-Nan

2013-01-01

AIM: To assess systematically the safety and efficacy of bile leakage test in liver resection. METHODS : Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials involving the bile leakage test were included in a systematic literature search. Two authors independently assessed the studies for inclusion and extracted the data. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate postoperative bile leakage, intraoperative positive bile leakage, and complications. We used either the fixed-effects or random-effects model. RESULTS: Eight studies involving a total of 1253 patients were included and they all involved the bile leakage test in liver resection. The bile leakage test group was associated with a significant reduction in bile leakage compared with the non-bile leakage test group (RR = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.23-0.67; I2 = 3%). The white test had superiority for detection of intraoperative bile leakage compared with the saline solution test (RR = 2.38, 95%CI: 1.24-4.56, P = 0.009). No significant intergroup differences were observed in total number of complications, ileus, liver failure, intraperitoneal hemorrhage, pulmonary disorder, abdominal infection, and wound infection. CONCLUSION: The bile leakage test reduced postoperative bile leakage and did not increase incidence of complications. Fat emulsion is the best choice of solution for the test. PMID:24363535

Bile leakage test in liver resection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Qing; Yang, Jian; Yang, Jia-Yin; Yan, Lu-Nan

2013-12-07

To assess systematically the safety and efficacy of bile leakage test in liver resection. Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials involving the bile leakage test were included in a systematic literature search. Two authors independently assessed the studies for inclusion and extracted the data. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate postoperative bile leakage, intraoperative positive bile leakage, and complications. We used either the fixed-effects or random-effects model. Eight studies involving a total of 1253 patients were included and they all involved the bile leakage test in liver resection. The bile leakage test group was associated with a significant reduction in bile leakage compared with the non-bile leakage test group (RR = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.23-0.67; I (2) = 3%). The white test had superiority for detection of intraoperative bile leakage compared with the saline solution test (RR = 2.38, 95%CI: 1.24-4.56, P = 0.009). No significant intergroup differences were observed in total number of complications, ileus, liver failure, intraperitoneal hemorrhage, pulmonary disorder, abdominal infection, and wound infection. The bile leakage test reduced postoperative bile leakage and did not increase incidence of complications. Fat emulsion is the best choice of solution for the test. © 2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.

Electroencephalographic reactivity testing in unconscious patients: a systematic review of methods and definitions.

PubMed

Admiraal, M M; van Rootselaar, A-F; Horn, J

2017-02-01

Electroencephalographic (EEG) reactivity testing is often presented as a clear-cut element of electrophysiological testing. Absence of EEG reactivity is generally considered an indicator of poor outcome, especially in patients after cardiac arrest. However, guidelines do not clearly describe how to test for reactivity and how to evaluate the results. In a quest for clear guidelines, we performed a systematic review aimed at identifying testing methods and definitions of EEG reactivity. We systematically searched the literature between 1970 and May 2016. Methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the QUality In Prognostic Studies tool. Quality of the descriptions of stimulus protocol and reactivity definition was rated on a four-category grading scale based on reproducibility. We found that protocols for EEG reactivity testing vary greatly and descriptions of protocols are almost never replicable. Furthermore, replicable definitions of presence or absence of EEG reactivity are never provided. In order to draw firm conclusions on EEG reactivity as a prognostic factor, future studies should include a precise stimulation protocol and reactivity definition to facilitate guideline formation. © 2016 EAN.

Adapting and Pilot Testing a Parenting Intervention for Homeless Families in Transitional Housing.

PubMed

Holtrop, Kendal; Holcomb, Jamila E

2018-01-24

Intervention adaptation is a promising approach for extending the reach of evidence-based interventions to underserved families. One highly relevant population in need of services are homeless families. In particular, homeless families with children constitute more than one third of the total homeless population in the United States and face several unique challenges to parenting. The purpose of this study was to adapt and pilot test a parenting intervention for homeless families in transitional housing. An established adaptation model was used to guide this process. The systematic adaptation efforts included: (a) examining the theory of change in the original intervention, (b) identifying population differences relevant to homeless families in transitional housing, (c) adapting the content of the intervention, and (d) adapting the evaluation strategy. Next, a pilot test of the adapted intervention was conducted to examine implementation feasibility and acceptability. Feasibility data indicate an intervention spanning several weeks may be difficult to implement in the context of transitional housing. Yet, acceptability of the adapted intervention among participants was consistently high. The findings of this pilot work suggest several implications for informing continued parenting intervention research and practice with homeless families in transitional housing. © 2018 Family Process Institute.

Discrimination and drinking: A systematic review of the evidence.

PubMed

Gilbert, Paul A; Zemore, Sarah E

2016-07-01

Although it is widely accepted that discrimination is associated with heavy and hazardous drinking, particularly within stress and coping frameworks, there has been no comprehensive review of the evidence. In response, we conducted a systematic review of the English language peer-reviewed literature to summarize studies of discrimination and alcohol-related outcomes, broadly defined. Searching six online data bases, we identified 938 non-duplicative titles published between 1980 and 2015, of which 97 met all inclusion criteria for our review and reported quantitative tests of associations between discrimination and alcohol use. We extracted key study characteristics and assessed quality based on reported methodological details. Papers generally supported a positive association; however, the quantity and quality of evidence varied considerably. The largest number of studies was of racial/ethnic discrimination among African Americans in the United States, followed by sexual orientation and gender discrimination. Studies of racial/ethnic discrimination were notable for their frequent use of complex modeling (i.e., mediation, moderation) but focused nearly exclusively on interpersonal discrimination. In contrast, studies of sexual orientation discrimination (i.e., heterosexism, homophobia) examined both internalized and interpersonal aspects; however, the literature largely relied on global tests of association using cross-sectional data. Some populations (e.g., Native Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders) and types of discrimination (e.g., systemic/structural racism; ageism) received scant attention. This review extends our knowledge of a key social determinant of health through alcohol use. We identified gaps in the evidence base and suggest directions for future research related to discrimination and alcohol misuse. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discrimination and Drinking: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Gilbert, Paul A.; Zemore, Sarah E.

2016-01-01

Although it is widely accepted that discrimination is associated with heavy and hazardous drinking, particularly within stress and coping frameworks, there has been no comprehensive review of the evidence. In response, we conducted a systematic review of the English language peer-reviewed literature to summarize studies of discrimination and alcohol-related outcomes, broadly defined. Searching six online data bases, we identified 937 non-duplicative titles published between 1980 and 2015, of which 97 met all inclusion criteria for our review and reported quantitative tests of associations between discrimination and alcohol use. We extracted key study characteristics and assessed quality based on reported methodological details. Papers generally supported a positive association; however, the quantity and quality of evidence varied considerably. The largest number of studies was of racial/ethnic discrimination among African Americans in the United States, followed by sexual orientation and gender discrimination. Studies of racial/ethnic discrimination were notable for their frequent use of complex modeling (i.e., mediation, moderation) but focused nearly exclusively on interpersonal discrimination. In contrast, studies of sexual orientation discrimination (i.e., heterosexism, homophobia) examined both internalized and interpersonal aspects; however, the literature largely relied on global tests of association using cross-sectional data. Some populations (e.g., Native Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders) and types of discrimination (e.g., systemic/structural racism; ageism) received scant attention. This review extends our knowledge of a key social determinant of health through alcohol use. We identified gaps in the evidence base and suggest directions for future research related to discrimination and alcohol misuse. PMID:27315370

Myocardial infarction in intensive care units: A systematic review of diagnosis and treatment

PubMed Central

Mount, Thomas; Atkinson, Dougal

2016-01-01

Introduction Patients in the intensive care unit are vulnerable to myocardial injury from a variety of causes, both ischaemic and non-ischaemic. It is challenging for ICU clinicians to apply the conventional guidance concerning diagnosis and treatment. We conducted this review to examine the evidence concerning diagnosis and treatment of myocardial infarction in the ICU. Methods A systematic review was performed to identify relevant studies. Results 19 studies concerning use of ECG, cardiac enzymes, echocardiography and angiography were identified. 4 studies considered treatment of myocardial infarction. Conclusions Regular 12 lead ECG or 12 lead ECG monitoring is more sensitive than 2 lead monitoring, regular measurement of cardiac enzymes is more sensitive than when provoked by symptoms. Coronary angiography rarely identifies treatable lesions, without regional wall motion abnormality on echocardiography. Evidence relating to treatment was limited. A potential strategy to diagnose myocardial infarctions in the ICU is proposed. PMID:28979516

Readability of Online Health Information: A Meta-Narrative Systematic Review.

PubMed

Daraz, Lubna; Morrow, Allison S; Ponce, Oscar J; Farah, Wigdan; Katabi, Abdulrahman; Majzoub, Abdul; Seisa, Mohamed O; Benkhadra, Raed; Alsawas, Mouaz; Larry, Prokop; Murad, M Hassan

2018-01-01

Online health information should meet the reading level for the general public (set at sixth-grade level). Readability is a key requirement for information to be helpful and improve quality of care. The authors conducted a systematic review to evaluate the readability of online health information in the United States and Canada. Out of 3743 references, the authors included 157 cross-sectional studies evaluating 7891 websites using 13 readability scales. The mean readability grade level across websites ranged from grade 10 to 15 based on the different scales. Stratification by specialty, health condition, and type of organization producing information revealed the same findings. In conclusion, online health information in the United States and Canada has a readability level that is inappropriate for general public use. Poor readability can lead to misinformation and may have a detrimental effect on health. Efforts are needed to improve readability and the content of online health information.

Harms to Consumers of Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities in the United States: An Analysis of News Articles.

PubMed

Shields, Morgan C; Reneau, Hailey; Albert, Sasha M; Siegel, Leeann; Trinh, Nhi-Ha

2018-05-30

Inpatient psychiatric facilities in the United States lack systematic regulation and monitoring of a variety of patient safety concerns. We conducted a qualitative analysis of 61 news articles to identify common causes and types of harms within inpatient psychiatric facilities, with a focus on physical harm. The news articles reported on patient self-harm, patient-patient violence, and violence between patients and staff, noting that youth, older adults, and veterans were especially vulnerable. Harms occurred throughout the care continuum - at admission, during the inpatient stay, and at discharge - and retaliation towards whistleblowers deterred facility accountability. We recommend 1) addressing staffing shortages, 2) instituting systematic monitoring of critical incidents and the experiences of consumers and staff, 3) improving both inpatient safety and post-discharge community supports, and 4) continued journalistic coverage of harms within inpatient psychiatric facilities.

Is more neonatal intensive care always better? Insights from a cross-national comparison of reproductive care.

PubMed

Thompson, Lindsay A; Goodman, David C; Little, George A

2002-06-01

Despite high per capita health care expenditure, the United States has crude infant survival rates that are lower than similarly developed nations. Although differences in vital recording and socioeconomic risk have been studied, a systematic, cross-national comparison of perinatal health care systems is lacking. To characterize systems of reproductive care for the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, including a detailed analysis of neonatal intensive care and mortality. Comparison of selected indicators of reproductive care and mortality from 1993-2000 through a systematic review of journal and government publications and structured interviews of leaders in perinatal and neonatal care. Compared with the other 3 countries, the United States has more neonatal intensive care resources yet provides proportionately less support for preconception and prenatal care. Unlike the United States, the other countries provided free family planning services and prenatal and perinatal physician care, and the United Kingdom and Australia paid for all contraception. The United States has high neonatal intensive care capacity, with 6.1 neonatologists per 10 000 live births; Australia, 3.7; Canada, 3.3; and the United Kingdom, 2.7. For intensive care beds, the United States has 3.3 per 10 000 live births; Australia and Canada, 2.6; and the United Kingdom, 0.67. Greater neonatal intensive care resources were not consistently associated with lower birth weight-specific mortality. The relative risk (United States as reference) of neonatal mortality for infants <1000 g was 0.84 for Australia, 1.12 for Canada, and 0.99 for the United Kingdom; for 1000 to 2499 g infants, the relative risk was 0.97 for Australia, 1.26 for Canada, and 0.95 for the United Kingdom. As reported elsewhere, low birth weight rates were notably higher in the United States, partially explaining the high crude mortality rates. The United States has significantly greater neonatal intensive care resources per capita, compared with 3 other developed countries, without having consistently better birth weight-specific mortality. Despite low birth weight rates that exceed other countries, the United States has proportionately more providers per low birth weight infant, but offers less extensive preconception and prenatal services. This study questions the effectiveness of the current distribution of US reproductive care resources and its emphasis on neonatal intensive care.

Factors influencing citations to systematic reviews in skin diseases: a cross-sectional study through Web of Sciences and Scopus.

PubMed

Manriquez, Juan; Cataldo, Karina; Harz, Isidora

2015-01-01

Disseminating information derived from systematic reviews is a fundamental step for translating evidence into practice. To determine which features of dermatological SR are associated with systematic review dissemination, using citation rates as an indicator. Dermatological systematic reviews published between 2008 and 2012 were obtained from Scopus, the ISI Web of Sciences and the Cochrane Skin Group. Bibliometric data of every systematic review were collected and analyzed. A total of 320 systematic reviews were analyzed. Univariable analysis showed that the journal impact factor, number of authors, and total references cited were positively associated with the number of citations. There was a significant difference in the median number of citations with regard to the corresponding author's country, type of skin disease, type of funding, and presence of international collaboration. Cochrane reviews were significantly associated with a lower number of citations. Multivariable analysis found that the number of authors, number of references cited and the corresponding author from United Kingdom were independently correlated with many citations. Cochrane systematic reviews tended to be independently associated with a lower number of citations. Citation number to systematic reviews may be improving by increasing the number of authors, especially collaborative authors, and the number of cited references. The reasons for the association of Cochrane SRs with fewer citations should be addressed in future studies.

Factors influencing citations to systematic reviews in skin diseases: a cross-sectional study through Web of Sciences and Scopus*

PubMed Central

Manriquez, Juan; Cataldo, Karina; Harz, Isidora

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Disseminating information derived from systematic reviews is a fundamental step for translating evidence into practice. OBJECTIVE To determine which features of dermatological SR are associated with systematic review dissemination, using citation rates as an indicator. METHODS Dermatological systematic reviews published between 2008 and 2012 were obtained from Scopus, the ISI Web of Sciences and the Cochrane Skin Group. Bibliometric data of every systematic review were collected and analyzed. RESULTS A total of 320 systematic reviews were analyzed. Univariable analysis showed that the journal impact factor, number of authors, and total references cited were positively associated with the number of citations. There was a significant difference in the median number of citations with regard to the corresponding author's country, type of skin disease, type of funding, and presence of international collaboration. Cochrane reviews were significantly associated with a lower number of citations. Multivariable analysis found that the number of authors, number of references cited and the corresponding author from United Kingdom were independently correlated with many citations. Cochrane systematic reviews tended to be independently associated with a lower number of citations. CONCLUSIONS Citation number to systematic reviews may be improving by increasing the number of authors, especially collaborative authors, and the number of cited references. The reasons for the association of Cochrane SRs with fewer citations should be addressed in future studies. PMID:26560209

Fluid Extravasation in Shoulder Arthroscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Memon, Muzammil; Kay, Jeffrey; Gholami, Arian; Simunovic, Nicole; Ayeni, Olufemi R.

2018-01-01

Background: Arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder joint has become increasingly more common given its advantages over open surgery; however, one rare but potentially life-threatening complication is fluid extravasation into the surrounding tissues, causing edema, respiratory compromise, abnormal results on laboratory blood tests, and possibly death. Currently, no systematic review exists that summarizes the existing clinical research on this topic. Purpose: To perform a systematic review on fluid extravasation as a complication of shoulder arthroscopic surgery, specifically assessing clinical presentation, risk factors, management, and outcomes. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Two reviewers independently searched 3 databases (PubMed, Ovid [MEDLINE], and Embase) from database inception until July 1, 2017. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist guided the reporting and data abstraction. The methodological quality of these studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) checklist. The results are presented in a narrative summary fashion using descriptive statistics including ranges and agreement statistics. Results: A total of 26 studies (20 case reports, 4 case series, and 2 prospective comparative studies) encompassing 205 patients (mean age, 50.8 years [range, 15-83 years]) were included. The most common signs of fluid extravasation included chest wall swelling (n = 86) and neck swelling (n = 116). In 32 patients, observation alone was sufficient. Other patients required airway intubation (n = 16), diuretics (n = 7), steroids (n = 1), and percutaneous drainage of fluid (n = 1). Clinical edema resolved after 2 to 48 hours, and patients were discharged 1 to 20 days postoperatively. Serious complications included transfer to the intensive care unit (n = 14), anterior interosseous nerve palsy (n = 4), rhabdomyolysis (n = 1), and death (n = 1). Conclusion: Fluid extravasation has the potential to be a life-threatening complication of shoulder arthroscopic surgery; however, it is most commonly managed nonoperatively, and symptoms typically resolve with no evidence of long-term complications. Intraoperative surgical decisions, such as minimizing the surgical time and volume of irrigation fluid used, may limit fluid extravasation, while careful intraoperative monitoring may facilitate prompt diagnosis and management to optimize patient outcomes. PMID:29785406

Fluid Extravasation in Shoulder Arthroscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Memon, Muzammil; Kay, Jeffrey; Gholami, Arian; Simunovic, Nicole; Ayeni, Olufemi R

2018-05-01

Arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder joint has become increasingly more common given its advantages over open surgery; however, one rare but potentially life-threatening complication is fluid extravasation into the surrounding tissues, causing edema, respiratory compromise, abnormal results on laboratory blood tests, and possibly death. Currently, no systematic review exists that summarizes the existing clinical research on this topic. To perform a systematic review on fluid extravasation as a complication of shoulder arthroscopic surgery, specifically assessing clinical presentation, risk factors, management, and outcomes. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Two reviewers independently searched 3 databases (PubMed, Ovid [MEDLINE], and Embase) from database inception until July 1, 2017. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist guided the reporting and data abstraction. The methodological quality of these studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) checklist. The results are presented in a narrative summary fashion using descriptive statistics including ranges and agreement statistics. A total of 26 studies (20 case reports, 4 case series, and 2 prospective comparative studies) encompassing 205 patients (mean age, 50.8 years [range, 15-83 years]) were included. The most common signs of fluid extravasation included chest wall swelling (n = 86) and neck swelling (n = 116). In 32 patients, observation alone was sufficient. Other patients required airway intubation (n = 16), diuretics (n = 7), steroids (n = 1), and percutaneous drainage of fluid (n = 1). Clinical edema resolved after 2 to 48 hours, and patients were discharged 1 to 20 days postoperatively. Serious complications included transfer to the intensive care unit (n = 14), anterior interosseous nerve palsy (n = 4), rhabdomyolysis (n = 1), and death (n = 1). Fluid extravasation has the potential to be a life-threatening complication of shoulder arthroscopic surgery; however, it is most commonly managed nonoperatively, and symptoms typically resolve with no evidence of long-term complications. Intraoperative surgical decisions, such as minimizing the surgical time and volume of irrigation fluid used, may limit fluid extravasation, while careful intraoperative monitoring may facilitate prompt diagnosis and management to optimize patient outcomes.

Avian migrants facilitate invasions of neotropical ticks and tick-borne pathogens into the United States.

PubMed

Cohen, Emily B; Auckland, Lisa D; Marra, Peter P; Hamer, Sarah A

2015-12-01

Migratory birds have the potential to transport exotic vectors and pathogens of human and animal health importance across vast distances. We systematically examined birds that recently migrated to the United States from the Neotropics for ticks. We screened both ticks and birds for tick-borne pathogens, including Rickettsia species and Borrelia burgdorferi. Over two spring seasons (2013 and 2014), 3.56% of birds (n = 3,844) representing 42.35% of the species examined (n = 85) were infested by ticks. Ground-foraging birds with reduced fuel stores were most commonly infested. Eight tick species were identified, including seven in the genus Amblyomma, of which only Amblyomma maculatum/Amblyomma triste is known to be established in the United States. Most ticks on birds (67%) were neotropical species with ranges in Central and South America. Additionally, a single Ixodes genus tick was detected. A total of 29% of the ticks (n = 137) and no avian blood samples (n = 100) were positive for infection with Rickettsia species, including Rickettsia parkeri, an emerging cause of spotted fever in humans in the southern United States, a species in the group of Rickettsia monacensis, and uncharacterized species and endosymbionts of unknown pathogenicity. No avian tick or blood samples tested positive for B. burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. An extrapolation of our findings suggests that anywhere from 4 to 39 million exotic neotropical ticks are transported to the United States annually on migratory songbirds, with uncertain consequences for human and animal health if the current barriers to their establishment and spread are overcome. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Abuse of Customer Premise Equipment and Recommended Actions

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-07

as reflectors. Descriptions of hacks and control of CPE are more difficult to provide, as such operations are more clandestine. DNS changer provides...connected to broadband Internet, as of July 2013. 7 In the United States, about 84% of those connections have a local home network, such as WiFi . 8...with 324 million WiFi -enabled consumer electronics devices shipped during 2013 in the United States alone. 10 Thus if there were a systematic

Outcomes and Costs of Community Health Worker Interventions: A Systematic Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

E7(/(3+21(180%(5 ,QFOXGHDUHDFRGH Sep 2010 Journal article 1980 - Nov 2008 Outcomes and costs of community health worker interventions: a...the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature for studies conducted in the United States and published in English from 1980 through...to Nursing and Allied Health Literature for studies conducted in the United States and published in English from 1980 through November 2008. We dually

SB 1440 (2010): The Effect of Transfer Degrees on Time to Degree Conferral, Unit Accumulation, and Transfer Attainment for California Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Maria

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Student Transfer Reform Act of 2010 (SB1440) on student success. For the purpose of this study, student success metrics were identified as time to degree conferral, unit accumulation, and transfer attainment. Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) were systematized as a result of the Student…

Systematic text condensation: a strategy for qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Malterud, Kirsti

2012-12-01

To present background, principles, and procedures for a strategy for qualitative analysis called systematic text condensation and discuss this approach compared with related strategies. Giorgi's psychological phenomenological analysis is the point of departure and inspiration for systematic text condensation. The basic elements of Giorgi's method and the elaboration of these in systematic text condensation are presented, followed by a detailed description of procedures for analysis according to systematic text condensation. Finally, similarities and differences compared with other frequently applied methods for qualitative analysis are identified, as the foundation of a discussion of strengths and limitations of systematic text condensation. Systematic text condensation is a descriptive and explorative method for thematic cross-case analysis of different types of qualitative data, such as interview studies, observational studies, and analysis of written texts. The method represents a pragmatic approach, although inspired by phenomenological ideas, and various theoretical frameworks can be applied. The procedure consists of the following steps: 1) total impression - from chaos to themes; 2) identifying and sorting meaning units - from themes to codes; 3) condensation - from code to meaning; 4) synthesizing - from condensation to descriptions and concepts. Similarities and differences comparing systematic text condensation with other frequently applied qualitative methods regarding thematic analysis, theoretical methodological framework, analysis procedures, and taxonomy are discussed. Systematic text condensation is a strategy for analysis developed from traditions shared by most of the methods for analysis of qualitative data. The method offers the novice researcher a process of intersubjectivity, reflexivity, and feasibility, while maintaining a responsible level of methodological rigour.

The SPARK Tool to prioritise questions for systematic reviews in health policy and systems research: development and initial validation.

PubMed

Akl, Elie A; Fadlallah, Racha; Ghandour, Lilian; Kdouh, Ola; Langlois, Etienne; Lavis, John N; Schünemann, Holger; El-Jardali, Fadi

2017-09-04

Groups or institutions funding or conducting systematic reviews in health policy and systems research (HPSR) should prioritise topics according to the needs of policymakers and stakeholders. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a tool to prioritise questions for systematic reviews in HPSR. We developed the tool following a four-step approach consisting of (1) the definition of the purpose and scope of tool, (2) item generation and reduction, (3) testing for content and face validity, (4) and pilot testing of the tool. The research team involved international experts in HPSR, systematic review methodology and tool development, led by the Center for Systematic Reviews on Health Policy and Systems Research (SPARK). We followed an inclusive approach in determining the final selection of items to allow customisation to the user's needs. The purpose of the SPARK tool was to prioritise questions in HPSR in order to address them in systematic reviews. In the item generation and reduction phase, an extensive literature search yielded 40 relevant articles, which were reviewed by the research team to create a preliminary list of 19 candidate items for inclusion in the tool. As part of testing for content and face validity, input from international experts led to the refining, changing, merging and addition of new items, and to organisation of the tool into two modules. Following pilot testing, we finalised the tool, with 22 items organised in two modules - the first module including 13 items to be rated by policymakers and stakeholders, and the second including 9 items to be rated by systematic review teams. Users can customise the tool to their needs, by omitting items that may not be applicable to their settings. We also developed a user manual that provides guidance on how to use the SPARK tool, along with signaling questions. We have developed and conducted initial validation of the SPARK tool to prioritise questions for systematic reviews in HPSR, along with a user manual. By aligning systematic review production to policy priorities, the tool will help support evidence-informed policymaking and reduce research waste. We invite others to contribute with additional real-life implementation of the tool.

Care management for Type 2 diabetes in the United States: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Egginton, Jason S; Ridgeway, Jennifer L; Shah, Nilay D; Balasubramaniam, Saranya; Emmanuel, Joann R; Prokop, Larry J; Montori, Victor M; Murad, Mohammad Hassan

2012-03-22

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims at assessing the composition and performance of care management models evaluated in the last decade and their impact on patient important outcomes. A comprehensive literature search of electronic bibliographic databases was performed to identify care management trials in type 2 diabetes. Random effects meta-analysis was used when feasible to pool outcome measures. Fifty-two studies were eligible. Most commonly reported were surrogate outcomes (such as HbA1c and LDL), followed by process measures (clinic visit or testing frequency). Less frequently reported were quality of life, patient satisfaction, self-care, and healthcare utilization. Most care management modalities were carved out from primary care. Meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant but trivial reduction of HbA1c (weighted difference in means -0.21%, 95% confidence interval -0.40 to -0.03, p < .03) and LDL-cholesterol (weighted difference in means -3.38 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval -6.27 to -0.49, p < .02). Most care management programs for patients with type 2 diabetes are 'carved-out', accomplish limited effects on metabolic outcomes, and have unknown effects on patient important outcomes. Comparative effectiveness research of different models of care management is needed to inform the design of medical homes for patients with chronic conditions.

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Initiation of Mental Health Care Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Groups.

PubMed

Lee-Tauler, Su Yeon; Eun, John; Corbett, Dawn; Collins, Pamela Y

2018-06-01

The objective of this systematic review was to identify interventions to improve the initiation of mental health care among racial-ethnic minority groups. The authors searched three electronic databases in February 2016 and independently assessed eligibility of 2,065 titles and abstracts on the basis of three criteria: the study design included an intervention, the participants were members of racial-ethnic minority groups and lived in the United States, and the outcome measures included initial access to or attitudes toward mental health care. The qualitative synthesis involved 29 studies. Interventions identified included collaborative care (N=10), psychoeducation (N=7), case management (N=5), colocation of mental health services within existing services (N=4), screening and referral (N=2), and a change in Medicare medication reimbursement policy that served as a natural experiment (N=1). Reduction of disparities in the initiation of antidepressants or psychotherapy was noted in seven interventions (four involving collaborative care, two involving colocation of mental health services, and one involving screening and referral). Five of these disparities-reducing interventions were tested among older adults only. Most (N=23) interventions incorporated adaptations designed to address social or cultural barriers to care. Interventions that used a model of integrated care reduced racial-ethnic disparities in the initiation of mental health care.

Evaluation of Laboratory Procedures to Quantify the Neutral Detergent Fiber Content in Forage, Concentrate, and Ruminant Feces.

PubMed

Barbosa, Marcília Medrado; Detmann, Edenio; Rocha, Gabriel Cipriano; de Oliveira Franco, Marcia; de Campos Valadares Filho, Sebastião

2015-01-01

A comparison was made of measurements of neutral detergent fiber concentrations obtained with AOAC Method 2002.04 and modified methods using pressurized environments or direct use of industrial heat-stable α-amylase in samples of forage (n=37), concentrate (n=30), and ruminant feces (n=39). The following method modifications were tested: AOAC Method 2002.04 with replacement of the reflux apparatus with an autoclave or Ankom(220®) extractor and F57 filter bags, and AOAC Method 2002.04 with replacement of the standardization procedures for α-amylase by a single addition of industrial α-amylase [250 μL of Termamyl 2X 240 Kilo Novo Units (KNU)-T/g] prior to heating the neutral detergent solution. For the feces and forage samples, the results obtained with the modified methods with an autoclave or modification of α-amylase use were similar to those obtained using AOAC Method 2002.04, but the use of the Ankom220 extractor resulted in overestimated values. For the concentrate samples, the modified methods using an autoclave or Ankom220 extractor resulted in positive systematic errors. However, the method using industrial α-amylase resulted in systematic error and slope bias despite that the obtained values were close to those obtained with AOAC Method 2002.04.

Persistent inflammation and recovery after intensive care: A systematic review.

PubMed

Griffith, David M; Vale, Matthew E; Campbell, Christine; Lewis, Steff; Walsh, Timothy S

2016-06-01

Physical weakness is common after critical illness; however, it is not clear how best to treat it. Inflammation characterizes critical illness, is associated with loss of muscle mass during critical illness, and potentially modifies post-intensive care unit (ICU) recovery. We sought to identify published reports on the prevalence of systemic inflammation after critical illness and its association with physical recovery. This is a systematic review of the literature from MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CPCI-SSH, and CPCI-S from January 1982 to December 2011. From 7433 references, 207 full-text articles were reviewed, 57 were eligible, and 22 were included. Inflammation was present in most patients at ICU discharge according to C-reactive protein concentration (range, 70%-100%), procalcitonin (range, 89%-100%), tumor necrosis factor α (100%), and systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria (range, 92%-95%). Fewer patients had elevated myeloperoxidase concentrations (range, 0%-56%). At hospital discharge, 9 (90%) of 10 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients had elevated C-reactive protein. No studies tested the association between inflammation and physical recovery. Inflammation is present in most patients at ICU discharge, but little is known or has been investigated about persistent inflammation after this time point. No studies have explored the relationship between persistent inflammation and physical recovery. Further research is proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

VLTI-PRIMA fringe tracking testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abuter, Roberto; Rabien, Sebastian; Eisenhauer, Frank; Sahlmann, Johannes; Di Lieto, Nicola; Haug, Marcus; Wallander, Anders; Lévêque, Samuel; Ménardi, Serge; Delplancke, Françoise; Schuhler, Nicolas; Kellner, Stefan; Frahm, Robert

2006-06-01

One of the key components of the planned VLTI dual feed facility PRIMA is the Fringe Sensor Unit (FSU). Its basic function is the instantaneous measurement of the Optical Path Difference (OPD) between two beams. The FSU acts as the sensor for a complex control system involving optical delay lines and laser metrology with the aim of removing any OPD introduced by the atmosphere and the beam relay. We have initiated a cooperation between ESO and MPE with the purpose of systematically testing this Fringe Tracking Control System in a laboratory environment. This testbed facility is being built at MPE laboratories with the aim to simulate the VLTI and includes FSUs, OPD controller, metrology and in-house built delay lines. In this article we describe this testbed in detail, including the environmental conditions in the laboratory, and present the results of the testbed subsystem characterisation.

Needed: Global Collaboration for Comparative Research on Cities and Health

PubMed Central

Gusmano, Michael K.; Rodwin, Victor G.

2016-01-01

Over half of the world’s population lives in cities and United Nations (UN) demographers project an increase of 2.5 billion more urban dwellers by 2050. Yet there is too little systematic comparative research on the practice of urban health policy and management (HPAM), particularly in the megacities of middle-income and developing nations. We make a case for creating a global database on cities, population health and healthcare systems. The expenses involved in data collection would be difficult to justify without some review of previous work, some agreement on indicators worth measuring, conceptual and methodological considerations to guide the construction of the global database, and a set of research questions and hypotheses to test. We, therefore, address these issues in a manner that we hope will stimulate further discussion and collaboration. PMID:27694667

Needed: Global Collaboration for Comparative Research on Cities and Health.

PubMed

Gusmano, Michael K; Rodwin, Victor G

2016-04-16

Over half of the world's population lives in cities and United Nations (UN) demographers project an increase of 2.5 billion more urban dwellers by 2050. Yet there is too little systematic comparative research on the practice of urban health policy and management (HPAM), particularly in the megacities of middle-income and developing nations. We make a case for creating a global database on cities, population health and healthcare systems. The expenses involved in data collection would be difficult to justify without some review of previous work, some agreement on indicators worth measuring, conceptual and methodological considerations to guide the construction of the global database, and a set of research questions and hypotheses to test. We, therefore, address these issues in a manner that we hope will stimulate further discussion and collaboration. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine Use Among Indigenous Cancer Patients in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Gall, Alana; Leske, Stuart; Adams, Jon; Matthews, Veronica; Anderson, Kate; Lawler, Sheleigh; Garvey, Gail

2018-05-01

Cancer 'patients' are increasingly using traditional indigenous and complementary medicines (T&CM) alongside conventional medical treatments to both cure and cope with their cancer diagnoses. To date T&CM use among Indigenous cancer patients from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States has not been systematically reviewed. We systematically searched bibliographic databases to identify original research published between January 2000 and October 2017 regarding T&CM use by Indigenous cancer patients in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Data from records meeting eligibility criteria were extracted and appraised for quality by 2 independent reviewers. Twenty-one journal articles from 18 studies across all 4 countries met our inclusion criteria. T&CM use ranged from 19% to 57.7% (differing across countries). T&CM was mostly used concurrently with conventional cancer treatments to meet their spiritual, emotional, social, and cultural needs; however, bush, traditional, and herbal medicines were used in a minority of cases as an alternative. Our findings highlight the importance of T&CM use to Indigenous cancer patients across these 4 countries; we identified multiple perceived spiritual, emotional and cultural benefits to its use. The patient's perception of their health professional's attitudes toward T&CM in some cases hindered or encouraged the patient's disclosure. Additional research is required to further explore the use and disclosure of T&CM among Indigenous cancer patients to help inform and ensure effective, safe, coordinated care for Indigenous cancer patients that relies on shared open decision making and communication across patients, communities, and providers.

Using humor in systematic desensitization to reduce fear.

PubMed

Ventis, W L; Higbee, G; Murdock, S A

2001-04-01

Effectiveness of systematic desensitization for fear reduction, using humorous hierarchy scenes without relaxation, was tested. Participants were 40 students highly fearful of spiders. Using a 24-item behavioral approach test with an American tarantula, participants were matched on fear level and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: (a) systematic desensitization, (b) humor desensitization, and (c) untreated controls. Each participant was seen for 6 sessions, including pretest and posttest. Analyses of covariance of posttest scores revealed that the 2 treatment groups showed greater reduction in fear than the controls on 3 measures but did not differ from each other. Therefore, humor in systematic desensitization reduced fear as effectively as more traditional desensitization. This finding may have therapeutic applications; however, it may also be applicable in advertising to desensitize fear of a dangerous product, such as cigarettes.

Frequency doubling crystals

DOEpatents

Wang, Francis; Velsko, Stephan P.

1989-01-01

A systematic approach to the production of frequency conversion crystals is described in which a chiral molecule has attached to it a "harmonic generating unit" which contributes to the noncentrosymmetry of the molecule. Certain preferred embodiments of such harmonic generating units include carboxylate, guanadyly and imidazolyl units. Certain preferred crystals include L-arginine fluoride, deuterated L-arginine fluoride, L-arginine chloride monohydrate, L-arginine acetate, dithallium tartrate, ammonium N-acetyl valine, N-acetyl tyrosine and N-acetyl hydroxyproline. Chemical modifications of the chiral molecule, such as deuteration, halogenation and controlled counterion substitution are available to adapt the dispersive properties of a crystal in a particular wavelength region.

Particulate face masks for protection against airborne pathogens - one size does not fit all: an observational study.

PubMed

Winter, Susan; Thomas, Jane H; Stephens, Dianne P; Davis, Joshua S

2010-03-01

To determine the proportion of hospital staff who pass fit tests with each of three commonly used particulate face masks, and factors influencing preference and fit test results. Observational study. 50 healthy hospital staff volunteers in an 18-bed general intensive care unit in an Australian teaching hospital. Participants were administered a questionnaire about mask use and their preferred mask and underwent qualitative fit-testing with each of three different particulate masks: Kimberly-Clark Tecnol FluidShield N95 particulate filter respirator (KC), 3M Flat Fold 9320 particulate respirator and 3M 8822 particulate respirator with exhalation valve. Participants who failed fittesting were trained in correct mask donning, and fittesting was repeated. Proportion of participants who passed the fit test for each mask and the effect of training. The proportion of participants who passed a fit test was low for all three masks tested (KC, 16%; flat fold, 28%; and valved, 34%). Rates improved after training: the first mask tested fitted in 18% of participants pre-training and 40% post-training (P = 0.02). None of the masks fitted for 28% of participants. There were no significant predictors of fit-test results. A large proportion of individuals failed a fit test with any given mask, and we were not able to identify any factors that predicted mask fit in individuals. Training on mask use improved the rates of adequate fit. Hospitals should carry a range of P2 masks, and should conduct systematic P2 mask training and fit-testing programs for all staff potentially exposed to airborne pathogens.

Effect of Microscopic Damage Events on Static and Ballistic Impact Strength of Triaxial Braid Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littell, Justin D.; Binienda, Wieslaw K.; Arnold, William A.; Roberts, Gary D.; Goldberg, Robert K.

2010-01-01

The reliability of impact simulations for aircraft components made with triaxial-braided carbon-fiber composites is currently limited by inadequate material property data and lack of validated material models for analysis. Methods to characterize the material properties used in the analytical models from a systematically obtained set of test data are also lacking. A macroscopic finite element based analytical model to analyze the impact response of these materials has been developed. The stiffness and strength properties utilized in the material model are obtained from a set of quasi-static in-plane tension, compression and shear coupon level tests. Full-field optical strain measurement techniques are applied in the testing, and the results are used to help in characterizing the model. The unit cell of the braided composite is modeled as a series of shell elements, where each element is modeled as a laminated composite. The braided architecture can thus be approximated within the analytical model. The transient dynamic finite element code LS-DYNA is utilized to conduct the finite element simulations, and an internal LS-DYNA constitutive model is utilized in the analysis. Methods to obtain the stiffness and strength properties required by the constitutive model from the available test data are developed. Simulations of quasi-static coupon tests and impact tests of a represented braided composite are conducted. Overall, the developed method shows promise, but improvements that are needed in test and analysis methods for better predictive capability are examined.

Physical examination tests for the diagnosis of posterior cruciate ligament rupture: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kopkow, Christian; Freiberg, Alice; Kirschner, Stephan; Seidler, Andreas; Schmitt, Jochen

2013-11-01

Systematic literature review. To summarize and evaluate research on the accuracy of physical examination tests for diagnosis of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tear. Rupture of the PCL is a severe knee injury that can lead to delayed rehabilitation, instability, or chronic knee pathologies. To our knowledge, there is currently no systematic review of studies on the diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination tests to evaluate the integrity of the PCL. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE from 1946, Embase from 1974, and the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database from 1985 until April 30, 2012. Studies were considered eligible if they compared the results of physical examination tests performed in the context of a PCL physical examination to those of a reference standard (arthroscopy, arthrotomy, magnetic resonance imaging). Methodological quality assessment was performed by 2 independent reviewers using the revised version of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. The search strategy revealed 1307 articles, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria for this review. In these studies, 11 different physical examination tests were identified. Due to differences in study types, different patient populations, and methodological quality, meta-analysis was not indicated. Presently, most physical examination tests have not been evaluated sufficiently enough to be confident in their ability to either confirm or rule out a PCL tear. The diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests to assess the integrity of the PCL is largely unknown. There is a strong need for further research in this area. Level of Evidence Diagnosis, level 3a.

Questionnaires on Family Satisfaction in the Adult ICU: A Systematic Review Including Psychometric Properties.

PubMed

van den Broek, Janneke M; Brunsveld-Reinders, Anja H; Zedlitz, Aglaia M E E; Girbes, Armand R J; de Jonge, Evert; Arbous, M Sesmu

2015-08-01

To perform a systematic review of the literature to determine which questionnaires are currently available to measure family satisfaction with care on the ICU and to provide an overview of their quality by evaluating their psychometric properties. We searched PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and CINAHL from inception to October 30, 2013. Experimental and observational research articles reporting on questionnaires on family satisfaction and/or needs in the ICU were included. Two reviewers determined eligibility. Design, application mode, language, and the number of studies of the tools were registered. With this information, the tools were globally categorized according to validity and reliability: level I (well-established quality), II (approaching well-established quality), III (promising quality), or IV (unconfirmed quality). The quality of the highest level (I) tools was assessed by further examination of the psychometric properties and sample size of the studies. The search detected 3,655 references, from which 135 articles were included. We found 27 different tools that assessed overall or circumscribed aspects of family satisfaction with ICU care. Only four questionnaires were categorized as level I: the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory, the Society of Critical Care Medicine Family Needs Assessment, the Critical Care Family Satisfaction Survey, and the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit. Studies on these questionnaires were of good sample size (n ≥ 100) and showed adequate data on face/content validity and internal consistency. Studies on the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory, the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit also contained sufficient data on inter-rater/test-retest reliability, responsiveness, and feasibility. In general, data on measures of central tendency and sensitivity to change were scarce. Of all the questionnaires found, the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory and the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit were the most reliable and valid in relation to their psychometric properties. However, a universal "best questionnaire" is indefinable because it depends on the specific goal, context, and population used in the inquiry.

Filling in the GAPS: evaluating completeness and coverage of open-access biodiversity databases in the United States

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

Troia, Matthew J.; McManamay, Ryan A.

Primary biodiversity data constitute observations of particular species at given points in time and space. Open-access electronic databases provide unprecedented access to these data, but their usefulness in characterizing species distributions and patterns in biodiversity depend on how complete species inventories are at a given survey location and how uniformly distributed survey locations are along dimensions of time, space, and environment. Our aim was to compare completeness and coverage among three open-access databases representing ten taxonomic groups (amphibians, birds, freshwater bivalves, crayfish, freshwater fish, fungi, insects, mammals, plants, and reptiles) in the contiguous United States. We compiled occurrence records frommore » the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and federally administered fish surveys (FFS). In this study, we aggregated occurrence records by 0.1° × 0.1° grid cells and computed three completeness metrics to classify each grid cell as well-surveyed or not. Next, we compared frequency distributions of surveyed grid cells to background environmental conditions in a GIS and performed Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests to quantify coverage through time, along two spatial gradients, and along eight environmental gradients. The three databases contributed >13.6 million reliable occurrence records distributed among >190,000 grid cells. The percent of well-surveyed grid cells was substantially lower for GBIF (5.2%) than for systematic surveys (BBS and FFS; 82.5%). Still, the large number of GBIF occurrence records produced at least 250 well-surveyed grid cells for six of nine taxonomic groups. Coverages of systematic surveys were less biased across spatial and environmental dimensions but were more biased in temporal coverage compared to GBIF data. GBIF coverages also varied among taxonomic groups, consistent with commonly recognized geographic, environmental, and institutional sampling biases. Lastly, this comprehensive assessment of biodiversity data across the contiguous United States provides a prioritization scheme to fill in the gaps by contributing existing occurrence records to the public domain and planning future surveys.« less

Filling in the GAPS: evaluating completeness and coverage of open-access biodiversity databases in the United States

DOE PAGES

Troia, Matthew J.; McManamay, Ryan A.

2016-06-12

Primary biodiversity data constitute observations of particular species at given points in time and space. Open-access electronic databases provide unprecedented access to these data, but their usefulness in characterizing species distributions and patterns in biodiversity depend on how complete species inventories are at a given survey location and how uniformly distributed survey locations are along dimensions of time, space, and environment. Our aim was to compare completeness and coverage among three open-access databases representing ten taxonomic groups (amphibians, birds, freshwater bivalves, crayfish, freshwater fish, fungi, insects, mammals, plants, and reptiles) in the contiguous United States. We compiled occurrence records frommore » the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), and federally administered fish surveys (FFS). In this study, we aggregated occurrence records by 0.1° × 0.1° grid cells and computed three completeness metrics to classify each grid cell as well-surveyed or not. Next, we compared frequency distributions of surveyed grid cells to background environmental conditions in a GIS and performed Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests to quantify coverage through time, along two spatial gradients, and along eight environmental gradients. The three databases contributed >13.6 million reliable occurrence records distributed among >190,000 grid cells. The percent of well-surveyed grid cells was substantially lower for GBIF (5.2%) than for systematic surveys (BBS and FFS; 82.5%). Still, the large number of GBIF occurrence records produced at least 250 well-surveyed grid cells for six of nine taxonomic groups. Coverages of systematic surveys were less biased across spatial and environmental dimensions but were more biased in temporal coverage compared to GBIF data. GBIF coverages also varied among taxonomic groups, consistent with commonly recognized geographic, environmental, and institutional sampling biases. Lastly, this comprehensive assessment of biodiversity data across the contiguous United States provides a prioritization scheme to fill in the gaps by contributing existing occurrence records to the public domain and planning future surveys.« less

Delivery Unit Costs for Antiretroviral Treatment and Prevention of Mother-to-Child-Transmission of HIV

PubMed Central

Galárraga, Omar; Wirtz, Veronika J.; Figueroa-Lara, Alejandro; Santa-Ana-Tellez, Yared; Coulibaly, Ibrahima; Viisainen, Kirsi; Medina-Lara, Antonieta; Korenromp, Eline L.

2013-01-01

Background As antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV/AIDS is scaled-up globally, information on per-person costs is critical to improve efficiency in service delivery and maximize coverage and health impact. Objective To review studies on delivery unit costs for adult and pediatric ART provision per-patient-year, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions per mother-infant pair screened or treated, in low- and middle-income countries. Methods Systematic review of English, French and Spanish publications from 2001 to 2009, reporting empirical costing that accounted for at least antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, laboratory testing and personnel. Expenditures were analyzed by country income level and cost component. All costs were standardized to 2009 US dollars. Results Analyses covered 29 eligible, comprehensive costing studies. In the base case, in low-income countries (LIC), median, ART cost per patient-year was $792 (mean: $839, range: $682-$1089); for lower-middle-income countries (LMIC), the median was $932 (mean: $1246, range: $156-$3904); and for upper-middle-income countries (UMIC) the median was $1454 (mean: $2783, range: $1230-$5667). ARV drugs were largest component of overall ART cost in all settings (62%, 50% and 47% in LIC, LMIC and UMIC respectively). Out of 26 ART studies, 14 report which drug regimes were used, and only one study explicitly reported second line treatment costs. The second cost driver was laboratory cost in LIC and LMIC (14% and 19.5%) whereas it was personnel costs in UMIC (26%). Two studies specified the types of laboratory tests costed, and three studies specifically included above-facility-level personnel costs. Three studies reported detailed PMTCT costs, and two studies reported on pediatric ART. Conclusions There is a paucity of data on the full ART and PMTCT delivery unit costs, in particular for low-and middle-income countries. Heterogeneity in activities costed and insufficient detail regarding components included in the costing hampers standardization of unit cost measures. Evaluation of program-level unit costs would benefit from international guidance on standardized costing methods, and expenditure categories and definitions. Future work should help elucidate the sources for the large variations in delivery unit costs across settings with similar income and epidemiological characteristics. PMID:21671687

Sensor-Based Optimized Control of the Full Load Instability in Large Hydraulic Turbines

PubMed Central

Presas, Alexandre; Valero, Carme; Egusquiza, Eduard

2018-01-01

Hydropower plants are of paramount importance for the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources in the power grid. In order to match the energy generated and consumed, Large hydraulic turbines have to work under off-design conditions, which may lead to dangerous unstable operating points involving the hydraulic, mechanical and electrical system. Under these conditions, the stability of the grid and the safety of the power plant itself can be compromised. For many Francis Turbines one of these critical points, that usually limits the maximum output power, is the full load instability. Therefore, these machines usually work far away from this unstable point, reducing the effective operating range of the unit. In order to extend the operating range of the machine, working closer to this point with a reasonable safety margin, it is of paramount importance to monitor and to control relevant parameters of the unit, which have to be obtained with an accurate sensor acquisition strategy. Within the framework of a large EU project, field tests in a large Francis Turbine located in Canada (rated power of 444 MW) have been performed. Many different sensors were used to monitor several working parameters of the unit for all its operating range. Particularly for these tests, more than 80 signals, including ten type of different sensors and several operating signals that define the operating point of the unit, were simultaneously acquired. The present study, focuses on the optimization of the acquisition strategy, which includes type, number, location, acquisition frequency of the sensors and corresponding signal analysis to detect the full load instability and to prevent the unit from reaching this point. A systematic approach to determine this strategy has been followed. It has been found that some indicators obtained with different types of sensors are linearly correlated with the oscillating power. The optimized strategy has been determined based on the correlation characteristics (linearity, sensitivity and reactivity), the simplicity of the installation and the acquisition frequency necessary. Finally, an economic and easy implementable protection system based on the resulting optimized acquisition strategy is proposed. This system, which can be used in a generic Francis turbine with a similar full load instability, permits one to extend the operating range of the unit by working close to the instability with a reasonable safety margin. PMID:29601512

Sensor-Based Optimized Control of the Full Load Instability in Large Hydraulic Turbines.

PubMed

Presas, Alexandre; Valentin, David; Egusquiza, Mònica; Valero, Carme; Egusquiza, Eduard

2018-03-30

Hydropower plants are of paramount importance for the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources in the power grid. In order to match the energy generated and consumed, Large hydraulic turbines have to work under off-design conditions, which may lead to dangerous unstable operating points involving the hydraulic, mechanical and electrical system. Under these conditions, the stability of the grid and the safety of the power plant itself can be compromised. For many Francis Turbines one of these critical points, that usually limits the maximum output power, is the full load instability. Therefore, these machines usually work far away from this unstable point, reducing the effective operating range of the unit. In order to extend the operating range of the machine, working closer to this point with a reasonable safety margin, it is of paramount importance to monitor and to control relevant parameters of the unit, which have to be obtained with an accurate sensor acquisition strategy. Within the framework of a large EU project, field tests in a large Francis Turbine located in Canada (rated power of 444 MW) have been performed. Many different sensors were used to monitor several working parameters of the unit for all its operating range. Particularly for these tests, more than 80 signals, including ten type of different sensors and several operating signals that define the operating point of the unit, were simultaneously acquired. The present study, focuses on the optimization of the acquisition strategy, which includes type, number, location, acquisition frequency of the sensors and corresponding signal analysis to detect the full load instability and to prevent the unit from reaching this point. A systematic approach to determine this strategy has been followed. It has been found that some indicators obtained with different types of sensors are linearly correlated with the oscillating power. The optimized strategy has been determined based on the correlation characteristics (linearity, sensitivity and reactivity), the simplicity of the installation and the acquisition frequency necessary. Finally, an economic and easy implementable protection system based on the resulting optimized acquisition strategy is proposed. This system, which can be used in a generic Francis turbine with a similar full load instability, permits one to extend the operating range of the unit by working close to the instability with a reasonable safety margin.

Psychometric properties of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) in a representative sample of Canadian federal offenders.

PubMed

Storey, Jennifer E; Hart, Stephen D; Cooke, David J; Michie, Christine

2016-04-01

The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003) is a commonly used psychological test for assessing traits of psychopathic personality disorder. Despite the abundance of research using the PCL-R, the vast majority of research used samples of convenience rather than systematic methods to minimize sampling bias and maximize the generalizability of findings. This potentially complicates the interpretation of test scores and research findings, including the "norms" for offenders from the United States and Canada included in the PCL-R manual. In the current study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of PCL-R scores for all male offenders admitted to a regional reception center of the Correctional Service of Canada during a 1-year period (n = 375). Because offenders were admitted for assessment prior to institutional classification, they comprise a sample that was heterogeneous with respect to correctional risks and needs yet representative of all offenders in that region of the service. We examined the distribution of PCL-R scores, classical test theory indices of its structural reliability, the factor structure of test items, and the external correlates of test scores. The findings were highly consistent with those typically reported in previous studies. We interpret these results as indicating it is unlikely any sampling limitations of past research using the PCL-R resulted in findings that were, overall, strongly biased or unrepresentative. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Peer-Delivered Recovery Support Services for Addictions in the United States: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Bassuk, Ellen L; Hanson, Justine; Greene, R Neil; Richard, Molly; Laudet, Alexandre

2016-04-01

This systematic review identifies, appraises, and summarizes the evidence on the effectiveness of peer-delivered recovery support services for people in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Nine studies met criteria for inclusion in the review. They were assessed for quality and outcomes including substance use and recovery-related factors. Despite significant methodological limitations found in the included studies, the body of evidence suggests salutary effects on participants. Current limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing Scientific Software: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Kanewala, Upulee; Bieman, James M

2014-10-01

Scientific software plays an important role in critical decision making, for example making weather predictions based on climate models, and computation of evidence for research publications. Recently, scientists have had to retract publications due to errors caused by software faults. Systematic testing can identify such faults in code. This study aims to identify specific challenges, proposed solutions, and unsolved problems faced when testing scientific software. We conducted a systematic literature survey to identify and analyze relevant literature. We identified 62 studies that provided relevant information about testing scientific software. We found that challenges faced when testing scientific software fall into two main categories: (1) testing challenges that occur due to characteristics of scientific software such as oracle problems and (2) testing challenges that occur due to cultural differences between scientists and the software engineering community such as viewing the code and the model that it implements as inseparable entities. In addition, we identified methods to potentially overcome these challenges and their limitations. Finally we describe unsolved challenges and how software engineering researchers and practitioners can help to overcome them. Scientific software presents special challenges for testing. Specifically, cultural differences between scientist developers and software engineers, along with the characteristics of the scientific software make testing more difficult. Existing techniques such as code clone detection can help to improve the testing process. Software engineers should consider special challenges posed by scientific software such as oracle problems when developing testing techniques.

The quality of systematic reviews about interventions for refractive error can be improved: a review of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Mayo-Wilson, Evan; Ng, Sueko Matsumura; Chuck, Roy S; Li, Tianjing

2017-09-05

Systematic reviews should inform American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Preferred Practice Pattern® (PPP) guidelines. The quality of systematic reviews related to the forthcoming Preferred Practice Pattern® guideline (PPP) Refractive Errors & Refractive Surgery is unknown. We sought to identify reliable systematic reviews to assist the AAO Refractive Errors & Refractive Surgery PPP. Systematic reviews were eligible if they evaluated the effectiveness or safety of interventions included in the 2012 PPP Refractive Errors & Refractive Surgery. To identify potentially eligible systematic reviews, we searched the Cochrane Eyes and Vision United States Satellite database of systematic reviews. Two authors identified eligible reviews and abstracted information about the characteristics and quality of the reviews independently using the Systematic Review Data Repository. We classified systematic reviews as "reliable" when they (1) defined criteria for the selection of studies, (2) conducted comprehensive literature searches for eligible studies, (3) assessed the methodological quality (risk of bias) of the included studies, (4) used appropriate methods for meta-analyses (which we assessed only when meta-analyses were reported), (5) presented conclusions that were supported by the evidence provided in the review. We identified 124 systematic reviews related to refractive error; 39 met our eligibility criteria, of which we classified 11 to be reliable. Systematic reviews classified as unreliable did not define the criteria for selecting studies (5; 13%), did not assess methodological rigor (10; 26%), did not conduct comprehensive searches (17; 44%), or used inappropriate quantitative methods (3; 8%). The 11 reliable reviews were published between 2002 and 2016. They included 0 to 23 studies (median = 9) and analyzed 0 to 4696 participants (median = 666). Seven reliable reviews (64%) assessed surgical interventions. Most systematic reviews of interventions for refractive error are low methodological quality. Following widely accepted guidance, such as Cochrane or Institute of Medicine standards for conducting systematic reviews, would contribute to improved patient care and inform future research.

Research Questions and Priorities for Tuberculosis: A Survey of Published Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

PubMed Central

Nicolau, Ioana; Ling, Daphne; Tian, Lulu; Lienhardt, Christian; Pai, Madhukar

2012-01-01

Background Systematic reviews are increasingly informing policies in tuberculosis (TB) care and control. They may also be a source of questions for future research. As part of the process of developing the International Roadmap for TB Research, we did a systematic review of published systematic reviews on TB, to identify research priorities that are most frequently suggested in reviews. Methodology/Principal Findings We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on any aspect of TB published between 2005 and 2010. One reviewer extracted data and a second reviewer independently extracted data from a random subset of included studies. In total, 137 systematic reviews, with 141 research questions, were included in this review. We used the UK Health Research Classification System (HRCS) to help us classify the research questions and priorities. The three most common research topics were in the area of detection, screening and diagnosis of TB (32.6%), development and evaluation of treatments and therapeutic interventions (23.4%), and TB aetiology and risk factors (19.9%). The research priorities determined were mainly focused on the discovery and evaluation of bacteriological TB tests and drug-resistant TB tests and immunological tests. Other important topics of future research were genetic susceptibility linked to TB and disease determinants attributed to HIV/TB. Evaluation of drug treatments for TB, drug-resistant TB and HIV/TB were also frequently proposed research topics. Conclusions Systematic reviews are a good source of key research priorities. Findings from our survey have informed the development of the International Roadmap for TB Research by the TB Research Movement. PMID:22848764

Virucidal Influence of Ionic Liquids on Phages P100 and MS2

PubMed Central

Fister, Susanne; Mester, Patrick; Sommer, Julia; Witte, Anna K.; Kalb, Roland; Wagner, Martin; Rossmanith, Peter

2017-01-01

An increasing number of publications describe the potential of ionic liquids (ILs) as novel antimicrobials, antibacterial coatings and even as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Nevertheless, a major research area, notably their impact on viruses, has so far been neglected. Consequently the aim of this study was to examine the effects of ILs on the infectivity of viruses. A systematic analysis to investigate the effects of defined structural elements of ILs on virus activity was performed using 55 ILs. All structure activity relationships (SARs) were tested on the human norovirus surrogate phage MS2 and phage P100 representing non-enveloped DNA viruses. Results demonstrate that IL SAR conclusions, established for prokaryotes and eukaryotes, are not readily applicable to the examined phages. A virus-type-dependent IL influence was also apparent. Overall, four ILs, covering different structural elements, were found to reduce phage P100 infectivity by ≥4 log10 units, indicating a virucidal effect, whereas the highest reduction for phage MS2 was about 3 log10 units. Results indicate that future applications of ILs as virucidal agents will require development of novel SARs and the obtained results serve as a good starting point for future studies. PMID:28883814

Geoid undulation computations at laser tracking stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Despotakis, Vasilios K.

1987-01-01

Geoid undulation computations were performed at 29 laser stations distributed around the world using a combination of terrestrial gravity data within a cap of radius 2 deg and a potential coefficient set up to 180 deg. The traditional methods of Stokes' and Meissl's modification together with the Molodenskii method and the modified Sjoberg method were applied. Performing numerical tests based on global error assumptions regarding the terrestrial data and the geopotential set it was concluded that the modified Sjoberg method is the most accurate and promising technique for geoid undulation computations. The numerical computations for the geoid undulations using all the four methods resulted in agreement with the ellipsoidal minus orthometric value of the undulations on the order of 60 cm or better for most of the laser stations in the eastern United States, Australia, Japan, Bermuda, and Europe. A systematic discrepancy of about 2 meters for most of the western United States stations was detected and verified by using two relatively independent data sets. For oceanic laser stations in the western Atlantic and Pacific oceans that have no terrestrial data available, the adjusted GEOS-3 and SEASAT altimeter data were used for the computation of the geoid undulation in a collocation method.

Effectiveness of a community-based oral cancer awareness campaign (United States).

PubMed

Papas, Rebecca K; Logan, Henrietta L; Tomar, Scott L

2004-03-01

The purpose of this study was to provide the first systematic evaluation in the United States of a community-based oral cancer awareness campaign. We used a non-equivalent control group design and random-digit-dialing methods to examine billboard effectiveness and pre- and post-billboard impact between intervention and control counties in adult probability samples in Florida, USA. Respondents in the intervention county were more likely than controls to correctly identify the billboard message to get tested for oral cancer, and less likely than controls to report ever having an oral cancer examination, or to have heard of oral cancer. Results of pre-post analyses within each county showed that oral cancer examinations were significantly more frequent in both counties after the campaign. There were no significant differences between counties on the proportion of individuals who reported having seen the campaign or on any other item measuring billboard awareness or impact. Results suggest the Florida billboard campaign had limited success in increasing public awareness. Future cancer awareness campaigns should incorporate theoretical models, target high-risk groups and the broader community and provide culturally relevant messages as part of a multi-media campaign.

Improving Nursing Home Care through Feedback On PerfoRMance Data (INFORM): Protocol for a cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Hoben, Matthias; Norton, Peter G; Ginsburg, Liane R; Anderson, Ruth A; Cummings, Greta G; Lanham, Holly J; Squires, Janet E; Taylor, Deanne; Wagg, Adrian S; Estabrooks, Carole A

2017-01-10

Audit and feedback is effective in improving the quality of care. However, methods and results of international studies are heterogeneous, and studies have been criticized for a lack of systematic use of theory. In TREC (Translating Research in Elder Care), a longitudinal health services research program, we collect comprehensive data from care providers and residents in Canadian nursing homes to improve quality of care and life of residents, and quality of worklife of caregivers. The study aims are to a) systematically feed back TREC research data to nursing home care units, and b) compare the effectiveness of three different theory-based feedback strategies in improving performance within care units. INFORM (Improving Nursing Home Care through Feedback On PerfoRMance Data) is a 3.5-year pragmatic, three-arm, parallel, cluster-randomized trial. We will randomize 67 Western Canadian nursing homes with 203 care units to the three study arms, a standard feedback strategy and two assisted and goal-directed feedback strategies. Interventions will target care unit managerial teams. They are based on theory and evidence related to audit and feedback, goal setting, complex adaptive systems, and empirical work on feeding back research results. The primary outcome is the increased number of formal interactions (e.g., resident rounds or family conferences) involving care aides - non-registered caregivers providing up to 80% of direct care. Secondary outcomes are a) other modifiable features of care unit context (improved feedback, social capital, slack time) b) care aides' quality of worklife (improved psychological empowerment, job satisfaction), c) more use of best practices, and d) resident outcomes based on the Resident Assessment Instrument - Minimum Data Set 2.0. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the 12-month intervention period, and 18 months post intervention. INFORM is the first study to systematically assess the effectiveness of different strategies to feed back research data to nursing home care units in order to improve their performance. Results of this study will enable development of a practical, sustainable, effective, and cost-effective feedback strategy for routine use by managers, policy makers and researchers. The results may also be generalizable to care settings other than nursing homes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02695836 . Date of registration: 24 February 2016.

A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations of Pharmacogenetic Testing for Prevention of Adverse Drug Reactions.

PubMed

Plumpton, Catrin O; Roberts, Daniel; Pirmohamed, Munir; Hughes, Dyfrig A

2016-08-01

Pharmacogenetics offers the potential to improve health outcomes by identifying individuals who are at greater risk of harm from certain medicines. Routine adoption of pharmacogenetic tests requires evidence of their cost effectiveness. The present review aims to systematically review published economic evaluations of pharmacogenetic tests that aim to prevent or reduce the incidence of ADRs. We conducted a systematic literature review of economic evaluations of pharmacogenetic tests aimed to reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions. Literature was searched using Embase, MEDLINE and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database with search terms relating to pharmacogenetic testing, adverse drug reactions, economic evaluations and pharmaceuticals. Titles were screened independently by two reviewers. Articles deemed to meet the inclusion criteria were screened independently on abstract, and full texts reviewed. We identified 852 articles, of which 47 met the inclusion criteria. There was evidence supporting the cost effectiveness of testing for HLA-B*57:01 (prior to abacavir), HLA-B*15:02 and HLA-A*31:01 (prior to carbamazepine), HLA-B*58:01 (prior to allopurinol) and CYP2C19 (prior to clopidogrel treatment). Economic evidence was inconclusive with respect to TPMT (prior to 6-mercaptoputine, azathioprine and cisplatin therapy), CYP2C9 and VKORC1 (to inform genotype-guided dosing of coumarin derivatives), MTHFR (prior to methotrexate treatment) and factor V Leiden testing (prior to oral contraception). Testing for A1555G is not cost effective before prescribing aminoglycosides. Our systematic review identified robust evidence of the cost effectiveness of genotyping prior to treatment with a number of common drugs. However, further analyses and (or) availability of robust clinical evidence is necessary to make recommendations for others.

A Pilot Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Problem Based Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Mark

This paper reports on the development and piloting of a systematic review and meta analysis of research on the effectiveness of problem based learning (PBL). The systematic review protocol was pilot tested with a sample of studies cited as providing "evidence" about the effectiveness of PBL. From the 5 studies mentioned in the sample of reviews,…

A model for the Global Quantum Efficiency for a TPB-based wavelength-shifting system used with photomultiplier tubes in liquid argon in MicroBooNE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pate, S. F.; Wester, T.; Bugel, L.; Conrad, J.; Henderson, E.; Jones, B. J. P.; McLean, A. I. L.; Moon, J. S.; Toups, M.; Wongjirad, T.

2018-02-01

We present a model for the Global Quantum Efficiency (GQE) of the MicroBooNE optical units. An optical unit consists of a flat, circular acrylic plate, coated with tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB), positioned near the photocathode of a 20.2-cm diameter photomultiplier tube. The plate converts the ultra-violet scintillation photons from liquid argon into visible-spectrum photons to which the cryogenic phototubes are sensitive. The GQE is the convolution of the efficiency of the plates that convert the 128 nm scintillation light from liquid argon to visible light, the efficiency of the shifted light to reach the photocathode, and the efficiency of the cryogenic photomultiplier tube. We develop a GEANT4-based model of the optical unit, based on first principles, and obtain the range of probable values for the expected number of detected photoelectrons (NPE) given the known systematic errors on the simulation parameters. We compare results from four measurements of the NPE determined using alpha-particle sources placed at two distances from a TPB-coated plate in a liquid argon cryostat test stand. We also directly measured the radial dependence of the quantum efficiency, and find that this has the same shape as predicted by our model. Our model results in a GQE of 0.0055±0.0009 for the MicroBooNE optical units. While the information shown here is MicroBooNE specific, the approach to the model and the collection of simulation parameters will be widely applicable to many liquid-argon-based light collection systems.

Impact of ambient air pollution on physical activity among adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

An, Ruopeng; Zhang, Sheng; Ji, Mengmeng; Guan, Chenghua

2018-03-01

This study systematically reviewed literature regarding the impact of ambient air pollution on physical activity among children and adults. Keyword and reference search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science to systematically identify articles meeting all of the following criteria - study designs: interventions or experiments, retrospective or prospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and case-control studies; subjects: adults; exposures: specific air pollutants and overall air quality; outcomes: physical activity and sedentary behaviour; article types: peer-reviewed publications; and language: articles written in English. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled effect size of ambient PM 2.5 air pollution on physical inactivity. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, six were conducted in the United States, and one was conducted in the United Kingdom. Six adopted a cross-sectional study design, and one used a prospective cohort design. Six had a sample size larger than 10,000. Specific air pollutants assessed included PM 2.5 , PM 10 , O 3 , and NO x , whereas two studies focused on overall air quality. All studies found air pollution level to be negatively associated with physical activity and positively associated with leisure-time physical inactivity. Study participants, and particularly those with respiratory disease, self-reported a reduction in outdoor activities to mitigate the detrimental impact of air pollution. Meta-analysis revealed a one unit (μg/m 3 ) increase in ambient PM 2.5 concentration to be associated with an increase in the odds of physical inactivity by 1.1% (odds ratio = 1.011; 95% confidence interval = 1.001, 1.021; p-value < .001) among US adults. Existing literature in general suggested that air pollution discouraged physical activity. Current literature predominantly adopted a cross-sectional design and focused on the United States. Future studies are warranted to implement a longitudinal study design and evaluate the impact of air pollution on physical activity in heavily polluted developing countries.

Medication competency of nurses according to theoretical and drug calculation online exams: A descriptive correlational study.

PubMed

Sneck, Sami; Saarnio, Reetta; Isola, Arja; Boigu, Risto

2016-01-01

Medication administration is an important task of registered nurses. According to previous studies, nurses lack theoretical knowledge and drug calculation skills and knowledge-based mistakes do occur in clinical practice. Finnish health care organizations started to develop a systematic verification processes for medication competence at the end of the last decade. No studies have yet been made of nurses' theoretical knowledge and drug calculation skills according to these online exams. The aim of this study was to describe the medication competence of Finnish nurses according to theoretical and drug calculation exams. A descriptive correlation design was adopted. Participants and settings All nurses who participated in the online exam in three Finnish hospitals between 1.1.2009 and 31.05.2014 were selected to the study (n=2479). Quantitative methods like Pearson's chi-squared tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Tukey tests and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to test the existence of relationships between dependent and independent variables. The majority of nurses mastered the theoretical knowledge needed in medication administration, but 5% of the nurses struggled with passing the drug calculation exam. Theoretical knowledge and drug calculation skills were better in acute care units than in the other units and younger nurses achieved better results in both exams than their older colleagues. The differences found in this study were statistically significant, but not high. Nevertheless, even the tiniest deficiency in theoretical knowledge and drug calculation skills should be focused on. It is important to identify the nurses who struggle in the exams and to plan targeted educational interventions for supporting them. The next step is to study if verification of medication competence has an effect on patient safety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interventions Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Latino Men: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Mojica, Cynthia M; Parra-Medina, Deborah; Vernon, Sally

2018-03-08

Colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, is also among the most preventable cancers. However, Latino men are less likely than non-Latino men to engage in preventive screening. Compared with 60% of non-Latino white men and women, only 42% of Latino men are up to date with colorectal cancer screening guidelines, which may result in diagnosis at advanced disease stages and increased deaths. We evaluated the literature on colorectal cancer screening interventions among Latino men to characterize intervention components effective in increasing colorectal cancer screening. Two independent reviewers searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify articles on intervention studies that promote colorectal cancer screening among Latino men. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled or comparative effectiveness trials, an outcome of any colorectal cancer screening test, published in English, US-based, results published from January 2004 through December 2016, Latino or Spanish-speaking male participants, and a minimum of one patient-level component. Two other reviewers independently assessed article quality and conducted data abstraction. Forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria; only 7 studies with 20% or more Latinos and 39% or more men were included in the final analyses. The most common intervention strategies included one-on-one interactions with a patient navigator and reducing structural barriers (eg, providing fecal occult blood tests). Interventions using small media produced mixed results. Although intervention studies focused on colorectal cancer screening among men of racial/ethnic minorities are scarce, our findings highlight promising strategies that were effective at increasing colorectal cancer screening among Latino men. Additional research in the area of Latino men's health is needed, especially to further develop and test theoretically grounded interventions that promote colorectal cancer screening with larger samples of men and across diverse geographic areas in the United States.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in alcohol-related sickness absence.

PubMed

Hermansson, Ulric; Helander, Anders; Brandt, Lena; Huss, Anders; Rönnberg, Sten

2002-01-01

Previous studies have shown that elevated, risky levels of alcohol consumption may lead to higher rates of sickness absence. However, no studies have examined the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) or serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in relation to sickness absence in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sick-days, 12 months before screening, and the AUDIT and CDT (CDTect kit). Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase also was used for comparison. The study was carried out over 36 months in a large workplace and formed part of an ongoing controlled study. In conjunction with a routine health examination, employees were offered the opportunity to undergo an alcohol screening. Absence data were obtained from the company payroll system, and sickness absence was analyzed by using a three-ordinal level cumulative logistic model on the number of sick-days. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. Of the 989 subjects who participated in the study, 193 (19.5%) screened positive in relation to either the AUDIT (>or=8 points) or CDT (<20 units/liter for men, and <27 units/liter for women), or both. Employees who screened positive with the AUDIT had a significantly higher proportion of sick-days (p = 0.047) compared with those who screened negative (OR = 1.4, CI 1.0-1.9). Neither long, continuous periods of sickness absence nor absence on Mondays or Fridays gave a clear indication of individuals who screened positive on the AUDIT or CDT test. Our data indicate that individuals with moderately elevated or risky levels of alcohol consumption show an increase in sick-days. Accordingly, workplaces have a good reason for using a more systematic approach to alcohol screening in routine workplace health examinations.

The use of standardised short-term and working memory tests in aphasia research: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Murray, Laura; Salis, Christos; Martin, Nadine; Dralle, Jenny

2017-01-01

Impairments of short-term and working memory (STM, WM), both verbal and non-verbal, are ubiquitous in aphasia. Increasing interest in assessing STM and WM in aphasia research and clinical practice as well as a growing evidence base of STM/WM treatments for aphasia warrant an understanding of the range of standardised STM/WM measures that have been utilised in aphasia. To date, however, no previous systematic review has focused on aphasia. Accordingly, the goals of this systematic review were: (1) to identify standardised tests of STM and WM utilised in the aphasia literature, (2) to evaluate critically the psychometric strength of these tests, and (3) to appraise critically the quality of the investigations utilising these tests. Results revealed that a very limited number of standardised tests, in the verbal and non-verbal domains, had robust psychometric properties. Standardisation samples to elicit normative data were often small, and most measures exhibited poor validity and reliability properties. Studies using these tests inconsistently documented demographic and aphasia variables essential to interpreting STM/WM test outcomes. In light of these findings, recommendations are provided to foster, in the future, consistency across aphasia studies and confidence in STM/WM tests as assessment and treatment outcome measures. PMID:27143500

The use of standardised short-term and working memory tests in aphasia research: a systematic review.

PubMed

Murray, Laura; Salis, Christos; Martin, Nadine; Dralle, Jenny

2018-04-01

Impairments of short-term and working memory (STM, WM), both verbal and non-verbal, are ubiquitous in aphasia. Increasing interest in assessing STM and WM in aphasia research and clinical practice as well as a growing evidence base of STM/WM treatments for aphasia warrant an understanding of the range of standardised STM/WM measures that have been utilised in aphasia. To date, however, no previous systematic review has focused on aphasia. Accordingly, the goals of this systematic review were: (1) to identify standardised tests of STM and WM utilised in the aphasia literature, (2) to evaluate critically the psychometric strength of these tests, and (3) to appraise critically the quality of the investigations utilising these tests. Results revealed that a very limited number of standardised tests, in the verbal and non-verbal domains, had robust psychometric properties. Standardisation samples to elicit normative data were often small, and most measures exhibited poor validity and reliability properties. Studies using these tests inconsistently documented demographic and aphasia variables essential to interpreting STM/WM test outcomes. In light of these findings, recommendations are provided to foster, in the future, consistency across aphasia studies and confidence in STM/WM tests as assessment and treatment outcome measures.

Spatial relationship between climatic diversity and biodiversity conservation value.

PubMed

Wang, Junjun; Wu, Ruidong; He, Daming; Yang, Feiling; Hu, Peijun; Lin, Shiwei; Wu, Wei; Diao, Yixin; Guo, Yang

2018-06-04

Capturing the full range of climatic diversity in a reserve network is expected to improve the resilience of biodiversity to climate change. Therefore, a study on systematic conservation planning for climatic diversity that explicitly or implicitly hypothesizes that regions with higher climatic diversity will support greater biodiversity is needed. However, little is known about the extent and generality of this hypothesis. This study utilized the case of Yunnan, southwest China, to quantitatively classify climatic units and modeled 4 climatic diversity indicators, including the variety of climatic units (VCU), rarity of climatic units (RCU), endemism of climatic units (ECU) and a composite index of climatic units (CICD). We used 5 reliable priority conservation area (PCA) schemes to represent the areas with high biodiversity conservation value. We then investigated the spatial relationships between the 4 climatic diversity indicators and the 5 PCA schemes and assessed the representation of climatic diversity within the existing nature reserves. The CICD exhibited the best performance for indicating high conservation value areas, followed by the ECU and RCU. However, contrary to conventional knowledge, VCU did not show a positive association with biodiversity conservation value. The rarer or more endemic climatic units tended to have higher reserve coverage than the more common units. However, only 28 units covering 10.5% of the land in Yunnan had more than 17% of their areas protected. In addition to climatic factors, topography and human disturbances also significantly affected the relationship between climatic diversity and biodiversity conservation value. This analysis suggests that climatic diversity can be an effective surrogate for establishing a more robust reserve network under climate change in Yunnan. Our study improves the understanding of the relationship between climatic diversity and biodiversity and helps build an evidence-based foundation for systematic conservation planning that targets climatic diversity in response to climate change. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Low-Energy Proton Testing Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellish, Jonathan A.; Marshall, Paul W.; Heidel, David F.; Schwank, James R.; Shaneyfelt, Marty R.; Xapsos, M.A.; Ladbury, Raymond L.; LaBel, Kenneth A.; Berg, Melanie; Kim, Hak S.;

Institutions and national development in Latin America: a comparative study

PubMed Central

Portes, Alejandro; Smith, Lori D.

2013-01-01

We review the theoretical and empirical literatures on the role of institutions on national development as a prelude to present a more rigorous and measurable definition of the concept and a methodology to study this relationship at the national and subnational levels. The existing research literature features conflicting definitions of the concept of “institutions” and empirical tests based mostly on reputational indices, with countries as units of analysis. The present study’s methodology is based on a set of five strategic organizations studied comparatively in five Latin American countries. These include key federal agencies, public administrative organizations, and stock exchanges. Systematic analysis of results show a pattern of differences between economically-oriented institutions and those entrusted with providing basic services to the general population. Consistent differences in institutional quality also emerge across countries, despite similar levels of economic development. Using the algebraic methods developed by Ragin, we test six hypotheses about factors determining the developmental character of particular institutions. Implications of results for theory and for methodological practices of future studies in this field are discussed. PMID:26543407

Amperometric Enzyme Sensor to Check the Total Antioxidant Capacity of Several Mixed Berries. Comparison with Two Other Spectrophotometric and Fluorimetric Methods

PubMed Central

Tomassetti, Mauro; Serone, Maruschka; Angeloni, Riccardo; Campanella, Luigi; Mazzone, Elisa

2015-01-01

The aim of this research was to test the correctness of response of a superoxide dismutase amperometric biosensor used for the purpose of measuring and ranking the total antioxidant capacity of several systematically analysed mixed berries. Several methods are described in the literature for determining antioxidant capacity, each culminating in the construction of an antioxidant capacity scale and each using its own unit of measurement. It was therefore endeavoured to correlate and compare the results obtained using the present amperometric biosensor method with those resulting from two other different methods for determining the total antioxidant capacity selected from among those more frequently cited in the literature. The purpose was to establish a methodological approach consisting in the simultaneous application of different methods that it would be possible to use to obtain an accurate estimation of the total antioxidant capacity of different mixed berries and the food products containing them. Testing was therefore extended to also cover jams, yoghurts and juices containing mixed berries. PMID:25654720

SPReM: Sparse Projection Regression Model For High-dimensional Linear Regression *

PubMed Central

Sun, Qiang; Zhu, Hongtu; Liu, Yufeng; Ibrahim, Joseph G.

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to develop a sparse projection regression modeling (SPReM) framework to perform multivariate regression modeling with a large number of responses and a multivariate covariate of interest. We propose two novel heritability ratios to simultaneously perform dimension reduction, response selection, estimation, and testing, while explicitly accounting for correlations among multivariate responses. Our SPReM is devised to specifically address the low statistical power issue of many standard statistical approaches, such as the Hotelling’s T2 test statistic or a mass univariate analysis, for high-dimensional data. We formulate the estimation problem of SPREM as a novel sparse unit rank projection (SURP) problem and propose a fast optimization algorithm for SURP. Furthermore, we extend SURP to the sparse multi-rank projection (SMURP) by adopting a sequential SURP approximation. Theoretically, we have systematically investigated the convergence properties of SURP and the convergence rate of SURP estimates. Our simulation results and real data analysis have shown that SPReM out-performs other state-of-the-art methods. PMID:26527844

Sample preparation composite and replicate strategy case studies for assay of solid oral drug products.

PubMed

Nickerson, Beverly; Harrington, Brent; Li, Fasheng; Guo, Michele Xuemei

2017-11-30

Drug product assay is one of several tests required for new drug products to ensure the quality of the product at release and throughout the life cycle of the product. Drug product assay testing is typically performed by preparing a composite sample of multiple dosage units to obtain an assay value representative of the batch. In some cases replicate composite samples may be prepared and the reportable assay value is the average value of all the replicates. In previously published work by Harrington et al. (2014) [5], a sample preparation composite and replicate strategy for assay was developed to provide a systematic approach which accounts for variability due to the analytical method and dosage form with a standard error of the potency assay criteria based on compendia and regulatory requirements. In this work, this sample preparation composite and replicate strategy for assay is applied to several case studies to demonstrate the utility of this approach and its application at various stages of pharmaceutical drug product development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of usability test metrics for mobile video streaming apps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.

2016-08-01

This paper presents the results of a systematic review regarding the usability test metrics for mobile video streaming apps. In the study, 238 studies were found, but only 51 relevant papers were eventually selected for the review. The study reveals that time taken for video streaming and the video quality were the two most popular metrics used in the usability tests for mobile video streaming apps. Besides, most of the studies concentrated on the usability of mobile TV as users are switching from traditional TV to mobile TV.

Moored offshore structures - evaluation of forces in elastic mooring lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crudu, L.; Obreja, D. C.; Marcu, O.

2016-08-01

In most situations, the high frequency motions of the floating structure induce important effects in the mooring lines which affect also the motions of the structure. The experience accumulated during systematic experimental tests and calculations, carried out for different moored floating structures, showed a complex influence of various parameters on the dynamic effects. Therefore, it was considered that a systematic investigation is necessary. Due to the complexity of hydrodynamics aspects of offshore structures behaviour, experimental tests are practically compulsory in order to be able to properly evaluate and then to validate their behaviour in real sea. Moreover the necessity to carry out hydrodynamic tests is often required by customers, classification societies and other regulatory bodies. Consequently, the correct simulation of physical properties of the complex scaled models becomes a very important issue. The paper is investigating such kind of problems identifying the possible simplification, generating different approaches. One of the bases of the evaluation has been found consideringtheresults of systematic experimental tests on the dynamic behaviour of a mooring chain reproduced at five different scales. Dynamic effects as well as the influences of the elasticity simulation for 5 different scales are evaluated together. The paper presents systematic diagrams and practical results for a typical moored floating structure operating as pipe layer based on motion evaluations and accelerations in waves.

Association between nutritional status and outcomes in critically-ill pediatric patients - a systematic review.

PubMed

Costa, Caroline A D; Tonial, Cristian T; Garcia, Pedro Celiny R

2016-01-01

To systematically review the evidence about the impact of nutritional status in critically-ill pediatric patients on the following outcomes during hospitalization in pediatric intensive care units: length of hospital stay, need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality. The search was carried out in the following databases: Lilacs (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences), MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine United States) and Embase (Elsevier Database). No filters were selected. A total of seven relevant articles about the subject were included. The publication period was between 1982 and 2012. All articles assessed the nutritional status of patients on admission at pediatric intensive care units and correlated it to at least one assessed outcome. A methodological quality questionnaire created by the authors was applied, which was based on some references and the researchers' experience. All included studies met the quality criteria, but only four met all the items. The studies included in this review suggest that nutritional depletion is associated with worse outcomes in pediatric intensive care units. However, studies are scarce and those existing show no methodological homogeneity, especially regarding nutritional status assessment and classification methods. Contemporary and well-designed studies are needed in order to properly assess the association between children's nutritional status and its impact on outcomes of these patients. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Acculturation and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms among Hispanic Women in the United States: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alhasanat, Dalia; Giurgescu, Carmen

The purpose of this review was to evaluate studies that examined the relationship between acculturation and postpartum depression (PPD) among immigrant and/or refugee women in the United States. A systematic, computer-assisted search of quantitative, English-language, peer-reviewed, published research articles was conducted in the Scopus, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Maternity and Infant Care databases using the keyword terms of "postpartum depression" and "perinatal depression" in combination with "acculturation." Studies were included if they were conducted in the United States. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Three studies used longitudinal designs and four used cross-sectional designs. All were conducted with Hispanic women. Only one study used a diagnostic tool to measure PPD; the remaining studies used screening tools to measure postpartum depressive symptoms. Most studies used country of birth, country of residence, and language preferences to measure acculturation. Five studies reported acculturation was positively related to risk of postpartum depressive symptoms, and two studies reported no relationship. Higher levels of acculturation were related to higher risk of postpartum depressive symptoms in Hispanic women living in the United States. Nurses should have an understanding of stressors of immigrant women to guide their assessment and screening for postpartum depressive symptoms and make appropriate referrals. More research is needed to confirm the relationship between acculturation and PPD among immigrant women from different cultural backgrounds.

The Global Contribution of Outdoor Air Pollution to the Incidence, Prevalence, Mortality and Hospital Admission for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Song, Qingkun; Christiani, David C.; Wang, Xiaorong; Ren, Jun

2014-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the quantitative effects of outdoor air pollution, represented by 10 µg/m3 increment of PM10, on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China, United States and European Union through systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Publications in English and Chinese from PubMed and EMBASE were selected. The Cochrane Review Handbook of Generic Inverse Variance was used to synthesize the pooled effects on incidence, prevalence, mortality and hospital admission. Results: Outdoor air pollution contributed to higher incidence and prevalence of COPD. Short-term exposure was associated with COPD mortality increased by 6%, 1% and 1% in the European Union, the United States and China, respectively (p < 0.05). Chronic PM exposure produced a 10% increase in mortality. In a short-term exposure to 10 µg/m3 PM10 increment COPD mortality was elevated by 1% in China (p < 0.05) and hospital admission enrollment was increased by 1% in China, 2% in United States and 1% in European Union (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Outdoor air pollution contributes to the increasing burdens of COPD.10 µg/m3 increase of PM10 produced significant condition of COPD death and exacerbation in China, United States and European Union. Controlling air pollution will have substantial benefit to COPD morbidity and mortality. PMID:25405599

A long PCR–based approach for DNA enrichment prior to next-generation sequencing for systematic studies1

PubMed Central

Uribe-Convers, Simon; Duke, Justin R.; Moore, Michael J.; Tank, David C.

2014-01-01

• Premise of the study: We present an alternative approach for molecular systematic studies that combines long PCR and next-generation sequencing. Our approach can be used to generate templates from any DNA source for next-generation sequencing. Here we test our approach by amplifying complete chloroplast genomes, and we present a set of 58 potentially universal primers for angiosperms to do so. Additionally, this approach is likely to be particularly useful for nuclear and mitochondrial regions. • Methods and Results: Chloroplast genomes of 30 species across angiosperms were amplified to test our approach. Amplification success varied depending on whether PCR conditions were optimized for a given taxon. To further test our approach, some amplicons were sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2000. • Conclusions: Although here we tested this approach by sequencing plastomes, long PCR amplicons could be generated using DNA from any genome, expanding the possibilities of this approach for molecular systematic studies. PMID:25202592

Magnetic effect in the test of the weak equivalence principle using a rotating torsion pendulum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lin; Liu, Qi; Zhao, Hui-Hui; Yang, Shan-Qing; Luo, Pengshun; Shao, Cheng-Gang; Luo, Jun

2018-04-01

The high precision test of the weak equivalence principle (WEP) using a rotating torsion pendulum requires thorough analysis of systematic effects. Here we investigate one of the main systematic effects, the coupling of the ambient magnetic field to the pendulum. It is shown that the dominant term, the interaction between the average magnetic field and the magnetic dipole of the pendulum, is decreased by a factor of 1.1 × 104 with multi-layer magnetic shield shells. The shield shells reduce the magnetic field to 1.9 × 10-9 T in the transverse direction so that the dipole-interaction limited WEP test is expected at η ≲ 10-14 for a pendulum dipole less than 10-9 A m2. The high-order effect, the coupling of the magnetic field gradient to the magnetic quadrupole of the pendulum, would also contribute to the systematic errors for a test precision down to η ˜ 10-14.

Magnetic effect in the test of the weak equivalence principle using a rotating torsion pendulum.

PubMed

Zhu, Lin; Liu, Qi; Zhao, Hui-Hui; Yang, Shan-Qing; Luo, Pengshun; Shao, Cheng-Gang; Luo, Jun

2018-04-01

The high precision test of the weak equivalence principle (WEP) using a rotating torsion pendulum requires thorough analysis of systematic effects. Here we investigate one of the main systematic effects, the coupling of the ambient magnetic field to the pendulum. It is shown that the dominant term, the interaction between the average magnetic field and the magnetic dipole of the pendulum, is decreased by a factor of 1.1 × 10 4 with multi-layer magnetic shield shells. The shield shells reduce the magnetic field to 1.9 × 10 -9 T in the transverse direction so that the dipole-interaction limited WEP test is expected at η ≲ 10 -14 for a pendulum dipole less than 10 -9 A m 2 . The high-order effect, the coupling of the magnetic field gradient to the magnetic quadrupole of the pendulum, would also contribute to the systematic errors for a test precision down to η ∼ 10 -14 .

Social Media Interventions to Promote HIV Testing, Linkage, Adherence, and Retention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Gupta, Somya; Wang, Jiangtao; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Muessig, Kathryn E; Tang, Weiming; Pan, Stephen; Pendse, Razia; Tucker, Joseph D

2017-01-01

Background Social media is increasingly used to deliver HIV interventions for key populations worldwide. However, little is known about the specific uses and effects of social media on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) interventions. Objective This systematic review examines the effectiveness of social media interventions to promote HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and retention among key populations. Methods We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and Cochrane guidelines for this review and registered it on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO. We systematically searched six databases and three conference websites using search terms related to HIV, social media, and key populations. We included studies where (1) the intervention was created or implemented on social media platforms, (2) study population included men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, people who inject drugs (PWID), and/or sex workers, and (3) outcomes included promoting HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and/or retention. Meta-analyses were conducted by Review Manager, version 5.3. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by random-effects models. Results Among 981 manuscripts identified, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found 18 studies from high-income countries, 8 in middle-income countries, and 0 in low-income countries. Eight were randomized controlled trials, and 18 were observational studies. All studies (n=26) included MSM; five studies also included transgender individuals. The focus of 21 studies was HIV testing, four on HIV testing and linkage to care, and one on antiretroviral therapy adherence. Social media interventions were used to do the following: build online interactive communities to encourage HIV testing/adherence (10 studies), provide HIV testing services (9 studies), disseminate HIV information (9 studies), and develop intervention materials (1 study). Of the studies providing HIV self-testing, 16% of participants requested HIV testing kits from social media platforms. Existing social media platforms such as Facebook (n=15) and the gay dating app Grindr (n=10) were used most frequently. Data from four studies show that HIV testing uptake increased after social media interventions (n=1283, RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.28-1.76). In the studies where social media interventions were participatory, HIV testing uptake was higher in the intervention arm than the comparison arm (n=1023, RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.19-2.26). Conclusions Social media interventions are effective in promoting HIV testing among MSM in many settings. Social media interventions to improve HIV services beyond HIV testing in low- and middle-income countries and among other key populations need to be considered. Trial Registration International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42016048073; http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42016048073 (Archived by WebCite at http://www. webcitation.org/6usLCJK3v) PMID:29175811

How to treat two adjacent missing teeth with dental implants. A systematic review on single implant-supported two-unit cantilever FDP's and results of a 5-year prospective comparative study in the aesthetic zone.

PubMed

Van Nimwegen, W G; Raghoebar, G M; Tymstra, N; Vissink, A; Meijer, H J A

2017-06-01

To conduct a systematic review on the clinical outcome of single implant-supported two-unit cantilever FDP's and to conduct a 5-year prospective comparative pilot study of patients with a missing central and lateral upper incisor treated with either a single implant-supported two-unit cantilever FDP or two implants with solitary implant crowns in the aesthetic zone. Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched (last search 1 August 2016) for eligible studies. In the comparative pilot study, an implant-cantilever group of five patients with a single implant-supported two-unit cantilever FDP (NobelReplace Groovy Regular Platform) was compared with an implant-implant group of five patients with two adjacent single implant-supported crowns (NobelReplace Groovy Regular Platform) in the aesthetic zone. Implant survival, marginal bone level (MBL) changes, pocket probing depth, papilla index and patient satisfaction were assessed during a 5-year follow-up period. Five of 276 articles were considered eligible for data extraction. Implant survival ranged from 96·6% to 100%. Marginal bone level changes were higher in the anterior region than in the posterior region. Technical complications occurred more often in the posterior than anterior region. In the 5-year comparative pilot study, no clinically significant differences in hard and soft peri-implant tissue levels occurred between both groups. Single implant-supported two-unit cantilever FDP's can be a viable alternative to the placement of two adjacent single implant crowns in the aesthetic zone. Due to technical complications, placement of two-unit cantilever crowns in the posterior region can be considered unwise. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Eliminating Health Disparities through Action on the Social Determinants of Health: A Systematic Review of Home Visiting in the United States, 2005-2015.

PubMed

Abbott, Laurie S; Elliott, Lynn T

2017-01-01

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to synthesize the results of transdisciplinary interventions designed with a home visit component in experimental and quasi-experimental studies having representative samples of racial and ethnic minorities. The design of this systematic review was adapted to include both experimental and quasi-experimental quantitative studies. The predetermined inclusion criteria were studies (a) having an experimental or quasi-experimental quantitative design, (b) having a home visit as a research component, (c) including a prevention research intervention strategy targeting health and/or safety issues, (d) conducted in the United States, (e) having representation (at least 30% in the total sample size) of one or more racial/ethnic minority, (f) available in full text, and (g) published in a peer-reviewed journal between January, 2005 and December, 2015. Thirty-nine articles were included in the review. There were 20 primary prevention, 5 secondary prevention, and 14 tertiary prevention intervention studies. Community and home visitation interventions by nurses can provide an effective means for mitigating social determinants of health by empowering people at risk for health disparities to avoid injury, maintain health, and prevent and manage existing disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

System Testing of Ground Cooling System Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ensey, Tyler Steven

2014-01-01

This internship focused primarily upon software unit testing of Ground Cooling System (GCS) components, one of the three types of tests (unit, integrated, and COTS/regression) utilized in software verification. Unit tests are used to test the software of necessary components before it is implemented into the hardware. A unit test determines that the control data, usage procedures, and operating procedures of a particular component are tested to determine if the program is fit for use. Three different files are used to make and complete an efficient unit test. These files include the following: Model Test file (.mdl), Simulink SystemTest (.test), and autotest (.m). The Model Test file includes the component that is being tested with the appropriate Discrete Physical Interface (DPI) for testing. The Simulink SystemTest is a program used to test all of the requirements of the component. The autotest tests that the component passes Model Advisor and System Testing, and puts the results into proper files. Once unit testing is completed on the GCS components they can then be implemented into the GCS Schematic and the software of the GCS model as a whole can be tested using integrated testing. Unit testing is a critical part of software verification; it allows for the testing of more basic components before a model of higher fidelity is tested, making the process of testing flow in an orderly manner.

Transforming information from silicon testing and design characterization into numerical data sets for yield learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Thomas; Shen, Yang; Zhang, Yifan; Sweis, Jason; Lai, Ya-Chieh

2017-03-01

Silicon testing results are regularly collected for a particular lot of wafers to study yield loss from test result diagnostics. Product engineers will analyze the diagnostic results and perform a number of physical failure analyses to detect systematic defects which cause yield loss for these sets of wafers in order to feedback the information to process engineers for process improvements. Most of time, the systematic defects that are detected are major issues or just one of the causes for the overall yield loss. This paper will present a working flow for using design analysis techniques combined with diagnostic methods to systematically transform silicon testing information into physical layout information. A new set of the testing results are received from a new lot of wafers for the same product. We can then correlate all the diagnostic results from different periods of time to check which blocks or nets have been highlighted or stop occurring on the failure reports in order to monitor process changes which impact the yield. The design characteristic analysis flow is also implemented to find 1) the block connections on a design that have failed electrical test or 2) frequently used cells that been highlighted multiple times.

HIV Testing and Counseling Among Female Sex Workers: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Tokar, Anna; Broerse, Jacqueline E W; Blanchard, James; Roura, Maria

2018-02-20

HIV testing uptake continues to be low among Female Sex Workers (FSWs). We synthesizes evidence on barriers and facilitators to HIV testing among FSW as well as frequencies of testing, willingness to test, and return rates to collect results. We systematically searched the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS databases for articles published in English between January 2000 and November 2017. Out of 5036 references screened, we retained 36 papers. The two barriers to HIV testing most commonly reported were financial and time costs-including low income, transportation costs, time constraints, and formal/informal payments-as well as the stigma and discrimination ascribed to HIV positive people and sex workers. Social support facilitated testing with consistently higher uptake amongst married FSWs and women who were encouraged to test by peers and managers. The consistent finding that social support facilitated HIV testing calls for its inclusion into current HIV testing strategies addressed at FSW.

Exploring the motivation jungle: predicting performance on a novel task by investigating constructs from different motivation perspectives in tandem.

PubMed

Van Nuland, Hanneke J C; Dusseldorp, Elise; Martens, Rob L; Boekaerts, Monique

2010-08-01

Different theoretical viewpoints on motivation make it hard to decide which model has the best potential to provide valid predictions on classroom performance. This study was designed to explore motivation constructs derived from different motivation perspectives that predict performance on a novel task best. Motivation constructs from self-determination theory, self-regulation theory, and achievement goal theory were investigated in tandem. Performance was measured by systematicity (i.e. how systematically students worked on a problem-solving task) and test score (i.e. score on a multiple-choice test). Hierarchical regression analyses on data from 259 secondary school students showed a quadratic relation between a performance avoidance orientation and both performance outcomes, indicating that extreme high and low performance avoidance resulted in the lowest performance. Furthermore, two three-way interaction effects were found. Intrinsic motivation seemed to play a key role in test score and systematicity performance, provided that effort regulation and metacognitive skills were both high. Results indicate that intrinsic motivation in itself is not enough to attain a good performance. Instead, a moderate score on performance avoidance, together with the ability to remain motivated and effectively regulate and control task behavior, is needed to attain a good performance. High time management skills also contributed to higher test score and systematicity performance and a low performance approach orientation contributed to higher systematicity performance. We concluded that self-regulatory skills should be trained in order to have intrinsically motivated students perform well on novel tasks in the classroom.

Need for Systematic Retrofit Analysis in Multifamily Buildings

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

Malhotra, Mini; Im, Piljae

2014-01-01

Multifamily housing offers high potential for energy savings through retrofits. A comprehensive energy audit with systematic evaluation of alternative energy measures is one of the key steps to realizing the full energy savings potential. However, this potential often remains unrealized when the selection of measures is (1) based on a one-size-fits-all approach originating from accustomed practices, (2) intended merely to meet code-compliance requirements, and/or (3) influenced by owner renter split incentive. In such cases, the benefits of comprehensive energy auditing are disregarded in view of the apparent difficulty in diagnosing multifamily buildings, evaluating alternative measures, and installing customized sets ofmore » measures. This paper highlights some of the barriers encountered in a multifamily housing retrofit project in Georgia and demonstrates the merits of systematic retrofit analysis by identifying opportunities for higher energy savings and improved comfort and indoor air quality that were missed in this project. The study uses a whole-building energy analysis conducted for a 10-unit, low-rise, multifamily building of a 110-unit apartment complex. The analysis projected a 24% energy savings from the measures installed in the building with a payback period of 10 years. Further analysis with a systematic evaluation of alternative measures showed that without compromising on the objectives of durability, livability, and appearance of the building, energy savings of up to 34% were achievable with a payback period of 7 years. The paper concludes by outlining recommendations that may benefit future retrofit projects by improving the audit process, streamlining tasks, and achieving higher energy savings.« less

[Costs and consumption of material resources in pediatric intensive and semi-intensive care units].

PubMed

Zuliani, Larissa Lenotti; Jericó, Marli de Carvalho; de Castro, Liliana Cristina; Soler, Zaida Aurora Sperli Geraldes

2012-01-01

Cost management of hospital material resources is a trendy research topic, especially in specialized health units. Nurses are pointed out as the main managers for costs and consumption of hospital materials resources. This study aimed to characterize Pediatric Intensive and Semi-Intensive Care Units of a teaching hospital and investigate costs and consumption of material resources used to treat patients admitted to these units. This is a descriptive exploratory study with retrospective data and quantitative approach. Data were obtained from a Hospital Information System and analyzed according to the ABC classification. The average expenditures were similar in both the neonatal and cardiac units, and lower in Pediatric Intensive and Semi-Intensive care units. There was a significant variation in the monthly consumption of materials. Higher cost materials had a greater impact on the budget of the studied units. The data revealed the importance of using a systematic method for the analysis of materials consumption and expenditure in pediatric units. They subsidize administrative and economic actions.

Measurement properties and feasibility of clinical tests to assess sit-to-stand/stand-to-sit tasks in subjects with neurological disease: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Silva, Paula F. S.; Quintino, Ludmylla F.; Franco, Juliane; Faria, Christina D. C. M.

2014-01-01

Background Subjects with neurological disease (ND) usually show impaired performance during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks, with a consequent reduction in their mobility levels. Objective To determine the measurement properties and feasibility previously investigated for clinical tests that evaluate sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit in subjects with ND. Method A systematic literature review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol was performed. Systematic literature searches of databases (MEDLINE/SCIELO/LILACS/PEDro) were performed to identify relevant studies. In all studies, the following inclusion criteria were assessed: investigation of any measurement property or the feasibility of clinical tests that evaluate sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks in subjects with ND published in any language through December 2012. The COSMIN checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Results Eleven studies were included. The measurement properties/feasibility were most commonly investigated for the five-repetition sit-to-stand test, which showed good test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient:ICC=0.94-0.99) for subjects with stroke, cerebral palsy and dementia. The ICC values were higher for this test than for the number of repetitions in the 30-s test. The five-repetition sit-to-stand test also showed good inter/intra-rater reliabilities (ICC=0.97-0.99) for stroke and inter-rater reliability (ICC=0.99) for subjects with Parkinson disease and incomplete spinal cord injury. For this test, the criterion-related validity for subjects with stroke, cerebral palsy and incomplete spinal cord injury was, in general, moderate (correlation=0.40-0.77), and the feasibility and safety were good for subjects with Alzheimer's disease. Conclusions The five-repetition sit-to-stand test was used more often in subjects with ND, and most of the measurement properties were investigated and showed adequate results. PMID:24839043

Wearable, multimodal, vitals acquisition unit for intelligent field triage.

PubMed

Beck, Christoph; Georgiou, Julius

2016-09-01

In this Letter, the authors describe the characterisation design and development of the authors' wearable, multimodal vitals acquisition unit for intelligent field triage. The unit is able to record the standard electrocardiogram, blood oxygen and body temperature parameters and also has the unique capability to record up to eight custom designed acoustic streams for heart and lung sound auscultation. These acquisition channels are highly synchronised to fully maintain the time correlation of the signals. The unit is a key component enabling systematic and intelligent field triage to continuously acquire vital patient information. With the realised unit a novel data-set with highly synchronised vital signs was recorded. The new data-set may be used for algorithm design in vital sign analysis or decision making. The monitoring unit is the only known body worn system that records standard emergency parameters plus eight multi-channel auscultatory streams and stores the recordings and wirelessly transmits them to mobile response teams.

Implications of metric conversion.

PubMed

Laros, R K

1980-11-01

The international scientific community is rapidly achieving conversion to the metric system, and the Système International (SI system) has been chosen for use by health scientists. Because the United States remains 1 of only 4 countries not now using part or all of the SI system, there is now a systematic effort toward rapid conversion. Although most of the SI system is not controversial, several SI units are highly so. Examples include joules instead of calories, pascals instead of millimeters of mercury, and moles per liter instead of milligrams per 100 milliliters. Obstetrician-gynecologists need to be familiar with the SI units and to voice their feelings about the various controversial units. There are decisions still to be made, and the time for discussion and advice is now.

Do fixed-dose combination pills or unit-of-use packaging improve adherence? A systematic review.

PubMed Central

Connor, Jennie; Rafter, Natasha; Rodgers, Anthony

2004-01-01

Adequate adherence to medication regimens is central to the successful treatment of communicable and noncommunicable disease. Fixed-dose combination pills and unit-of-use packaging are therapy-related interventions that are designed to simplify medication regimens and so potentially improve adherence. We conducted a systematic review of relevant randomized trials in order to quantify the effects of fixed-dose combination pills and unit-of-use packaging, compared with medications as usually presented, in terms of adherence to treatment and improved outcomes. Only 15 trials met the inclusion criteria; fixed-dose combination pills were investigated in three of these, while unit-of-use packaging was studied in 12 trials. The trials involved treatments for communicable diseases (n = 5), blood pressure lowering medications (n = 3), diabetic patients (n = 1), vitamin supplementation (n = 1) and management of multiple medications by the elderly (n = 5). The results of the trials suggested that there were trends towards improved adherence and/or clinical outcomes in all but three of the trials; this reached statistical significance in four out of seven trials reporting a clinically relevant or intermediate end-point, and in seven out of thirteen trials reporting medication adherence. Measures of outcome were, however, heterogeneous, and interpretation was further limited by methodological issues, particularly small sample size, short duration and loss to follow-up. Overall, the evidence suggests that fixed-dose combination pills and unit-of-use packaging are likely to improve adherence in a range of settings, but the limitations of the available evidence means that uncertainty remains about the size of these benefits. PMID:15654408

Systematic Diabetes Screening Using Point-of-Care HbA1c Testing Facilitates Identification of Prediabetes.

PubMed

Whitley, Heather P; Hanson, Courtney; Parton, Jason M

2017-03-01

This prospective longitudinal study compares diabetes screenings between standard practices vs systematically offered point-of-care (POC) hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) tests in patients aged 45 years or older. Systematically screened participants (n = 164) identified 63% (n = 104) with unknown hyperglycemia and 53% (n = 88) in prediabetes. The standard practice (n = 324) screened 22% (n = 73), most commonly by blood glucose (96%); 8% (n = 6) and 33% (n = 24) were found to have diabetes and prediabetes, respectively. The association between screening outcome and screening method was statistically significant ( P = 0.005) in favor of HbA 1C HbA 1c may be the most effective method to identify patients unknowingly living in hyperglycemia. Point-of-care tests further facilitate screening evaluation in a timely and feasible fashion. © 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Functional Analysis of Problem Behavior: A Systematic Approach for Identifying Idiosyncratic Variables

PubMed Central

Roscoe, Eileen M.; Schlichenmeyer, Kevin J.; Dube, William V.

2015-01-01

When inconclusive functional analysis (FA) outcomes occur, a number of modifications have been made to enhance the putative establishing operation or consequence associated with behavioral maintenance. However, a systematic method for identifying relevant events to test during modified FAs has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a technology for systematically identifying events to test in a modified FA after an initial FA led to inconclusive outcomes. Six individuals whose initial FA showed little or no responding or high levels only in the control condition participated. An indirect assessment (IA) questionnaire developed for identifying idiosyncratic variables was administered, and a descriptive analysis (DA) was conducted. Results from the IA only or a combination of the IA and DA were used to inform modified FA test and control conditions. Conclusive FA outcomes were obtained with five of the six participants during the modified FA phase. PMID:25930176

American Nursing's First Textbooks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaumenhaft, Eugene; Flaumenhaft, Carol

1989-01-01

Discusses the four textbooks, written in the last quarter of the 19th century, that shaped nursing in the United States. They provided technical information in a systematic fashion, established an autonomous literature that guided nurses in school and beyond, and defined the training school curriculum. (JOW)

Screening emergency department patients for opioid drug use: A qualitative systematic review.

PubMed

Sahota, Preet Kaur; Shastry, Siri; Mukamel, Dana B; Murphy, Linda; Yang, Narisu; Lotfipour, Shahram; Chakravarthy, Bharath

2018-05-24

The opioid drug epidemic is a major public health concern and an economic burden in the United States. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the reliability and validity of screening instruments used in emergency medicine settings to detect opioid use in patients and to assess psychometric data for each screening instrument. PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for articles published up to May 2018. The extracted articles were independently screened for eligibility by two reviewers. We extracted 1555 articles for initial screening and 95 articles were assessed for full-text eligibility. Six articles were extracted from the full-text assessment. Six instruments were identified from the final article list: Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain - Revised; Drug Abuse Screening Test; Opioid Risk Tool; Current Opioid Misuse Measure; an Emergency Medicine Providers Clinician Assessment Questionnaire; and an Emergency Provider Impression Data Collection Form. Screening instrument characteristics, and reliability and validity data were extracted from the six studies. A meta-analysis was not conducted due to heterogeneity between the studies. There is a lack of validity and reliability evidence in all six articles; and sensitivity, specificity and predictive values varied between the different instruments. These instruments cannot be validated for use in emergency medicine settings. There is no clear evidence to state which screening instruments are appropriate for use in detecting opioid use disorders in emergency medicine patients. There is a need for brief, reliable, valid and feasible opioid use screening instruments in the emergency medicine setting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing Scientific Software: A Systematic Literature Review

PubMed Central

Kanewala, Upulee; Bieman, James M.

2014-01-01

Context Scientific software plays an important role in critical decision making, for example making weather predictions based on climate models, and computation of evidence for research publications. Recently, scientists have had to retract publications due to errors caused by software faults. Systematic testing can identify such faults in code. Objective This study aims to identify specific challenges, proposed solutions, and unsolved problems faced when testing scientific software. Method We conducted a systematic literature survey to identify and analyze relevant literature. We identified 62 studies that provided relevant information about testing scientific software. Results We found that challenges faced when testing scientific software fall into two main categories: (1) testing challenges that occur due to characteristics of scientific software such as oracle problems and (2) testing challenges that occur due to cultural differences between scientists and the software engineering community such as viewing the code and the model that it implements as inseparable entities. In addition, we identified methods to potentially overcome these challenges and their limitations. Finally we describe unsolved challenges and how software engineering researchers and practitioners can help to overcome them. Conclusions Scientific software presents special challenges for testing. Specifically, cultural differences between scientist developers and software engineers, along with the characteristics of the scientific software make testing more difficult. Existing techniques such as code clone detection can help to improve the testing process. Software engineers should consider special challenges posed by scientific software such as oracle problems when developing testing techniques. PMID:25125798

The Legal Situation of Latin American and Caribbean Women as Defined according to the Resolutions and Mandates of the United Nations System. Volume II: File Sheets of Resolutions on the Legal Situation of Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Economic and Social Council, New York, NY.

This document contains a systematized inventory of the measures relating to the legal and social status of women adopted in various regional and world forums. The inventory was used to study the legal situation of Latin American and Caribbean women, defined according to the resolutions and mandates of the United Nations system. Organized by forum…

Functional performance testing of the hip in athletes: a systematic review for reliability and validity.

PubMed

Kivlan, Benjamin R; Martin, Robroy L

2012-08-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature for functional performance tests with evidence of reliability and validity that could be used for a young, athletic population with hip dysfunction. A search of PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases were performed to identify movement, balance, hop/jump, or agility functional performance tests from the current peer-reviewed literature used to assess function of the hip in young, athletic subjects. The single-leg stance, deep squat, single-leg squat, and star excursion balance tests (SEBT) demonstrated evidence of validity and normative data for score interpretation. The single-leg stance test and SEBT have evidence of validity with association to hip abductor function. The deep squat test demonstrated evidence as a functional performance test for evaluating femoroacetabular impingement. Hop/Jump tests and agility tests have no reported evidence of reliability or validity in a population of subjects with hip pathology. Use of functional performance tests in the assessment of hip dysfunction has not been well established in the current literature. Diminished squat depth and provocation of pain during the single-leg balance test have been associated with patients diagnosed with FAI and gluteal tendinopathy, respectively. The SEBT and single-leg squat tests provided evidence of convergent validity through an analysis of kinematics and muscle function in normal subjects. Reliability of functional performance tests have not been established on patients with hip dysfunction. Further study is needed to establish reliability and validity of functional performance tests that can be used in a young, athletic population with hip dysfunction. 2b (Systematic Review of Literature).

Effect of single family rooms for preterm infants on neurodevelopment: study protocol for a systematic review.

PubMed

van Veenendaal, Nicole R; van der Schoor, Sophie R D; Limpens, Jacqueline; van Kempen, Anne A M W; van Goudoever, Johannes B

2017-08-04

Preterm infants are at an increased risk for neurodevelopmental delay. They have to endure many stressors in early life, including parent-infant separation, noise and painful procedures during hospitalisation in the highly technological environment of the modern neonatal ward. Currently, a shift is being noticed in the architectural design of neonatal wards towards single family rooms instead of the common open bay units. The influence of the hospital environment on health and specifically neurodevelopment in this vulnerable patient population remains under discussion. To assess the effect of single family rooms during hospitalisation primarily on neurodevelopment in preterm infants. Secondary outcome measures will be neonatal (ie, breastfeeding rates, sepsis, growth during hospital stay, length of hospital stay) and parental (ie, parental stress, satisfaction, participation, presence and self-efficacy). The PRISMA-P 2015 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols 2015) 17 items checklist was used for the generation of the protocol for this review. The following PICO was formulated: Population: preterm infants with need of hospitalisation in the neonatal ward; Intervention: single family rooms; Comparison: standard neonatal care in open bay units; Outcome: neurodevelopmental outcome of infants from 9 months onwards. If at least two studies, with low or moderate risk of bias, suitable for inclusion are found a meta-analysis will be performed. If quantitative synthesis is not appropriate the data will be presented descriptively. This will be the first review, systematically assessing the effect of single family rooms on neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants. Clinical practice could possibly be optimised to ameliorate neurodevelopment in this vulnerable patient population based on these insights. This systematic review will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal. We registered this systematic review protocol with the PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews) on 2 November 2016 (registration number: CRD42016050643). We will use data from patients enrolled in studies and/or trials already approved by the relevant ethical committees and therefore this systematic review requires no further permissions. © 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.

Obesity and Nursing Home Care in the United States: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Harris, John Alexander; Castle, Nicholas George

2017-12-14

Obesity is increasing among people residing in nursing homes, and resident obesity substantially affects services needed, equipment and facilities provided, and morbidity in this setting. The purpose of this article is to describe the scope and depth of evidence regarding the impact of obesity among nursing home residents in the United States. A systematic literature review was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases as well as additional hand-searched documents. Included articles were published from 1997 to March 2017. The characteristics and content of the included articles were systematically reviewed and reported. Twenty-eight studies met inclusion criteria for review. The median study size was 636 residents (interquartile range 40-11,248); 18 (64%) studies were retrospective and 10 (36%) were prospective in nature. Ten (36%) studies examined medical and functional morbidity, 10 (36%) examined health system effects, and 5 (18%) examined the risk of admission to nursing homes. Most studies found that obesity poses serious issues to resident health and the provision of health care, as well as broad health system and nursing challenges in the provision of high-quality nursing home care and services. Although obesity affects about one in four nursing home residents in the United States, relatively limited evidence exists on the complex challenges of obesity for their residents and their care. A continued focus on resident quality of life, health system improvement, and nursing best practices for properly caring for individuals with obesity is needed. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing cervical lymph node metastasis of head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Sun, J; Li, B; Li, CJ; Li, Y; Su, F; Gao, QH; Wu, FL; Yu, T; Wu, L; Li, LJ

2015-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are common imaging methods to detect cervical lymph node metastasis of head and neck cancer. We aimed to assess the diagnostic efficacy of CT and MRI in detecting cervical lymph node metastasis, and to establish unified diagnostic criteria via systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature search in five databases until January 2014 was carried out. All retrieved studies were reviewed and eligible studies were qualitatively summarized. Besides pooling the sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE) data of CT and MRI, summary receiver operating characteristic curves were generated. A total of 63 studies including 3,029 participants were involved. The pooled results of meta-analysis showed that CT had a higher SEN (0.77 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.73–0.87]) than MRI (0.72 [95% CI 0.70–0.74]) when node was considered as unit of analysis (P<0.05); MRI had a higher SPE (0.81 [95% CI 0.80–0.82]) than CT (0.72 [95% CI 0.69–0.74]) when neck level was considered as unit of analysis (P<0.05) and MRI had a higher area under concentration-time curve than CT when the patient was considered as unit of analysis (P<0.05). With regards to diagnostic criteria, for MRI, the results showed that the minimal axial diameter of 10 mm could be considered as the best size criterion, compared to 12 mm for CT. Overall, MRI conferred significantly higher SPE while CT demonstrated higher SEN. The diagnostic criteria for MRI and CT on size of metastatic lymph nodes were suggested as 10 and 12 mm, respectively. PMID:26089682

Road traffic incidents in Uganda: a systematic review study of a five-year trend.

PubMed

Balikuddembe, Joseph Kimuli; Ardalan, Ali; Khorasani-Zavareh, Davoud; Nejati, Amir; Munanura, Kasiima Stephen

2017-01-01

Over the years, Uganda has been one of the low and middle-income countries bearing the heaviest burden of road traffic incidents (RTI). Since the proclamation of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 - 2020, a number of measures have been taken to reduce the burden. However, they ought to be premised on existing evidence-based research; therefore, the present review ventures to report the most recent five-year trend of RTI in Uganda. Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Data Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review was employed. Using a thematic analysis, the articles were grouped into: trauma etiology, trauma care, mortality, cost, trauma registry and communication, intervention and treatment for final analysis. Of the nineteen articles that were identified to be relevant to the study, the etiology of RTI was inevitably observed to be an important cause of injuries in Uganda. The risk factors cut across: the crash type, injury physiology, cause, victims, setting, age, economic status, and gender. All studies that were reviewed have advanced varying recommendations aimed at responding to the trend of RTIs in Uganda, of which some are in tandem with the five pillars of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 - 2020. Peripheral measures of the burden of RTIs in Uganda were undertaken within afive-year timeframe (2011-2015) of implementing the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety. The measures however, ought to be scaled-up on robust evidence based research available from all the concerned stakeholders beyond Kampala or central region to other parts of Uganda. © 2017 KUMS, All rights reserved.

Road traffic incidents in Uganda: a systematic review of a five-year trend

PubMed Central

Balikuddembe, Joseph Kimuli; Ardalan, Ali; Khorasani-Zavareh, Davoud; Nejati, Amir; Munanura, Kasiima Stephen

2017-01-01

Abstract: Background: Over the years, Uganda has been one of the low and middle-income countries bearing the heaviest burden of road traffic incidents (RTI). Since the proclamation of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 – 2020, a number of measures have been taken to reduce the burden. However, they ought to be premised on existing evidence-based research; therefore, the present review ventures to report the most recent five-year trend of RTI in Uganda. Methods: Based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Data Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review was employed. Using a thematic analysis, the articles were grouped into: trauma etiology, trauma care, mortality, cost, trauma registry and communication, intervention and treatment for final analysis. Results: Of the nineteen articles that were identified to be relevant to the study, the etiology of RTI was inevitably observed to be an important cause of injuries in Uganda. The risk factors cut across: the crash type, injury physiology, cause, victims, setting, age, economic status, and gender. All studies that were reviewed have advanced varying recommendations aimed at responding to the trend of RTIs in Uganda, of which some are in tandem with the five pillars of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 – 2020. Conclusions: Peripheral measures of the burden of RTIs in Uganda were undertaken within a five-year timeframe (2011-2015) of implementing the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety. The measures however, ought to be scaled-up on robust evidence based research available from all the concerned stakeholders beyond Kampala or central region to other parts of Uganda. PMID:28039687

A critical analysis of the literature and theoretical perspectives on theory-practice gap amongst newly qualified nurses within the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Monaghan, Thomas

2015-08-01

This critical analysis of the literature examines the factors and theoretical perspectives contributing to the theory-practice gap for newly qualified nurses within the United Kingdom. This article aspires to inform, guide and promote effective nursing education both academically and practically. A systematic search strategy was conducted to identify relevant literature covering the period of 2000-2014, to include only contemporary theoretical perspectives coinciding with the dearth of contemporary literature post Project 2000. The literature was systematically investigated utilising nursing research databases, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine, the U.S. National Library of Medicine and Internurse. To satisfy the search criteria only articles conducted within the United Kingdom and written in the English language were included. Only literature including nurses and newly qualified nurses were included. To identify relevant literature a series of key words were utilised. Systematic review of the literature revealed that newly qualified nurses feel unprepared for practice, lacking confidence in their own abilities. It was also felt by newly qualified nurses that not enough time was dedicated to the production of clinical skills during their training. The use of preceptorship programmes was found to reduce the transitional stress associated with becoming a qualified nursing practitioner. Despite the increasing research being undertaken in the area of theory-practice gap there is still a need for nursing educators, practice areas and regulatory bodies to invest further in research. The effects of preceptorship and simulation exercises in particular require more research to provide regulatory bodies with enough evidence to make an informed decision as to whether their use should be mandatory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating test-retest reliability in patient-reported outcome measures for older people: A systematic review.

PubMed

Park, Myung Sook; Kang, Kyung Ja; Jang, Sun Joo; Lee, Joo Yun; Chang, Sun Ju

2018-03-01

This study aimed to evaluate the components of test-retest reliability including time interval, sample size, and statistical methods used in patient-reported outcome measures in older people and to provide suggestions on the methodology for calculating test-retest reliability for patient-reported outcomes in older people. This was a systematic literature review. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched from January 1, 2000 to August 10, 2017 by an information specialist. This systematic review was guided by both the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist and the guideline for systematic review published by the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency in Korea. The methodological quality was assessed by the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments checklist box B. Ninety-five out of 12,641 studies were selected for the analysis. The median time interval for test-retest reliability was 14days, and the ratio of sample size for test-retest reliability to the number of items in each measure ranged from 1:1 to 1:4. The most frequently used statistical methods for continuous scores was intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Among the 63 studies that used ICCs, 21 studies presented models for ICC calculations and 30 studies reported 95% confidence intervals of the ICCs. Additional analyses using 17 studies that reported a strong ICC (>0.09) showed that the mean time interval was 12.88days and the mean ratio of the number of items to sample size was 1:5.37. When researchers plan to assess the test-retest reliability of patient-reported outcome measures for older people, they need to consider an adequate time interval of approximately 13days and the sample size of about 5 times the number of items. Particularly, statistical methods should not only be selected based on the types of scores of the patient-reported outcome measures, but should also be described clearly in the studies that report the results of test-retest reliability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WORK-UP OF STILLBIRTH: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE

PubMed Central

SILVER, Robert M.; VARNER, Michael W.; REDDY, Uma; GOLDENBERG, Robert; PINAR, Halit; CONWAY, Deborah; BUKOWSKI, Radek; CARPENTER, Marshall; HOGUE, Carol; WILLINGER, Marian; DUDLEY, Donald; SAADE, George; STOLL, Barbara

2009-01-01

Despite improvements in antenatal and intrapartum care, stillbirth, defined as in utero fetal death at 20 weeks of gestation or greater, remains an important, largely unstudied, and poignant problem in obstetrics. Over 26,000 stillbirths were reported in the US in 2001. Although several conditions have been linked to stillbirth, it is difficult to define the precise etiology in many cases. This paper reviews known and suspected causes of stillbirth including genetic abnormalities, infection, fetal-maternal hemorrhage, and a variety of medical conditions in the mother. The proportion of stillbirths that have a diagnostic explanation is higher in centers that conduct a defined and systematic evaluation. Recommended diagnostic tests for stillbirth are discussed. The on-going work of the NICHD Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network, a consortium of 5 academic centers in the United States that are studying the scope and causes of stillbirth, is presented. PMID:17466694

A Role for MST Neurons in Heading Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, L. S.; Perrone, J. A.

1994-01-01

A template model of human visual self-motion perception, which uses neurophysiologically realistic "heading detectors", is consistent with numerous human psychophysical results including the failure of humans to estimate their heading (direction of forward translation) accurately under certain visual conditions. We tested the model detectors with stimuli used by others in single-unit studies. The detectors showed emergent properties similar to those of MST neurons: (1) Sensitivity to non-preferred flow; Each detector is tuned to a specific combination of flow components and its response is systematically reduced by the addition of nonpreferred flow, and (2) Position invariance; The detectors maintain their apparent preference for particular flow components over large regions of their receptive fields. It has been argued that this latter property is incompatible with MST playing a role in heading perception. The model however demonstrates how neurons with the above response properties could still support accurate heading estimation within extrastriate cortical maps.

Drug discovery for hearing loss: Phenotypic screening of chemical compounds on primary cultures of the spiral ganglion.

PubMed

Whitlon, Donna S

2017-06-01

In the United States there are, at present, no drugs that are specifically FDA approved to treat hearing loss. Although several clinical trials are ongoing, including one testing D-methionine that is supported by the US Army, none of these trials directly address the effect of noise exposure on cochlear spiral ganglion neurons. We recently published the first report of a systematic chemical compound screen using primary, mammalian spiral ganglion cultures in which we were able to detect a compound and others in its class that increased neurite elongation, a critical step in restoring cochlear synapses after noise induced hearing loss. Here we discuss the issues, both pro and con, that influenced the development of our approach. These considerations may be useful for future compound screens that target the same or other attributes of cochlear spiral ganglion neurons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What Happened to the Wages of Mexican Immigrants? Trends and Interpretations

PubMed Central

Massey, Douglas S.; Gelatt, Julia

2013-01-01

Over the past several decades the wages earned by Mexican immigrants stagnated relative to those earned by native Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites. In this article we draw on data from the decennial census and American Community Survey to understand why and how this stagnation occurred. We test two competing explanations: a decline in the quality of successive cohorts of Mexican immigrants and a shift in the political economy that increased the number of people lacking full labor rights in the United States while increasing discrimination and exclusion against such people. We present evidence in favor of the latter explanation by showing that observed quality increased rather than decreased and that what happened instead was a systematic decline in the returns to various measures of human capital and a wholesale drop in wages for all immigrants after 2000. PMID:23956686

Semiempirical Quantum Chemical Calculations Accelerated on a Hybrid Multicore CPU-GPU Computing Platform.

PubMed

Wu, Xin; Koslowski, Axel; Thiel, Walter

2012-07-10

In this work, we demonstrate that semiempirical quantum chemical calculations can be accelerated significantly by leveraging the graphics processing unit (GPU) as a coprocessor on a hybrid multicore CPU-GPU computing platform. Semiempirical calculations using the MNDO, AM1, PM3, OM1, OM2, and OM3 model Hamiltonians were systematically profiled for three types of test systems (fullerenes, water clusters, and solvated crambin) to identify the most time-consuming sections of the code. The corresponding routines were ported to the GPU and optimized employing both existing library functions and a GPU kernel that carries out a sequence of noniterative Jacobi transformations during pseudodiagonalization. The overall computation times for single-point energy calculations and geometry optimizations of large molecules were reduced by one order of magnitude for all methods, as compared to runs on a single CPU core.

Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Zhou, Chunkui; Wu, Limin; Ni, Fengming; Ji, Wei; Wu, Jiang; Zhang, Hongliang

2014-01-01

Critical illness polyneuropathy and critical illness myopathy are frequent complications of severe illness that involve sensorimotor axons and skeletal muscles, respectively. Clinically, they manifest as limb and respiratory muscle weakness. Critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy in isolation or combination increases intensive care unit morbidity via the inability or difficulty in weaning these patients off mechanical ventilation. Many patients continue to suffer from decreased exercise capacity and compromised quality of life for months to years after the acute event. Substantial progress has been made lately in the understanding of the pathophysiology of critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy. Clinical and ancillary test results should be carefully interpreted to differentiate critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy from similar weaknesses in this patient population. The present review is aimed at providing the latest knowledge concerning the pathophysiology of critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy along with relevant clinical, diagnostic, differentiating, and treatment information for this debilitating neurological disease. PMID:25206749

Effectiveness of Culturally Appropriate Adaptations to Juvenile Justice Services

PubMed Central

Vergara, Andrew T.; Kathuria, Parul; Woodmass, Kyler; Janke, Robert; Wells, Susan J.

2017-01-01

Despite efforts to increase cultural competence of services within juvenile justice systems, disproportional minority contact (DMC) persists throughout Canada and the United States. Commonly cited approaches to decreasing DMC include large-scale systemic changes as well as enhancement of the cultural relevance and responsiveness of services delivered. Cultural adaptations to service delivery focus on prevention, decision-making, and treatment services to reduce initial contact, minimize unnecessary restraint, and reduce recidivism. Though locating rigorous testing of these approaches compared to standard interventions is difficult, this paper identifies and reports on such research. The Cochrane guidelines for systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses served as a foundation for study methodology. Databases such as Legal Periodicals and Books were searched through June 2015. Three studies were sufficiently rigorous to identify the effect of the cultural adaptations, and three studies that are making potentially important contributions to the field were also reviewed. PMID:29468092

The nonverbal expression of pride: evidence for cross-cultural recognition.

PubMed

Tracy, Jessica L; Robins, Richard W

2008-03-01

The present research tests whether recognition for the nonverbal expression of pride generalizes across cultures. Study 1 provided the first evidence for cross-cultural recognition of pride, demonstrating that the expression generalizes across Italy and the United States. Study 2 found that the pride expression generalizes beyond Western cultures; individuals from a preliterate, highly isolated tribe in Burkina Faso, West Africa, reliably recognized pride, regardless of whether it was displayed by African or American targets. These Burkinabe participants were unlikely to have learned the pride expression through cross-cultural transmission, so their recognition suggests that pride may be a human universal. Studies 3 and 4 used drawn figures to systematically manipulate the ethnicity and gender of targets showing the expression, and demonstrated that pride recognition generalizes across male and female targets of African, Asian, and Caucasian descent. Discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for the universality of the pride expression.

Evidence-based guidelines for supportive care of patients with Ebola virus disease.

PubMed

Lamontagne, François; Fowler, Robert A; Adhikari, Neill K; Murthy, Srinivas; Brett-Major, David M; Jacobs, Michael; Uyeki, Timothy M; Vallenas, Constanza; Norris, Susan L; Fischer, William A; Fletcher, Thomas E; Levine, Adam C; Reed, Paul; Bausch, Daniel G; Gove, Sandy; Hall, Andrew; Shepherd, Susan; Siemieniuk, Reed A; Lamah, Marie-Claude; Kamara, Rashida; Nakyeyune, Phiona; Soka, Moses J; Edwin, Ama; Hazzan, Afeez A; Jacob, Shevin T; Elkarsany, Mubarak Mustafa; Adachi, Takuya; Benhadj, Lynda; Clément, Christophe; Crozier, Ian; Garcia, Armando; Hoffman, Steven J; Guyatt, Gordon H

2018-02-17

The 2013-16 Ebola virus disease outbreak in west Africa was associated with unprecedented challenges in the provision of care to patients with Ebola virus disease, including absence of pre-existing isolation and treatment facilities, patients' reluctance to present for medical care, and limitations in the provision of supportive medical care. Case fatality rates in west Africa were initially greater than 70%, but decreased with improvements in supportive care. To inform optimal care in a future outbreak of Ebola virus disease, we employed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology to develop evidence-based guidelines for the delivery of supportive care to patients admitted to Ebola treatment units. Key recommendations include administration of oral and, as necessary, intravenous hydration; systematic monitoring of vital signs and volume status; availability of key biochemical testing; adequate staffing ratios; and availability of analgesics, including opioids, for pain relief. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Assessment of Parkinsonian Tremor Based on an Inertial Measurement Unit

PubMed Central

Dai, Houde; Zhang, Pengyue; Lueth, Tim C.

2015-01-01

Quantitative assessment of parkinsonian tremor based on inertial sensors can provide reliable feedback on the effect of medication. In this regard, the features of parkinsonian tremor and its unique properties such as motor fluctuations and dyskinesia are taken into account. Least-square-estimation models are used to assess the severities of rest, postural, and action tremors. In addition, a time-frequency signal analysis algorithm for tremor state detection was also included in the tremor assessment method. This inertial sensor-based method was verified through comparison with an electromagnetic motion tracking system. Seven Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients were tested using this tremor assessment system. The measured tremor amplitudes correlated well with the judgments of a neurologist (r = 0.98). The systematic analysis of sensor-based tremor quantification and the corresponding experiments could be of great help in monitoring the severity of parkinsonian tremor. PMID:26426020

Software for Optimizing Quality Assurance of Other Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feather, Martin; Cornford, Steven; Menzies, Tim

2004-01-01

Software assurance is the planned and systematic set of activities that ensures that software processes and products conform to requirements, standards, and procedures. Examples of such activities are the following: code inspections, unit tests, design reviews, performance analyses, construction of traceability matrices, etc. In practice, software development projects have only limited resources (e.g., schedule, budget, and availability of personnel) to cover the entire development effort, of which assurance is but a part. Projects must therefore select judiciously from among the possible assurance activities. At its heart, this can be viewed as an optimization problem; namely, to determine the allocation of limited resources (time, money, and personnel) to minimize risk or, alternatively, to minimize the resources needed to reduce risk to an acceptable level. The end result of the work reported here is a means to optimize quality-assurance processes used in developing software.

Software for Analyzing Laminar-to-Turbulent Flow Transitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Chau-Lyan

2004-01-01

Software assurance is the planned and systematic set of activities that ensures that software processes and products conform to requirements, standards, and procedures. Examples of such activities are the following: code inspections, unit tests, design reviews, performance analyses, construction of traceability matrices, etc. In practice, software development projects have only limited resources (e.g., schedule, budget, and availability of personnel) to cover the entire development effort, of which assurance is but a part. Projects must therefore select judiciously from among the possible assurance activities. At its heart, this can be viewed as an optimization problem; namely, to determine the allocation of limited resources (time, money, and personnel) to minimize risk or, alternatively, to minimize the resources needed to reduce risk to an acceptable level. The end result of the work reported here is a means to optimize quality-assurance processes used in developing software. This is achieved by combining two prior programs in an innovative manner

An exploratory analysis of treatment completion and client and organizational factors using hierarchical linear modeling.

PubMed

Woodward, Albert; Das, Abhik; Raskin, Ira E; Morgan-Lopez, Antonio A

2006-11-01

Data from the Alcohol and Drug Services Study (ADSS) are used to analyze the structure and operation of the substance abuse treatment industry in the United States. Published literature contains little systematic empirical analysis of the interaction between organizational characteristics and treatment outcomes. This paper addresses that deficit. It develops and tests a hierarchical linear model (HLM) to address questions about the empirical relationship between treatment inputs (industry costs, types and use of counseling and medical personnel, diagnosis mix, patient demographics, and the nature and level of services used in substance abuse treatment), and patient outcomes (retention and treatment completion rates). The paper adds to the literature by demonstrating a direct and statistically significant link between treatment completion and the organizational and staffing structure of the treatment setting. Related reimbursement issues, questions for future analysis, and limitations of the ADSS for this analysis are discussed.

Controls on stream network branching angles, tested using landscape evolution models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theodoratos, Nikolaos; Seybold, Hansjörg; Kirchner, James W.

2016-04-01

Stream networks are striking landscape features. The topology of stream networks has been extensively studied, but their geometry has received limited attention. Analyses of nearly 1 million stream junctions across the contiguous United States [1] have revealed that stream branching angles vary systematically with climate and topographic gradients at continental scale. Stream networks in areas with wet climates and gentle slopes tend to have wider branching angles than in areas with dry climates or steep slopes, but the mechanistic linkages underlying these empirical correlations remain unclear. Under different climatic and topographic conditions different runoff generation mechanisms and, consequently, transport processes are dominant. Models [2] and experiments [3] have shown that the relative strength of channel incision versus diffusive hillslope transport controls the spacing between valleys, an important geometric property of stream networks. We used landscape evolution models (LEMs) to test whether similar factors control network branching angles as well. We simulated stream networks using a wide range of hillslope diffusion and channel incision parameters. The resulting branching angles vary systematically with the parameters, but by much less than the regional variability in real-world stream networks. Our results suggest that the competition between hillslope and channeling processes influences branching angles, but that other mechanisms may also be needed to account for the variability in branching angles observed in the field. References: [1] H. Seybold, D. H. Rothman, and J. W. Kirchner, 2015, Climate's watermark in the geometry of river networks, Submitted manuscript. [2] J. T. Perron, W. E. Dietrich, and J. W. Kirchner, 2008, Controls on the spacing of first-order valleys, Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, F04016. [3] K. E. Sweeney, J. J. Roering, and C. Ellis, 2015, Experimental evidence for hillslope control of landscape scale, Science, 349(6243), 51-53.

The application of computer modeling to health effect research

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

Yang, R.S.H.

1996-12-31

In the United States, estimates show that more than 30,000 hazardous waste disposal sites exist, not including military installations, U.S. Department of Energy nuclear facilities, and hundreds and thousands of underground fuel storage tanks; these sites undoubtedly have their own respective hazardous waste chemical problems. When so many sites contain hazardous chemicals, how does one study the health effects of the chemicals at these sites? There could be many different answers, but none would be perfect. For an area as complex and difficult as the study of chemical mixtures associated with hazardous waste disposal sites, there are no perfect approachesmore » and protocols. Human exposure to chemicals, be it environmental or occupational, is rarely, if ever, limited to a single chemical. Therefore, it is essential that we consider multiple chemical effects and interactions in our risk assessment process. Systematic toxicity testing of chemical mixtures in the environment or workplace that uses conventional toxicology methodologies is highly impractical because of the immense numbers of mixtures involved. For example, about 600,000 chemicals are being used in our society. Just considering binary chemical mixtures, this means that there could be 600,000 x 599,999/2 = 359,999,400,000 pairs of chemicals. Assuming that only one in a million of these pairs of chemicals acts synergistically or has other toxicologic interactions, there would still be 359,999 binary chemical mixtures possessing toxicologic interactions. Moreover, toxicologic interactions undoubtedly exist among chemical mixtures with three or more component chemicals; the number of possible combinations for these latter mixtures is almost infinite. These are astronomically large numbers with respect to systematic toxicity testing. 22 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.« less

Influenza-Associated Disease Burden in Kenya: A Systematic Review of Literature

PubMed Central

Emukule, Gideon O.; Paget, John; van der Velden, Koos; Mott, Joshua A.

2015-01-01

Background In Kenya data on the burden of influenza disease are needed to inform influenza control policies. Methods We conducted a systematic review of published data describing the influenza disease burden in Kenya using surveillance data collected until December 2013. We included studies with laboratory confirmation of influenza, well-defined catchment populations, case definitions used to sample patients for testing and a description of the laboratory methods used for influenza testing. Studies with or without any adjustments on the incidence rates were included. Results Ten studies reporting the incidence of medically-attended and non-medically attended influenza were reviewed. For all age groups, the influenza positive proportion ranged from 5–10% among hospitalized patients, and 5–27% among all medically-attended patients (a combination of in- and outpatients). The adjusted incidence rate of hospitalizations with influenza among children <5 years ranged from 2.7–4.7 per 1,000 [5.7 per 1,000 in children <6 months old], and were 7–10 times higher compared to persons aged ≥5 years. The adjusted incidence of all medically-attended influenza among children aged <5 years ranged from 13.0–58.0 per 1,000 compared to 4.3–26.0 per 1,000 among persons aged ≥5 years. Conclusions Our review shows an expanding set of literature on disease burden associated with influenza in Kenya, with a substantial burden in children under five years of age. Hospitalizations with influenza in these children were 2–3 times higher than reported in the United States. These findings highlight the possible value of an influenza vaccination program in Kenya, with children <5 years and pregnant women being potentially important targets. PMID:26398196

Systematic neonatal screening for severe combined immunodeficiency and severe T-cell lymphopenia: Analysis of cost-effectiveness based on French real field data.

PubMed

Clément, Marie Caroline; Mahlaoui, Nizar; Mignot, Cécile; Le Bihan, Christine; Rabetrano, Hasina; Hoang, Ly; Neven, Bénédicte; Moshous, Despina; Cavazzana, Marina; Blanche, Stéphane; Fischer, Alain; Audrain, Marie; Durand-Zaleski, Isabelle

2015-06-01

The inclusion of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in a Europe-wide screening program is currently debated. In making a case for inclusion in the French newborn screening program, we explored the costs incurred and potentially saved by early management of SCID. For test costs, a microcosting study documented the resources used in a laboratory piloting a newborn screening test on Guthrie cards using the T-cell receptor excision circle quantification method. For treatment costs, patients with SCID admitted to the national reference center for primary immunodeficiency in France between 2006 and 2010 were included. Costs of admission were estimated from actual national production costs. We estimated the costs for patients who underwent early versus delayed hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT; age, ≤3 vs. >3 months, respectively). The unit cost of the test varied between €4.69 and €6.79 for 33,800 samples per year, depending on equipment use and saturation. Of the 30 patients included, 27 underwent HSCT after age 3 months. At 1 year after HSCT, 10 of these had died, and all 3 patients undergoing early transplantation survived. The medical costs for HSCT after 3 months were €195,776 (interquartile range, €165,884-€257,160) versus €86,179 (range, €59,014-€272,577) when performed before 3 months of age. In patients undergoing late transplantation, active infection contributed to high cost and poor outcome. Early detection of SCID could reduce the cost of treatment by €50,000-100,000 per case. Assuming a €5 unit cost per test, the incidence required to break even is 1:20,000; however, if the survival advantage of HSCT before 3 months is confirmed, universal screening is likely to be cost-effective. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Li, G; Nishino, T; Greene, T

Purpose: To determine the consistency of digital detector (DR) tests recommended by AAPM TG150 and tests provided by commercially available DirectView Total Quality Tool (TQT). Methods: The DR tests recommended by the TG150 Detector Subgroup[1] were performed on 4 new Carestream DRX-Revolution and one Carestream DRX1C retrofit of a GE AMX-4 that had been in service for three years. After detector calibration, flat-field images plus images of two bar patterns oriented parallel and perpendicular to the A-C axis, were acquired at conditions recommended by TG150. Raw images were harvested and then analyzed using a MATLAB software previously validated[2,3,4]. Data weremore » analyzed using ROIs of two different dimensions: 1) 128 x 128 ROIs matching the detector electronics; and 2) 256 x 256 ROIs, each including 4 adjacent smaller ROIs. TG150 metrics from 128 x 128 ROIs were compared to TQT metrics, which are also obtained from 128 x 128 ROIs[5]. Results: The results show that both TG150 and TQT measurements were consistent among these detectors. Differences between TG150 and TQT values appear systematic. Compared with 128 x 128 ROIs, noise and SNR non-uniformity were lower with 256 x 256 ROIs, although signal non-uniformity was similar, indicating detectors were appropriately calibrated for gain and offset. MTF of the retrofit unit remained essentially the same between 2012 and 2015, but was inferior to the new units. The older generator focal spot is smaller (0.75mm vs. 1.2mm), and the SID for acquisition is 182cm as well, so focal spot dimensions cannot explain the difference. The difference in MTF may be secondary to differences in generator X-ray spectrum or by unannounced changes in detector architecture. Further investigation is needed. Conclusion: The study shows that both TG150 and TQT tests are consistent. The numerical value of some metrics are dependent on ROI size.« less

Cross-cultural assessment of HIV-associated cognitive impairment using the Kaufman assessment battery for children: a systematic review

PubMed Central

van Wyhe, Kaylee S; van de Water, Tanya; Boivin, Michael J; Cotton, Mark F; Thomas, Kevin GF

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Despite improved efficacy of, and access to, combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV-associated cognitive impairments remain prevalent in both children and adults. Neuropsychological tests that detect such impairment can help clinicians formulate effective treatment plans. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC), although developed and standardized in the United States, is used frequently in many different countries and cultural contexts to assess paediatric performance across various cognitive domains. This systematic review investigated the cross-cultural utility of the original KABC, and its 2nd edition (KABC-II), in detecting HIV-associated cognitive impairment in children and adolescents. Methods: We entered relevant keywords and MeSH terms into the PubMed, PsycInfo, EBSCOHost, ProQuest, and Scopus databases, with search limits set from 1983–2017. Two independent reviewers evaluated the retrieved abstracts and manuscripts. Studies eligible for inclusion in the review were those that (a) used the KABC/KABC-II to assess cognitive function in children/adolescents aged 2–18 years, (b) featured a definition of cognitive impairment (e.g. >2 SD below the mean) or compared the performance of HIV-infected and uninfected control groups, and (c) used a sample excluded from population on which the instruments were normed. Results and discussion: We identified nine studies (eight conducted in African countries, and one in the United Kingdom) to comprise the review’s sample. All studies detected cognitive impairment in HIV-infected children, including those who were cART-naïve or who were cART treated and clinically stable. KABC/KABC-II subtests assessing simultaneous processing appeared most sensitive. Evaluation of the methodological quality of the selected studies by two independent reviews suggested that shortcomings included reporting and selection biases. Conclusions: This systematic review provides evidence for the cross-cultural utility of the KABC/KABC-II, particularly the simultaneous processing subtests, in detecting cognitive impairment in HIV-infected children (including those who are clinically stable). Although the current results suggest there is justification for using the KABC/KABC-II primarily in East Africa, further investigation is required to explore the instrument’s utility in other HIV-prevalent regions of the globe. PMID:28664684

Motor function tests for 0-2-year-old children - a systematic review.

PubMed

Kjølbye, Camilla Buch; Drivsholm, Thomas Bo; Ertmann, Ruth Kirk; Lykke, Kirsten; Rasmussen, Rasmus Køster

2018-06-01

There is no evidence on how motor function is best evaluated in children in a low-risk setting. The method used in the Danish Preventive Child Health Examination Programme (DPCHEP) in general practise has not been validated. The objective of this review was to identify existing motor function tests for 0-2-year-old children that were validated for use in the background population and which are suitable for use in the DPCHEP. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, SwedMed, PsycInfo and CINAHL in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five motor function tests were identified. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) exclusively assesses motor function, the Harris Infant Neuromotor Assessment also assesses cognition and the Early Motor Questionnaire (EMQ) additionally assesses perception-action integration skills. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and The Brigance Infant and Toddler Screen include further aspects of development. All test methods, except for the AIMS, are based on parent involvement. For implementation in the DPCHEP, five motor function tests were potentially adequate. However, the time consumption and extensive use of tools render three of the five tests unsuitable for implementation in the existing programme. The two remaining tests, the ASQ and the EMQ, are parent questionnaires. We suggest that these should be pilot tested with a view to their subsequent implementation in the DPCHEP. It may be considered to present the test elements in a more manageable and systematic way, possibly with illustrations. Articles published in the DMJ are “open access”. This means that the articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

Architecture-Based Unit Testing of the Flight Software Product Line

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganesan, Dharmalingam; Lindvall, Mikael; McComas, David; Bartholomew, Maureen; Slegel, Steve; Medina, Barbara

2010-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of the unit testing approach developed and used by the Core Flight Software (CFS) product line team at the NASA GSFC. The goal of the analysis is to understand, review, and reconunend strategies for improving the existing unit testing infrastructure as well as to capture lessons learned and best practices that can be used by other product line teams for their unit testing. The CFS unit testing framework is designed and implemented as a set of variation points, and thus testing support is built into the product line architecture. The analysis found that the CFS unit testing approach has many practical and good solutions that are worth considering when deciding how to design the testing architecture for a product line, which are documented in this paper along with some suggested innprovennents.

Effect of adding systematic family history enquiry to cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary care: a matched-pair, cluster randomized trial.

PubMed

Qureshi, Nadeem; Armstrong, Sarah; Dhiman, Paula; Saukko, Paula; Middlemass, Joan; Evans, Philip H; Kai, Joe

2012-02-21

Evidence of the value of systematically collecting family history in primary care is limited. To evaluate the feasibility of systematically collecting family history of coronary heart disease in primary care and the effect of incorporating these data into cardiovascular risk assessment. Pragmatic, matched-pair, cluster randomized, controlled trial. (International Standardized Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register: ISRCTN 17943542). 24 family practices in the United Kingdom. 748 persons aged 30 to 65 years with no previously diagnosed cardiovascular risk, seen between July 2007 and March 2009. Participants in control practices had the usual Framingham-based cardiovascular risk assessment with and without use of existing family history information in their medical records. Participants in intervention practices also completed a questionnaire to systematically collect their family history. All participants were informed of their risk status. Participants with high cardiovascular risk were invited for a consultation. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with high cardiovascular risk (10-year risk ≥ 20%). Other measures included questionnaire completion rate and anxiety score. 98% of participants completed the family history questionnaire. The mean increase in proportion of participants classified as having high cardiovascular risk was 4.8 percentage points in the intervention practices, compared with 0.3 percentage point in control practices when family history from patient records was incorporated. The 4.5-percentage point difference between groups (95% CI, 1.7 to 7.2 percentage points) remained significant after adjustment for participant and practice characteristics (P = 0.007). Anxiety scores were similar between groups. Relatively few participants were from ethnic minority or less-educated groups. The potential to explore behavioral change and clinical outcomes was limited. Many data were missing for anxiety scores. Systematically collecting family history increases the proportion of persons identified as having high cardiovascular risk for further targeted prevention and seems to have little or no effect on anxiety. Genetics Health Services Research program of the United Kingdom Department of Health.

Science-based regulatory and policy considerations in nutrition.

PubMed

Schneeman, Barbara

2015-05-01

Scientific evidence is necessary for the development of effective and enforceable regulations and government policy. To use scientific information appropriately, a systematic approach is needed for review and evaluation of the evidence. Federal agencies in the United States have developed useful approaches for such a review and evaluation to develop nutrition labeling, including health claims, and for updating of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The WHO is using a systematic evaluation process to update its recommendations on diet and health. The results of such reviews also highlight research needs to address relevant gaps in our knowledge. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Protocol for accuracy of point of care (POC) or in-office urine drug testing (immunoassay) in chronic pain patients: a prospective analysis of immunoassay and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectometry (LC/MS/MS).

PubMed

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Malla, Yogesh; Wargo, Bradley W; Cash, Kimberly A; Pampati, Vidyasagar; Damron, Kim S; McManus, Carla D; Brandon, Doris E

2010-01-01

Therapeutic use, overuse, abuse, and diversion of controlled substances in managing chronic non-cancer pain continues to be an issue for physicians and patients. It has been stated that physicians, along with the public and federal, state, and local government; professional associations; and pharmaceutical companies all share responsibility for preventing abuse of controlled prescription drugs. The challenge is to eliminate or significantly curtail abuse of controlled prescription drugs while still assuring the proper treatment of those patients. A number of techniques, instruments, and tools have been described to monitor controlled substance use and abuse. Thus, multiple techniques and tools available for adherence monitoring include urine drug testing in conjunction with prescription monitoring programs and other screening tests. However, urine drug testing is associated with multiple methodological flaws. Multiple authors have provided conflicting results in relation to diagnostic accuracy with differing opinions about how to monitor adherence in a non-systematic fashion. Thus far, there have not been any studies systematically assessing the diagnostic accuracy of immunoassay with laboratory testing. A diagnostic accuracy study of urine drug testing. An interventional pain management practice, a specialty referral center, a private practice setting in the United States. To compare the information obtained by point of care (POC) or in-office urine drug testing (index test) to the information found when all drugs and analytes are tested by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS) reference test in the same urine sample. The study is designed to include 1,000 patients with chronic pain receiving controlled substances. The primary outcome measure is the diagnostic accuracy. Patients will be tested for various controlled substances, including opioids, benzodiazepines, and illicit drugs. The diagnostic accuracy study is performed utilizing the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) initiative which established reporting guidelines for diagnostic accuracy studies to improve the quality of reporting. The prototypical flow diagram of diagnostic accuracy study as described by STARD will be utilized. Results of diagnostic accuracy and correlation of clinical factors in relation to threshold levels, prevalence of abuse, false-positives, false-negatives, influence of other drugs, and demographic characteristics will be calculated. The limitations include lack of availability of POC testing with lower cutoff levels. This article presents a protocol for a diagnostic accuracy study of urine drug testing. The protocol also will permit correlation of various clinical factors in relation to threshold levels, prevalence of abuse, false-positives, false-negatives, influence of other drugs, and demographic characteristics. NCT 01052155.

Diagnostic validity of physical examination tests for common knee disorders: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Décary, Simon; Ouellet, Philippe; Vendittoli, Pascal-André; Roy, Jean-Sébastien; Desmeules, François

2017-01-01

More evidence on diagnostic validity of physical examination tests for knee disorders is needed to lower frequently used and costly imaging tests. To conduct a systematic review of systematic reviews (SR) and meta-analyses (MA) evaluating the diagnostic validity of physical examination tests for knee disorders. A structured literature search was conducted in five databases until January 2016. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR. Seventeen reviews were included with mean AMSTAR score of 5.5 ± 2.3. Based on six SR, only the Lachman test for ACL injuries is diagnostically valid when individually performed (Likelihood ratio (LR+):10.2, LR-:0.2). Based on two SR, the Ottawa Knee Rule is a valid screening tool for knee fractures (LR-:0.05). Based on one SR, the EULAR criteria had a post-test probability of 99% for the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis. Based on two SR, a complete physical examination performed by a trained health provider was found to be diagnostically valid for ACL, PCL and meniscal injuries as well as for cartilage lesions. When individually performed, common physical tests are rarely able to rule in or rule out a specific knee disorder, except the Lachman for ACL injuries. There is low-quality evidence concerning the validity of combining history elements and physical tests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of specific physical examination tests for the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lange, Toni; Matthijs, Omer; Jain, Nitin B; Schmitt, Jochen; Lützner, Jörg; Kopkow, Christian

2017-03-01

Shoulder pain in the general population is common and to identify the aetiology of shoulder pain, history, motion and muscle testing, and physical examination tests are usually performed. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise and evaluate intrarater and inter-rater reliability of physical examination tests in the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) through 20 March 2015. Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) tool by 2 independent reviewers. The search strategy revealed 3259 articles, of which 18 finally met the inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated the reliability of 62 test and test variations used for the specific physical examination tests for the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies. Methodological quality ranged from 2 to 7 positive criteria of the 11 items of the QAREL tool. This review identified a lack of high-quality studies evaluating inter-rater as well as intrarater reliability of specific physical examination tests for the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies. In addition, reliability measures differed between included studies hindering proper cross-study comparisons. PROSPERO CRD42014009018. 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/.

Strategies to Reduce Nursing Student Test Anxiety: A Literature Review.

PubMed

Quinn, Brenna L; Peters, Anya

2017-03-01

Nursing students are plagued by test anxiety. Chronic stress, heavy academic workloads, and rigorous progression standards are antecedents of test anxiety in nursing students. The purpose of this article is to identify helpful interventions to decrease test anxiety in prelicensure nursing students. This systematic review was completed using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Four electronic databases were searched using the terms nurs*, anxiety, test, NCLEX, strategies, and exam*. Seven articles were identified for inclusion in this review. Following analysis, two categories of test anxiety interventions for nursing students were identified: environmental adjustments and student behavior modifications. Faculty members should consider using the test anxiety reduction interventions described in this article. Priorities for future research include studying the effects of test anxiety reduction interventions on examination grades. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(3):145-151.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Landslide Hazard Map of The Upper Tiber River Basin, Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardinali, M.; Carrara, A.; Guzzetti, F.; Reichenbach, P.

For the Upper Tiber River basin, which extends over 4000 km2 in Central Italy, a landslide hazard map was derived from a statistical model based on a mix of morpho- logical, lithological, structural and land use data. All these data were obtained from the analysis of different sets of aerial photographs, ranging in scale from 1:33,000 to 1:13,000, systematic field surveys and bibliographical information. Rock types were grouped in 37 units on the basis of the hard vs. soft rock percentage, as as- certained from photo-geological interpretation and field surveys. During the photo- interpretation, the spatial relations between bedding plane attitude and slope aspect were also systematically determined. The landslide inventory map recognised 17,600 slope-failures that cover nearly 12.5% of the basin area. Landslides, which are mainly slide flow slide earth-flow and compound or complex movements, were classified and mapped as shallow or deep seated. A DTM, with a grid resolution of 25x25 m, was derived from digitised contour lines of base topographic maps, 1:25,000.in scale. The basin was then automatically partitioned into nearly 16,000 main slope-units through a specifically-designed software module that, starting from a high quality DTM gen- erates fully connected and complementary drainage and divide networks and a wide spectrum of morphometric parameters. Main slope-units were then subdivided accord- ing to the major rock types cropping out in the basin generating over 28,700 hydro- morphological-lithological terrain-units. Using the presence/absence of landslide in each terrain unit, as the grouping variable, a stepwise discriminant function was ap- plied to the terrain units. of the 50 variables entered into the discriminant function, 15 are lithological, 15 morphological, 11 express the structural setting or bedding plane attitude, 7 refer to land use and the last 2 reflect local climatic conditions. The model proved to be capable of correctly classifying as stable or unstable over 75% of the terrain units.

Chemical and non-chemical stressors affecting childhood obesity: a systematic scoping review

EPA Science Inventory

Childhood obesity in the United States has doubled over the last three decades and currently affects 17% of children and adolescents. While much research has focused on individual behaviors impacting obesity, little research has emphasized the complex interactions of numerous che...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

38 CFR 17.500 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of Healthcare Quality Assurance Review Records § 17.500 General. (a) Section 5705, title 38, United... §§ 17.500 through 17.511, the VA's medical quality assurance program consists of systematic healthcare... utilization of healthcare resources in VA medical facilities. These review activities may involve continuous...

If cannot define and quantify Ecosystem Services consistently and systematically - we might be lost!

EPA Science Inventory

Imagine that every industrial sector, firm, municipality and state reported and classified their production using different definitions and units - Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be impossible to calculate! This is precisely the difficult situation in which we find ourselves...

The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States.

PubMed

Loss, Scott R; Will, Tom; Marra, Peter P

2013-01-01

Anthropogenic threats, such as collisions with man-made structures, vehicles, poisoning and predation by domestic pets, combine to kill billions of wildlife annually. Free-ranging domestic cats have been introduced globally and have contributed to multiple wildlife extinctions on islands. The magnitude of mortality they cause in mainland areas remains speculative, with large-scale estimates based on non-systematic analyses and little consideration of scientific data. Here we conduct a systematic review and quantitatively estimate mortality caused by cats in the United States. We estimate that free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.4-3.7 billion birds and 6.9-20.7 billion mammals annually. Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality. Our findings suggest that free-ranging cats cause substantially greater wildlife mortality than previously thought and are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for US birds and mammals. Scientifically sound conservation and policy intervention is needed to reduce this impact.

Supported employment for persons with mental illness: systematic review of the effectiveness of individual placement and support in the UK.

PubMed

Heffernan, John; Pilkington, Paul

2011-08-01

High levels of unemployment among persons with mental illness are a significant social disability. The individual placement and support (IPS) model of vocational support has been shown to be effective in establishing persons with mental health problems back into competitive employment in North America. Evidence outside North America is more limited. To examine the evidence for the effectiveness of the IPS model of supported employment within the United Kingdom. Systematic review of studies of the effectiveness of IPS conducted principally in the United Kingdom. The evidence base was small. Overall quality of evidence was fair. There is evidence that interventions with high fidelity to the IPS model increase the proportion of patients engaged in work or education/training over the short- to medium-term (6-18 months follow-up). More research is needed to improve the evidence base in relation to IPS within a UK context. Evaluation should focus on both the nature and quality of the employment gained, patient and service factors.

The costs of treating curable sexually transmitted infections in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

PubMed

Terris-Prestholt, Fern; Vyas, Seema; Kumaranayake, Lilani; Mayaud, Philippe; Watts, Charlotte

2006-10-01

Calls for increased investment in sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment across the developing world have been made to address the high disease burden and the association with HIV transmission. The goals of this study were to systematically review evidence on the cost of treating curable STIs and to explore its key determinants. A search of published literature was conducted in PubMed and supplemented by reviews of gray literature. Studies were analyzed by broad focus. Regression analysis explored how intervention characteristics affect unit costs, accounting for differences in costing methods. Fifty-three primary studies were identified, of which 62% used empirical data, 35% presented economic costs, and 22% presented full costs. The median STI treatment cost was US dollars 17.80. Clinics serving symptomatic patients were consistently cheaper than outreach services, services using syndromic management protocols had lower costs, and unit costs decreased with scale. The compiled cost data provide an evidence base that can be used to help inform resource planning.

Characteristics of an OSLD in the diagnostic energy range

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

Al-Senan, Rani M.; Hatab, Mustapha R.

2011-07-15

Purpose: Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry has been recently introduced in radiation therapy as a potential alternative to the thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) system. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using OSL point dosimeters in the energy range used in diagnostic imaging. Methods: NanoDot OSL dosimeters (OSLDs) were used in this study, which started with testing the homogeneity of a new packet of nanoDots. Reproducibility and the effect of optical treatment (bleaching) were then examined, followed by an investigation of the effect of accumulated dose on the OSLD indicated doses. OSLD linearity, angular dependence, and energymore » dependence were also studied. Furthermore, comparison with LiF:Mg,Ti TLD chips using standard CT dose phantoms at 80 and 120 kVp settings was performed. Results: Batch homogeneity showed a coefficient of variation of <5%. Single-irradiation measurements with bleaching after each OSL readout was found to be associated with a 3.3% reproducibility (one standard deviation measured with a 8 mGy test dose), and no systematic change in OSLDs sensitivity could be noted from measurement to measurement. In contrast, the multiple-irradiation readout without bleaching in between measurements was found to be associated with an uncertainty (using a 6 mGy test dose) that systematically increased with accumulated dose, reaching 42% at 82 mGy. Good linearity was shown by nanoDots under general x-ray, CT, and mammography units with an R{sup 2} > 0.99. The angular dependence test showed a drop of approximately 70% in the OSLD response at 90 deg. in mammography (25 kVp). With the general radiography unit, the maximum drop was 40% at 80 kVp and 20% at 120 kVp, and it was only 10% with CT at both 80 and 120 kVp. The energy dependence study showed a range of ion chamber-to-OSLDs ratios between 0.81 and 1.56, at the energies investigated (29-62 keV). A paired t-test for comparing the OSLDs and TLDs showed no significant variation (p > 0.1). Conclusions: OSLDs exhibited good batch homogeneity (<5%) and reproducibility (3.3%), as well as a linear response. In addition, they showed no statistically significant difference with TLDs in CT measurements (p > 0.1). However, high uncertainty (42%) in the dose estimate was found as a result of relatively high accumulated dose. Furthermore, nanoDots showed high angular dependence (up to 70%) in low kVp techniques. Energy dependence of about 60% was found, and correction factors were suggested for the range of energies investigated. Therefore, if angular and energy dependences are taken into consideration and the uncertainty associated with accumulated dose is avoided, OSLDs (nanoDots) can be suitable for use as point dosimeters in diagnostic settings.« less

A Comparison of Concentrations of Sodium and Related Nutrients (Potassium, Total Dietary Fiber, Total and Saturated Fat, and Total Sugar) in Private-Label and National Brands of Popular, Sodium-Contributing, Commercially Packaged Foods in the United States.

PubMed

Ahuja, Jaspreet K C; Pehrsson, Pamela R; Cogswell, Mary

2017-05-01

Private-label brands account for about one in four foods sold in US supermarkets. They provide value to consumers due to their low cost. We know of no US studies comparing the nutrition content of private-label products with corresponding national brand products. The objective was to compare concentrations of sodium and related nutrients (potassium, total dietary fiber, total and saturated fat, and total sugar) in popular sodium-contributing, commercially packaged foods by brand type (national or private-label brand). During 2010 to 2014, the Nutrient Data Laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture obtained 1,706 samples of private-label and national brand products from up to 12 locations nationwide and chemically analyzed 937 composites for sodium and related nutrients. The samples came from 61 sodium-contributing, commercially packaged food products for which both private-label and national brands were among the top 75% to 80% of brands for US unit sales. In this post hoc comparative analysis, the authors assigned a variable brand type (national or private label) to each composite and determined mean nutrient contents by brand type overall and by food product and type. The authors tested for significant differences (P<0.05) by brand type using independent sample t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests when appropriate. Overall for all foods sampled, differences between brand types were not statistically significant for any of the nutrients studied. However, differences in both directions exist for a few individual food products and food categories. Concentrations of sodium and related nutrients (potassium, total dietary fiber, total and saturated fat, and total sugar) do not differ systematically between private-label and national brands, suggesting that brand type is not a consideration for nutritional quality of foods in the United States. The study data provide public health officials with baseline nutrient content by brand type to help focus US sodium-reduction efforts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An update on Legionella.

PubMed

Carratalà, Jordi; Garcia-Vidal, Carolina

2010-04-01

Legionella pneumophila is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of sporadic and epidemic community-acquired and nosocomial-acquired pneumonia. This review focuses on the latest literature concerning the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of Legionnaires' disease. A significant increase in the incidence of Legionnaires' disease in the United States has been documented over the last years. L. pneumophila has recently been found to be a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized and ambulatory patients in Germany. Recent studies provide insight into the understanding of the pathogenesis of Legionnaires' disease and the relevance of the formation of biofilms. Clinical manifestations of Legionnaires' disease are not specific and current diagnostic scores are of limited use. Several recent studies offer useful information concerning Legionnaires' disease in immunosuppressed patients. A systematic review of English literature performed to assess test characteristics of Legionella urinary antigen has found that the pooled sensitivity of the test was 0.74 and specificity was 0.991. Improved clinical response has been observed for patients with Legionnaires' disease treated with highly active antimicrobial agents against Legionella. Legionnaires' disease is a significant health problem in many countries. Clinical manifestations are unreliable in diagnosing Legionnaires' disease. Therefore, diagnostic laboratory tests for Legionella, including the urinary antigen test, should be applied to all patients with pneumonia. Levofloxacin (or other fluoroquinolone) or azithromycin are the current drugs of choice for treatment of Legionnaires' disease. Effective preventive strategies are needed.

An interventional skin care protocol (InSPiRE) to reduce incontinence-associated dermatitis in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit: A before and after study.

PubMed

Coyer, Fiona; Gardner, Anne; Doubrovsky, Anna

2017-06-01

This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a bundle combining best available evidence to reduce the incidence of incontinence-associated dermatitis occurrences in critically ill patients. The study used a before and after design and was conducted in an adult intensive care unit of an Australian quartenary referral hospital. Data, collected by trained research nurses, included demographic and clinical variables, skin assessment, incontinence-associated dermatitis presence and severity. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Of the 207 patients enrolled, 146 patients were mechanically ventilated and incontinent thus eligible for analysis, 80 with 768days of observation in the after/intervention group and 66 with 733days of observation in the before group. Most patients were men, mean age 53 years. Groups were similar on demographic variables. Incontinence-associated dermatitis incidence was lower in the intervention group (15%; 12/80) compared to the control group (32%; 21/66) (p=0.016). Incontinence-associated dermatitis events developed later in the intensive care unit stay in the intervention group (Logrank=5.2, p=<0.022). This study demonstrated that the use of a bundle combining best available evidence reduced the incidence and delayed the development of incontinence-associated dermatitis occurrences in critically ill patients. Systematic ongoing patient assessments, combined with tailored prevention measures are central to preventing incontinence-associated dermatitis in this vulnerable patient group. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social Media Interventions to Promote HIV Testing, Linkage, Adherence, and Retention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Cao, Bolin; Gupta, Somya; Wang, Jiangtao; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Muessig, Kathryn E; Tang, Weiming; Pan, Stephen; Pendse, Razia; Tucker, Joseph D

2017-11-24

Social media is increasingly used to deliver HIV interventions for key populations worldwide. However, little is known about the specific uses and effects of social media on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) interventions. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of social media interventions to promote HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and retention among key populations. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and Cochrane guidelines for this review and registered it on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO. We systematically searched six databases and three conference websites using search terms related to HIV, social media, and key populations. We included studies where (1) the intervention was created or implemented on social media platforms, (2) study population included men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, people who inject drugs (PWID), and/or sex workers, and (3) outcomes included promoting HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and/or retention. Meta-analyses were conducted by Review Manager, version 5.3. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by random-effects models. Among 981 manuscripts identified, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found 18 studies from high-income countries, 8 in middle-income countries, and 0 in low-income countries. Eight were randomized controlled trials, and 18 were observational studies. All studies (n=26) included MSM; five studies also included transgender individuals. The focus of 21 studies was HIV testing, four on HIV testing and linkage to care, and one on antiretroviral therapy adherence. Social media interventions were used to do the following: build online interactive communities to encourage HIV testing/adherence (10 studies), provide HIV testing services (9 studies), disseminate HIV information (9 studies), and develop intervention materials (1 study). Of the studies providing HIV self-testing, 16% of participants requested HIV testing kits from social media platforms. Existing social media platforms such as Facebook (n=15) and the gay dating app Grindr (n=10) were used most frequently. Data from four studies show that HIV testing uptake increased after social media interventions (n=1283, RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.28-1.76). In the studies where social media interventions were participatory, HIV testing uptake was higher in the intervention arm than the comparison arm (n=1023, RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.19-2.26). Social media interventions are effective in promoting HIV testing among MSM in many settings. Social media interventions to improve HIV services beyond HIV testing in low- and middle-income countries and among other key populations need to be considered. International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42016048073; http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42016048073 (Archived by WebCite at http://www. webcitation.org/6usLCJK3v). ©Bolin Cao, Somya Gupta, Jiangtao Wang, Lisa B Hightow-Weidman, Kathryn E Muessig, Weiming Tang, Stephen Pan, Razia Pendse, Joseph D. Tucker. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 24.11.2017.

Mobile Phones-An asset or a liability: A study based on characterization and assessment of metals in waste mobile phone components using leaching tests.

PubMed

Hira, Meenakshi; Yadav, Sudesh; Morthekai, P; Linda, Anurag; Kumar, Sushil; Sharma, Anupam

2018-01-15

The prolonged use of old fashioned gadgets, especially mobile phones, is declining readily with the advancement in technology which ultimately lead to generation of e-waste. The present study investigates the concentrations of nine metals (Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sn, and Zn) in various components of the mobile phones using Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), Waste Extraction Test (WET) and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP). The results were compared with the threshold limits for hazardous waste defined by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The average concentrations of metals were found high in PWBs. WET was found relatively aggressive as compared to TCLP and SPLP. Redundancy analysis (RDA) suggests that part of mobile, extraction test, manufacturer, mobile model and year of manufacturing explain 34.66% of the variance. According to the present study, waste mobile phones must be considered as hazardous due to the potential adverse impact of toxic metals on human health and environment. However, mobile phones can be an asset as systematic extraction and recycling could reduce the demand of primary metals mining and conserve the natural resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the Piezoelectric Detection of Guided Ultrasonic Waves

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In order to quantify the wave motion of guided ultrasonic waves, the characteristics of piezoelectric detectors, or ultrasonic transducers and acoustic emission sensors, have been evaluated systematically. Such guided waves are widely used in structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation, but methods of calibrating piezoelectric detectors have been inadequate. This study relied on laser interferometry for the base displacement measurement of bar waves, from which eight different guided wave test set-ups are developed with known wave motion using piezoelectric transmitters. Both plates and bars of 12.7 and 6.4 mm thickness were used as wave propagation media. The upper frequency limit was 2 MHz. Output of guided wave detectors were obtained on the test set-ups and their receiving sensitivities were characterized and averaged. While each sensitivity spectrum was noisy for a detector, the averaged spectrum showed a good convergence to a unique receiving sensitivity. Twelve detectors were evaluated and their sensitivity spectra determined in absolute units. Generally, these showed rapidly dropping sensitivity with increasing frequency due to waveform cancellation on their sensing areas. This effect contributed to vastly different sensitivities to guided wave and to normally incident wave for each one of the 12 detectors tested. Various other effects are discussed and recommendations on methods of implementing the approach developed are provided. PMID:29156579

Does Test Anxiety Induce Measurement Bias in Cognitive Ability Tests?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Charlie L.; Bonaccio, Silvia

2008-01-01

Although test anxiety is typically negatively related to performance on cognitive ability tests, little research has systematically investigated whether differences in test anxiety result in measurement bias on cognitive ability tests. The current paper uses a structural equation modeling technique to explicitly test for measurement bias due to…