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Collaborative
Kinds of Collaborative Terms modified by Collaborative Selected AbstractsAn approach for quality of service adaptation in service-oriented GridsCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 5 2004Rashid Al-Ali Abstract Some applications utilizing Grid computing infrastructure require the simultaneous allocation of resources, such as compute servers, networks, memory, disk storage and other specialized resources. Collaborative working and visualization is one example of such applications. In this context, quality of service (QoS) is related to Grid services, and not just to the network connecting these services. With the emerging interest in service-oriented Grids, resources may be advertised and traded as services based on a service level agreement (SLA). Such a SLA must include both general and technical specifications, including pricing policy and properties of the resources required to execute the service, to ensure QoS requirements are satisfied. An approach for QoS adaptation is presented to enable the dynamic adjustment of behavior of an application based on changes in the pre-defined SLA. The approach is particularly useful if workload or network traffic changes in unpredictable ways during an active session. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Guidelines for the Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Organ Transplant RecipientsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 4p2 2004Thomas Stasko MD Background. Solid-organ transplant recipients have a high incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and often develop multiple and aggressive tumors. There are few published studies or reviews, which provide guidance to the clinician in the treatment of these patients. Objective. The objective was to develop useful clinical guidelines for the treatment of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients (OTRs). Methods. The members of the Guidelines Committee of the International Transplant,Skin Cancer Collaborative (ITSCC) carried out a computerized search utilizing the databases of the National Library of Medicine for reports in the literature on SCC in OTRs. These reports were collectively examined by the group and combined with experiences from the members' clinical practices in the development of the guidelines. Results. More than 300 articles relating to SCC in OTRs were reviewed. In general, reports concerning the prevention and treatment of SCC in OTRs are of individual cases or small case series. They are retrospective in nature, statistically nonrigorous, and lack the complete epidemiologic data necessary to derive definitive conclusions. Combining these studies and collective clinical experience, however, is at present the best available method for devising guidelines for the treatment of SCC in OTRs. Conclusion. Guidelines developed for the treatment of skin cancer in OTRs, supported by the best available data and collective clinical experience, may assist in the management of OTRs with SCC. The development of clinical pathways and complete documentation with rigorous prospective study is necessary to improve and refine future guideline development. [source] Homepage Redesign: A Collaborative and Creative JourneyDESIGN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, Issue 2 2009Felix Blanco More and more often, car shoppers are forsaking traditional print media and going online. As a leader in the automotive marketplace, http://AutoTrader.com depends on its website,especially the homepage,to drive its business. So when it came time for a redesign, everyone had to be involved. [source] Debriefing critical incidents in the paediatric emergency department: Current practice and perceived needs in Australia and New ZealandEMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 6 2009Theane Theophilos Abstract Anecdotally critical incident debriefing (CID) is an important topic for staff in paediatric ED. The present study aimed to determine current baseline CID practices and perceived needs of ED staff. A questionnaire regarding CID practice was circulated to all 13 Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) sites in Australia and New Zealand (including all tertiary paediatric ED), and completed by 1 senior doctor and 1 senior nurse. All PREDICT sites participated (13 nurses, 13 doctors). Seventy per cent did not currently have a hospital protocol on debriefing and 90% did not have ED-specific guidelines. The most commonly debriefed topics were death of a patient, multi-trauma and sudden infant death syndrome, also ranked highest in importance for debriefing. The median reported debriefs per department were 4 per year (range 0,12), all conducted within a week of the CI with half within 24 h. ED workers most likely to be invited to the CID session were doctors, nurses and social workers (96%). Debriefing was mostly conducted internally (62%) and most likely facilitated by a doctor (81%) or nurse (54%). Debriefing addressed both clinical and emotional issues (89%) within the same session (69%). Debriefing was rated as very important, median of 8/10 by doctors and 10/10 by nurses. Almost 90% of those surveyed indicated that they would like a CID programme and guidelines for their department. Debriefing is perceived as important by senior ED clinicians, yet few ED have formalized guidelines or programmes. Best-practice guidelines should be developed. [source] Paediatric emergency guidelines: Could one size fit all?EMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 1 2009Sarah Dalton Abstract Objectives: The development of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) is a core task in EDs and CPGs are widely used. The process of CPGs development in Australian and New Zealand ED is unknown. We aim to describe this process in paediatric EDs and examine the feasibility of developing collaborative guidelines. Methods: A piloted questionnaire regarding CPG development, dissemination, implementation and evaluation was circulated to all 13 Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) sites. Specific questions regarding feasibility of combined guidelines were included. Results: All PREDICT EDs participated in the survey. All used CPGs in EDs and 12/13 had ED-specific guidelines. EDs had an average of 77 guidelines with approximately 5 new guidelines generated annually. Staff at most sites (10/13) also accessed guidelines from external sources. Most hospitals (10/13) had a guideline committee, generally comprising of senior ED and general paediatric staff. Guidelines were usually written by committee members and 10/13 hospitals adopted modified external guidelines. An average committee met six times a year for 90 min and involved seven clinicians. Most sites did not have a project manager or dedicated secretarial support. Few hospitals included literature references (3/13) or levels of evidence (1/13) in their guidelines. Most did not consider implementation, evaluation or teaching packages. Most sites (10/13) supported the development of collaborative guidelines. Conclusions: Paediatric EDs expend significant resources to develop CPGs. Collaborative guidelines would likely decrease duplication of effort and increase the number of available, current and evidence-based CPGs. [source] Procedural sedation in children in the emergency department: A PREDICT studyEMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 1 2009Meredith Borland Abstract Objective: To investigate current procedural sedation practice and compare clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for procedural sedation at Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) sites. This will determine areas for improvement and provide baseline data for future multicentre studies. Methods: A questionnaire of specialist emergency physicians regarding demographics, general procedural sedation practice and specific sedation agents given to children. CPG for general sedation and sedation agents were obtained for each site. Results: Seventy-five (71%) useable surveys returned from 105 potential respondents. Most commonly used agents were nitrous oxide (N2O) (75, 100%), ketamine (total 72, 96%; i.v. 59, 83% and i.m. 22, 31%) and midazolam (total 68, 91%; i.v. 52, 81%, oral 47, 73%, intranasal 26, 41% and i.m. 6, 9%). Sedation was used for therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Forty-three (57%) used formal sedation records and sedation checklists and thirty-one (41%) respondents reported auditing sedations. Four sites ran staff education and competency programmes. Nine sites had general sedation CPG, eight for ketamine, nine for N2O, eight for midazolam (four parenteral, five oral and six intranasal) and three for fentanyl. No site had a guideline for propofol administration. Conclusion: Procedural sedation in this research network commonly uses N2O, ketamine and midazolam for a wide range of procedures. Areas of improvement are the lack of guidelines for certain agents, documentation, staff competency training and auditing processes. Multicentre research could close gaps in terms of age cut-offs, fasting times and optimal indications for various agents. [source] A collaborative approach to embedding graduate primary care mental health workers in the UK National Health ServiceHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 5 2008Janine Fletcher MSc Abstract The UK National Health Service (NHS) workforce has recently seen the arrival of the Graduate Mental Health Worker (GMHW) in primary care. We established a Quality Improvement Collaborative to assist in embedding this new workforce in one Strategic Health Authority Area of England. The intervention utilised ,collaborative' technology which involves bringing together groups of practitioners from different organizations to work in a structured way to improve the quality of their service. The process was evaluated by an action research project in which all stakeholders participated. Data collection was primarily qualitative. During the project, there was an increase in throughput of new patients seen by the GMHWs and increased workforce satisfaction with a sense that the collaborative aided the change process within the organizations. Involvement of managers and commissioners from the Primary Care Trusts where the GMHWs were employed appeared to be important in achieving change. This was not, however, sufficient to combat significant attrition of the first cohort of workers. The project identified several barriers to the successful implementation of a new workforce for mental health problems in primary care, including widespread variation in the level and quality of supervision and in payment and terms of service of workers. A collaborative approach can be used to support the development of new roles in health care; however, full engagement from management is particularly necessary for success in implementation. The problems faced by GMHWs reflect those faced by other new workers in healthcare settings, yet in some ways are even more disturbing given the lack of governance arrangements put in place to oversee these developments and the apparent use of relatively unsupported and inexperienced novices as agents of change in the NHS. [source] Collaboration, facilities and communities in day care services for older peopleHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 1 2001Sarah Burch BA Abstract Collaborative working in care for older people is often seen as a desirable goal. However, there can be problems with this approach. This paper reports on a single blind randomized controlled trial which was carried out to compare outcomes of rehabilitation in two settings: a day hospital and social services day centres augmented by visiting therapists. The subjects were 105 older patients. Principal outcome measures were the Barthel Index, Philadelphia Geriatric Centre Morale Scale and the Caregiver Strain Index. Two aspects of the trial are examined here. Firstly, we investigated whether trial patients were more disabled than regular day centre attendees. Levels of health and well being amongst trial patients were compared with those of a random sample of 20 regular attendees from both of the participating day centres and an additional voluntary sector day centre. Secondly, key staff from the different settings were interviewed to assess how well the day centre model had worked in practice. Trial patients were significantly more disabled than regular day centre attendees according to the Barthel Index (P < 0.001), but this difference was no longer significant after three months of treatment. The day centre model had several problems, principally discharge policy, acceptability, facilities and attitudes of staff and regular attendees. Positive aspects of the day centre model, as well as successful rehabilitation, included shared skills, knowledge and resources. This paper suggests that collaborative working in day centres requires multipurpose facilities. If health staff maintain a permanent presence, benefits can include improved joint working, easier access to health care and the use of rehabilitative therapy as a preventative strategy. Day care settings can be analyzed as representing different types of communities. Allowing older users a greater degree of choice in facilities may increase the acceptability of care. [source] Redesigning mental health services: lessons on user involvement from the Mental Health CollaborativeHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 1 2003Glenn Robert PhD Abstract Objectives, To explore the involvement of mental health service users in the redesign of in-patient mental health services in six Trusts participating in a multi-regional NHS modernization programme. Design, Semi-structured interviews and observation of team meetings undertaken as part of an action research study. Participants and setting, Users, clinical, medical and managerial staff from six mental health trusts which participated in the Northern & Yorkshire and Trent regions' Mental Health Collaborative (MHC). Results and conclusions, Whilst there were some problems, user involvement was undoubtedly a strength of the MHC in comparison to other modernization programmes within the NHS we have studied. However, the particular challenges posed by the specific context of acute mental health services should not be overlooked. The initial approach taken in each of the sites was to simply invite a user or user representative to join the local project team. In the course of events, various changes were made to this initial mechanism for involving users in the ongoing work of the teams. These changes , and setbacks in some sites , make drawing firm conclusions as to the effectiveness of the various strategies employed problematic. However, our qualitative data suggest a number of broad lessons that will assist both those leading and participating in other redesign initiatives to maximize the benefits to be gained from service user involvement. [source] Optimal timing and dosing of platelet transfusionsISBT SCIENCE SERIES: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTRACELLULAR TRANSPORT, Issue n1 2010N. M. Heddle Background, Over the past 20 years there have been more than 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have investigated various aspects of platelet transfusion therapy in haematology/oncology patients. These studies have focused on the best platelet product, the importance of ABO compatibility, pathogen inactivation of platelets, platelet triggers and the optimal platelet dose. Aims, This article summarizes current evidence to support the timing and dosing of platelet transfusions and to explore some ideas of where clinical research in this area may be heading. Materials and Methods, The articles reviewed in this presentation were identified through a search of PubMed using the term, platelet transfusion and setting limits to identify clinical studies, human studies and manuscripts in English. Results and Discussion, Three RCTs have informed practices around platelet transfusion trigger with the largest study by Rebulla et al., being the primary study that has changed practices worldwide, with a move towards a lower prophylactic platelet transfusion trigger of 10 × 109/l. Two groups (Germany and Oxford, UK) are currently investigating whether we can push the boundaries of prophylactic platelet transfusions even further by eliminating this form of therapy. Preliminary results from these studies have been published but we will await the final results to determine whether this research will indeed change practice. Over the past year there has also been two major studies (one by the BEST Collaborative, and the second by the US Transfusion Medicine/Hemostasis Network), that provide new information to guide platelet dosing. The Study by the BEST Collaborative (SToP) compared low dose platelets to standard dose platelets with WHO bleeding greater than or equal to Grade 2 as the primary outcome. The US study (PLADO) compared three doses (low, medium and high) and measured the same outcome (WHO bleeding , Grade 2). Conclusions, Although all of these studies further our knowledge to prescribe platelet transfusions, they also raise some interesting questions about the clinical relevance of the outcomes that we are currently using for these studies. The trend over the past decade has been to use bleeding as the primary outcome; however, bleeding is a complex composite outcome (Grades 2, 3 and 4) comprised of some surrogate components (Grades 2 and 3). It is also an outcome that may be difficult to measure and grade in a consistent and reliable manner. The clinical relevance of this outcome is also complex and may vary depending on the perspective from which it is viewed. [source] Controversy concerning platelet doseISBT SCIENCE SERIES: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTRACELLULAR TRANSPORT, Issue 1 2007N. M. Heddle The highest level of support for evidence based decisions is the randomized controlled trial (RCT); however, RCT results are only useful if the study has strong internal and external validity. There have been a number of clinical trials that have addressed the issue of the optimal platelet dose; however, none of these studies have provided definitive data on the optimal platelet dose due to a variety of methodological issues associated with the study designs. Currently two randomized controlled trials have been implemented to address the issue of optimal platelet dose. The results of these trials will not be available until 2007,2008. The BEST (Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion) Collaborative has initiated a platelet dose study comparing the frequency of WHO bleeding Grade 2 with low and standard dose platelets. The Transfusion Medicine/ Haemostasis Clinical Trials Network (CTN) is also performing a platelet dose study comparing three treatment strategies (high, standard and low dose platelets). There were numerous methodological issues that had to be considered when designing these two studies. More recently some European investigators have questioned the need for prophylactic platelet transfusions and several studies are currently underway to investigate the efficacy of changing this practice. [source] Because One Is Too Many: Catholic Health Initiatives' Success in Reducing Preventable Birth InjuriesJOURNAL FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY, Issue 4 2010Mary Osborne Abstract: Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) set a goal of reducing birth injuries throughout the system. Although the number of injuries was small, clinical and risk leadership agreed that even one injury is too many. Through a multidisciplinary partnership to initiate perinatal bundles, the CHI Perinatal Care Collaborative was able to continue the reduction of injuries each year. [source] Collaborative learning in mobile workJOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING, Issue 3 2003J. Lundin Abstract, Moving towards more communication intensive organisations, where work tends to be mobile, understanding how to support learning in such work becomes increasingly important. This paper reports on a study of a customer relations team, where work is performed co-located, distributed as well as mobile. Collaborative learning within in this team is explored so as to inform the design of IT support. In the results four instances of collaborative learning important in the studied team were identified: walking into collaborative learning, travelling to meetings, articulating practice and sharing without articulating. These issues are discussed and how they affect the design of collaborative learning activities for mobile knowledge workers. [source] Postmodern collaborative and person-centred therapies: what would Carl Rogers say?JOURNAL OF FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 4 2001Harlene Anderson Among the most frequent comments and questions about my postmodern collaborative approach to therapy are ,It sounds Rogerian' and ,Is it any different from Carl Rogers' client-centred therapy?',Yes,' I usually say, ,there are similarities and differences.' Here I overview the Collaborative and Rogerian approaches, highlight selected similarities and distinct differences, and comment on the relationship of each to family therapy as I see them. [source] Teamwork in primary care mental health: a policy analysisJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2008BSc (Hons), Dip HE (Mental Health Nursing), ELOISE NOLAN MSc Aim, This paper reports a policy analysis conducted to examine the potential impact of recent mental health policy on team working in Primary Care Mental Health in England. Method, An analysis of relevant policy documents was conducted. From an original selection of 49 documents, 15, which had significant implications for Primary Care Mental Health Teams, were analysed thematically. Findings, There were no clear guidelines or objectives for Primary Care Mental Health Teams evident from the policy analysis. Collaborative working was advocated, yet other elements in the policies were likely to prevent this occurring. There was a lack of clarity concerning the role and function of new professions within Primary Care Mental Health Teams, adding further uncertainty to an already confused situation. Conclusion, This uncertainty has the potential to reinforce professional barriers and increase the current difficulties with team working. Implications to nursing managers, An analysis of recent policy contributes to our understanding of the context of care. The lack of clarity in current health policy presents a significant challenge for those managing primary care mental health teams. Team working is likely to improve if targets, processes and responsibilities are made clearer. [source] Confronting assumptions, biases, and stereotypes in preservice teachers' conceptualizations of science teaching through the use of book clubJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 9 2009Felicia Moore Mensah Abstract This study focuses on the structure and theoretical foundations of the book club for promoting multicultural understandings in science teacher education. The book club was defined as an informal, peer-directed group discussion that met regularly to discuss an ethnographic, multicultural text regarding issues pertinent to science teaching and learning in urban classrooms. Twenty-three preservice teachers (PSTs) enrolled in a 16-week elementary science methods course at a large urban university participated in the study. From the qualitative analyses of PSTs' written reflections and researcher journal notes, five themes which emphasize Individual, Collaborative, and Collective learning are presented. These findings highlight how the book club structure and theoretical foundation fostered critical, reflective inquiry and served as a method for effecting ideological change which is needed in order to embrace issues of diversity in urban science education. Implications for science teacher education concerning the relevancy of pedagogical strategies, the use of multiple theoretical perspectives, and the book club as a strategy in teacher education and urban education are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 1041,1066, 2009 [source] A cultural perspective of the induction of five reform-minded beginning mathematics and science teachersJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 7 2004J. Randy McGinnis The purpose of this empirical study was to present a detailed description and interpretation of what happens in schools to beginning teachers who are prepared to enact reform-based practices in mathematics and science. The focus was on a select sample of graduates from the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation [MCTP], a statewide reform-based undergraduate teacher preparation program funded by the National Science Foundation. Interpretative research methodology was used to conduct a cultural case study of the beginning teachers' first 2 years of practice (first year, N,=,5; second year, N,=,3). We documented differential experiences and perceptions of the beginning teachers from both inside (emic) and outside (etic) perspectives. Documented discussion centered on an analytical framework suggested elsewhere. Findings were framed in two components: the individual's intentions, needs, and capabilities; and the institutional demands, affordances, and constraints. The major insight was that the beginning teachers' perception of their school culture was a major factor in whether reform-aligned mathematics and science teaching was regularly implemented by the beginning teachers. In instances where the beginning teachers' perceived that their school cultures offered a lack of support for their intent to implement reform-based practices the beginning teachers exhibited differing social strategies (resistance, moving on, and exit). Therefore, to sustain reform (and, by extension, to retain beginning mathematics and science teachers), a key implication is to place additional attention on the use of the school culture perspective to improve teacher preparation and induction experiences. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 720,747, 2004 [source] Undergraduates' attitudes and beliefs about subject matter and pedagogy measured periodically in a reform-based mathematics and science teacher preparation programJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 8 2002J. Randy McGinnis This study describes the design and use of a valid and reliable instrument to measure teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs about mathematics and science and the teaching of those subjects. The instrument, Attitudes and Beliefs about the Nature of and the Teaching of Mathematics and Science, was developed for the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP), a statewide, standards-based project in the National Science Foundation's Collaborative in Excellence in Teaching Preparation (CETP) Program. We report on two applications of the instrument: (a) a contrast between MCTP teacher candidates' and non-MCTP teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs about mathematics and science as they initially encountered reform-based instruction in their undergraduate courses, and (b) a landscaping of how the MCTP teacher candidates' attitudes toward and beliefs about mathematics and science evolved over a 2.5-year period. In support of current reform in science and mathematics teacher education, we determined that over an extended period the MCTP teacher candidates' attitudes and beliefs moved substantively and significantly in the direction intended. However, we also found that the non-MCTP teacher candidates in the same reform-based courses did not mirror this improvement in their attitudes and beliefs about mathematics and science or the teaching of those subjects. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 713,737, 2002 [source] The Contribution of Collaborative and Individual Tasks to the Acquisition of L2 VocabularyMODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2008YOUJIN KIM Over the past 2 decades, research has demonstrated that learner collaboration facilitates second language (L2) acquisition (Lapkin, Swain, & Smith, 2002; McDonough, 2004; Storch, 1998, 2004; Swain & Lapkin, 1998). Adopting a sociocultural perspective (e.g., Swain & Lapkin, 1998), the current study compared the effectiveness of collaborative and individual tasks on the acquisition of L2 vocabulary by Korean as a second language (KSL) learners (N= 32). The learners completed a pretest, a dictogloss task, and two posttests over a 3-week period. Half the learners carried out the dictogloss in pairs, but the other half worked individually while thinking aloud. The collaborative dialogue and think-aloud protocols were transcribed, and language-related episodes (LREs) were identified. The results indicated that although the learners who participated in the collaborative task had a similar number of LREs as the learners who worked individually, they performed significantly better on the vocabulary tests. The pedagogical implications for the use of collaborative tasks to promote the acquisition of L2 vocabulary are discussed. [source] Keynoter Feinberg, Crowell's Malson, Boston Law Collaborative, collect CPR ADR excellence awardsALTERNATIVES TO THE HIGH COST OF LITIGATION, Issue 2 2010Russ Bleemer First page of article [source] This Isn't Kansas Anymore, Toto: Team Teaching OnlineNEW DIRECTIONS FOR ADULT & CONTINUING EDUCATION, Issue 87 2000Gabriele Strohschen Collaborative teaching in an online environment offers unique opportunities and challenges for creative curriculum design and student learning. [source] Variability in immunization guidelines in children before and after lung transplantationPEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 8 2007Christian Benden Abstract:, Lung transplant candidates and recipients are at high risk of infections from vaccine-preventable diseases. However, well-established guidelines neither exist for pre- and post-transplant vaccination nor do monitoring guidelines for pediatric lung transplant recipients. To ascertain the current vaccination and monitoring practices of pediatric lung transplant centers, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the 18 pediatric lung transplant centers within the International Pediatric Lung Transplant Collaborative in April 2006. Sixteen of 18 centers (89%) surveyed responded. Pretransplant, national vaccination guidelines are followed. Eleven centers reported following standardized vaccination guidelines post-transplant. Vaccines were more commonly provided by the primary-care physician pretransplant (69%) rather than post-transplant (38%). Post-transplant, 50% of the centers recommend live vaccines for household contacts but not for the transplant recipient. Pretransplant monitoring of response to prior vaccination was performed inconsistently except for varicella (88%). Only 44% of the transplant centers measure for response to vaccination post-transplant, mostly hepatitis B. Current vaccination practices of pediatric lung transplant centers are heterogeneous. The lung transplant community would be well served by studies designed to evaluate the efficacy of vaccinations in this population. [source] Outcomes of genetics services: Creating an inclusive definition and outcomes menu for public health and clinical genetics services,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 3 2009Kerry Silvey Abstract Third party payers, funding agencies, and lawmakers often require clinicians and public health agencies to justify programs and services by documenting results. This article describes two assessment tools,"Defining Genetics Services Framework" and "Genetics Services Outcomes Menu," created to assist public health professionals, clinicians, family advocates, and researchers to plan, evaluate, and demonstrate the effectiveness of genetics services. The tools were developed by a work group of the Western States Genetics Services Collaborative (WSGSC) consisting of public health genetics and newborn screening professionals, family representatives, a medical geneticist, and genetic counselors from Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The work group created both tools by an iterative process of combining their ideas with findings from a literature and World Wide Web review. The Defining Genetics Services Framework reflects the diversity of work group members. Three over-lapping areas of genetics services from public health core functions to population screening to clinical genetics services are depicted. The Genetics Services Outcomes Menu lists sample long-term outcomes of genetics services. Menu outcomes are classified under impact areas of Knowledge and Information; Financing; Screening and Identification; Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management; and Population Health. The WSGSC incorporated aspects of both tools into their Regional Genetics Plan. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Transatlantic innovation infrastructure networks: public-private, EU,US R&D partnershipsR & D MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2004Elias G. Carayannis Collaborative, team-based research is now the most significant mode of activity in the global scientific community. Anecdotal and statistical evidence shows moreover that collaboration in scientific research is increasingly global in nature. That is, the groups of researchers who are involved in scientific progress often span one or more nations in origin, location and/or sponsorship. Another significant trend in recent cases of scientific collaboration is the increase in cross-sectoral cooperation, where researchers in a group are employed by government, private industry, and/or academic and other non-profit institutions. In this paper, we review the scale, scope and intensity of cross-national, cross-sectoral research collaboration through the analysis of historical data on co-authorship of scientific publications. The first part of the paper reviews existing literature on the analysis of co-authorship data, and discusses the limitations of this form of analysis and typical strategies to mitigate those limitations. The second part of the paper describes a preliminary study of cross-national, cross-sectoral scientific collaborations covering the years 1988 through 1997, where we examined the scale (volume of co-authored papers), intensity (co-authored papers versus other kinds of co-authorship), and scope (patterns in co-authorship) for cross-national, cross-sectoral collaborations. The conclusion of the paper discusses significant trends and patterns derived from this study, and their implications for further research into these types of collaborations. [source] Book Review: Collaborative and Distributed Chemical Engineering.CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CET), Issue 11 2009By M. Nagel, W. Marquardt. No abstract is available for this article. [source] Organ Donation and Utilization in the United States: 1998,2007AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4p2 2009J. E. Tuttle-Newhall Organ transplantation remains the only life-saving therapy for many patients with organ failure. Despite the work of the Organ Donation and Transplant Collaboratives, and the marked increases in deceased donors early in the effort, deceased donors only rose by 67 from 2006 and the number of living donors declined during the same time period. There continues to be increases in the use of organs from donors after cardiac death (DCD) and expanded criteria donors (ECD). This year has seen a major change in the way organs are offered with increased patient safety measures in those organ offers made by OPOs using DonorNet©. Unfortunately, the goals of 75% conversion rates, 3.75 organs transplanted per donor, 10% of all donors from DCD sources and 20% growth of transplant center volume have yet to be reached across all donation service areas (DSAs) and transplant centers; however, there are DSAs that have not only met, but exceeded, these goals. Changes in organ preservation techniques took place this year, partly due to expanding organ acceptance criteria and increasing numbers of ECDs and DCDs. Finally, the national transplant environment has changed in response to increased regulatory oversight and new requirements for donation and transplant provider organizations. [source] PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING IN PRACTICE,CRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 2 2005GARY CORDNER Research Summary: Interviews and surveys were used to measure the extent of problem-oriented policing (POP) by individual police officers in the San Diego Police Department. Officers tended to engage in small-scale problem solving with little formal analysis or assessment. Responses generally included enforcement plus one or two more collaborative or nontraditional initiatives. Policy Implications: Despite 15 years of national promotion and a concerted effort at implementation within the San Diego Police Department, POP as practiced by ordinary police officers fell far short of the ideal model. It may be unreasonable to expect every police officer to continuously engage in full-fledged POP. [source] Electroconvulsive therapy is equally effective in unipolar and bipolar depressionACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2010S. Bailine Bailine S, Fink M, Knapp R, Petrides G, Husain MM, Rasmussen K, Sampson S, Mueller M, McClintock SM, Tobias KG, Kellner CH. Electroconvulsive therapy is equally effective in unipolar and bipolar depression. Objective:, To determine the relative efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of bipolar (BP) and unipolar (UP) depressive illness and clarify its role in BP depression. Method:, Patients referred for ECT with both UP and BP depressions. [classified by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID-I) criteria for history of mania] were included in a multi-site collaborative, double-masked, randomized controlled trial of three electrode placements , right unilateral, bifrontal or bitemporal , in a permutated block randomization scheme. Results:, Of 220 patients, 170 patients (77.3%) were classified as UP and 50 (22.7%) as BP depression in the intent-to-treat sample. The remission and response rates and numbers of ECT for both groups were equivalent. Conclusion:, Both UP and BP depressions remit with ECT. Polarity is not a factor in the response rate. In this sample ECT did not precipitate mania in depressed patients. Treatment algorithms for UP and BP depression warrant re-evaluation. [source] Packaging design, consumer research, and business strategy: The march toward accountabilityDESIGN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, Issue 4 2002Scott Young It may not be science, but there are research techniques to measure the effectiveness and leverage the results of package designs. Scott Young articulates the possibilities, the limits, and the best uses of this type of design research. Perhaps more valuable, he recommends specific steps managers can take to build collaborative and productive relationships among designers, experts in research, and decision makers in marketing and sales. [source] Randomized controlled trial of physiotherapy in 56 children with cerebral palsy followed for 18 monthsDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2001E Bower PhD MCSP Senior Research Fellow This study aimed to determine whether motor function and performance is better enhanced by intensive physiotherapy or collaborative goal-setting in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants were a convenience sample of 56 children with bilateral CP classified at level III or below on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), aged between 3 and 12 years. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to compare the effects of routine amounts of physiotherapy with intensive amounts, and to compare the use of generalized aims set by the child's physiotherapist with the use of specific, measurable goals negotiated by the child's physiotherapist with each child, carer, and teacher. Following the six-month treatment period there was a further six-month period of observation. Changes in motor function and performance were assessed by a masked assessor using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and the Gross Motor Performance Measure (GMPM) at three-month intervals. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores achieved between intensive and routine amounts of therapy or between aim-directed and goal-directed therapy in either function or performance. Inclusion of additional covariates of age and severity levels showed a trend towards a statistically significant difference in children receiving intensive therapy during the treatment period. This advantage declined over the subsequent six months during which therapy had reverted to its usual amount. Differences in goal-setting procedures did not produce any detectable effect on the acquisition of gross motor function or performance. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||