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Historical Review (historical + review)
Kinds of Historical Review Selected AbstractsMETEOROLOGICAL TSUNAMIS IN SOUTHERN BRITAIN: AN HISTORICAL REVIEW,GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Issue 2 2009SIMON K. HASLETT ABSTRACT. Meteorological tsunamis, or meteo-tsunamis, are long-period waves that possess tsunami characteristics but are meteorological in origin, although they are not storm surges. In this article we investigate the coast of southern Britain-the English Channel, the Bristol Channel, and the Severn Estuary-for the occurrence of tsunami-like waves that, in the absence of associated seismic activity, we recognize as meteo-tsunamis. The passage of squall lines over the sea apparently generated three of these events, and two seem to have been far-traveled, long-period waves from mid-North Atlantic atmospheric low-pressure systems. The remaining three wave events appear to have been associated with storms that, among possible explanations, may have induced large-amplitude standing waves-such as seiches-or created long-period waves through the opposition of onshore gale-force winds and swells with high ebb tidal current velocities. This coastal hazard has resulted in damage and loss of life and should be considered in future coastal defense strategies and in beachuser risk assessments. [source] The Role of Surface Water Drainage in Environmental Change: a Case Example of the Upper South East of South Australia; an Historical ReviewGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2001Kathryn H. Taffs The role of surface water drainage in environmental change in Australia is rarely appreciated. Drains can modify surface water hydrology, not only altering flow regimes but also rapidly dispersing contaminants and altering the natural hydrological balance of associated flora and fauna. Yet drainage continues to be considered a viable management strategy rather than as a cause of land degradation. The impact of surface water drainage in an inherently saline area of South Australia, the Upper South East, is investigated. Surface water drains were constructed by developers in an attempt to increase the area of land available and viable for agricultural land use. Drainage strategies altered the natural direction, magnitude and frequency of surface water flow. The Upper South East has experienced periods of both increased surface water and flooding, and surface water deficit, in the past one hundred years. The region now receives less surface water than under pre-European conditions, but local runoff is channelled into and through the wetlands more rapidly than before European settlement. Future management strategies are likely to continue this trend, to the detriment of remnant natural wetlands. [source] Mechanical Devices for Recording Maxillomandibular Relations: A Historical ReviewJOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2000Yung-Shen Huang DDS [source] Historical Review of Penile Prosthesis Design and Surgical Techniques: Part 1 of a Three-Part Review Series on Penile Prosthetic SurgeryTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009Gerard D. Henry MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Throughout history, many attempts to cure complete impotence have been recorded. Early attempts at a surgical approach involved the placement of rigid devices to support the natural process of erection formation. However, these early attempts placed the devices outside of the corpora cavernosa, with high rates of erosion and infection. Today, most urologists in the United States now place an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) with an antibiotic coating inside the tunica albuginea. Aim., The article describes the key historical landmarks in penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques. Methods., The article reviews and evaluates the published literature for important contributions to penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques. Main Outcome Measures., The article reviews and evaluates the historical landmarks in penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques that appear to improve outcomes and advance the field of prosthetic urology for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Results., The current review demonstrates the stepwise progression starting with the use of stenting for achieving rigidity in the impotent patient. Modern advances were first used in war-injured patients which led to early implantation with foreign material. The design and techniques of penile prostheses placement have advanced such that now, more complications are linked to medical issues than failure of the implant. Conclusions., Today's IPPs have high patient satisfaction rates with low mechanical failure rates. Gerard D. Henry. Historical review of penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques: Part 1 of a three-part review series on penile prosthetic surgery. J Sex Med 2009;6:675,681. [source] Historical review of sample preparation for chromatographic bioanalysis: pros and consDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 3 2007Min S. Chang Abstract Sample preparation is a major task in a regulated bioanalytical laboratory. The sample preparation procedure significantly impacts assay throughput, data quality, analysis cost, and employee satisfaction. Therefore, selecting and optimizing an appropriate sample preparation method is essential for successful method development. Because of our recent expertise, this article is focused on sample preparation for high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS) is the most common detection technique for small molecules used in regulated bioanalytical laboratories. The sample preparation technologies discussed are pre-extraction and post-extraction sample processing, protein precipitation (PPT), liquid,liquid extraction (LLE), offline solid-phase extraction (SPE), and online solid-phase extraction. Since all these techniques were in use for more than two decades, numerous applications and variations exist for each technique. We will not attempt to categorize each variation. Rather, the development history, a brief theoretical background, and selected references are presented. The strengths and the limitations of each method are discussed, including the throughput improvement potential. If available, illustrations from presentations at various meetings by our laboratory are used to clarify our opinion. Drug Dev Res 68:107,133, 2007. ©2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Do Suicide Survivors Suffer Social Stigma: A Review of the LiteraturePERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE, Issue 1 2005Jacqueline G. Cvinar One of the delineating elements found in suicide bereavement versus normal bereavement is the stigma experienced by survivors. This review of the literature will provide insight into stigma as an underlying element in suicide bereavement and point to the role of health professionals in dealing with this complex issue. Historical review and empirical studies are analyzed to provide a framework for how suicide relates to natural bereavement. The conclusion is that suicide bereavement is different from natural loss. The challenge to health care providers is to sort through the complex issues surrounding the individual and their social network to find mechanisms that lead to resolution. Suicide has a profound effect on the family, friends, and associates of the victim that transcends the immediate loss. As those close to the victim suffer through bereavement, a variety of reactions and coping mechanisms are engaged as each individual sorts through individual reactions to the difficult loss. Bereavement refers to "all the physiological, psychological, behavioral, and social response patterns displayed by an individual following the loss (usually through death) of a significant person or thing" (Dunne, Dunne-Maxim & McIntosh, 1987). Bereavement following suicide is complicated by the complex psychological impact of the act on those close to the victim. It is further complicated by the societal perception that the act of suicide is a failure by the victim and the family to deal with some emotional issue and ultimately society affixes blame for the loss on the survivors. This individual or societal stigma introduces a unique stress on the bereavement process that in some cases requires clinical intervention. [source] Historical Review of Penile Prosthesis Design and Surgical Techniques: Part 1 of a Three-Part Review Series on Penile Prosthetic SurgeryTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009Gerard D. Henry MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Throughout history, many attempts to cure complete impotence have been recorded. Early attempts at a surgical approach involved the placement of rigid devices to support the natural process of erection formation. However, these early attempts placed the devices outside of the corpora cavernosa, with high rates of erosion and infection. Today, most urologists in the United States now place an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) with an antibiotic coating inside the tunica albuginea. Aim., The article describes the key historical landmarks in penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques. Methods., The article reviews and evaluates the published literature for important contributions to penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques. Main Outcome Measures., The article reviews and evaluates the historical landmarks in penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques that appear to improve outcomes and advance the field of prosthetic urology for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Results., The current review demonstrates the stepwise progression starting with the use of stenting for achieving rigidity in the impotent patient. Modern advances were first used in war-injured patients which led to early implantation with foreign material. The design and techniques of penile prostheses placement have advanced such that now, more complications are linked to medical issues than failure of the implant. Conclusions., Today's IPPs have high patient satisfaction rates with low mechanical failure rates. Gerard D. Henry. Historical review of penile prosthesis design and surgical techniques: Part 1 of a three-part review series on penile prosthetic surgery. J Sex Med 2009;6:675,681. [source] Historical review of breast lymphatic studiesCLINICAL ANATOMY, Issue 5 2009Hiroo Suami Abstract The gross anatomy of the lymphatic system is one of the least studied areas of anatomy, primarily because of the technical difficulties encountered in demonstrating this almost invisible yet vast system. Similarly, there have been very few studies of the gross lymphatic anatomy of the adult human breast. Previous studies used young pregnant female cadavers. When mercury was injected into the lactiferous ducts or breast lymphatic channels, these cadavers enabled early anatomists to see the breast lymphatics. Both Cruikshank (1786) and Cooper (1840) located the axillary lymph pathway as well as accessory pathways directly from the breast. Sappey (1874) concluded that all lymphatics arising from the breast drained into the axilla via the subareolar plexus. Current descriptions of the breast lymphatics may be traced back to the diagram made by Poirier and Cuneo (1902). However, it is apparent that this diagram is a composite of adult breast studies by Sappey, their fetal studies and even clinical feedback. This study provides an historical perspective of the methods that have been previously used to study the lymphatics of the breast and introduces an update on current investigative approaches. Clin. Anat. 22:531,536, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Broad Beam Ion Sources for Electrostatic Space Propulsion and Surface Modification Processes: From Roots to Present ApplicationsCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 7 2007H. Neumann Abstract Ion thrusters or broad beam ion sources are widely used in electrostatic space propulsion and in high-end surface modification processes. A short historical review of the roots of electric space propulsion is given. In the following, we introduce the electrostatic ion thrusters and broad beam ion sources based on different plasma excitation principles and describe the similarities as well as the differences briefly. Furthermore, an overview on source plasma and ion beam characterisation methods is presented. Apart from that, a beam profile modelling strategy with the help of numerical trajectory codes as basis for a special grid system design is outlined. This modelling represents the basis for the adaptation of a grid system for required technological demands. Examples of model validation demonstrate their reliability. One of the main challenges in improvement of ion beam technologies is the customisation of the ion beam properties, e.g. the ion current density profile for specific demands. Methods of an ex-situ and in-situ beam profile control will be demonstrated. Examples for the use of ion beam technologies in space and on earth , the RIT-10 rescue mission of ESA's satellite Artemis, the RIT-22 for BepiColombo mission and the deposition of multilayer stacks for EUVL (Extreme Ultra Violet Lithography) mask blank application are provided in order to illustrate the potential of plasma-based ion beam sources. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Corporate Governance in Germany and the German Corporate Governance CodeCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2005Gerhard Cromme The term "corporate governance", and all that it implies, is now in everyday use in Germany. This is due to the enormous changes Germany has experienced in recent years, in international business, international finance and in German industrial structures. This contribution deals with recent changes in the German system of corporate governance. After a short historical review, the major elements of the international context that form the background for changes in Germany are discussed. This is followed by an explanation of the German Corporate Governance Code and its role, concluding with a prospectus for further possible developments and a summary of key points. [source] Expanding field of purinergic signalingDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1-2 2001Geoffrey Burnstock Abstract This article attempts to paint a broad picture of the extraordinary explosive recent developments in the purinergic signaling field. After a brief historical review and update of purinoceptor subtypes, the focus is on the physiological roles of purines and pyrimidines. These are considered both in terms of short-term signaling in neurotransmission, secretion, and vasodilatation and in long-term (trophic) signaling in development, regeneration, proliferation, and cell death. Examples of trophic signaling include cartilage development in limb buds, glial cell proliferation, development of skeletal muscle, changes in receptor expression in smooth-muscle phenotypes, maturation of testicular spermatids, and bone remodeling. Plasticity of purinoceptor expression in pathological conditions is described, including the increase in the purinergic component of parasympathetic nervous control of the human bladder in interstitial cystitis and outflow obstruction and in sympathetic cotransmitter control of blood vessels in hypertensive rats, the appearance of P2X7 receptors in the glomeruli of the kidney from diabetic and transgenic hypertensive animal models, and up-regulation of P2X1 and P2Y2 receptor mRNA in hearts of rats with congestive heart failure. The role of P2X3 receptors in nociception is considered, and a new hypothesis about purinergic mechanosensory transduction in the gut is explored. A personal view of some of the areas ripe for future development concludes this article, including a discussion of different strategies that could lead to the development of purinergic therapeutic agents. Drug Dev. Res. 52:1,10, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Founding of the American Epilepsy Society: 1936,1971EPILEPSIA, Issue 1 2007Howard P. Goodkin Summary:, In December 1946, a joint meeting devoted to epilepsy research and care was held by the Association for the Research in Nervous and Mental Disease and the American Chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy. The American Epilepsy Society (AES) has chosen this date and this meeting to mark its founding and recognizes Dr. Charles D. Aring as the organization's first president. However, the founding process of the AES actually began a decade earlier with a dinner meeting held during the American Medical Association's annual meeting. Based on this historical review, it is recommended that the AES recognize 1936 as the year of its founding and Dr. William G. Lennox as its founder and first president. [source] Eating disorders in Italy: a historical reviewEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 5 2001Giovanni Maria Ruggiero This paper reviews the history of medical knowledge of eating disorders in Italy. It starts with the first examples of the medical interpretation of starvation during the Middle and Renaissance Ages, continues with the seminal figure of Brugnoli in the late XIX century, describes the neurological interpretations of the 1930s, the return to psychiatry in the 1940s and 1950s, the rise to international prominence of Mara Selvini Palazzoli in the 1960s and 1970s and ends with a description of the present state of the art. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] EXPENDITURES ON CHILDREN AND VISITATION TIMEFAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 2 2004A Reply to Garfinkel, McLanahan, Wallerstein In their critique, Garfinkel, McLanahan, and Wallerstein raise concerns about the representativeness of the authors' sample, benchmark approach methodology, and historical review of guidelines, all of which lead them to discount the evidence presented opposing the cliff-model assumption of father expenditures on children, and to laud instead child support guidelines that give little monetary credit or adjustment for visitation. This article presents evidence that (a) this sample is at most little biased, and remains trustworthy for the main implications presented; (b) although only a beginning, the benchmark approach is highly useful and most of the concerns raised about it are ill founded or implausible; and (c) the historical review suggesting that current guidelines assume zero visitation expenses is indeed accurate for the vast majority of states, according to the foremost authority. Thus, notwithstanding the critique, these findings have merit and importance and should be considered by policy makers. The authors also comment on the additional arguments against continuous and generous adjustments for visitation, finding them based on a weak foundation of evidence and reasoning. [source] The Development of the Observational MethodGEOMECHANICS AND TUNNELLING, Issue 5 2008Wulf Schubert o.Univ.-Prof. A continuous observation during construction always has been an important element of geotechnical engineering for minimizing risks. The reasons are the uncertainties in the geological and geotechnical models, as well as the limited capability to sufficiently accurately describe the complex ground behaviour. In the early days design of geotechnical structures thus was mainly based on experience. As usual, experience was used to develop mathematical solutions to the problem. To account for the inherent scatter of parameters and uncertainties in the models, the assumptions made during design had and have to be verified or falsified during construction by observations. For safe and economical construction, the design has to be adjusted during construction to the actual conditions. The term "observational method" was first formally introduced by Peck and Terzaghi. The original ideas behind the method have not always been understood or followed. After a brief historical review of the observational method the current status of the method is critically reviewed, and further developments discussed. Die Beobachtungsmethode einst und jetzt Die Schwierigkeit, den Baugrund ausreichend zu erkunden und dessen Interaktion mit dem Bauwerk zutreffend mathematisch zu modellieren, erfordert die laufende Beobachtung während des Baus, um die Baumaßnahmen an die tatsächlichen Verhältnisse anzupassen und das Risiko vermindern zu können. Mit vermehrter Erfahrung wurden auch Analysemodelle entwickelt. Zur Berücksichtigung der unvermeidlichen Streuung der Baugrundeigenschaften und der Unsicherheiten in den Modellen wurden und werden während des Baus Beobachtungen durchgeführt. Die Bezeichnung "Beobachtungsmethode" wurde formal von Peck und Terzaghi eingeführt. Die damals formulierten Grundsätze wurden nicht immer verstanden und befolgt. Im Beitrag wird nach einem kurzen historischen Rückblick über Entstehung und Entwicklung der Methode der derzeitige Stand kritisch beleuchtet, und weitere Entwicklungen werden diskutiert. [source] Making subjective judgments in quantitative studies: The importance of using effect sizes and confidence intervalsHUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2006Jamie L. Callahan At least twenty-three journals in the social sciences purportedly require authors to report effect sizes and, to a much lesser extent, confidence intervals; yet these requirements are rarely clear in the information for contributors. This article reviews some of the literature criticizing the exclusive use of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) and briefly highlights the state of NHST reporting in social science journals, including Human Resource Development Quarterly. Included are an overview of effect sizes and confidence intervals,their definitions, a brief historical review, and an argument regarding their importance. The article concludes with recommendations for changing the culture of quantitative research within human resource development (HRD) to more systematically reporting effect sizes and confidence intervals as supplements to NHST findings. [source] The Ontario Securities Commission on Accounting and Auditing from the 1960s to 2008,Part 2: The First Four Chief Accountants, 1986,1996,ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVES, Issue 2 2010STEPHEN A. ZEFF audit; Commission des valeurs mobilières de l'Ontario; information financière; réglementation Abstract This article, Part 2 of a historical review and analysis of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), describes the role played by the first four Chief Accountants in the regulation of accounting and auditing from 1986 to 1996. Part 1 dealt with the period from the 1960s to 1985. Part 3 will treat the role played by the fifth Chief Accountant, from 1996 to 2008. As the principal Canadian stock exchange in recent times has been the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OSC has been the most important securities market regulator in Canada. Prior to this article, the academic and professional accounting literature has been largely barren on the OSC's evolving role on accounting and auditing issues. Le rôle de la Commission des valeurs mobilières de l'Ontario en matière de comptabilité et d'audit des années 1960 à 2008 , Partie 2 : Les quatre premiers Chefs comptables, 1986 à 1996 Résumé Dans la deuxième partie de leur revue historique et de leur analyse de la Commission des valeurs mobilières de l'Ontario (CVMO), les auteurs décrivent le rôle joué par les quatre premiers Chefs comptables de la CVMO dans la réglementation de la comptabilité et de l'audit, de 1986 à 1996. La première partie de leur étude portait sur la période s'échelonnant des années 1960 à 1985. La troisième partie portera sur le rôle joué par le cinquième Chef comptable, de 1996 à 2008. La Bourse de Toronto ayant été la principale bourse canadienne au cours des dernières années, la CVMO a aussi été première en importance parmi les autorités de réglementation du marché des valeurs mobilières au Canada. Jusqu'à maintenant, les écrits sur la théorie et la profession comptables étaient demeurés à peu près silencieux sur l'évolution du rôle de la CVMO au chapitre de la comptabilité et de l'audit. [source] The Ontario Securities Commission on Accounting and Auditing from the 1960s to 2008 , Part 1: 1960s to 1985,ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVES, Issue 1 2010STEPHEN A. ZEFF Audit; Commission des valeurs mobilières de l'Ontario; information financière; réglementation Abstract We present Part 1 of a historical review and analysis of the role played by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) in accounting and auditing from the 1960s onwards. Part 1 deals with the period from the 1960s to 1985. Parts 2 and 3 will treat the roles played by the first five Chief Accountants, from 1986 to 2008. As the principal Canadian stock exchange in recent times has been the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OSC has been the most important securities market regulator in Canada. Prior to this article, the academic and professional accounting literature has been largely barren on the OSC's evolving role on accounting and auditing issues. Le rôle de la Commission des valeurs mobilières de l'Ontario en matière de comptabilité et d'audit des années 1960 à 2008 , Partie 1 : Années 1960 à 1985 Résumé Les auteurs présentent la première partie de leur revue historique et de leur analyse du rôle joué par la Commission des valeurs mobilières de l'Ontario (CVMO) en comptabilité et en audit, à compter des années 1960. Cette première partie de leur étude porte sur la période s'échelonnant des années 1960 à 1985. Les deuxième et troisième parties porteront sur les rôles joués par les cinq premiers Chefs comptables, de 1986 à 2008. La Bourse de Toronto ayant été la principale bourse canadienne au cours des dernières années, la CVMO a aussi été première en importance parmi les autorités de réglementation du marché des valeurs mobilières au Canada. Jusqu'à maintenant, les écrits sur la théorie et la profession comptables étaient demeurés à peu près silencieux sur l'évolution du rôle de la CVMO au chapitre de la comptabilité et de l'audit. [source] Expatriate mangers: A historical reviewINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 3 2009Michael Harvey As expatriate managers continue to be a viable means for exercising control over foreign operations, they can have a direct impact on organizational performance, and therefore a delineation of the history of these key leaders in order to enhance our understanding of their continued significant impact is a laudable goal. The paper discusses each stage of the human resource management process, beginning with the identification and concluding with the repatriation stage of expatriate managers. Each stage is discussed in terms of the successes as well as problems/failures associated with the individual, organizational, environmental and systemic unit in mind. The paper concludes with future implications emphasizing the necessity to create new and/or enhance current practices relating to the development of expatriate managers' maximum global impact depending on the evolving nature of the globalization of business. [source] Concept analysis: the importance of differentiating the ontological focusJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 3 2007Craig Duncan Abstract Title. Concept analysis: the importance of differentiating the ontological focus Aim., The aim of this paper is to clarify the philosophical underpinnings of concepts and concept analysis and the implications of their use through the lens of particular ontological perspectives. Background., Information on the philosophical foundations of concepts from an ontological and epistemological perspective is not readily identifiable in the international literature. Although some authors have made reference to the ontological perspectives of specific concept analysis processes, none have addressed the implications of the realist or relativist perspective in relation either to the analysis process or the implications of a particular ontological perspective on the meaning and utility of a specific concept. Method., We describe the evolution of concept analysis and influence of ontological paradigms on specific analysis methods. Using an historical review of concept development within nursing thought, we decode the language of concepts and processes of concept analysis, outline the importance of the ontological foundation of concept development, and describe the impact of concept use. Discussion., The nursing literature is dominated by concepts created from a realist perspective. Although recent nurse,authors have introduced evidence-based data to facilitate the development of a number of concepts, they have held fast to the perception that the ,best', most adequate or mature concepts transcend context. Conclusion., The theoretical shift from context-bound empirical analysis of concepts belies the complexity of nurses' work. Concepts are unapologetically context-bound. A concept that transcends context (based on realist ontology) will remain the same even when the context of praxis changes limiting its utility. [source] Transformational change: A historical reviewJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2004William L. White Recovery from alcoholism can occur through a process of psychological death and rebirth. Generating a new person within a body once occupied by another, transformational change (TC) stands as a life-defining experience demarcating before (old self) and after (new self). The TC experiences of 7 individuals (Handsome Lake, John Gough, Francis Murphy, Jerry McAuley, Bill Wilson, Marty Mann, and Malcolm X) are presented here. Their recoveries from addiction catalyzed larger abstinence-based mutual aid, advocacy, or religious/cultural revitalization movements. Psychotherapists are encouraged to respect the healing power of the TC experience, avoid aborting the TC experience via superficial amelioration of its more disquieting manifestations, interpret the TC experience in ways that solidify and sustain the change process, and help bridge the TC experience and the construction of a new identity and lifestyle. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol/In Session. [source] Current Concerns in Validity TheoryJOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT, Issue 4 2001Michael T. Kane We are at the end of the first century of work on models of educational and psychological measurement and into a new millennium. This certainly seems like an appropriate time for looking backward and looking forward in assessment. Furthermore, a new edition of the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999) has been published, and the previous editions of the Standards have served as benchmarks in the development of measurement theory. This backward glance will be just that, a glance. After a brief historical review focusing mainly on construct validity, the current state of validity theory will be summarized, with an emphasis on the role of arguments in validation. Then how an argument-based approach might be applied will be examined in regards to two issues in validity theory: the distinction between performance-based and theory-based interpretations, and the role of consequences in validation. [source] Where is the wisdom?JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 6 2009A conceptual history of evidence-based medicine Abstract Rationale, Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been acclaimed as a major advance in medical science, but criticized as a proposed alternative model for the practice and teaching of medicine. Ambiguity regarding the proper role of the contributions of EBM within the fabric of medicine and health care has contributed to this discrepancy. Aims and objectives, We undertook a critical review of the history of the EBM movement, beginning with its origins in the 1970s and continuing through this century. We drew upon the results of an independent project that rationalized the EBM domain from the perspective of educational evaluation and assessment. We considered the content of EBM in relationship to the propositions and promises embodied in advocacy publications. Results, EBM emerged in the context of the explosion of biomedical information in the decade preceding public access to the Internet in the mid-1990s and drew upon the independently derived ,information literacy' formula developed by information scientists during the 1980s. The critically important content and achievements of EBM are fully explained within the confines of the information literacy model. The thesis that EBM offers an alternative paradigm for individualized health care, asserted in the advocacy literature, is not supported by published models of evidence-based clinical practice. Conclusion, A critical historical review of the origins, content and development of the EBM movement proposes that full integration of the fruits of the movement into routine clinical care remains a conceptual and practical challenge. [source] A historical review of research on the weaver ant Oecophylla in biological controlAGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Paul Van Mele Abstract 1,Although the weaver ant Oecophylla is the first written record of biological control, dating from 304 ad, there have been fewer than 70 scientific publications on this predator as a biological control agent in Asia, from the early 1970s onwards, and fewer than 25 in Africa. 2,Apart from crop-specific ecological and perceptual factors, a historical review shows that political and market forces have also determined the extent to which Oecophylla was incorporated into research and development programmes. 3,In Africa, research on weaver ants in biological control concentrated on export crops, such as coconut and cocoa, whereas, in Asia and Australia, research focused on fruit and nut crops, primarily destined for domestic markets. 4,Increased evidence of pesticide inefficiency under tropical smallholder conditions, changing paradigm shifts in participatory research and a growing scientific interest in local knowledge in the early 1990s opened up new avenues for research on conservation biological control. 5,Lobbying and advocacy have been needed to ensure that Oecophylla was recognized as an effective biological control agent. 6,With an increased market demand for organic produce, holistic approaches such as conservation biological control, particularly the use of Oecophylla, are increasing in importance. 7,Multi-stakeholder strategies for collaborative learning are proposed for a better control of major fruit, nut and timber tree pests in Africa, Asia and Australia. [source] Case-crossover study of hospitalization for acute hepatitis in Chinese herb usersJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 10 2008Chang-Hsing Lee Abstract Background and Aim:, Despite the increase in popularity of herbal products, there is growing concern over potential health hazards caused by the Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) that are regularly reimbursed under the National Health Insurance system in Taiwan. This study attempts to determine the association between CHM prescriptions and acute hepatitis,related hospitalizations. Methods:, A case-crossover study was designed on 200 000 randomly selected individuals from the National Health Insurance Research Database who were then followed from 1997 to 2002. All medications taken in the 30- and 60-day periods prior to hospitalization were explored and compared with four control periods (the 180- and 360-day periods prior to and after the hospitalization). A conditional logistic regression model was then constructed to determine the odds of CHM being prescribed during these risk periods. Results:, There were a total of 12 cases with nonviral, nonalcoholic hepatitis patients who took CHM prescriptions during the 30-day risk or control periods. After adjustment for conventional hepatotoxic drugs, the odds ratio during the 30-day risk period was 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 9.8) for nonviral, nonalcoholic acute hepatitis. A detailed historical review of CHMs for each patient revealed that the odds ratio increased to 4.2 for those prescribed formulae containing Radix Paeoniae (95% CI: 1.1, 15.7) and Radix Glycyrrhizae (95% CI: 1.2, 15.2). Conclusions:, Chinese herbal users revealed a slightly increased risk of acute hepatitis. We therefore recommend pharmacovigilance and active surveillance for CHMs suspected with hepatotoxicity. [source] Governance in Houston: Growth Theories and Urban PressuresJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 5 2003Igor Vojnovic This research will present a historical review of the role of local government and then examine two theoretical interpretations, the public choice and political economy perspectives, in explaining Houston's governance and public policy directions. The work will also show that recent events in Houston that might initially appear to contradict the city's historical development practices, such as greater ethnic sensitivity and increasing concern for the environment, have in no way challenged the city's pro-growth agenda. The new directions in Houston's policy are simply a reflection of a different growth strategy reflecting changing demographics in the city and the new reality of Houston's diversifying economy. [source] Factors influencing the choice of methods in federal evaluation practiceNEW DIRECTIONS FOR EVALUATION, Issue 113 2007Eleanor Chelimsky A critical historical review of the tensions in American governance places the method choice debate in a broader perspective. This chapter reviews the factors that influence the evaluation questions posed to evaluators and, in turn, the methods choices that stem from it. Political and professional pressures on the evaluators also influence methods choice. Flexibility in methods is considered essential for the evaluator to design a study that considers both the context and the specifics of the question. [source] Is there a glass ceiling for women in development?NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP, Issue 3 2008Susan D. Sampson This article reports the results of an empirical study of salary equity for Women in Development of Greater Boston. The study objectives were to examine whether a glass ceiling exists for women in development in the New England area and develop a historical review of equity progress as compared to previous studies. Issues specific to women in the development field were identified and recommendations given to address identified needs. The findings substantiate the existence of a glass ceiling with a significant difference in average salary and representation in upper management. Furthermore, the study revealed that the salary gap between men and women is widening over time. Perceptions of barriers to women's advancement and organizational practices that would contribute to equity were also assessed. Recommendations for future research and organizational practices are presented. [source] 12th International Conference on High Pressure Semiconductor Physics (HPSP-12): Concluding remarksPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 1 2007M. Cardona These concluding remarks discuss the attractiveness of Barcelona as a venue for conferences like the HPSP and the highlights of the work presented at the HPSP-12. The discussion is complemented by information concerning the previous eleven HPSP and a historical review of the field. These concluding remarks end with a few bibliometric data which include the development of the field in Spain, and in particular in Barcelona, since 1975. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Physical activity in cancer survivors: a field in motionPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Kerry S. Courneya Abstract Physical activity (PA) is an important health behavior in almost any population but it may be particularly helpful for cancer survivors. Objective: To introduce this special issue on PA in cancer survivors and to provide a summary of its important contributions to the field. Methods: A brief historical review of PA research in cancer survivors followed by a narrative review of the articles published in this special issue. Results: This special issue contains 13 original articles reporting 15 studies on PA in cancer survivors. Just over half of the studies focus on breast cancer survivors, whereas the remainder focus on understudied cancer survivor groups such as lung, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, hematologic, and pediatric. Moreover, a majority of the studies focus on the survivorship phase of the cancer continuum. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this special issue is the number of studies focusing on the determinants of PA. Taken together, the 13 articles make significant contributions in four areas: (1) randomized controlled trials of PA interventions with supportive care endpoints, (2) observational studies on the determinants of PA, (3) observational studies on the ,determinants of PA determinants', and (4) studies on methodological and feasibility issues related to conducting PA trials. Conclusions: PA research is making an important contribution to the health and well-being of cancer survivors across the entire cancer control continuum. This special issue builds on this momentum and provides the single largest collective contribution of knowledge to date in the field of PA in cancer survivors. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||