Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Instruments Used (instruments + used)
Selected AbstractsFailure Of ProFile NiTi Instruments Used By An Inexperienced Operator Under Access LimitationsAUSTRALIAN ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003Article first published online: 11 FEB 2010 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Ecological Differences in Weight, Length, and Weight for Length of Mexican American Children in the WIC ProgramJOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, Issue 3 2008Elizabeth Reifsnider PhD, WHNP PURPOSE.,Examine factors common in the environments of children who obtain services from a WIC program to determine if differences in ecological/environmental factors can be found in the children who differ in weight, length, and weight for length. DESIGN AND METHODS.,Cross-sectional study of 300 children, 100 each who were stunted, normal weight for length, or overweight. Instruments used were NCATS, ARSMA II, 24-hr diet recall, and Baecke Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS.,Significant differences were present in children's diet, parents' BMI, parents' generation in United States, parents' activity levels, and maternal,child relationship. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.,Encourage parents to adopt family approaches to encourage normal body size in children. [source] The effect of discordance among violence and general recidivism risk estimates on predictive accuracyCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2006Jeremy F. Mills Introduction,Previous research has shown that the prediction of short-term inpatient violence is negatively affected when clinicians' inter-rater agreement is low and when confidence in the estimate of risk is low. This study examined the effect of discordance between risk assessment instruments used to predict long-term general and violence risk in offenders. Methods,The Psychopathy Checklist , Revised (PCL,R), Level of Service Inventory , Revised (LSI,R), Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), and the General Statistical Information on Recidivism (GSIR) were the four risk-prediction instruments used to predict post-release general and violent recidivism within a sample of 209 offenders. Results,The findings lend empirical support to the assumption that predictive accuracy is threatened where there is discordance between risk estimates. Discordance between instruments had the impact of reducing predictive accuracy for all instruments except the GSIR. Further, the influence of discordance was shown to be greater on certain instruments over others. Discordance had a moderating effect on both the PCL,R and LSI,R but not on the VRAG and GSIR. Conclusions,There is a distinct advantage when attempting to predict recidivism to employing measures such as the LSI-R, which includes dynamic variables and intervention-related criminogenic domains, over a measure purely of fixed characteristics, such as the GSIR; however, if there is discordance between the risk estimates, caution should be exercised and more reliance on the more static historically based instrument may be indicated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] At-risk mental state (ARMS) detection in a community service center for early attention to psychosis in BarcelonaEARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY, Issue 3 2010Yanet Quijada Abstract Aim: To describe the strategy and some results in at-risk mental state (ARMS) patient detection as well as some of the ARMS clinical and socio-demographical characteristics. The subjects were selected among the patients visited by an Early Care Equipment for patients at high risk of psychoses, in Barcelona (Spain) during its first year in operation. Methods: Descriptive study of the community,team relations, selection criteria and intervention procedure. Description of patient's socio-demographic and symptomatic characteristics according to the different instruments used in detection and diagnoses, taking account of four principal origins of referrals: mental health services, primary care services, education services and social services. Results: Twenty of 55 referred people fulfilled the at-risk mental state criteria, showing an incidence of 2.4 cases per 10 000 inhabitants. They were mainly adolescent males referred from health, education and social services. Overall, negative symptoms were predominant symptoms and the more frequent specific symptoms were decrease of motivation and poor work and school performance, decreased ability to maintain or initiate social relationships, depressed mood and withdrawal. Conclusions: It is possible to detect and to provide early treatment to patients with prodromal symptoms if the whole matrix of the community , including the social services , contributes to the process. The utilization of a screening instrument and a two-phase strategy , the second carried out by the specialized team , seems to be an appropriate approach for early psychosis and ARMS detection. [source] The clinical syndrome of Alzheimer's disease: aspects particularly relevant to clinical trialsGENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 3 2005R. C. Mohs This paper describes the natural history of the clinical syndrome of Alzheimer's disease (AD) including the cognitive deficit, the neuropsychiatric symptoms, impact on daily functioning, risk factors, medical complications and impact on the use of health-care resources. The clinical presentation of the disease varies greatly from the prodrome through end stage; instruments used to quantify the severity of each aspect of the disease have been developed and are described along with their use in clinical drug trials. Drug treatments for AD are usually developed by first showing a positive effect on the cognitive deficit, with later studies investigating drug effects on other clinical aspects of the disease. [source] Anatomic Endodontic Technology (AET) , a crown-down root canal preparation technique: basic concepts, operative procedure and instrumentsINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 8 2005F. Riitano Abstract Aim, To illustrate the conceptual basis and the operative procedure of the Anatomic Endodontic TechnologyTM (AET) technique and to illustrate the specific instruments used in each phase. Summary, The basic characteristics of the AETTM technique are reported. The instruments and procedure are described in three phases: coronal access, coronal-middle preparation and apical preparation. In the first phase, correct cavity design is described. In the coronal-middle phase, the use of four stainless steel shaping instruments, powered by a reciprocating handpiece is described, incorporating a brushing-milling action against canal walls. During the apical phase, dedicated apical stainless steel and NiTi hand instruments are used to complete the preparation. The stainless steel apical files are used with a 1/4 turn and withdrawal movement whilst the NiTi are used in 360° rotary motion. Key learning points ,,Most current canal shaping techniques do not prepare all the canal walls and can result in over-enlargement in some areas. ,,AETTM defines three regions of the canal: coronal (from the cavo-surface of the access cavity), coronal-middle, and apical. ,,Coronal-middle instrumentation is undertaken with four mechanically driven stainless steel shaping instrument used in brushing-milling action against canal walls. ,,Apical preparation is completed by hand and with the formation of a stop. [source] A quick, practical test procedure to evaluate the performance of instruments used for in vitro UV protection measurementsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 6 2002E. Klette Synopsis The in vitro determination of the UV protection of sunscreens is usually performed by means of transmission measurements with special photometers. Many different instruments are used. Besides numerous commercially available instruments, which are equipped by the manufacturer for the specific measurement, other modular instruments are used. We present here a quick and practical method to evaluate the performance of these instruments with respect to their measuring ranges and to compare the uniformity and reliability of the results obtained with these instruments. Résumé La détermination in vitro de la protection anti-UV de produits solaires est généralement réalisée par la mesure de la transmission à l'aide de photomètres spéciaux. De nombreux appareils peuvent être utilisés à cette fin. A côté des instruments disponibles dans le commerce et spécialement équipés par les fabricants, d'autres appareils modulaires peuvent être employés. Nous présentons ici une méthode rapide et pratique pour évaluer les performances de ces appareils en respectant leurs gammes de mesure et pour comparer la crédibilité et l'uniformité des résultats obtenus. [source] Lack of evidence of the effectiveness of primary brachial plexus surgery for infants (under the age of two years) diagnosed with obstetric brachial plexus palsyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 4 2006Andrea Bialocerkowski PhD M App Sc (Physio) M App Sc (Physio) Grad Dip Public Health Abstract Background, Obstetric brachial plexus palsy, which occurs in 1,3 per 1000 live births, results from traction and/or compression of the brachial plexus in utero, during descent through the birth canal or during delivery. This results in a spectrum of injuries that range in extent of damage and severity and can lead to a lifelong impairment and functional difficulties associated with the use of the affected upper limb. Most infants diagnosed with obstetric brachial plexus palsy receive treatment, such as surgery to the brachial plexus, physiotherapy or occupational therapy, within the first months of life. However, there is controversy regarding the most effective form of management. This review follows on from our previous systematic review which investigated the effectiveness of primary conservative management in infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy. This systematic review focuses on the effects of primary surgery. Objectives, The objective of this review was to systematically assess and collate all available evidence on effectiveness of primary brachial plexus surgery for infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy. Search strategy, A systematic literature search was performed using 13 databases: TRIP, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Proquest 5000, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, Expanded Academic ASAP, Meditext, Science Direct, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Proquest Digital Dissertations, Open Archives Initiative Search Engine, the Australian Digital Thesis program. Those studies that were reported in English and published between July 1992 to June 2004 were included in this review. Selection criteria, Quantitative studies that investigated the effectiveness of primary brachial plexus surgery for infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy were eligible for inclusion into this review. This excluded studies where infants were solely managed conservatively or with pharmacological agents, or underwent surgery for the management of secondary deformities. Data collection and analysis, Two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility of each study for inclusion into the review, the study design used and its methodological quality. Where any disagreement occurred, consensus was reached by discussion. Studies were also assessed for clinical homogeneity by considering populations, interventions and outcomes. Where heterogeneity was present, synthesis was undertaken in a narrative format. Results, Twenty-one studies were included in the review. Most were ranked low on the hierarchy of evidence (no randomised controlled trials were found), and most had only fair methodological quality. Surgical intervention was variable, as were the eligibility criteria for surgery, the timing of surgery and the outcome instruments used to evaluate the effect of surgery. Therefore, it is difficult to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of primary brachial plexus surgery for infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy. Conclusions, Although there is a wealth of information regarding the outcome following primary brachial plexus surgery it was not possible to determine whether this treatment is effective in increasing functional recovery in infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy. Further research is required to develop standardised surgical criteria, and standardised outcome measures should be used at specific points in time during the recovery process to facilitate comparison between studies. Moreover, comparison groups are required to determine the relative effectiveness of surgery compared with other forms of management. [source] Reliability in multi-site psychiatric studiesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2001Morven N. Leese Abstract Multi-site psychiatric studies need to take account of cultural and sometimes also linguistic differences and the reliability of the instruments used may need to be re-established. The analysis of reliability data in these circumstances presents special problems, arising from the requirements to make the best use of all the available data and to compare reliability coefficients across sites, interpreting any differences found in terms of measurement errors and/or sample heterogeneity. Focusing on statistical issues, this paper discusses some topics that should ideally be considered when planning, conducting and analysing such studies. A number of practical examples using data from a recent European study involving the translation and cultural adaptation of five instruments used in mental health service research (the EPSILON Study) are used to illustrate the issues. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Assessing quality in community pharmacyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE, Issue 3 2008Mrs. Devina Halsall PhD student Objective This review aimed to identify English-language instruments used to assess quality in community pharmacy and to evaluate their reported validity, reliability, feasibility and acceptability. Method A systematic review was conducted to identify literature relating to the use of instruments to assess quality in community pharmacy. The electronic databases searched included Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Medline, e-PIC and Pharmline, covering the period of time between January 1990 and March 2007. Reference lists of identified studies and websites of pharmacy bodies were also searched. Key findings Ten instruments were identified from Canada, Malta, the UK and the US. These were used for quality-assurance and/or quality-improvement purposes and focused on: clinical governance systems; organisational culture/maturity; safety (climate and systems); effectiveness of pharmacy services; and stakeholders' feedback on services. The assessments were at different stages of development, and the majority had not been tested for construct validity, reliability and feasibility. Conclusions Assessments with high validity and reliability give a good indication of the quality of care provided and can indicate areas for improvement. Further research is needed to establish a composite view of quality in community pharmacy; and many of the instruments identified required validation. [source] Relationship Between Work Performance and Personality Traits in Hong Kong Organizational SettingsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT, Issue 1 2006Graham P. Tyler Four hundred and thirty-seven employees from four Hong Kong organizations completed the Traditional Chinese versions of the Fifteen Factor Personality Questionnaire Plus (15FQ+) and the Cross-Cultural Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-2) (indigenous scales) and provided objective and memory-based recent performance appraisal scores. A number of significant bivariate correlations were found between personality and performance scores. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that a number of the scales from the 15FQ+ contributed to significantly predicting four of the performance competency dimensions, but that the CPAI-2 indigenous scales contributed no incremental validity in performance prediction over and above the 15FQ+. Results are discussed in the light of previous research and a call made for continued research to further develop and increase the reliability of the Chinese instruments used in the study and to enable generalization of the findings with confidence. [source] A validation study of the Cross-Cultural Adaptability InventoryINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2010Nhung T. Nguyen Despite the claims made about the effectiveness of cross-cultural training programs, few studies have examined the reliability and validity of the instruments used in these training programs. In this study, the authors examined the factor structure of the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) via a confirmatory factor analytic approach. A series of confirmatory factor analytic models was tested and applied at the item level to both the CCAI and Goldberg's Big Five Inventory. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model in which a method factor was estimated fits the data significantly better than a model without such a method effect. Further, the method factor suppressed substantive relationships such that the two CCAI factors of Emotional Resilience and Personal Autonomy became significant correlates with self-reported number of international job assignments after accounting for method variance. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [source] Measuring change in work behavior by means of multisource feedbackINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2006Froukje Jellema Evaluating the effects of interventions is among the most critical issues faced by the field of human resource development today. This study addresses the potential of multisource feedback for training evaluation. The central research question is whether or not it is possible to measure change in work behavior, as a result of training, with multisource feedback in a reliable and valid way. A procedure for training evaluation was developed and three quasi-experimental studies were carried out. The psychometric properties of the multisource feedback instruments used are discussed as well as the training effects that were found. Our conclusion is that in most cases coworkers do not perceive positive changes in the work behavior of training participants. Whenever a training effect is observed, this is observed by the ratee's peers, rather than by the ratee's superiors or subordinates. Overall, the results do not support multisource feedback as an efficient method for training evaluation. However, this does not mean that multisource feedback cannot be used in a training context at all. Two alternative applications are presented. [source] Portless endoscopic adrenalectomy via a single minimal incision using a retroperitoneal approach: Experience with initial 30 casesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 9 2004YUKIO KAGEYAMA Abstract Aim: To assess the feasibility of portless endoscopic adrenalectomy via a single minimum incision that narrowly permits extraction of the specimen. Methods: For, 30 cases of adrenal tumor, portless endoscopic surgery through a single flank incision (3,9 cm; mean, 5.6 cm) was performed without gas inflation or trocar port placement. All of the instruments used during surgery were reusable. The cases included primary aldosteronism (12), Cushing's syndrome (6), preclinical Cushing's syndrome (3), pheochromocytoma (1), non-functioning cortical adenoma (6), adrenocortical carcinoma (1) and adrenocortical hemorrhage (1). Results: Resection of the tumor was successfully completed, without complications, in all of the cases. Operative time was between 83 and 240 min (mean, 147 min). Estimated blood loss was 5,470 mL (mean, 139 mL). None of the patients required blood transfusion. Postoperative course was uneventful. Wound pain was mild and walking and full oral feeding were resumed on the first and second postoperative day, respectively, in the majority of cases. Conclusions: Adrenal tumors are good candidates for portless endoscopic surgery, which is safe, cost-effective, minimally invasive and matches favorably with laparoscopic surgery. [source] A New Paradigm for Clinical Investigation of Infectious Syndromes in Older Adults: Assessing Functional Status as a Risk Factor and Outcome MeasureJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 3 2005Kevin High Abstract Adults aged 65 and over comprise the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, and older adults experience greater morbidity and mortality due to infection than young adults. While this factor is well established, most clinical investigation of infectious diseases in the aged focuses on microbiology, and crude endpoints of clinical success such as cure rates or mortality, but often fails to assess functional status, a critical variable in geriatric care. Functional status can be evaluated as a risk factor for infectious disease or an outcome of interest following specific interventions utilizing well-validated instruments. This paper outlines the currently available data suggesting a link between infection, immunity and impaired functional status in the elderly, summarizes commonly employed instruments used to determine specific aspects of functional status, and provides recommendations for a new paradigm in which clinical trials of older adults include functional assessment. [source] A systematic review of health-related quality of life instruments used for people with venous ulcers: an assessment of their suitability and psychometric propertiesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 19-20 2010Simon J Palfreyman Aims and objectives., To review the quality of life questionnaires used to measure the impact of venous ulceration and to evaluate their psychometric properties. Background., Venous leg ulcers have a negative impact on quality of life. Health-related quality of life can be measured using structured questionnaires. Nurses are the primary care providers for patients with venous ulceration and are ideally placed to assess and develop these types of questionnaires. There may also be an opportunity to use such quality of life instruments to measure the impact of nursing interventions in other areas where nurses are the key care providers. Design., Systematic review. Method., Studies were sought that used quality of life instruments to evaluate the impact of venous ulceration. Fourteen electronic bibliographical databases and 11 Internet-based health services research related resources were searched. In addition, grey literature was sought and the reference lists of relevant articles checked. Data were extracted regarding the type of instrument used, sample, number of items and domains and psychometric performance of the instrument. Results., The initial search identified a total of 338 potential citations. After review, a total of 31 studies were included: 17 used generic and 14 used disease-specific instruments. Five different types of generic and seven disease-specific instruments were identified. There was significant heterogeneity between the studies in terms of study design, aetiology of ulceration and times of assessment. The disease-specific instruments showed limitations in relation to their applicability to venous ulcer patients because of flaws in design or validation. Conclusions., The literature on quality of life related to venous ulceration failed to sufficiently distinguish between those with different causes of leg ulceration. There appeared to be problems with the ability of current quality of life instruments to detect changes in quality of life related to ulcer healing. Relevance to clinical practice., There appears to be an opportunity for nurses to develop a health-related quality of life health-related quality of life instruments to evaluate their impact on patient outcomes. Such instruments could potentially allow nursing interventions to be assessed more effectively than the recently proposed nursing metrics. [source] Improving glycaemic control self-efficacy and glycaemic control behaviour in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: randomised controlled trialJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 3-4 2010Qifang Shi Aims and objectives., To examine the effect of a hospital-based clinic intervention on glycaemic control self-efficacy and glycaemic control behaviour of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Background., Self-efficacy expectations are related to self-management of diabetes and, in conjunction with environmental support, are better predictors of behaviour than are knowledge and skills. Enhancing self-efficacy in patients with DM has been shown to have a positive effect on behavioural change and positively influence long-term glycaemic control. Design., A randomised controlled trial study consisting of two-group pretest-post-test. Methods., One hundred and fifty-seven patients with type 2 DM were randomly divided into two groups: (1) the experimental group (77 patients) receiving one-month hospital-based clinic intervention and (2) the control group (80 patients) receiving usual care. Data collection instruments used in this study were Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale and Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Measure. Outcomes were determined by changes in glycaemic control self-efficacy and glycaemic control behaviour of patients with type 2 DM. Results., The findings revealed that the experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in glycaemic control self-efficacy and glycaemic control behaviour immediately and four months after the intervention (F = 26·888, df = 1, 155, p < 0·05 and F = 18·619, df = 1, 155, p < 0·05, respectively). Conclusions., One-month hospital-based clinic intervention could be useful in improving glycaemic control self-efficacy and glycaemic control behaviour. Relevance to clinical practice., Nurses can learn and use the sources of self-efficacy to enhance patients' self-efficacy on their glycaemic control in clinical care. The health education is most important in nursing care and should be considered while organising the hospital-based clinic intervention. [source] SIVs: Could you survive a financial collapse?JOURNAL OF CORPORATE ACCOUNTING & FINANCE, Issue 4 2008Michael Ehrlich The newspapers are suddenly full of worries about structured investment vehicles (SIVs). These are huge, risky investment instruments used by large banks and hedge funds. But fund managers of major companies have invested in money markets, which in turn,unknown to the company fund managers,have invested in the risky SIVs. Any major collapse of the SIVs could spread financial panic. So what are corporate managers to do? Are there strategies to avoid financial disaster? And what questions should auditors ask right now? © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Automated Test Assembly for Cognitive Diagnosis Models Using a Genetic AlgorithmJOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT, Issue 3 2009Matthew Finkelman Much recent psychometric literature has focused on cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs), a promising class of instruments used to measure the strengths and weaknesses of examinees. This article introduces a genetic algorithm to perform automated test assembly alongside CDMs. The algorithm is flexible in that it can be applied whether the goal is to minimize the average number of classification errors, minimize the maximum error rate across all attributes being measured, hit a target set of error rates, or optimize any other prescribed objective function. Under multiple simulation conditions, the algorithm compared favorably with a standard method of automated test assembly, successfully finding solutions that were appropriate for each stated goal. [source] Comparison of Short Form-36 Health Survey and Nottingham Health Profile in moderate to severe patients with COPDJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2008Sevgi Ozalevli Abstract Objective, To compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessed by Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) on the basis of lung function and exercise capacity parameters in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods and materials, The investigation was a prospective, quality-of-life survey and cross-sectional study of 130 consecutive COPD patients. The NHP and SF-36 as generic HRQoL instruments, the Chronic Respiratory Disease questionnaire (CRQ) as a disease-specific HRQoL instrument and 6-minute walking test, severity of dyspnea, leg fatigue and lung function, were the measurements and instruments used in the study. Results, It was determined that the subscales of both questionnaires were generally related with the FEV1, walking distance, CRQ, severity of dyspnea and leg fatigue values (P < 0.05). The much higher correlation coefficient was determined between these parameters and NHP compared with the SF-36. Only NHP was found to be correlated with the age, body mass index and smoking consumption (P < 0.05). Conclusions, The stronger relation of NHP with the clinical and physical parameters of the patients compared with that of SF-36 may be associated with the increased sensitivity of NHP to the clinical state owing to the increasing respiratory symptoms of our old patients with moderate to severe obstruction and/or the more intelligible and easy-to-respond nature of NHP compared with SF-36. [source] Neuropsychologic status at the age 4 years and atopy in a population-based birth cohortALLERGY, Issue 9 2009J. Julvez Background:, Mental health has been reported to be associated with allergy, but only a few cohort studies have assessed if neurodevelopment predicts atopy. Objective:, To investigate if neurobehavioral status of healthy 4-year-old children was associated with specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) at the same age and skin prick test results 2 years later. Methods:, A population-based birth cohort enrolled 482 children, 422 of them (87%) provided neurobehavioral data, 341 (71%) had specific IgE measured at the age of 4 years; and 395 (82%) had skin prick tests completed at the age of 6 years. Atopy was defined as IgE levels higher than 0.35 kU/l to any of the three tested allergens at the age of 4 or as a positive skin prick test to any of the six tested allergens at the age of 6. McCarthy Scales of Child Abilities and California Preschool Social Competence Scale were the psychometric instruments used. Results:, Twelve percent of children at the age of 4 and 17% at the age of 6 were atopic. Neurobehavioral scores were negatively associated with 6-year-old atopy after adjustment for socio-demographic and allergic factors, A relative risk of 3.06 (95% CI: 1.30,7.24) was associated with the lowest tertile (scorings ,90 points) of the general cognitive scale. Similar results were found for verbal abilities, executive functions, and social competence. Asthma, wheezing, rhinitis, and eczema at the age of 6, but not at the age of 4, were associated with neurodevelopment at the age of 4. Conclusions:, Neuropsychologic functioning and later atopy are negatively associated in preschool age children. [source] Repeatability of joint proprioception and muscle torque assessment in healthy children and in children diagnosed with hypermobility syndromeMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 2 2008Francis A. Fatoye MSc Abstract Background:,Impairment of joint proprioception in patients with hypermobility syndrome (HMS) has been well documented. Both joint proprioception and muscle torque are commonly assessed in patients with musculoskeletal complaints. It is unknown, however, if these measures change significantly on repeated application in healthy children and in children with HMS. Aim:,To investigate the between-days repeatability of joint proprioception and muscle torque in these groups. Methods:,Twenty children (10 healthy and 10 with HMS), aged eight to 15 years, were assessed on two separate occasions (one week apart) for joint kinaesthesia (JK), joint position sense (JPS), and the extensor and knee flexor muscle torque of the knee. JK was measured using threshold to detection of passive movement. JPS was measured using the absolute angular error (AAE; the absolute difference between the target and perceived angles). Knee extensor and flexor muscle torque was normalized to body weight. Results:,Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for JK, extensor and flexor muscle torque were excellent in both groups (range 0.83 to 0.98). However, ICC values for JPS tests were poor to moderate in the two groups (range 0.18 to 0.56). 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were narrow in both cohorts for JK and muscle torque (indicating low systematic error) but wide for the JPS tests. 95% LOA also demonstrated that the measuring instruments used in this study had low between-days systematic error. Conclusions:,Based on ICC and 95% LOA, the repeatability of JK and muscle torque measurements was excellent in both healthy children and those with HMS. The JPS test can only be assessed with poor to moderate repeatability. The use of the JPS test in these children should be undertaken with caution. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Validity of the Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS) with Israeli elderly individuals living in the communityOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2002Tal Zimnavoda Faculty of Medicine Abstract The Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS) was developed to evaluate Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental ADL (IADL) in a psychiatric population. Later the KELS was assessed and adapted for a geriatric population. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the KELS with elderly individuals living in the community in Israel. The subjects included 92 elderly people living in the community, in protected housing facilities for the elderly, and those living in the community and attending day care. Instruments included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to determine cognitive function, the Functional Independent Measure (FIM) to determine performance in ADL, and the Routine Task Inventory (RTI) as a measure of IADL to determine criterion validity. Results showed high correlations between the KELS and the RTI (r=0.895) and the FIM (r=0.70). The KELS was also found to be highly sensitive to the differences between all three groups, supporting construct validity. Furthermore, the KELS was found to be more sensitive to these differences than the other instruments used in the study. In conclusion, the results show the KELS to be valid and appropriate for use by occupational therapists with the Israeli elderly population, similar to the US population. The study's small sample size limits the generalizability of the findings. It is recommended that further research be done on the KELS with larger and more diverse elderly populations. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Instrumentation for Simultaneous Gas and Particle Velocity Measurements at Mach,5,PARTICLE & PARTICLE SYSTEMS CHARACTERIZATION, Issue 6 2002Francis Micheli Abstract This study deals with re-entry vehicles passing through high-altitude clouds of ice particles. The particles disturb the flow field and are erosive, thereby increasing the turbulent heat flux considerably. Measurements were performed in a blow-down wind tunnel to analyze the effects of a particle field on the flow. The wind tunnel flow was seeded by two aerosols. The first was used for LDV flow velocity measurements. Its size was checked by the analysis of its passage through a plane shock wave. The second aerosol was made of uniform micro-spheres of 200,,m diameter, used to simulated the water droplets. The velocity, feeding and scattering of the latter aerosol need to be accurately measured. The velocities of the flow field and of the micro-spheres were measured simultaneously by laser velocimetry. This paper describes the instruments used to seed, ascertain and measure this flow with two aerosols. [source] Association among lung function, exhaled nitric oxide, and the CAN questionnaire to assess asthma control in children,PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 5 2010O. Sardón-Prado MD Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the association among a validated symptom-based questionnaire for asthma control in children (CAN), forced expiratory volume in 1,sec (FEV1), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO). Methods Observational cross-sectional study was performed in a consecutive sample of asthmatic children aged between 7 and 14 years old from December 2007 to February 2008. FENO was measured with a portable electrochemical analyzer and forced spirometry was performed according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society. The CAN questionnaire was completed by the parents (aged <9 years old) or by the children (,9 years old). The strength of the association among FEV1, FENO, and CAN questionnaire was studied using Spearman's rho, and the degree of agreement for asthma control among FEV1, FENO, and CAN questionnaire, with classification of these variables according to values of normality, was studied using Pearson's ,2 test and Cohen's kappa (KC). Results We studied 268 children, mean age 9.7,±,2.1 years. Significant correlations were found between FENO and CAN (r,=,0.2), between FEV1 and CAN (r,=,,0.3), and between FENO and FEV1 (r,=,,0.12). On classifying the variables according to values of normality, no agreement was found to establish the degree of asthma control between FENO and CAN (KC,=,0.18, ,2 Pearson,=,9.63); between FEV1 and CAN (KC,=,0.29, ,2,=,38.5); or between FENO and FEV1 (KC,=,0.07, ,2,=,4.9). Conclusions The association among the three measurement instruments used to assess asthma control (FEV1, FENO, and CAN) was weak. These are instruments that quantify variables that influence asthma in different ways, in this sense, none can be used instead of another in asthma management although they are complementary. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:434,439. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Rise of ,New' Policy Instruments in Comparative Perspective: Has Governance Eclipsed Government?POLITICAL STUDIES, Issue 3 2005Andrew Jordan Governance is a term in good currency, but there are still too few detailed empirical analyses of the precise extent to which it has or has not eclipsed government. This article explores the temporal and spatial characteristics of the governance transition by charting the deployment of new policy instruments in eight industrialised states and the European Union. The adoption and implementation of (,old' and ,new') policy instruments offer a useful analytical touchstone because governance theory argues that regulation is the quintessence of government. Although there are many ,new' environmental policy instruments in these nine jurisdictions, this article finds that the change from government to governance is highly differentiated across political jurisdictions, policy sectors and even the main instrument types. Crucially, many of the new policy instruments used require some state involvement (that is, ,government'), and very few are entirely devoid of state involvement (that is, pure ,governance'). Far from eclipsing government, governance therefore often complements and, on some occasions, even competes with it, although there are some cases of fusion. Future research should thus explore the many complex and varied ways in which government and governance interact in public policy-making. [source] The Importance of Context in Fostering Responsive Community Systems: Supports for Families in Systems of CareAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2010James R. Cook The importance of helping families of children with severe emotional disturbances (SED) connect with informal or natural supports,that is, individuals who are part of their ongoing communities and daily lives,has been widely recognized. Utilization of informal supports has thus become a core element within systems of care (SOCs) designed to improve services for children with SED and their families. However, research demonstrates that implementation of wraparound, the key practice approach within SOCs, often does not include involvement of informal supports. Using a measure of social connectedness (SC), developed to augment the instruments used for the SOC national evaluation, this study assessed parents' and caregivers' views of their connections to and support from their community within a SOC. Overall, parents and caregivers reported low levels of support across multiple sources as well as a desire for more support. Greater levels of perceived support related positively to caregiver strain, types of and satisfaction with services received, and views of their communities as supportive and safe. Greater attention to families' contexts and the identification of effective ways to connect families to their communities are recommended. [source] The early assessment conundrum: Lessons from the past, implications for the futurePSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 7 2004Catherine M. Bordignon The early childhood educational field has garnered attention with initiatives to foster skill acquisition in young children prior to kindergarten entry. These initiatives, in conjunction with the rigorous demands of curricular reform and a burgeoning accountability movement, invoke questions regarding the adequacy of the instruments used to assess young children and the inherent difficulties in conducting such assessments. Because the effectiveness of education relies critically on the sound diagnoses of children's readiness for learning and the measurement of their subsequent progression throughout the schooling process, critical issues in early assessment must be addressed. An examination of past practices was synthesized with recent research to focus awareness on the insufficient content domain, restrictive context, adverse timing and questionable psychometric properties, specifically the inappropriate norms and low predictive validity, of many instruments. Both the implications of and compensatory strategies for each issue are considered. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 737,749, 2004. [source] Practitioner Review: The contribution of attachment theory to child custody assessmentsTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 2 2005James G. Byrne Background:, The area of child custody assessments continues to fail to meet the evidence-based threshold now established in clinical practice. This is despite the existence, for many years, of published guidelines governing the practice of custody assessments available from a number of professional bodies. Methods:, This article reviews the potential of attachment theory to contribute to the conceptualization of custody evaluations, clinical assessment, and the development of evidence-based practice. Particular attention is paid to specific instruments used to assess attachment in clinic and non-clinic settings. Results:, Guidelines concerning child custody assessments highlight the particular importance of assessing attachment and parent,child relationship quality. However, measures often used in the course of a custody assessment are not backed up with empirical research, and the measures that are supported by empirical research have been slow to influence practice. There may be conceptual and measurement advantages of considering an attachment research-informed custody assessment. Discussion:, Attachment theory has obvious conceptual relevance for the child custody context. Further clinical research is needed to demonstrate the usefulness of attachment research measures; research of this kind may shed important light on the development and resilience of affectional bonds. [source] A construct validity study of clinical competence: A multitrait multimethod matrix approachTHE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 1 2010Lubna Baig MBBS, PhD Managing Director, Professor of Community Medicine Abstract Introduction: The purpose of the study was to adduce evidence for estimating the construct validity of clinical competence measured through assessment instruments used for high-stakes examinations. Methods: Thirty-nine international physicians (mean age = 41 + 6.5 y) participated in high-stakes examination and 3-month supervised clinical practice to determine the practice readiness of physicians. Three traits,doctor,patient relationship, clinical competence, and communication skills,were assessed with objective structured clinical examinations, in-training evaluation reports, and clinical assessments. These traits were intercorrelated in a multitrait multimethod matrix (MTMM). Results: The reliability of assessments ranged from moderate to high (Cronbach's ,: 0.58,0.98; Ep2 = 0.79). There is evidence for both convergent and divergent validity for clinical competence, followed by doctor,patient relationships, and communications (validity coefficients = 0.12,0.85). The correlations between the same methods but different traits indicate that there is substantial method specificity in the assessment accounting for nearly one-quarter of the variance (23.7%). Discussion: There is evidence for the construct validity of all 3 traits across 3 methods. The MTMM approach, currently underutilized, could be used to estimate the degree of evidence for validating complex constructs, such as clinical competence. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||