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Study Methodology (study + methodology)
Kinds of Study Methodology Selected AbstractsA randomized trial of delayed extubation for the reduction of reintubation in extremely preterm infants,PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Claude Danan MD Abstract Objective To compare immediate extubation versus delayed extubation after 36 hr in extremely low-birth weight infants receiving gentle mechanical ventilation and perinatal lung protective interventions. Our hypothesis was that a delayed extubation in this setting would decrease the rate of reintubation. Study design/Methodology A prospective, unmasked, randomized, controlled trial to compare immediate extubation and delayed extubation after 36 hr. Optimized ventilation in both groups included continuous tracheal gas insufflation (CTGI), prophylactic surfactant administration, low oxygen saturation target and moderate permissive hypercapnia. Successful extubation for at least 7 days was the primary criterion and ventilatory support requirements until 36 weeks gestational age the main secondary criteria. Patient selection Eighty-six infants under 28 weeks gestational age in a single neonatal intensive tertiary care unit. Results Delayed extubation (1.9,±,0.8 days vs. 0.5,±,0.7 days) did not improve the rate of successful extubation but had no long-term adverse effects. CTGI and the lung protective strategy we describe resulted in a very gentle ventilation. The rate of survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD, defined as any respiratory support at 36 weeks gestational age) was similar in the two groups and remarkably high for the global population (78%) and for the subgroup of infants <1,000 g at birth (75%). Conclusions Adding 36 hr of optimized mechanical ventilation before first extubation does not improve the rate of successful extubation but has no adverse effects. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:117,124. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A systematic review and meta-synthesis: evaluating the effectiveness of nurse, midwife/allied health professional consultantsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 10 2007Ann Humphreys PhD, Cert Ed Aim., This paper presents the findings of a systematic review and meta-synthesis, which was undertaken to identify and assess studies that evaluated the nurse/midwife/allied health professional consultant role. Background., As part of the modernization agenda in the National Health Service the United Kingdom government proposed ,Consultant' posts for nurses/midwives and allied health professionals as an opportunity for experienced practitioners to extend their roles. Four key functions were identified as being significant to this role development: expert practice, leadership, education and research. Explicit within the proposal was a requirement of these new roles to be evaluated. Method., Inclusion criteria focussed on studies where an aspect of the role had been evaluated or where the consultant carried out the research. A total of 1931 citations was filtered to reveal 107 studies that possibly met the inclusion criteria. Of these 107, 14 studies were critically appraised and subjected to thematic analysis. Study methodology varied but of the 14 studies, 10 involved some form of measurement. The others adopted a literature review or descriptive approach. Conclusions., The extent to which consultants were involved in all aspects of the ,four pillars' was assessed in only a small number of studies. However, a number of studies implicitly implied active engagement in expert practice and leadership by focussing on specific service developments. Relevance to clinical practice., To date, a number of studies evaluating service developments, education, expert practice and leadership have been carried out. However although a number of studies have assessed perceived impact of the consultant role, no measure of actual benefit has been published to date. Studies that evaluate the cost benefit/outcomes of these roles in relation to both activity and quality of service are required. [source] Identifying and assessing environmentally harmful subsidies in Germany: an overview of studies and their underlying methodologies in the energy and transport sectorENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 1 2007Tilmann Rave Abstract The discussion on the reduction and reform of subsidies in Germany has gained momentum lately. It has repeatedly been suggested that environmental and wider efficiency consideration be taken into account in reform strategies. Yet, progress at reforming environmentally harmful subsidies seems to be slow overall. This paper provides an overview on monitoring and assessing environmentally harmful subsidies in selected German policy sectors and discusses the underlying study methodologies. For this purpose we first briefly deal with the concept of subsidy and the measurement of subsidies in general and illustrate the linkage between subsidies and their environmental effects. The main focus of the paper is then on the current state of subsidy impact assessment and/or related monitoring activities. We discuss studies relating to two different policy sectors, energy policy and transport policy. While no single best methodology exists, it is suggested that different approaches may fertilize each other. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] One-year prevalence of subthreshold and threshold DSM-IV generalized anxiety disorder in a nationally representative sampleDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 2 2001Robin M. Carter B.A. Abstract Several studies of representative populations have reported prevalence rates of DSM-III and DSM-III-R generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, no community study has examined the effect of the stricter DSM-IV criteria on prevalence estimates and patterns of comorbidity. Furthermore, past studies based on "lifetime" symptom assessments might have led to upper-bound 1-year and point prevalence estimates. Data is presented from a national representative sample study of 4,181 adults in Germany, 18,65 years old, who were interviewed for DSM-IV disorders with the 12-month version of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The prevalence rate of strictly defined, 12-month threshold DSM-IV GAD was estimated to be 1.5%; however, 3.6% of respondents presented with at least subthreshold syndromes of GAD during the past 12 months. Higher rates of worrying and GAD were found in women (worrying 10%, GAD 2.7%) and in older respondents (worrying 9.3%, TAD 2.2%). Taking into account a wider scope of diagnoses than previous studies, a high degree of comorbidity in GAD cases was confirmed: 59.1% of all 12-month GAD cases fulfilled criteria for major depression, and 55.9% fulfilled criteria for any other anxiety disorder. In conclusion, prevalence and comorbidity rates found for DSM-IV GAD are not substantially different from rates reported for DSM-III-R GAD. The minor differences in our findings compared to previous reports are more likely attributable to differences in study methodology rather than changes in diagnostic criteria for DSM-IV. Depression and Anxiety 13:78,88, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A systematic review of studies validating the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in antepartum and postpartum womenACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009J. Gibson Objective:, The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the most widely used screening tool for postpartum depression (PPD). We systematically reviewed the published evidence on its validity in detecting PPD and antepartum depression (APD) up to July 2008. Method:, Systematic review of validation studies of the EPDS included 1987,2008. Cut-off points of 9/10 for possible PPD, 12/13 for probable PPD and 14/15 for APD were used. Results:, Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Sensitivity and specificity of cut-off points showed marked heterogeneity between different studies. Sensitivity results ranged from 34 to 100% and specificity from 44 to 100%. Positive likelihood ratios ranged from 1.61 to 78. Conclusion:, Heterogeneity among study findings may be due to differences in study methodology, language and diagnostic interview/criteria used. Therefore, the results of different studies may not be directly comparable and the EPDS may not be an equally valid screening tool across all settings and contexts. [source] Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Incidence Studies of Epilepsy and Unprovoked SeizuresEPILEPSIA, Issue 11 2002Irene A. W. Kotsopoulos Summary: ,Purpose: To evaluate the methodology of incidence studies of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures and to assess the value of their findings by summarizing their results. Methods: A Medline literature search from January 1966 to December 1999 was conducted. In each selected study, key methodologic items such as case definition and study design were evaluated. Furthermore, a quantitative meta-analysis of the incidence data was performed. Results: Forty incidence studies met the inclusion criteria. There was considerable heterogeneity in study methodology, and the methodologic quality score was generally low. The median incidence rate of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures was 47.4 and 56 per 100,000, respectively. The age-specific incidence of epilepsy was high in those aged 60 years or older, but was highest in childhood. Males had a slightly higher incidence of epilepsy (median, 50.7/100,000) than did females (median, 46.2/100,000), and partial seizures seemed to occur more often than generalized seizures. Developing countries had a higher incidence rate of epilepsy (median, 68.7/100,000) than did industrialized countries (median, 43.4/100,000). Similar results were found for unprovoked seizures. The incidence of epilepsy over time appears to decrease in children, whereas it increases in the elderly. Conclusions: The age-specific incidence of epilepsy showed a bimodal distribution with the highest peak in childhood. No definitive conclusions could be reached for the incidence of unprovoked seizures and other specific incidence rates of epilepsy. More incidence studies with an adequate study methodology are needed to explore geographic variations and time trends of the incidence of epilepsy and unprovoked seizures. [source] Alternative event study methodology for detecting dividend signals in the context of joint dividend and earnings announcementsACCOUNTING & FINANCE, Issue 2 2009Warwick Anderson C51; D46; G14; N27 Abstract Friction models are used to examine the market reaction to the simultaneous disclosure of earnings and dividends in a thin-trading environment. Friction modelling, a procedure using maximum likelihood estimation, can be used to replace both the market model and restricted least-squares regression in event studies where there are two quantifiable variables and a number of possible interaction effects associated with the news that constitutes the study's event. The results indicate that the dividend signal can be separated from the earnings signal. [source] Intangible benefits valuation in ERP projectsINFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2002Kenneth E Murphy Abstract. The development, implementation and ownership of information systems, especially large-scale systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), has become progressively longer in duration and more cost intensive. As a result, IS managers are being required to justify projects financially based on their return. Historically, information systems have been difficult to quantify in monetary terms because of the intangible nature of many of the derived benefits, e.g. improved customer service. Using the case study methodology, this paper examines an attempt by a large computer manufacturer to incorporate intangibles into traditional cost,benefit analysis in an ERP project. The paper reviews the importance of intangibles, lists intangible benefits that are important in ERP projects and demonstrates the use of a scheme through which they can be incorporated into traditional evaluation techniques. [source] The Stock Market Reaction to the Enron-Andersen Affair in SpainINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDITING, Issue 1 2006Cristina de Fuentes Barbera This paper investigates whether listed Spanish companies audited by Andersen have suffered any negative economic impact due to the scandal surrounding Andersen's work in Enron Corporation. To that end, we have measured the economic consequences, if any, of Andersen's loss of reputation by examining the reaction in terms of movements in the stock prices of its client companies using an event study methodology. We have analysed abnormal returns on the stock prices of all firms listed in the Spanish Interconnected Market around two event dates: the date of Andersen's public admission that it had destroyed significant financial documents related to Enron Corp. and the date Dynegy Inc. announced the withdrawal of its takeover offer. The results of our empirical analysis do not support the hypothesis that companies audited by Andersen suffered any significant drop in stock price as a result of the scandal affecting their auditor. [source] Association between pacifier use and breast-feeding, sudden infant death syndrome, infection and dental malocclusionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 6 2005Ann Callaghan RN RM BNurs(Hons) Executive summary Objective, To critically review all literature related to pacifier use for full-term healthy infants and young children. The specific review questions addressed are: What is the evidence of adverse and/or positive outcomes of pacifier use in infancy and childhood in relation to each of the following subtopics: ,breast-feeding; ,sudden infant death syndrome; ,infection; ,dental malocclusion. Inclusion criteria, Specific criteria were used to determine which studies would be included in the review: (i) the types of participants; (ii) the types of research design; and (iii) the types of outcome measures. To be included a study has to meet all criteria. Types of participants,The participants included in the review were healthy term infants and healthy children up to the age of 16 years. Studies that focused on preterm infants, and infants and young children with serious illness or congenital malformations were excluded. However, some total population studies did include these children. Types of research design, It became evident early in the review process that very few randomised controlled trials had been conducted. A decision was made to include observational epidemiological designs, specifically prospective cohort studies and, in the case of sudden infant death syndrome research, case,control studies. Purely descriptive and cross-sectional studies were excluded, as were qualitative studies and all other forms of evidence. A number of criteria have been proposed to establish causation in the scientific and medical literature. These key criteria were applied in the review process and are described as follows: (i) consistency and unbiasedness of findings; (ii) strength of association; (iii) temporal sequence; (iv) dose,response relationship; (v) specificity; (vi) coherence with biological background and previous knowledge; (vii) biological plausibility; and (viii) experimental evidence. Studies that did not meet the requirement of appropriate temporal sequencing of events and studies that did not present an estimate of the strength of association were not included in the final review. Types of outcome measures,Our specific interest was pacifier use related to: ,breast-feeding; ,sudden infant death syndrome; ,infection; ,dental malocclusion. Studies that examined pacifier use related to procedural pain relief were excluded. Studies that examined the relationship between pacifier use and gastro-oesophageal reflux were also excluded as this information has been recently presented as a systematic review. Search strategy, The review comprised published and unpublished research literature. The search was restricted to reports published in English, Spanish and German. The time period covered research published from January 1960 to October 2003. A protocol developed by New Zealand Health Technology Assessment was used to guide the search process. The search comprised bibliographic databases, citation searching, other evidence-based and guidelines sites, government documents, books and reports, professional websites, national associations, hand search, contacting national/international experts and general internet searching. Assessment of quality, All studies identified during the database search were assessed for relevance to the review based on the information provided in the title, abstract and descriptor/MeSH terms, and a full report was retrieved for all studies that met the inclusion criteria. Studies identified from reference list searches were assessed for relevance based on the study title. Keywords included: dummy, dummies, pacifier(s), soother(s), comforter(s), non-nutritive sucking, infant, child, infant care. Initially, studies were reviewed for inclusion by pairs of principal investigators. Authorship of articles was not concealed from the reviewers. Next, the methodological quality of included articles was assessed independently by groups of three or more principal investigators and clinicians using a checklist. All 20 studies that were accepted met minimum set criteria, but few passed without some methodological concern. Data extraction, To meet the requirements of the Joanna Briggs Institute, reasons for acceptance and non-acceptance at each phase were clearly documented. An assessment protocol and report form was developed for each of the three phases of review. The first form was created to record investigators' evaluations of studies included in the initial review. Those studies that failed to meet strict inclusion criteria were excluded at this point. A second form was designed to facilitate an in-depth critique of epidemiological study methodology. The checklist was pilot tested and adjustments were made before reviewers were trained in its use. When reviewers could not agree on an assessment, it was passed to additional reviewers and discussed until a consensus was reached. At this stage, studies other than cohort, case,control and randomised controlled trials were excluded. Issues of clarification were also addressed at this point. The final phase was that of integration. This phase, undertaken by the principal investigators, was assisted by the production of data extraction tables. Through a process of trial and error, a framework was formulated that adequately summarised the key elements of the studies. This information was tabulated under the following headings: authors/setting, design, exposure/outcome, confounders controlled, analysis and main findings. Results, With regard to the breast-feeding outcome, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising two randomised controlled trials and eight cohort studies. The research was conducted between 1995 and 2003 in a wide variety of settings involving research participants from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Information regarding exposure and outcome status, and potential confounding factors was obtained from: antenatal and postnatal records; interviews before discharge from obstetric/midwifery care; post-discharge interviews; and post-discharge postal and telephone surveys. Both the level of contact and the frequency of contact with the informant, the child's mother, differed widely. Pacifier use was defined and measured inconsistently, possibly because few studies were initiated expressly to investigate its relationship with breast-feeding. Completeness of follow-up was addressed, but missing data were not uniformly identified and explained. When comparisons were made between participants and non-participants there was some evidence of differential loss and a bias towards families in higher socioeconomic groups. Multivariate analysis was undertaken in the majority of studies, with some including a large number of sociodemographic, obstetric and infant covariates and others including just maternal age and education. As might be expected given the inconsistency of definition and measurement, the relationship between pacifier use and breast-feeding was expressed in many different ways and a meta-analysis was not appropriate. In summary, only one study did not report a negative association between pacifier use and breast-feeding duration or exclusivity. Results indicate an increase in risk for a reduced overall duration of breast-feeding from 20% to almost threefold. The data suggest that very infrequent use may not have any overall negative impact on breast-feeding outcomes. Six sudden infant death syndrome case,control studies met the criteria for inclusion. The research was conducted with information gathered between 1984 and 1999 in Norway, UK, New Zealand, the Netherlands and USA. Exposure information was obtained from a variety of sources including: hospital and antenatal records, death scene investigation, and interview and questionnaire. Information for cases was sought within 2 days after death, within 2,4 weeks after death and in one study between 3 and 11 years after death. Information for controls was sought from as early as 4 days of a nominated sudden infant death syndrome case, to between 1 and 7 weeks from the case date, and again in one study some 3,11 years later. In the majority of the studies case ascertainment was determined by post-mortem. Pacifier use was again defined and measured somewhat inconsistently. All studies controlled for confounding factors by matching and/or using multivariate analysis. Generally, antenatal and postnatal factors, as well as infant care practices, and maternal, family and socioeconomic issues were considered. All five studies reporting multivariate results found significantly fewer sudden infant death syndrome cases used a pacifier compared with controls. That is, pacifier use was associated with a reduced incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. These results indicate that the risk of sudden infant death syndrome for infants who did not use a pacifier in the last or reference sleep was at least twice, and possibly five times, that of infants who did use a pacifier. Three studies reported a moderately sized positive association between pacifier use and a variety of infections. Conversely, one study found no positive association between pacifier use at 15 months of age and a range of infections experienced between the ages of 6 and 18 months. Given the limited number of studies available and the variability of results, no meaningful conclusions could be drawn. Five cohort studies and one case,control study focused on the relationship between pacifier use and dental malocclusion. Not one of these studies reported a measure of association, such as an estimate of relative risk. It was therefore not possible to include these studies in the final review. Implications for practice, It is intended that this review be used as the basis of a ,best practice guideline', to make health professionals aware of the research evidence concerning these health and developmental consequences of pacifier use, because parents need clear information on which they can base child care decisions. With regard to the association between pacifier use and infection and dental malocclusion it was found that, due to the paucity of epidemiological studies, no meaningful conclusion can be drawn. There is clearly a need for more epidemiological research with regard to these two outcomes. The evidence for a relationship between pacifier use and sudden infant death syndrome is consistent, while the exact mechanism of the effect is not well understood. As to breast-feeding, research evidence shows that pacifier use in infancy is associated with a shorter duration and non-exclusivity. It is plausible that pacifier use causes babies to breast-feed less, but a causal relationship has not been irrefutably proven. Because breast-feeding confers an important advantage on all children and the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome is very low, it is recommended that health professionals generally advise parents against pacifier use, while taking into account individual circumstances. [source] Evaluating the context within which continence care is provided in rehabilitation units for older peopleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OLDER PEOPLE NURSING, Issue 1 2007Jayne Wright Aim., This paper presents the first phase of an all Ireland 2-year study between the University of Ulster and University College Cork, to determine the contextual indicators that enable or hinder person centred continence care and management in rehabilitation settings for older people. The primary outcome of the study was the development of a tool to enable practitioners to assess the practice context within which continence care is provided. The main focus of this paper is the value of understanding practice ,context' (culture, leadership and evaluation) and its impact to the provision of person centred continence care. Background., The literature highlights the effect of continence problems on the quality of life of older people. Incontinence is often seen by health care professionals and older people as an inevitable consequence of ageing and difficult to treat. Furthermore, health care professionals do not always have the necessary skills and knowledge of best practice in continence care and treatments. The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework utilized in the study proposes that successful implementation of evidence in practice is dependent on the inter-relationship of three key elements; the nature of the evidence, the quality of the context and expert facilitation. Kitson et al. propose that for successful implementation, evidence needs to be robust, the context receptive to change and appropriate facilitation is needed. Consequently understanding practice ,context' and its impact on the provision of person centred continence care is of value. Methods., Case study methodology with several data collection methods was utilized to measure all aspects of ,context' as identified by the PARIHS framework. Methods include: Royal College of Physicians Audit Scheme, Staff Knowledge questionnaire, semi-structured observation of practice and multidisciplinary focus groups. Findings., The data were analysed in two stages. Stage 1 using both qualitative and quantitative (SPSS 12) methods. Stage 2 analysed all the data utilizing the characteristics of context from the PARIHS framework in order to identify the strong and weak characteristics of the context within which continence care was provided. Continence care and management in this study was found to be focused on continence containment rather than proactive management. The evidence suggests that the context (leadership, culture and evaluation) was weak and not conducive to person centred continence care and management. Conclusion., An analysis of the data using the context framework provided a picture of the context within the units and the identification of the specific contextual issues hindering and enabling the delivery of person centred continence care. This process has thus, added to our understanding of the importance of context to the provision of person-centred care. [source] Reactions of the International Stock Exchange to Company Employment Announcements: Redundancies and New JobsJOURNAL OF BUSINESS FINANCE & ACCOUNTING, Issue 9-10 2002Nick CollettArticle first published online: 3 MAR 200 This paper is the first to look directly at the reaction of the London market to company announcements of changes to employee count. Using event study methodology, we examine market reactions to 54 redundancy announcements during the period 1990,1999 and 52 announcements of new jobs during the period 1993,1999. In line with previous US studies we find that market reaction, measured by cumulative abnormal returns, is negative before the day of redundancy announcement. The actual redundancy announcement is greeted positively by the market when measured in terms of the mean, but negatively when measured in terms of the median. Thus, in a minority of cases the announcements are seen as value enhancing. The market reacts positively before new job announcements and this positive reaction is highly significant when the announcement is made. The results suggest that new job announcements contain value,relevant information for the market. Potential causal factors other than announcement size are not significant. [source] Numeracy for adults with Down syndrome: it's a matter of quality of lifeJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 10 2005R. Faragher Abstract Background Numeracy development is widely accepted as critical for adults in the general community which is equally the case for adults with Down syndrome. This paper reports some of the findings of a study including the research question: What is the justification for numeracy development for adults with Down syndrome? Investigating this question led to the search for a framework to support the ongoing development of numeracy. Method The research used a case study methodology. Five adults were observed and interviewed in two contexts each. The data were analyzed to identify links to the quality of life model. Results The research illustrates how a quality of life approach can be used to justify and guide the lifelong development of numeracy. Data from the case studies linked numeracy to quality of life under the principles of personal contexts, variability, life-span perspective, values, choices and personal control, perceptions and self-image. Conclusions The principles of quality of life can provide a framework for the development of numeracy in the context of adulthood and Down syndrome. Preparation for the numeracy needs of a long and satisfying adulthood should begin in early childhood, continue in schools with the teaching of underlying mathematics concepts and skills, and be modified and refined throughout adulthood by the use of a numeracy development plan. Carers and professionals interacting in the contexts need to adopt a teaching role for numeracy. [source] The Moderating Effect of CEO Power on the Board Composition,Firm Performance Relationship*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 8 2007James G. Combs abstract Prior studies of the relationship between the composition of boards of directors and firm performance offer equivocal results. Drawing on agency and power circulation theories, we attempt to reduce this equivocality by asserting that CEO power moderates the relationship. Specifically, an outside director dominated board is needed to check a powerful CEO, but monitoring by other executives provides sufficient constraints on CEOs with low power. We used event study methodology to test the effects of the interaction between board composition and CEO power on stock market reaction to 73 unexpected CEO deaths. We found support for our theorizing among two of three sources of CEO power. Thus, although regulatory trends increasingly support outside director dominated boards, our findings indicate that this may not always benefit shareholders and that CEO power should be considered when constructing boards. [source] Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia With Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Systematic ReviewJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 9 2004Amanda Lewis MS Purpose To (a) critically appraise available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the efficacy of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids as secondary agents for prevention of hypertriglyceridemia and (b) make recommendations for clinical practice. Data Sources Two independent reviewers examined all RCTs from 1994 to 2003 identified in several databases, extracted data from each study, and used the previously tested Boyack and Lookinland Methodological Quality Index (MQI) to determine study quality. Conclusions Ten studies reported long-chain omega-3 fatty acids to be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The average decrease in triglycerides was 29%, total cholesterol 11.6%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) 30.2%, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 32.5%. One study found LDLs to increase by 25%. The average increase in highdensity lipoprotein was 10%. The overall average MQI score was 36% (range = 26% to 54%). Many of the RCTs had serious shortcomings, including short duration, lack of a power analysis, no intention-to-treat analysis, no report of blind assessment of outcome, and lack of dietary control as a confounding variable. Implications for Practice Overall study methodology was weak. Although the evidence supporting use of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in the secondary prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is reasonably strong, until there are larger RCTs of better methodological quality, it is not recommended that practitioners treat hypertriglyceridemia with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in lieu of lipid-lowering medications. [source] CULTIVATING JUST PLANNING AND LEGAL INSTITUTIONS: A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL FARM STRUGGLE IN LOS ANGELESJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2009CLARA IRAZÁBAL ABSTRACT:,The South Central Farm (SCF) in Los Angeles was a 14-acre urban farm in one of the highest concentrations of impoverished residents in the county. It was destroyed in July 2006. This article analyzes its epic as a landscape of resistance to discriminatory legal and planning practices. It then presents its creation and maintenance as an issue of environmental justice, and argues that there was a substantive rationale on the basis of environmental justice and planning ethics that should have provided sufficient grounds for the city to prevent its dismantling. Based on qualitative case study methodology, the study contributes to the formulation of creation and preservation rationales for community gardens and other "commons" threatened by eventual dismantlement in capitalist societies. [source] The organizational knowledge iceberg: An empirical investigationKNOWLEDGE AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT: THE JOURNAL OF CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION, Issue 2 2009Sajjad HaiderArticle first published online: 11 APR 200 This study explores the critical success factors of implementing and running a knowledge management program. In doing so, the paper proposes and tests a conceptual model of "knowledge iceberg" inside the organization using a case study methodology. In total 89 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted over a period of 1 year in the SoftNetCo company to study success factors in the implementation of knowledge initiatives. During the research period 11 knowledge management initiatives were launched in the company which provided an excellent platform to conduct this research. The findings of the study suggest the existence of a knowledge iceberg inside organizations. It is reported that six activities can cause the knowledge iceberg to rise which is critical for the success of knowledge management initiatives. It is further argued that a holistic approach is required to manage knowledge, people, and culture and that managers have to concentrate more on managing people than the knowledge itself. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Defining a knowledge strategy framework for process aligned organizations: an IBM caseKNOWLEDGE AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT: THE JOURNAL OF CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION, Issue 2 2008Stephen McLaughlin Many organizations struggling to capitalize on their knowledge assets tend to let their knowledge management systems emerge from existing IT systems and infrastructure. Within a complex business environment this can cause a mismatch between how knowledge assets are, and should be managed. In order to help organizations develop dynamic and effective KM systems, the authors' suggest that organizations need to re-think how knowledge is created and shared around their core business processes. To be more specific the author's contend that for organizations where inter/intra organizational collaboration is vital to overall end-to-end performance, such as in a supply chain, organizations need to consider first the relationship between what the authors see as four key components. These are knowledge strategy, core process optimization, core process performance and knowledge barriers. This paper will explain why these components are important, and the relationship between them. The findings put forward in this paper are based on research concerned with improving process performance through knowledge transfer. The research follows a critical theory approach to identify best knowledge transfer practice across complex organizations. The research is exploratory in nature and a case study methodology is used to support this line of inductive theory building. The findings presented are based on data collated within, and across IBM's integrated supply chain. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The EuroPrevall-INCO surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children from China, India and Russia: the study methodologyALLERGY, Issue 3 2010G. W. K. Wong To cite this article: Wong GWK, Mahesh PA, Ogorodova L, Leung TF, Fedorova O, Holla AD, Fernandez-Rivas M, Clare Mills EN, Kummeling I, van Ree R, Yazdanbakhsh M, Burney P. The EuroPrevall-INCO surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children from China, India and Russia: the study methodology. Allergy 2010; 65: 385,390. Abstract Background:, Very little is known regarding the global variations in the prevalence of food allergies. The EuroPrevall-INCO project has been developed to evaluate the prevalence of food allergies in China, India and Russia using the standardized methodology of the EuroPrevall protocol used for studies in the European Union. The epidemiological surveys of the project were designed to estimate variations in the prevalence of food allergy and exposure to known or suspected risk factors for food allergy and to compare the data with different European countries. Methods:, Random samples of primary schoolchildren were recruited from urban and rural regions of China, Russia and India for screening to ascertain possible adverse reactions to foods. Cases and controls were then selected to answer a detailed questionnaire designed to evaluate the possible risk factors of food allergies. Objective evidence of sensitisation including skin-prick test and serum specific IgE measurement was also collected. Results:, More than 37 000 children from the three participating countries have been screened. The response rates for the screening phase ranged from 83% to 95%. More than 3000 cases and controls were studied in the second phase of the study. Furthur confirmation of food allergies by double blind food challenge was conducted. Conclusions:, This will be the first comparative study of the epidemiology of food allergies in China, India, and Russia using the same standardized methodology. The findings of these surveys will complement the data obtained from Europe and provide insights into the development of food allergy. [source] The EuroPrevall surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children and adults: background and study methodologyALLERGY, Issue 10 2009I. Kummeling Background:, The epidemiological surveys in children and adults of the EU-funded multidisciplinary Integrated Project EuroPrevall, launched in June 2005, were designed to estimate the currently unknown prevalence of food allergy and exposure to known or suspected risk factors for food allergy across Europe. We describe the protocol for the epidemiological surveys in children and adults. This protocol provides specific instructions on the sampling strategy, the use of questionnaires, and collection of blood samples for immunological analyses. Methods:, The surveys were performed as multi-centre, cross-sectional studies in general populations. Case,control studies were nested within these surveys. The studies in children aged 7,10 years and adults aged 20,54 years were undertaken in eight centres representing different social and climatic regions in Europe. Results:, After a community-based survey collecting basic information on adverse reactions to foods, all those stating they had experienced such reactions, as well as of a random sample of those stating ,no reactions' to foods, completed a detailed questionnaire on potential risks and exposures. Also a blood sample was taken to allow serological analysis to establish patterns of food and aeroallergen sensitization. We also included a questionnaire to schools on their preparedness for dealing with food allergy amongst pupils. Subjects reporting adverse reactions to foods and sensitized to the same food(s) were called in for a full clinical evaluation that included a double blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC), following a protocol which is described in detail elsewhere. Conclusions:, The outcome of these studies will help to improve our understanding of several important aspects of food allergies in the European Community, providing for more well-informed policies and effective measures of disease prevention, diagnosis and management. [source] Grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations in clinical practice guidelinesALLERGY, Issue 5 2009Part 1 of 3. The GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach provides guidance to grading the quality of underlying evidence and the strength of recommendations in health care. The GRADE system's conceptual underpinnings allow for a detailed stepwise process that defines what role the quality of the available evidence plays in the development of health care recommendations. The merit of GRADE is not that it eliminates judgments or disagreements about evidence and recommendations, but rather that it makes them transparent. This first article in a three-part series describes the GRADE framework in relation to grading the quality of evidence about interventions based on examples from the field of allergy and asthma. In the GRADE system, the quality of evidence reflects the extent to which a guideline panel's confidence in an estimate of the effect is adequate to support a particular recommendation. The system classifies quality of evidence as high, moderate, low, or very low according to factors that include the study methodology, consistency and precision of the results, and directness of the evidence. [source] Geographical difference in Parkinson's disease prevalence within West Scotland,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 3 2009Edward J. Newman MRCP Abstract The wide range in reported prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) in the United Kingdom (between 108 and 164 per 100,000) is usually attributed to differences in study methodology. We report prevalence of PD in four geographic areas within West Scotland, which was calculated using the same methodology, from prescription database searches within primary care, combined with full case record review. Crude prevalence was 119.2 per 100,000 (95% CI 109.7,128.6) and age-adjusted prevalence was 129.5 (95% CI 119.6,139.4) in 92 General Practices covering a population of 511,927. Prevalence was significantly lower in South Glasgow (men 98.3, CI 78.7,117.9; women 83.9, CI 65.6,102.2) than South Lanarkshire (men 202.7, CI 175.0,230.4; women 151.1, CI 127.7,174.5), age-adjusted rates, both P < 0.001. Factors associated with higher prevalence of PD, such as lower cigarette smoking rates, higher education level, and rural living, were higher in South Lanarkshire than South Glasgow, but the magnitude of the difference was greater than expected considering studies describing relative risk for these factors. Access to services, and specialist clinic attendance were both higher for South Glasgow, which may influence diagnostic accuracy, time to diagnosis, and time to initiating antiparkinson therapy. Explorationof these factors is justified to explain further such wide variation in PD prevalence. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society [source] Linking Product Development Outcomes to Market Valuation of the Firm: The Case of the U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry,THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2004Anurag Sharma The purpose of this research was to examine empirically the effects of new product development outcomes on overall firm performance. To do so, first product development and finance literature were connected to develop three testable hypotheses. Next, an event study was conducted in order to explore whether the changes in the stock market valuation of firms are influenced by the outcomes of efforts to develop new products. The pharmaceutical industry was chosen as the empirical context for the present study's analysis largely because the gate-keeping role played by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides a specific event date on which to focus the event study methodology. As such, this study's events were dates of public announcements of the FDA decisions to approve or to reject the New Drug Applications submitted by the sponsoring firms. Consistent with the efficient market hypothesis, this study's results show that market valuations are responsive strongly and cleanly to the success or failure of new product development efforts. Hence, one of this study's key results suggests that financial markets may be attuned sharply to product development outcomes in publicly traded firms. This study also finds that financial market losses from product development failures were much larger in magnitude than financial market gains from product development successes,indicating an asymmetry in the response of financial markets to the success and failure of new product development efforts. Hence, another implication of this study's results is that managers should factor in a substantial risk premium when considering substantial new development projects. The present study's results also imply that managers should refrain from hyping new products and perhaps even should restrain the enthusiasm that the financial community may build before the product fully is developed. The effect on firm value is severe when expectations about an anticipated new product are not fulfilled. Managers in effect should take care to build reasonable and realistic expectations about potential new products. [source] Identification of Optimal Electrocardiographic Criteria for the Diagnosis of Unrecognized Myocardial Infarction: A Population-Based StudyANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Khawaja Afzal Ammar M.D. Background: Despite using the same tool (ECG), the proportion of myocardial infarctions that goes unrecognized varies from 20% to 60% in population-based studies. The reasons for such wide variations have not been studied. We sought to evaluate the effect of ECG-MI criteria and study methodology on the prevalence of unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) and to identify the optimal ECG-MI criteria for UMI detection in epidemiologic studies. Methods: A random population-based sample of 2042 adults, age ,45 years, underwent history, medical record abstraction and ECG. Six different ECG-MI criteria and two subjective recognized myocardial infarction (RMI) identification criteria, from different published studies, were applied to the same survey ECG. The operating test characteristics of different criteria were compared with the objective criterion standard of a RMI by Gillum criteria. Results: The UMI proportion estimates varied from 32% to 61% due to variation in ECG-MI criteria, while keeping the study population, MI recognition criteria, and ECG constant. Subjective criteria for MI recognition had limited value (positive predictive value of 44,93%) in picking up RMI. Depending on the ECG abnormality used to define MI, ECG reading had widely varying sensitivity (21,37%; P < 0.0001) with consistently high specificity (92,97%) for detection of RMI. Conclusions: The prevalence estimates of UMI vary widely and are strongly dependent on the ECG-MI and MI recognition criteria. Future studies of UMI should explicitly recognize this variation and select the ECG-MI criteria that match their study aims. [source] On the Performance of Airlines and Airplane Manufacturers Following Aviation DisastersCANADIAN JOURNAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES, Issue 1 2005Thomas John Walker Our study examines the impact of aviation disasters on the short- and long-term performance of airlines and airplane manufacturers. We employ a sample of 138 aviation disasters involving airplanes operated by publicly traded U.S. carriers between July 1962 and December 2003. We use event study methodology to measure the abnormal performance of airlines and airplane manufacturers to these disasters. In addition, we employ a series of univariate tests and regression analysis to determine the factors that drive the abnormal returns for the firms in our sample. We observe that airlines experience an average stock price drop of 2.8% within one trading day after the corresponding news announcement, while airplane manufacturers experience a stock price drop of only 0.8% during that time period. The magnitude of the initial price decline appears to be driven by various characteristics of both the firm and the accident itself. We observe that airlines' abnormal performance is negatively related to firm size and the number of fatalities resulting from the accident. In addition, we observe that disasters that occurred in the U.S. and disasters caused by criminal activity (in particular the 9/11 terrorist attacks) cause significantly larger stock price drops in the days following the event. Similar dependencies can be observed for airplane manufacturers. Résumé La présente étude examine l'incidence des catastrophes aériennes sur la performance à court et à long terme des compagnies aériennes et des constructeurs d'avions. Elle se sert d'un échantillon de 138 catastrophes aériennes survenues entre juillet 1962 et décembre 2003, impliquant des appareils exploités par des transporteurs aériens des États-Unis, cotés en bourse. La méthodologie de l'étude de cas est utilisée pour mesurer la performance anormale des lignes aériennes et des constructeurs d'avions, à la suite de catastrophes aériennes. L'étude essaie de déterminer les facteurs qui régissent la performance anormale des entreprises à partir d'une série de tests à une variable et de l'analyse de régression. Elle montre que le cours des actions des lignes aériennes fléchit en moyenne de 2,8% en une journée de bourse après l'annonce d'une catastrophe, tandis que le cours des actions des constructeurs d'avions n'enregistre qu'une baisse de 0,8% durant la même période. L'ampleur du déclin initial des cours semble être déterminée par diverses caractéristiques de l'entreprise ainsi que par l'accident même. La performance anormale des lignes aériennes est en relation négative avec la taille de l'entreprise et le nombre de décès résultant de l'accident. En outre, les catastrophes survenues aux États-Unis (ou dans son espace aérien) et les catastrophes résultant d'actes criminels (en particulier les attaques terroristes du 11 septembre) ont provoqué des chutes des cours beaucoup plus marquées dans les jours suivant l'événement. Les interdépendances relevées touchent également les constructeurs d'avions. [source] The effect of additions to or deletions from the TSE 300 Index on Canadian share pricesCANADIAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, Issue 2 2000Isidore Masse In this paper we examine shares that have been added to or deleted from the TSE 300 Index to determine whether abnormal price movements have occurred. We apply the dummy variable approach to event study methodology and adjust the estimated standard errors for arbitrary heteroscedasticity and clustering of events. We also use a non-parametric method of inference. Like authors of U.S. studies, we find that the market reacts positively to inclusion and negatively to deletion, albeit not significantly in the latter case. The information content of inclusion does not account for the entire share price response, lending support to the hypothesis of increased purchases by index funds. JEL Classification: G14 Ce texte examine les titres qui ont été ajoutés ou soustraits de l'indice TSE 300 pour déterminer si des mouvements anormaux de prix s'en sont suivis. On utilise l'approche des variables fictives dans le cadre d'une méthodologie qui étudie l'impact d'événements, et on ajuste les erreurs standards pour tenir compte de l'hétéroskédasticité arbitraire et de l'agglomération d'événements. On utilise aussi une méthode non-paramétrique d'inférence. Comme dans des études américaines du même type, on découvre que les marché réagit positivement à l'inclusion et négativement à la soustraction d'un titre, mais que l'effet n'est pas significatif dans ce dernier cas. Le contenu informationnel de l'inclusion n'explique pas entièrement le mouvement dans le prix du titre, ce qui apporte un support à l'hypothèse de l'impact des achats accrus par des fonds indexés. [source] Characteristics and Trends of Published Emergency Medicine ResearchACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 7 2007Michael P. Wilson MD Objectives:Despite its importance in improving patient care, the state of published emergency medicine (EM) research is poorly understood. The countries of origin, methodological characteristics, sources of funding, and ongoing trends in this research are unknown. Knowledge of these characteristics has important policy, research, and clinical implications for academic EM. Methods:The National Library of Medicine's PubMed database was searched for all articles published from 1996 to 2005 that originated from EM departments. The date and journal of publication, country of origin, study methodology, and, in the case of U.S. articles, acknowledgment of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant support were noted. Journal impact factors of the publishing journal were assigned to each article. The aggregated data were then analyzed for country, journal of origin, and trend. Results:Of the 14,605 articles originating from EM departments, the United States published 8,550 (58.54%), followed by the United Kingdom with 1,222 (8.37%) and Japan with 663 (4.54%). Significant publication growth was detected worldwide (116.6 articles per year; 95% confidence interval = 101.1 to 132.1; p < 0.0001) and in 17 of the top 20 EM research,producing countries. Among published U.S. studies, the NIH funded 388 (4.5%). Of all articles, 6,152 (41.8%) were published in dedicated EM journals. Conclusions:Emergency medicine research output is increasing worldwide. The United States is the largest producer of EM research, only a small fraction of which is supported by the NIH. The majority of research published by emergency researchers is published in non-EM journals. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||