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Selected AbstractsHealth-promoting physical activity of adults with mental retardationDEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 1 2006Heidi I. Stanish Abstract This literature review describes the physical activity behavior of adults with mental retardation consistent with the U.S. Surgeon General's recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on 5 or more days per week. The proportion of participants achieving this criterion ranges from 17.5 to 33%. These data are likely to be generous estimates of activity as individuals included in physical activity studies to date have been relatively young and healthy volunteers with mild to moderate limitations. Major sources of physical activity were walking and cycling for transport, chores and work, dancing, and Special Olympics. There is a pressing need to conduct studies using appropriately powered representative samples and to validate measures that assess physical activity less directly; including methodologies in which proxy respondents are used. Accurate information about existing patterns of behavior will enhance the development of effective strategies to promote physical activity among persons with mental retardation. MRDD Research Reviews 2006;12:13,21. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Patients' knowledge and perceptions of the side-effects of OTC medicationJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2002L. Hughes BPharm PhD MRPharmS Summary Objective:, To investigate the knowledge of patients with regard to the side-effects of over-the-counter medicines. Method:, This took the form of ethnographic interviews and focus groups. Results:, Patients generally had poor knowledge of the potential side-effects of their medication. However, this appeared not to affect their ability to identify adverse drug reactions (ADRs). A number of the patients had experienced ADRs, and they identified a medicine as the cause because of the timing or unexpected nature of the symptom. The patients obtained information about medicines from many sources, including health care professionals, friends and family. Despite wide availability, patient information leaflets were rarely used by the patients. The leaflets were usually only read if the medicine was new or if a side-effect was experienced. Negative views of the leaflets included poor design and long lists of side-effects. Conclusion:, Accurate information and advice from health care professionals could serve to reassure patients and to ensure they are well informed about the medicines they take. [source] Anatomy and lifestyles of Early Cambrian priapulid worms exemplified by Corynetis and Anningvermis from the Maotianshan Shale (SW China)LETHAIA, Issue 1 2004DI-YING HUANG Accurate information on the anatomy and ecology of worms from the Cambrian Lagerstätten of SW China is sparse. The present study of two priapulid worms Anningvermis n. gen. and Corynetis Luo & Hu, 1999 from the Lower Cambrian Maotianshan Shale biota brings new information concerning the anatomical complexity, functional morphology and lifestyles of the Early Cambrian priapulids. Comparisons are made with Recent priapulids from Sweden (live observations, SEM). The cuspidate pharyngeal teeth of Anningvermis (circumoral pentagons) and the most peculiar radiating oral crown of Corynetis added to the very elongate pharynx of these two forms are interpreted as two different types of grasping apparatus possibly involved in the capture of small prey. Corynetis and Anningvermis are two representative examples of the Early Cambrian endobenthic communities largely dominated by priapulid worms (more than ten species in the Maotianshan Shale biota) and to a much lesser extent by brachiopods. Corynetis and Anningvermis were probably active mud-burrowers and predators of small meiobenthic animals. Likewise predator priapulid worms exploited the interface layer between the seawater and bottom sediment, where meiobenthic organisms were abundant and functioned as prey. This implies that complex prey-predator relationship between communities already existed in the Early Cambrian. This study also shows that the circumoral pentagonal teeth and caudal appendage were present in the early stages of the evolutionary history of the group and were important features of the priapulid body plan already in the Early Cambrian. Two new families, one new genus and new species are introduced and described in the appendix. [source] An evaluation of two biochemical methods of age determination in insects (pteridines and lipofuscins) using the ant Polyrhachis sexpinosa Latrielle (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Simon K A Robson Abstract Accurate information on the age of wild-caught animals is valuable for a variety of areas, but can be particularly difficult to obtain for small holometabolous insects, whose body size is fixed at the time of pupal eclosion. A variety of chemical groups, such as lipofuscins and pteridines accumulate in body tissues through time and can be used to predict age in a variety of arthropod taxa. Here we use spectrofluorometry to confirm the presence of extractable levels of lipofuscins and pteridines in individual social insects (using the ant Polyrhachis sexpinosa Latrielle, average body size 25 mg, as an example) and evaluate their ability to predict age. Pteridine levels were independent of age but lipofuscin levels increased with age in a predictable manner (r2 = 72.8%). Lipofuscin levels therefore represent a new method of age determination for social insects that should be applicable to both individual laboratory and wild-caught animals. [source] Confronting Uncertainty and Missing Values in Environmental Value Transfer as Applied to Species ConservationCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010SONIA AKTER conservación de especies; error de transferencia; incertidumbre; transferencia de valor ambiental; valores de no uso Abstract:,The nonuse (or passive) value of nature is important but time-consuming and costly to quantify with direct surveys. In the absence of estimates of these values, there will likely be less investment in conservation actions that generate substantial nonuse benefits, such as conservation of native species. To help overcome decisions about the allocation of conservation dollars that reflect the lack of estimates of nonuse values, these values can be estimated indirectly by environmental value transfer (EVT). EVT uses existing data or information from a study site such that the estimated monetary value of an environmental good is transferred to another location or policy site. A major challenge in the use of EVT is the uncertainty about the sign and size of the error (i.e., the percentage by which transferred value exceeds the actual value) that results from transferring direct estimates of nonuse values from a study to a policy site, the site where the value is transferred. An EVT is most useful if the decision-making framework does not require highly accurate information and when the conservation decision is constrained by time and financial resources. To account for uncertainty in the decision-making process, a decision heuristic that guides the decision process and illustrates the possible decision branches, can be followed. To account for the uncertainty associated with the transfer of values from one site to another, we developed a risk and simulation approach that uses Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate the net benefits of conservation investments and takes into account different possible distributions of transfer error. This method does not reduce transfer error, but it provides a way to account for the effect of transfer error in conservation decision making. Our risk and simulation approach and decision-based framework on when to use EVT offer better-informed decision making in conservation. Resumen:,El valor de no uso (o pasivo) de la naturaleza es importante pero su cuantificación con muestreos pasivos consume tiempo y es costosa. En ausencia de estimaciones de estos valores, es probable que haya menos inversión en acciones de conservación que generen beneficios de no uso sustanciales, tal como la conservación de especies nativas. Para ayudar a superar decisiones respecto a la asignación de dólares para conservación que reflejan la carencia de estimaciones de los valores de no uso, estos valores pueden ser estimados indirectamente por la transferencia de valor ambiental (TVA). La transferencia de valor ambiental utiliza datos existentes o información de un sitio de estudio de tal manera que el valor monetario estimado de un bien ambiental es transferido a otro sitio. Un reto mayor en el uso de TVA es la incertidumbre sobre la señal y el tamaño del error (i.e., el porcentaje en que el valor transferido excede al valor actual) que resulta de la transferencia de estimaciones directas de los valores de no uso de un sitio de estudio a uno político, el sitio adonde el valor es transferido. Una TVA es más útil si el marco de toma de decisiones no requiere información muy precisa y cuando la decisión de conservación está restringida por tiempo y recursos financieros. Para tomar en cuenta la incertidumbre en el proceso de toma de decisiones, se puede seguir una decisión heurística que guie el proceso de decisión e ilustre sobre las posibles ramificaciones de la decisión. Para tomar en cuenta la incertidumbre asociada con la transferencia de valores de un sitio a otro, desarrollamos un método de riesgo y simulación que utiliza simulaciones Monte Carlo para evaluar los beneficios netos de las inversiones de conservación y que considera posibles distribuciones diferentes de la transferencia de error. Este método no reduce el error de transferencia, pero proporciona una manera para considerar el efecto del error de transferencia en la toma de decisiones de conservación. Nuestro método de riesgo y simulación y el marco de referencia basado en decisones sobre cuando utilizar TVA permiten la toma de decisiones en conservación más informadas. [source] Incorrect and incomplete coding and classification of diabetes: a systematic reviewDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010M. A. Stone Diabet. Med. 27, 491,497 (2010) Abstract Aims, To conduct a systematic review to identify types and implications of incorrect or incomplete coding or classification within diabetes or between diabetes and other conditions; also to determine the availability of evidence regarding frequency of occurrence. Methods, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and free-text terms were used to search relevant electronic databases for papers published to the end of August 2008. Two researchers independently reviewed titles and abstracts and, subsequently, the full text of potential papers. Reference lists of selected papers were also reviewed and authors consulted. Three reviewers independently extracted data. Results, Seventeen eligible studies were identified, including five concerned with distinguishing between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Evidence was also identified regarding: the distinction between diabetes and no-diabetes, failure to specify type of diabetes, and diagnostic errors or difficulties involving maturity-onset diabetes of the young, latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, pancreatic diabetes, persistence of foetal haemoglobin and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The sample was too heterogeneous to derive accurate information about frequency, but our findings suggested that misclassification occurs most commonly in young people. Implications relating to treatment options and risk management were highlighted, in addition to psychological and financial implications and the potential impact on the validity of quality of care evaluations and research. Conclusions, This review draws attention to the occurrence and implications of incorrect or incomplete coding or classification of diabetes, particularly in young people. A pragmatic and clinically relevant approach to classification is needed to assist those involved in making decisions about types of diabetes. [source] Getting the Scale Right: A Comparison of Analytical Methods for Vulnerability Assessment and Household-level TargetingDISASTERS, Issue 2 2001Linda Stephen This paper introduces broad concepts of vulnerability, food security and famine. It argues that the concepts and theories driving development and implementation of vulnerability assessment tools are related to their utility. The review concludes that socio-geographic scale is a key issue, and challenge. It analyses three vulnerability assessment (VA) methods, using Ethiopia as a case study. Facing the challenges of vulnerability assessment and early warning requires providing accurate information at the required scale, useful for multiple decision-makers within realistic institutional capacities. [source] University faculty perceptions of the health risks related to cigarettes and smokeless tobaccoDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 2 2010NICHOLAS PEIPER Abstract Introduction and Aims. It is now widely understood by tobacco research and policy experts that smokeless tobacco (ST) use confers significantly less risk than smoking, but no studies have assessed tobacco risk perceptions in highly educated populations. The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of risks related to smoking and ST use among full-time faculty on two campuses at the University of Louisville. Design and Methods. In October 2007, a survey that quantified risk perceptions of cigarette smoking and ST use with respect to four health domains (general health, heart attack/stroke, all cancer, oral cancer) was sent to 1610 full-time faculty at the Belknap and the Health Sciences Center (HSC) campuses of the University of Louisville, and 597 (37%) returned a completed survey. Results. Overall, cigarettes were considered as high risk for all health domains by large majorities (75,97%). Except for heart attack/stroke, ST was also considered as high risk by the majority of faculty (69,87%), and at least half perceived cigarettes and ST to be equally harmful across all domains. HSC faculty had somewhat more accurate risk perceptions than Belknap faculty for ST, but both groups overestimated the risks, especially for oral cancer. Discussion and Conclusions. This study found that the risks of ST use are overestimated and conflated to that of cigarettes among highly educated professionals, demonstrating the need for better education about the risks of tobacco use and for communication of accurate information by health organisations and agencies.[Peiper N, Stone R, Van Zyl R & Rodu B. University faculty perceptions of the health risks related to cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Drug Alcohol Rev 2010] [source] Sponges as biomonitors of heavy metals in spatial and temporal surveys in northwestern Mediterranean: Multispecies comparison,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2007Emma Cebrian Abstract Contamination by heavy metals has increased drastically in the coastal Mediterranean during the last 20 years. A comparative study on metal bioaccumulation by four widespread sponge species (Crambe crambe, Chondrosia reniformis, Phorbas tenacior, and Dysidea avara) has been performed to select the most suitable species for metal monitoring. Copper bioaccumulation fits an accumulation strategy while Pb concentration seems to be regulated in most sponges. Crambe crambe was the only studied species that bioaccumulated Pb and Cu as a function of the available metal, proving its suitability for monitoring purposes. Then, we examined its effectiveness as a bioindicator at large spatial and temporal scales, comparing metal accumulation in this species and in sediments. Crambe crambe provided accurate information on the background levels of metals in the area at both spatial and temporal scales, and furthermore it reflected seasonal fluctuations of the bioavailable metals, which would be impossible to assess by means of a sediment survey. [source] Ultrasonographic Screening of Clinically-suspected Necrotizing FasciitisACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2002Zui-Shen Yen MD Objective: To determine the accuracy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. Methods: This study was a prospective observational review of patients with clinically-suspected necrotizing fasciitis presenting to the emergency department of an urban (Taipei) medical center between October 1996 and May 1998. All patients underwent ultrasonographic examination, with the ultrasonographic diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis based on the criterion of a diffuse thickening of the subcutaneous tissue accompanied by a layer of fluid accumulation more than 4 millimeters in depth along the deep fascial layer, when compared with the contralateral position on the corresponding normal limb. The final diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis was determined by pathological findings for patients who underwent fasciotomy or biopsy results for patients managed nonoperatively. Results: Data were collected for 62 patients, of whom 17 (27.4%) were considered to suffer from necrotizing fasciitis. Ultrasonography revealed a sensitivity of 88.2%, a specificity of 93.3%, a positive predictive value of 83.3%, a negative predictive value of 95.4%, and an accuracy of 91.9% as regards the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. Conclusions: Ultrasonography can provide accurate information for emergency physicians for the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis. [source] Depth distribution of earthquakes in the Baikal rift system and its implications for the rheology of the lithosphereGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2001Jacques Déverchère Summary The correspondence between the predicted brittle,plastic transition within the crust and the maximum depth of earthquakes is examined in the case of the Baikal rift, Siberia. Although little accurate information on depths is available through large- and moderate-size earthquakes, there are frequent indications of foci at 20 km depth and more. We have relocated 632 events recorded at nearby stations that occurred between 1971 and 1997, with depth and epicentral uncertainties less than 5 km, over the eastern and southern parts of the Baikal rift. We have compared these results with other depth distributions obtained in previous studies from background seismicity in the NE rift (1365 events in the Kalar-Chara zone and 704 events in the Muya region). The relative abundance of earthquakes is generally low at depths between 0 and 10 km (7,15 per cent) and high between 15 and 25 km (,50 per cent). Earthquake activity is still significant between 25 and 30 km (9,15 per cent) and persists between 30 and 40 km (7,13 per cent). Very few earthquakes are below the Moho. We use empirical constitutive laws to obtain the yield-stress limits of several layers made of dominant lithologies and to examine whether the observed distribution of earthquakes at depth (519 events controlled by a close station and located within the extensional domain of the Baikal rift system) can match the predicted crustal strength proportion with depth and the deeper brittle,ductile transition in the crust. A good fit is obtained by using a quartz rheology at 0,10 km depth and a diabase rheology at 10,45 km depth with a moderate temperature field which corresponds to a ,100 Myr thermal lithosphere. No dioritic composition of the crust is found necessary. In any case, earthquakes occur at deep crustal levels, where the crust is supposed to be ductile, in a way very similar to what is found in the East African Rift System. From these results we conclude that the seismogenic thickness is ,35,40 km in the Baikal rift system and that the depth distribution of earthquakes is at first order proportional to the strength profile found in a rheologically layered crust dominated by a mafic composition in the ,10,45 km depth range. An upper mantle core with high strength, however, generally prevents it from reaching stress failure at greater depth. [source] Hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis patients in Iran: A systematic reviewHEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2010Seyed-Moayed ALAVIAN Abstract Hemodialysis (HD) patients are recognized as one of the high-risk groups for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The prevalence of HCV infection varies widely between 5.5% and 24% among different Iranian populations. Preventive programs for reducing HCV infection prevalence in these patients require accurate information. In the present study, we estimated HCV infection prevalence in Iranian HD patients. In this systematic review, we collected all published and unpublished documents related to HCV infection prevalence in Iranian HD patients from April 2001 to March 2008. We selected descriptive/analytic cross-sectional studies/surveys that have sufficiently declared objectives, a proper sampling method with identical and valid measurement instruments for all study subjects, and proper analysis methods regarding sampling design and demographic adjustments. We used a meta-analysis method to calculate nationwide prevalence estimation. Eighteen studies from 12 provinces (consisting 49.02% of the Iranian total population) reported the prevalence of HCV infection in Iranian HD patients. The HCV infection prevalence in Iranian HD patients is 7.61% (95% confidence interval: 6.06,9.16%) with the recombinant immunoblot assay method. Iran is among countries with low HCV infection prevalence in HD patients. [source] Morphological classification and definition of benign, preneoplastic and non-invasive neoplastic lesions of the urinary bladderHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2008R Montironi The morphological classification used in this essay has been based on the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumours of the urinary system (i.e. 2004 WHO classification). It includes epithelial abnormalities and metaplasias as well as dysplasias and carcinomas in situ. The lesions are broadly subdivided into two major groups: benign, preneoplastic and non-invasive neoplastic lesions of the urothelium; and benign, preneoplastic and non-invasive neoplastic bladder lesions other than urothelial. Each of these lesions is defined with strict morphological criteria to provide more accurate information to urologists and oncologists in managing patients. There is still debate in the literature as to whether the 2004 WHO system should be the only one to be used and whether the 1973 WHO system should be abandoned. [source] ,Testimony (to some extent fictitious)': proofs of age in the first half of the fifteenth century*HISTORICAL RESEARCH, Issue 218 2009Matthew Holford This article offers an assessment of the reliability and value of proofs of age produced c.1400,50. It argues that the testimonies recorded in these proofs must be treated with considerable scepticism. From around 1420 onwards, proofs with demonstrably fictitious or conventional testimonies were produced in increasingly large numbers. The documents had become something of a formality, and it was not expected that they would be closely scrutinized. But despite these caveats, proofs of age cannot simply be dismissed. Many are not obviously conventional in their contents; and even in certain apparently fictitious documents, care was taken to provide some accurate information. [source] Exploiting Context-Awareness in Cluster-Based Wireless Sensor NetworksIEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2009Md Enamul Haque Non-member Abstract Most of the wireless sensor network's (WSN's) applications require getting accurate information as well as uninterrupted, prolonged service life. Among the constituting elements of WSN, an efficient routing protocol plays a significant role in attaining such service requirements. In this article, an energy efficient routing protocol, context-aware clustering hierarchy (CACH), is proposed where cluster formation is based on the context of the environment. Moreover, a technique is utilized to avoid similar data traffic across the network. The performance in the simulation shows energy saving which ensures prolonged service life. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Development of a registry for monitoring psychotropic drug prescriptions: aims, methods and implications for ordinary practice and researchINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005Dr Corrado Barbui Abstract In psychiatry, individual-based registries have provided key information on risks and benefits associated with the use of psychotropic drugs but they have rarely been employed for monitoring and evaluating the everyday prescribing of psychopharmacological treatments. This article describes the cultural background that gave impetus to the idea of registering all prescriptions of psychotropic drugs dispensed by physicians working in the South Verona community mental health service, and presents the methodology employed to develop such a registry in a community psychiatric service where a psychiatric case register (PCR) has been operating since 1978. We developed a registry including every patient receiving psychotropic medications in ordinary practice. This registry is linked to the PCR in order to obtain data on social and demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, use of services, and outcomes. No exclusion criteria are allowed , anyone receiving treatment is automatically included. This system, which can link drug and service-use data with hard outcome indicators, can generate information on the proportion of subjects discontinuing treatment, switching medication because of side-effects, recovery or inefficacy, as well as on the proportion of subjects failing to return to the physician, and the proportion of patients who improve. The innovative aspect of this approach is that this registry is developed, organized and used by physicians interested in monitoring their clinical practice and in providing patients, relatives and the public with accurate information on drug use in their specific context of care. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography for inferior vena caval tumor thrombus in renal cell carcinomaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 4 2004TAKEHIRO OIKAWA Abstract Background : We investigated the advantages of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) during inferior vena caval tumor thrombectomy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods : Five patients with RCC that extended into the inferior vena cava (IVC) underwent radical nephrectomy. To remove the tumor thrombus in the IVC, an inflated Fogarty balloon catheter was used to pull the thrombus below the level of the hepatic veins with real-time TEE monitoring. Results : In all cases, TEE monitoring during surgery provided an accurate and excellent view of the IVC thrombus. TEE was particularly helpful for the thrombectomy to minimize hepatic mobilization by using occlusion balloon catheter in two patients whose thrombus extended to the intrahepatic IVC. Conclusions : Intraoperative real-time TEE monitoring is a safe, minimally invasive technique that can provide accurate information regarding the presence and extent of IVC involvement, guidance for placement of a vena caval clamp, confirmation of complete removal of the IVC thrombus and intervention using catheters to assist in thrombectomy. [source] Sampling for a longitudinal study of the careers of nurses qualifying from the English pre-registration Project 2000 diploma courseJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2000Louise Marsland PhD BSc RMN Sampling for a longitudinal study of the careers of nurses qualifying from the English pre-registration Project 2000 diploma course This paper describes the processes involved in selecting a sample, from the eight English regional health authorities, of nurse qualifiers from all four branches of the Project 2000 pre-registration diploma course, for a longitudinal study of nurses' careers. A simple random sample was not feasible since accurate information about the population could not be obtained and the study design involved recruiting participants by personal visit. A multi-stage approach was therefore adopted in which ,college of nursing' was taken as the primary sampling unit. Sampling was further complicated by the fact that adult branch students could generally only be visited in larger groups than was ideal. Information obtained during pilot work about the accuracy of data about the population, course completion rates and the proportion of students who were likely to agree to participate was used to calculate required sampling fractions. The final sample was therefore a function of this information and the practicalities of recruiting nurses into the study. [source] A systematic review of trend studies of women seeking termination of pregnancyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 22 2008Wendy Abigail Aims and objectives., This article reports a systematic review of trend studies (1995,2006) which answers five questions: What are the patterns of: 1,Age of women seeking termination of pregnancy; 2,First ever pregnancy ending in a termination; 3,Contraception usage at the time of conception; 4,Contraception chosen immediately postoperatively; and 5,Referral sources to termination of pregnancy services. Background., Fertility patterns are changing and there is evidence to indicate that the numbers of older women conceiving for the first time are increasing. At the same time, there are new methods of contraception widely available. Little is known about the implications of these changes on termination patterns. Design., An extensive electronic search of databases such as CINAHL, MEDLINE® In-Process (OVID) and was conducted from January 1995,June 2006 for trend studies in pregnancy terminations. Methods., Articles chosen were based on trend studies greater than five years, contained primary quantitative research and official government statistical reports. Results., Results of the search showed age that was unable to be compared because of the many variations in measurements and time periods, and there was only limited research worldwide of trends in contraception at the time of conception in relation to a termination of pregnancy. Additionally, there were no studies worldwide in the past 11 years, which specifically examined trends in the characteristics of the number of first-ever pregnancies which ended in a termination, contraception choices postoperative to a termination of pregnancy, or referral source to a termination of pregnancy provider. Conclusion., Little is reported in the literature on trends in the five characteristics related to pregnancy termination. Relevance to clinical practice., Evidence about the changing patterns of women seeking pregnancy termination is needed to inform policy and practice, and to ensure that health promotion strategies are underpinned by accurate information that reflects the needs of the populations of women in relation to their reproductive health. [source] Portrayal of depression and other mental illnesses in Australian nonfiction mediaJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Catherine Francis This study describes Australian media portrayal of mental illnesses, focusing on depression. A random sample of 1,123 items was selected for analysis from a pool of 13,389 nonfictional media items about mental illness collected between March 2000 and February 2001. Depression was portrayed more frequently than other mental illnesses. Items about depression, eating disorders, and substance use disorders most commonly described policies or programs, whereas items about schizophrenia most frequently portrayed individuals or symptoms and treatment. A minority of items about depression presented information about symptoms, causes, treatment, or prognosis. Although such information was generally accurate, a proportion of items conveyed misleading messages. There is therefore scope for increasing the level of accurate information provided about depression in the Australian media. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 33: 283,297, 2005. [source] Monitoring the care of lung cancer patients: linking audit and care pathwaysJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 1 2001E. Kaltenthaler BSc Abstract Clinical audit plays an important role in monitoring the provision of care for patients whatever their condition. Care pathways define the steps and expected course of events in the care of patients with a specific clinical problem over a set time scale. This paper describes a study undertaken in a multisite cancer unit to develop a tool for monitoring the progress of lung cancer patients through a care pathway and auditing key standards within the pathway. Important issues associated with the development of this tool are highlighted. The process of developing this tool involved the following steps: a review of the literature dealing with the management of lung cancer patients; interviews with key personnel in primary, secondary, tertiary and palliative care; development of a paper-based series of forms representing key steps in the patient's care pathway; 3-month trial of the paper-based tool; analysis of completion rates and interviews with form users to evaluate effectiveness; and recommendations for creating an electronic record using the experience and lessons learned from the paper version. The paper forms developed through this multistage process were found to be acceptable to users and have the potential to provide accurate information at key points for audit throughout the patient's time within the health-care system for their lung cancer condition. The flexibility of this methodology allows it to be adapted readily to a variety of clinical situations and conditions. [source] Accuracy of MRI for predicting the circumferential resection margin, mesorectal fascia invasion, and tumor response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancerJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 5 2009Seung Ho Kim MD Abstract Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI for predicting the circumferential resection margin (CRM), mesorectal fascia (MRF) invasion, and the tumor response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer. Materials and Methods Sixty-five consecutive patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (,T3 or lymph node-positive) who underwent neoadjuvant CRT and subsequent surgery were enrolled in this retrospective study. Two blinded radiologists independently reviewed both the pre- and post-CRT rectal MR images and measured the post-CRT CRM; they recorded their confidence level with respect to the MRF invasion and tumor response using a 5-point scale. The diagnostic accuracy of each reviewer was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Results The measured CRM was not significantly different from the reference standard (mean difference, ,1.4 mm; 95% limits of agreement, ,8.3,5.4 mm; interclass correlation coefficient, 0.82). The diagnostic accuracy (Az) for determining MRF invasion was 0.890 for reviewer 1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.788,0.954) and 0.829 for reviewer 2 (95% CI, 0.715,0.911). The Az for predicting complete or near-complete regression was 0.791 for reviewer 1 (95% CI, 0.672,0.882) and 0.735 for reviewer 2 (95% CI, 0.611,0.837). Conclusion MRI provides accurate information regarding the CRM of locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant CRT; it also shows relatively high accuracy for predicting MRF invasion and moderate accuracy for assessing tumor response. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;29:1093,1101. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Breast-Cancer-Related Lymphedema: Information, Symptoms, and Risk-Reduction BehaviorsJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 4 2008Mei R. Fu Purpose: To explore the effect of providing lymphedema information on breast cancer survivors' symptoms and practice of risk-reduction behaviors. Design: A cross-sectional design was used to obtain data from 136 breast-cancer survivors in New York City from August 2006 to May 2007. Descriptive statistics, t tests, chi-square tests, and correlations were calculated. Methods: Data were collected using a demographic and medical information interview tool, two questions regarding status of receiving lymphedema information, the Lymphedema and Breast Cancer Questionnaire, and Lymphedema Risk-Reduction Behavior Checklist. Findings: Fifty-seven percent of the participants reported that they received lymphedema information. On average, participants had three lymphedema-related symptoms. Only 18% of participants were free of symptoms. Participants who received information reported significantly fewer symptoms (t=3.03; p<0.00) and practicing more risk-reduction behaviors (t=2.42; p=0.01). Conclusions: Providing lymphedema information has an effect on symptom reduction and more risk-reduction behaviors being practiced among breast cancer survivors. Clinical Relevance: In clinical practice, nurses and other healthcare professionals could consider taking the initiative to provide adequate and accurate information and engage breast-cancer survivors in supportive dialogues concerning lymphedema risk-reduction. [source] Factor V Leiden as a Common Genetic Risk Factor for Venous ThromboembolismJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 1 2006McDonald K. Horne III Purpose: To increase nurses' knowledge of the Factor V Leiden (FVL) genetic trait for venous thromboembolism. Organizing Framework: An overview of the history, prevalence, and predisposition of the FVL genetic mutation, including who should be tested and how and in what circumstances people with FVL should be treated. Findings: FVL is the most commonly recognized genetic trait associated with venous thrombosis. It is found predominantly in Caucasian populations. Biochemically it causes "activated protein C resistance (APCR)." The decision to test for FVL depends on whether the information gained will potentially improve the health care of the person or family. For people who have had deep venous thrombosis, testing for FVL will likely not alter treatment approaches. Currently the advantage for testing is primarily limited to asymptomatic family members who carry FVL and who have had deep vein thrombosis. Close relatives who also carry the mutated gene might benefit from prophylactic anticoagulation when their risk of thrombosis is increased by temporary factors such as surgery. Conclusions: Nurses are in a unique position to provide accurate information and counseling when patients and their family members are presented with the results of thrombophilia testing. [source] Immunization myths and realities: Responding to arguments against immunizationJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 7 2003CR MacIntyre Abstract: As vaccination programs continue to successfully control more and more infectious diseases, and the effects of these diseases become less visible, there has been increased focus on adverse events following immunization. Vaccines have been falsely implicated in the causation of a range of conditions, especially those which affect infants and young children, and whose aetiology is unknown, poorly understood or multifactorial. This paper explores some of the common immunization myths that clinicians may face. It is essential that health professionals have access to accurate information and are able to respond appropriately to parental concerns. This involves good communication; listening, empathy and tailoring advice to the specific concerns of the parent. Finally, health professionals need to provide consistent messages based on solid research evidence. [source] Strategy hubs: Domain portals to help find comprehensive informationJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Suresh K. Bhavnani Recent studies suggest that the wide variability in type, detail, and reliability of online information motivate expert searchers to develop procedural search knowledge. In contrast to prior research that has focused on finding relevant sources, procedural search knowledge focuses on how to order multiple relevant sources with the goal of retrieving comprehensive information. Because such procedural search knowledge is neither spontaneously inferred from the results of search engines, nor from the categories provided by domain-specific portals, the lack of such knowledge leads most novice searchers to retrieve incomplete information. In domains like healthcare, such incomplete information can lead to dangerous consequences. To address the above problem, a new kind of domain portal called a Strategy Hub was developed and tested. Strategy Hubs provide critical search procedures and associated high-quality links to enable users to find comprehensive and accurate information. We begin by describing how we collaborated with physicians to systematically identify generalizable search procedures to find comprehensive information about a disease, and how these search procedures were made available through the Strategy Hub. A controlled experiment suggests that this approach can improve the ability of novice searchers in finding comprehensive and accurate information, when compared to general-purpose search engines and domain-specific portals. We conclude with insights on how to refine and automate the Strategy Hub design, with the ultimate goal of helping users find more comprehensive information when searching in unfamiliar domains. [source] The Importance of Mental Illness EducationJUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001BY ANGELA D. VICKERS J.D. ABSTRACT Until our legal community,both lawyers and judges,understands basic truths about the medically based and highly treatable mental illnesses, (depression, manic-depression [bipolar disorder], schizophrenia, and the anxiety disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder) our nation does not offer "justice for all" for the more than 27 million Americans who have one or more of these common brain problems. With accurate information, our legal community can restore justice to millions of Americans, children to seniors, and do much to improve health, prosperity, stability, and safety to our nation, through actions and decisions which promote public education and understanding, early recognition and treatment, and which replace stigma, discrimination, wrongful punishment, and failure with understanding, recovery, productivity, and justice. [source] Increasing sales by introducing non-salable itemsMANAGERIAL AND DECISION ECONOMICS, Issue 8 2006Kobi Kriesler Rationality implies that adding ,irrelevant' and, in particular, inferior alternatives to the opportunity set cannot increase the choice probability of some other alternative. In this study, we propose a novel approach that can rationalize an intended addition of such alternatives because it strictly increases the choice probability of some existing alternative. The driving force behind the existence and extent of such an increase is the random nature of individual preferences, that implies intransitivity, and the random nature of the applied choice procedures. We study the case of a firm interested in increasing the sales of some of its existing products by introducing a new and inferior (non-salable) product. Our main results focus on the feasibility and potential advantage of a successful such strategy. We first establish necessary and sufficient conditions for an increase in the sale probability and then derive the maximal possible absolute and relative increase in this probability, when the firm has extremely limited information on the characteristics of the consumers. We then derive analogous results, assuming that the existing line of products consists of just two items and that the firm has accurate information on the consumers' stochastic preferences over the existing products. These later results are illustrated using some experimental evidence. The applicability of the approach is finally briefly discussed in the context of branding policy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] How to use molecular marker data to measure evolutionary parameters in wild populationsMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 7 2005DANY GARANT Abstract Estimating the genetic basis of phenotypic traits and the selection pressures acting on them are central to our understanding of the evolution and conservation of wild populations. However, obtaining such evolutionary-related parameters is not an easy task as it requires accurate information on both relatedness among individuals and their breeding success. Polymorphic molecular markers are very useful in estimating relatedness between individuals and parentage analyses are now extensively used in most taxa. The next step in the application of molecular data to wild populations is to use them to derive estimates of evolutionary-related parameters for quantitative traits, such as quantitative genetic parameters (e.g. heritability, genetic correlations) and measures of selection (e.g. selection gradients). Despite their great appeal and potential, the optimal use of molecular tools is still debated and it remains unclear how they should best be used to obtain reliable estimates of evolutionary parameters in the wild. Here, we review the methods available for estimating quantitative genetic and selection parameters and discuss their merits and shortcomings, to provide a tool that summarizes the potential uses of molecular data to obtain such parameters in wild populations. [source] The invisible reality of arthritis: A qualitative analysis of an online message boardMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 3 2008Aimee Hadert MSc Abstract Background and aim:,Living with a chronic illness, such as arthritis, creates many psychosocial stressors, which can be difficult to cope with. Exploring the interactions which take place on an online message board for people with arthritis may provide insight into both the social support offered, as well as highlighting the groups' needs that perhaps are not being met in a more formal ,offline' setting. The aim of this study was to investigate how and why an arthritis online message board was used. Methods:,A retrospective three-month period of discussions posted on an online message board for people who have arthritis was downloaded into a word document. Collecting data in this manner ensured that completed discussions were captured. Eighty-seven initial messages and 981 replies were analysed. The discussions were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Results:,Four master themes were identified. Firstly, the invisible reality of the condition; secondly, information exchange, whereby users of the message board were shown to be both seeking and providing information; thirdly, while users praised the support they received from family and friends, the support offered and received online was considered to provide additional benefits. Finally, the message board allowed users to share (primarily negative) emotions which they felt unable to express in their offline worlds. Conclusion and implications:,Patients do not always understand the information being offered by health care professionals, and they do not have the confidence to ask for clarification. Health care professionals need to ensure that they find a way of checking levels of patient understanding. Failure to do so means that patients may turn to alternative sources, which may not provide accurate information. The study also showed that people with arthritic conditions find it difficult to express how they are feeling in their offline world; furthermore, they find it difficult to ask for support from their significant others, preferring instead to ,suffer in silence' and seek support from the online community, potentially further isolating them from the support of those in their offline world. There is scope for such patients to be both empowered and educated, so that they are better able to ask for the help they need, which in turn will help to counteract the danger of isolation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||