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Common Methods (common + methods)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	39%
Engineering	17%
Chemistry	17%
Life Sciences	13%
Humanities and Social Sciences	8%

Selected Abstracts

Censusing and Measuring Lianas: A Quantitative Comparison of the Common Methods,

BIOTROPICA, Issue 5 2006
Stefan A. Schnitzer
ABSTRACT Lianas contribute to many aspects of tropical forest diversity and dynamics, and interest in liana ecology has grown substantially in recent years. Methods to census lianas and estimate biomass, however, differ among studies, possibly hindering attempts to compare liana communities. At Nouragues Research Station (French Guiana), we tested the extent to which liana abundance, basal area, and estimated biomass differed depending on stem diameter measurement location, inclusion of ramets, inclusion of lianas rooted within versus passing through the plot, and plot shape. We found that the mean per plot abundance and basal area of lianas were significantly greater when lianas were measured low on the stem, when ramets were included, and when lianas were sampled in transects (2 × 50 m) than in square plots (10 × 10 m). Mean per plot liana abundance and basal area were 21 percent and 58 percent greater, when stems were measured at the largest spot on the stem compared to 130 cm from the ground, respectively. Including liana ramets increased average per plot liana abundance, basal area, and estimated biomass by 19, 17, and 16 percent, respectively. To facilitate cross-study comparisons, we developed conversion equations that equate liana abundance, diameter, and basal area based on the measurements taken at four different stem locations. We tested these equations at Lambir Hills National Park, Malaysia and found that they did not differ significantly between the two sites, suggesting that the equations may be broadly applicable. Finally, we present a new allometric equation relating diameter and biomass developed from 424 lianas from five independent data sets collected in four countries. RÉSUMÉ Les lianes contribuent de diverse manière à la diversité et à la dynamique des forêts tropicales, et l'intérêt pour l'écologie des lianes s'est beaucoup accru ces dernières années. Cependant, les méthodes pour recenser les lianes et estimer leur biomasse varient d'une étude à l'autre, et peuvent entraver les tentatives de comparaison des communautés de lianes. A la Station de Recherche des Nouragues (Guyane Française), nous avons évalué la variation de l'abondance, de la surface terrière et de la biomasse des lianes, en fonction de la position de mesure du diamètre sur le tronc, de l'inclusion des rameaux, de l'inclusion des lianes enracinées dans la parcelle plutôt que passant dans la parcelle, et de la forme de la parcelle. Nous avons trouvé que l'abondance et la surface terrière moyennes des lianes par parcelle étaient significativement plus importantes lorsque les lianes étaient mesurées en bas de la tige, lorsque les rameaux étaient inclus, et lorsque les lianes étaient échantillonnées dans des transects (2x50m) plutôt que dans des parcelles carrées (10x10m). L'inclusion des rameaux dans l'échantillonnage augmentait l'abondance moyenne des lianes par parcelle de 19 pour cent, leur surface terrière de 17 pour cent et leur biomasse de 16 pour cent. Afin de faciliter les comparaisons entre études, nous avons développé des équations de conversion qui relient l'abondance, le diamètre et la surface terrière des lianes à partir de mesures prises à quatre endroits sur la tige. Nous avons testé la validité de ces équations au Parc National de Lambir Hills (Malaisie): les équations ne variaient pas de manière significative entre les deux sites, suggérant qu'elles pourraient être largement applicables. Finalement, nous présentons une nouvelle équation allométrique reliant diamètre et biomasse des lianes, construite à partir de 424 lianes de cinq ensembles de données échantillonnées dans quatre pays. [source]

Voltammetric Investigation of Zinc Release from Metallothioneins Modulated by the Glutathione Redox Couple and Separated with a Porous Membrane

ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 20 2008
Lin Liu
Abstract Glutathione (GSH), in addition to serving as a redox buffer in cellular environment, has been suggested as a modulator in metal regulation and homeostasis by metallothioneins (MTs). The interactions of MTs with both GSH and its oxidized form GSSG have been shown to govern the direction of metal transfer. Common methods for the determination of zinc release from MTs modulated by GSH/GSSG either involve radioactive species or enzymes or are labor-intensive. In this study, upon separation of Zn2+ from the reaction mixture of MTs and GSH with a centrifugal filter membrane, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for the Zn2+ quantification. The same approach is extended to the studies of metal transfer between Zn7MT with a GSH/GSSG mixture and that between Zn7MT with GSSG. The concomitant conversion between the free thiol and disulfide bonds was confirmed with UV-vis spectrophotometry. The results demonstrate that GSSG, GSH, and the GSH/GSSG mixture all modulate zinc release from Zn7MT. The percentage of zinc release increases in the order of GSH, GSSG, and the GSH/GSSG mixture. The new approach is demonstrated to be well suited for investigation of redox regulation of MT and its reaction with zinc-containing enzymes. [source]

Flow-retarding effects of vegetation and geotextiles on soil detachment during concentrated flow

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 17 2009
A. Knapen
Abstract Roughness elements at the soil surface (e.g. crop residues, rock fragments, vegetation, geotextiles) strongly reduce the erosivity of overland flow (both interrill and concentrated overland flow) and hence soil detachment rates. Common methods for shear stress partitioning that allow the calculation of effective flow shear stress in the presence of roughness elements originate from river hydraulics but seem invalid for overland flow. An alternative method to estimate the effective flow shear stress in the presence of a soil surface cover has been presented and tested for soil detachment by concentrated runoff on soil surfaces covered by crop residues by Knapen et al., (2008). In this method, the estimation of effective flow shear stress is based on the recalculation of the hydraulic radius for covered soil surfaces using flow hydraulics on uncovered surfaces. However, the applicability of this method for roughness elements different from crop residues and under field conditions needs to be tested to confirm its validity. Therefore, runoff data from three experimental studies (conducted on geotextile and grassed-covered soil surfaces) are analysed in this study. The results show that effective flow shear stress, calculated using this method, is not only a good soil detachment predictor for soil surfaces covered with crop residues but also for the tested soil surfaces with a vegetation or geotextile cover. However, the geotextile experiments point to one of the shortcomings of the method. At high flow shear stress levels, vortex erosion due to flow turbulence is reported for the thickest geotextiles. These flow turbulences are not accounted for since the method is based on average flow characteristics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Model Based Evaluation of Bridge Decks Using Ground Penetrating Radar

COMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2008
Kimberly Belli
Interpretation of the radar signal is typically performed through preliminary filtering techniques and interpretation is based on viewing numerous signals in the form of a scan. Although anomalies can be evident in the scanned image, quantification and interpretation of the main issue remain ambiguous. This article presents the ambiguity and common methods of interpretation based on response amplitude and travel time. An integrated medium is developed and used as a forward modeling tool to generate a realistic radar reflection of a reinforced concrete bridge deck with defects. A healthy deck reflection is obtained from a separate model and is combined with an inverse solution to quantifiably estimate unknown subsurface properties such as layer thickness and dielectric constants of subsurface materials evident in the realistic radar trace as well as. The forward modeling tool and associated model based assessment provides an objective computational alternative to the interpretation of scanned images. [source]

Comparison of Impedance Cardiography to Direct Fick and Thermodilution Cardiac Output Determination in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, Issue 2004
Gordon L. Yung MD
Cardiac output (CO) is an important diagnostic and prognostic tool for patients with ventricular dysfunction. Pulmonary hypertension patients undergo invasive right heart catheterization to determine pulmonary vascular and cardiac hemodynamics. Thermodilution (TD) and direct Fick method are the most common methods of CO determination but are costly and may be associated with complications. The latest generation of impedance cardiography (ICG) provides noninvasive estimation of CO and is now validated. The purpose of this study was to compare ICG measurement of CO to TD and direct Fick in pulmonary hypertension patients. Thirty-nine enrolled patients were analyzed: 44% were male and average age was 50.8±17.4 years. Results for bias and precision of cardiac index were as follows: ICG vs. Fick (,0.13 L/min/m2 and 0.46 L/min/m2), TD vs. Fick (0.10 L/min/m2 and 0.41 L/min/m2), ICG vs. TD (respectively, with a 95% level of agreement between ,0.72 and 0.92 L/min/m2; CO correlation of ICG vs. Fick, TD vs. Fick, and ICG vs. TD was 0.84, 0.89, and 0.80, respectively). ICG provides an accurate, useful, and cost-effective method for determining CO in pulmonary hypertension patients, and is a potential tool for following responses to therapeutic interventions. [source]

A Review of Feral Cat Eradication on Islands

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2004
MANUEL NOGALES
efecto de depredación; erradicación; Felis catus; gato asilvestrado; islas Abstract:,Feral cats are directly responsible for a large percentage of global extinctions, particularly on islands. We reviewed feral cat eradication programs with the intent of providing information for future island conservation actions. Most insular cat introductions date from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, whereas successful eradication programs have been carried out in the last 30 years, most in the last decade. Globally, feral cats have been removed from at least 48 islands: 16 in Baja California (Mexico), 10 in New Zealand, 5 in Australia, 4 in the Pacific Ocean, 4 in Seychelles, 3 in the sub-Antarctic, 3 in Macaronesia (Atlantic Ocean), 2 in Mauritius, and 1 in the Caribbean. The majority of these islands (75%; n= 36) are small (,5 km2). The largest successful eradication campaign took place on Marion Island (290 km2), but cats have been successfully removed from only 10 islands (21%) of ,10 km2. On Cousine Island (Seychelles) cat density reached 243 cats/km2, but on most islands densities did not exceed 79.2 cats/km2 (n= 22; 81%). The most common methods in successful eradication programs were trapping and hunting (often with dogs; 91% from a total of 43 islands). Frequently, these methods were used together. Other methods included poisoning (1080; monofluoracetate in fish baits; n= 13; 31%), secondary poisoning from poisoned rats (n= 4; 10%), and introduction of viral disease (feline panleucopaenia; n= 2; 5%). Impacts from cat predation and, more recently, the benefits of cat eradications have been increasingly documented. These impacts and benefits, combined with the continued success of eradication campaigns on larger islands, show the value and role of feral cat eradications in biodiversity conservation. However, new and more efficient techniques used in combination with current techniques will likely be needed for success on larger islands. Resumen:,Los gatos asilvestrados han sido responsables directos de un gran número de extinciones, particularmente en islas. En este estudio, se revisan los programas de erradicación de este felino con el fin de ofrecer información de utilidad en futuras acciones de conservación en islas. La mayor parte de las introducciones datan de los siglos diecinueve y veinte, mientras que las erradicaciones han sido realizadas básicamente durante los últimos 30 años, y sobre todo en la última década. Los gatos asilvestrados han sido erradicados de al menos 48 islas: 16 de ellas en Baja California (México), 10 en Nueva Zelanda, 5 en Australia, 4 en el Océano Pacífico, 4 en Seychelles, 3 en la Región Subantártica, 3 en Macaronesia (Océano Atlántico), 2 en Mauricio, y una en el Caribe. La mayoría de éstas (75%; n= 36) son de reducidas dimensiones (,5 km2), mientras que la más extensa es Marion Island (290 km2). En tan sólo 10 islas (21%) , 10 km2 se ha podido erradicar este depredador. En Cousine Island (Seychelles) la densidad de gatos alcanzó 243 individuos/km2; sin embargo, en la mayoría de las islas, las densidades no excedieron los 79,2 individuos/km2 (n= 22; 81%). Los métodos más comúnmente empleados fueron el trampeo y la caza, a menudo con perros (91% de un total de 43 islas). Con frecuencia dichas prácticas fueron empleadas conjuntamente. Otros métodos incluyeron venenos (1080, monofluoracetato de sodio en cebos de pescado: n= 13; 31%), envenenamiento secundario con ratas envenenadas (n= 4; 10%) y el virus de la leucemia felina (n= 2; 5%). La información sobre el efecto negativo de los gatos en islas y, más recientemente, el beneficio de su erradicación, se ha ido dando a conocer paulatinamente, poniendo de manifiesto su importancia en la conservación de la biodiversidad insular. No obstante, la combinación de técnicas nuevas y más eficientes junto con las habituales, será necesaria para el éxito de la erradicación de los gatos en islas de grandes dimensiones. [source]

Advanced Statistics:Statistical Methods for Analyzing Cluster and Cluster-randomized Data

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 4 2002
Robert L. Wears MD
Abstract. Sometimes interventions in randomized clinical trials are not allocated to individual patients, but rather to patients in groups. This is called cluster allocation, or cluster randomization, and is particularly common in health services research. Similarly, in some types of observational studies, patients (or observations) are found in naturally occurring groups, such as neighborhoods. In either situation, observations within a cluster tend to be more alike than observations selected entirely at random. This violates the assumption of independence that is at the heart of common methods of statistical estimation and hypothesis testing. Failure to account for the dependence between individual observations and the cluster to which they belong can have profound implications on the design and analysis of such studies. Their p-values will be too small, confidence intervals too narrow, and sample size estimates too small, sometimes to a dramatic degree. This problem is similar to that caused by the more familiar "unit of analysis error" seen when observations are repeated on the same subjects, but are treated as independent. The purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction to the problem of clustered data in clinical research. It provides guidance and examples of methods for analyzing clustered data and calculating sample sizes when planning studies. The article concludes with some general comments on statistical software for cluster data and principles for planning, analyzing, and presenting such studies. [source]

Nucleofection: a new, highly efficient transfection method for primary human keratinocytes,

EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
Jörg H. W. Distler
Abstract:, Transfection is an essential tool for numerous in vitro applications including studies of gene expression, promoter analysis, and intracellular signaling pathways and also for therapeutic strategies such as tissue engineering and gene therapy. However, transfection of primary cells including keratinocytes with common methods such as calcium phosphate, DEAE-dextran, liposome-mediated transfer, electroporation or viral vectors is problematic because of low transfection efficiency and the induction of terminal differentiation. Here we analyzed the use of nucleofection, a new, electroporation-based transfection method that enables the DNA to enter directly the nucleus, for the transfection of keratinocytes. Several different conditions were tested and optimized, resulting in a final transfection efficiency of 56% in primary human epidermal keratinocytes. This efficiency is superior to all non-viral transfection methods reported so far. The number of non-viable keratinocytes after nucleofection was low, varying between 14 and 16%. In contrast to other transfection protocols, nucleofection did not induce terminal differentiation in the transfected keratinocytes. In addition, nucleofection is a fast method, because the results can be analyzed within 7 h. In summary, nucleofection is a fast, easy and highly effective alternative for the transfection of primary human keratinocytes, which offers new opportunities for various research applications. [source]

An accurate gradient and Hessian reconstruction method for cell-centered finite volume discretizations on general unstructured grids

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 9 2010
Lee J. Betchen
Abstract In this paper, a novel reconstruction of the gradient and Hessian tensors on an arbitrary unstructured grid, developed for implementation in a cell-centered finite volume framework, is presented. The reconstruction, based on the application of Gauss' theorem, provides a fully second-order accurate estimate of the gradient, along with a first-order estimate of the Hessian tensor. The reconstruction is implemented through the construction of coefficient matrices for the gradient components and independent components of the Hessian tensor, resulting in a linear system for the gradient and Hessian fields, which may be solved to an arbitrary precision by employing one of the many methods available for the efficient inversion of large sparse matrices. Numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency of the reconstruction by comparison with other common methods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

DRYING OF CHILI PEPPER (CAPSCIUM FRUTSCENS)

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2010
T.Y. TUNDE-AKINTUNDE
ABSTRACT Drying is one of the common methods of food preservation and is carried out on untreated/unblanched and treated/blanched chili pepper using sun, solar and hot-air drying. The drying curves generated from the three methods showed that drying of treated/blanched pepper was faster than that of untreated/unblanched pepper. The drying rate period observed for all the methods and samples was the falling rate drying regime. This suggests that the blanching pretreatment assisted water loss and thus decreased the resistance to water loss at the surface of the product. The drying time of the dried pepper varied from 27 h for hot-air drying to 144.5 h for sun drying respectively. The values of moisture diffusivity coefficient ranged from 2.163 × 10,9 m2/s for hot-air drying to 1.125 × 10,9 m2/s for sun drying. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS A common method of preserving pepper, a vegetable with versatile use, is drying and this is done by sun, solar and oven-drying methods. Climatic variations of sun and solar drying make it unsuitable for large-scale production. Hot-air drying is thus considered as an alternative drying method because it decreases drying time and improves the hygienic quality of the dried product. Pretreating pepper by blanching increases its rate of drying. The effect of each drying method on the drying rate, equilibrium moisture content and moisture diffusivity coefficient were used to compare the drying methods. Hot-air drying had the lowest drying time whereas pretreated samples also dried faster. The effective moisture diffusivity of oven dried samples as well as pretreated samples were highest. This indicates that oven drying reduces drying time and can be used to dry pepper samples for large-scale production. [source]

EFFECT OF PRETREATMENT ON DRYING TIME AND QUALITY OF CHILLI PEPPER

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 4 2010
T.Y. TUNDE-AKINTUNDE
ABSTRACT A study was carried out on the effect of various pretreatments and drying methods on drying time and quality of chilli pepper. Chilli peppers were pretreated with different blanching types and concentrations of osmotic sugar solutions (60 and 70°Brix), and were dried afterward. Results indicated that the pretreated peppers dried faster than the untreated ones. The peppers soaked in osmotic solution of 70°Brix had the lowest drying time, which decreased by a variation of 33.3,41.7%, compared with the dried untreated peppers that had the highest drying time. Solar-dried peppers had higher nutritional content than peppers dried from the other methods, while the oven-dried pepper samples had the lowest vitamin A and vitamin C contents. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Drying gives dried samples lower nutritional quality than fresh samples because of physiological changes that takes place. Pretreatments of pepper by steam and by water blanching are common methods, but osmotic dehydration also has a significant effect on the quality of dried foods. The effect of the pretreatments and drying methods on the drying rate and nutritional quality of dried pepper were investigated. Osmotically dehydrated samples had the lowest drying time, while pretreated samples dried faster than untreated samples generally. The nutritional quality of the dried samples, however, varied with the different pretreatment methods. This indicates that pretreatment enhances drying rate and also affects the quality of the final dried product. Dried pepper can thus be pretreated with blanching or dipping in osmotic solutions for products of higher nutritional quality. This will give dried pepper that will meet the nutritional requirement of the consumers better than untreated dried pepper. [source]

Factors associated with childhood constipation

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 10 2007
Mustafa Inan
Aim: To evaluate factors associated with constipation, determine its risk factors and identify common methods of managing constipation among schoolchildren from ages 7,12 in Edirne, Turkey. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study and 1900 children were stratified by the school population, age and gender. The questionnaire collected information from parents about the prevalence of constipation and associated factors as well. It asked about bowel movements, socio-demographic data, personal and family stressors, parental concern about constipation, and treatment methods. Results: The overall prevalence of constipation was 7.2%. It was 7.3% in boys and 7.2% in girls (P > 0.05). The parameters of siblings with health problems, constipation history in family members, abnormal oral habits, and little regular sporting activity were more common in constipated children than in non-constipated ones (P < 0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, never having used school toilets (OR: 5.9) and having problem to control their bowel after 2 years of age (OR: 3.1) were found to be major risk factors for constipation in schoolchildren ages 7,12 years. Constipated children had a lower consumption rate of fruits and vegetables and a higher consumption rate of milk-group foods, biscuits and macaroni than non-constipated children. Parental concern was at 90% and the rate of medical consultation was 23.2% for constipated children. Conclusions: The risk factors for childhood constipation may be genetic, psychological or organic. Bowel functions may be affected by dietary habits. Parents, health and education professionals should give special attention to childhood constipation. [source]

Effects of recent population bottlenecks on reconstructing the demographic history of prairie-chickens

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 11 2007
JEFF A. JOHNSON
Abstract Current methods of DNA sequence analysis attempt to reconstruct historical patterns of population structure and growth from contemporary samples. However, these techniques may be influenced by recent population bottlenecks, which have the potential to eliminate lineages that reveal past changes in demography. One way to examine the performance of these demographic methods is to compare samples from populations before and after recent bottlenecks. We compared estimates of demographic history from populations of greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) before and after recent bottlenecks using four common methods (nested clade analysis [NCA], Tajima's D, mismatch distribution, and mdiv). We found that NCA did not perform well in the presence of bottleneck events, although it did recover some genetic signals associated with increased isolation and the extinction of intermediate populations. The majority of estimates for Tajima's D, including those from bottlenecked populations, were not significantly different from zero, suggesting our data conformed to neutral expectations. In contrast, mismatch distributions including the raggedness index were more likely to identify recently bottlenecked populations with this data set. Estimates of population mutation rate (,), population divergence time (t), and time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) from mdiv were similar before and after bottlenecks; however, estimates of gene flow (M) were significantly lower in a few cases following a bottleneck. These results suggest that caution should be used when assessing demographic history from contemporary data sets, as recently fragmented and bottlenecked populations may have lost lineages that affect inferences of their demographic history. [source]

Preparation of new membranes based on sulfonated aromatic copolyimides

POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 5 2008
Ahmad Rabiee
Abstract New sulfonated aromatic copolyimides with controlled degree of sulfonation were prepared via polycondensation reactions of a sulfonated diamine and two unsulfonated diamines with 1,4,5,8-naphthalene tetracarboxylic dianhydride (NDA). The sulfonated diamine 3,3,-disulfonic acid- bis[4-(5-amino-1-naphthoxy)phenyl]sulfone (DANPS) was synthesized through nucleophilic substitution reaction of 5-amino-1-naphthol with disodium-3,3,-disulfonate-4,4,-dichlorodiphenysulfone (SDCDPS) and subsequent acidification. Two unsulfonated diamines 4,4,-(5-amino-1-naphthoxy)diphenylsulfone (ANDS) and 4,4,-(4-aminophenoxy)diphenylsulfone (APDS) were prepared by nucleophilic reaction of 5-amino-1-naphthol and 4-aminophenol with 4,4,-dichlorodiphenylsulfone in the presence of potassium carbonate, respectively. After characterization of the monomers and polymers with common methods, the physical properties of the polymers including thermal behavior and stability, viscosity, molecular weight, and ion exchange capacity (IEC) were studied. The polymers showed high thermal stability and ion exchange capacity which were the basic requirements for application as fuel cell membranes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

MULTIPLE RATERS IN SURVEY-BASED OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH: A REVIEW AND TUTORIAL

PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2000
Kenneth K. Boyer
Research in the area of operations strategy has made significant progress during the past decade in terms of quantity of articles published, as well as the quality of these articles. Recent studies have examined the published literature base and determined that, in general, the field has progressed beyond an exploratory stage to a point where there is a core set of basic terminology and models. Concurrent with the formation and solidification of a core terminology, there is an increasing emphasis on developing and employing a set of reliable, valid, and reproducible methods for conducting research on operations strategy. We provide a review of common methods for assessing the degree of reliability and agreement of the responses provided by multiple raters within a given organization to a set of qualitative questions. In particular, we examine four methods of determining whether there is evidence of disagreement or bias between multiple raters within a single organization in a mail survey. [source]

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A national survey of training and current assessment practices in the schools

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 6 2003
Michelle Kilpatrick Demaray
The primary purpose of this research was to survey school psychologists to investigate their training and current assessment practices for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the schools. The survey consisted of 38 questions regarding participant characteristics and three main areas relevant to ADHD: (a) training, (b) caseloads/referral patterns, and (c) assessment. The respondents reported receiving adequate training in the assessment of ADHD, with doctorate-level psychologists self-reporting being better trained than nondoctorate psychologists. Results confirmed a substantial caseload of ADHD referrals. In the assessment of ADHD, the results indicated school psychologists are using multiple informants, methods, and settings for the assessment of ADHD with rating scales, observations, and interviews the most common methods identified. Limitations of current practices will be discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 583,597, 2003. [source]

Residual adenoid tissue post-curettage: role of nasopharyngoscopy in adenoidectomy

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 11 2009
Alex J. Saxby
Abstract Objective:, Curettage adenoidectomy is one of the most common methods of adenoidectomy. This study reports the incidence of residual adenoid tissue after curettage and grades the degree of post-nasal space obstruction using fibre-optic nasopharyngoscopy. Methods:, A retrospective study of 425 consecutive patients undergoing curette adenoidectomy in a 5-year period. Results:, Of the 425 patients, 288 (68%) had some residual adenoid tissue evident with nasopharyngoscopy, of which 104 (24%) had significant obstruction (grade 2 or 3). No age or sex difference was found in the likelihood or severity of residual adenoid tissue. Conclusions:, A significant proportion of patients will have residual adenoid tissue following curette adenoidectomy alone. Nasopharyngoscopy permits a more complete resection in a cost-effective, quick and easily performed additional step. [source]

Trauma teams in Australia: a national survey

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 10 2003
Kenneth Wong
Background: Trauma teams have been associated with improved trauma patient outcomes. The present study seeks to estimate the use of trauma teams in Australian hospitals and describe their medical composition, leadership and criteria for activation. Methods: Australian public hospitals with more than 100 beds, an emergency department and offering surgical services were identified. A survey assessing the presence, composition and means of activation of a trauma team was mailed to the ,Director, Emergency Department' of all identified hospitals. Three months later, all hospitals were contacted by telephone to complete and verify data collection. Results: Questionnaires were distributed to 130 hospitals. After exclusion of hospitals that did not receive patients with traumatic injuries, and dedicated paediatric tertiary referral centres, 111 hospitals remained for analysis. Of these, 56% had an established trauma team, while 71% of hospitals without a trauma team claimed to have insufficient doctors to form one team. Ninety-five per cent of trauma teams were potentially activated by prehospital paramedic data (field triage). For 92% of trauma teams a combination of anatomical, physiological and mechanistic criteria were required for activation. The most common methods of mobilizing a trauma team were by dispatching a common call onto individual pagers (31%) or by paging trauma team members individually (31%). Fifty-eight per cent of trauma team leaders were emergency medicine specialists/registrars, while 8% of trauma teams were led by surgeons/registrars. Consultant surgeons were members of 23% of trauma teams and 74% of trauma teams consisted of more junior members after hours. Some form of trauma audit was engaged in by 64% of hospitals. Conclusions: Trauma teams are yet to be utilized by many Australian hospitals that provide trauma care. Australian surgeons presently have limited leadership roles and membership in trauma teams. Trauma audit can be more widely adopted in Australian hospitals. [source]

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS AND FUZZY CLUSTERING

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 6 2009
M. J. BAXTER
Cluster analysis is widely used in archaeological data analysis. Fuzzy clustering is a more modern technique than methods normally used by archaeologists and has not been much exploited. Applications that have been reported are sometimes unsatisfactory and usually do not exploit the ,fuzziness' of the procedure. After a brief review of the more common methods of cluster analysis, fuzzy ideas and fuzzy clustering are discussed. The method is applied to three data sets of different sizes and complexity, to illustrate particular aspects of, and problems in, application. Summarizing results is less easy than for more standard methods, but has the potential to reveal features of the data concealed by other methods. [source]

ChemInform Abstract: Synthesis of Tetrahetrocyclic Systems Including Pyrido[2,,3,:3,4]pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine Fused with Pyrazole Derivatives and Isolated with 1,3,4-Oxa-, Thiadiazole-, and 1,2,4-Tetrazole Derivatives.

CHEMINFORM, Issue 34 2010
Farag A. El-Essawy
Abstract A series of fused and isolated tetracyclic heterocycles are synthesized by common methods. [source]

Emergency Medicine Subinternship: Does a Standard Clinical Experience Improve Performance Outcomes?

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 1 2008
Christopher J. Lampe MD
Abstract Background:, The emergency medicine (EM) subinternship provides a varied experience for senior medical students depending on gender, specialty choice, and interest. A didactic curriculum can be standardized, but the clinical component is difficult to control. Students can be directed to see patients with specific chief complaints. Objectives:, To assess whether a clinical requirement of 10 predetermined cases improves general knowledge as measured on an objective exam. Methods:, This was a prospective, nonrandomized, case-controlled study at a public teaching hospital. Students were assigned to the control group (CG) or test group (TG) by alternating block rotations over 6 months. The CG saw emergency department (ED) patients according to interest and faculty direction. The TG was also required to identify ten specific chief complaints. Patient encounters were recorded in computerized logs. A 10-question pretest assessed preexisting knowledge of each chief complaint, and a 40-question final exam tested general EM knowledge. Descriptive statistics measured demographic data. Groups were compared by Fisher's exact test. Difference in means testing was performed to see if pre- to posttest differences varied by group. Multivariate analysis controlled for gender and specialty choice. Results:, Eighteen CG students saw a mean of 57 patients, and 24 TG students saw a mean of 54 patients; 1 CG student (6%) and 7 TG students (31.8%) saw all 10 required cases (Fisher's exact test p = 0.044). Difference in means testing demonstrated a greater relative change in performance (13.4% points) by the TG relative to the CG on a general knowledge exam, compared with their performance on a brief pretest (p = 0.014). The authors performed multivariate regression controlling for pretest score, gender, and EM specialty choice, and neither gender nor intended EM specialty choice was a contributing factor to the improved performance. A greater relative change in performance (7% points) in the TG exam score was found when compared to the CG (p = 0.020). Conclusions:, Students who participated in the usual didactic curriculum and were required to see ED patients with representative chief complaints performed better on a general EM exam than those who employed common methods of choosing patients. [source]

Patterns of Use of Topical Skin Adhesives in the Emergency Department

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010
Adam J. Singer MD
Abstract Objectives:, The objective was to determine patterns of use of topical skin adhesives (TSA) for laceration repair. The authors hypothesized that TSA use would be more common in children and facial lacerations. Methods:, This was a structured retrospective chart review. The setting was a suburban, university-based emergency department (ED) with an emergency medicine (EM) residency; the annual census is 85,000 visits. Charts from consecutive patients presenting with lacerations in the summer of 2008 (June 2008 through August 2008) were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and wound characteristics were extracted from electronic medical records by trained investigators using structured data collection forms. Characteristics of lacerations repaired with TSA or other closure devices were compared with bivariate and multivariate analyses using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results:, A total of 755 patients presented to the ED with lacerations over the study period, of whom primary closure was used in 667; nine were excluded because the method of closure was unknown. The most common methods of laceration closure were sutures (485), adhesives (88), and staples (86). Adhesives were used to close 27% of facial lacerations, compared to 4% of all other body locations (difference = 23%, 95% CI = 18% to 29%), and in 20% of pediatric versus 8% of adult lacerations (difference = 13%, 95% CI = 7% to 18%). Adjustment for other potential patient and wound characteristics showed that adhesives were more likely to be used to close facial lacerations (OR = 10.0 CI, 95% CI = 5.5 to 18.0) and lacerations in children (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1 to 3.0) and less likely to be used as laceration length increased (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4 to 0.8). Adhesive use was not statistically associated with patient sex or race, laceration edges or shape, or the need for deep sutures. Forty-three percent of adhesive wounds were closed with no anesthetic, and a topical agent was used in another 48%. In contrast, a local anesthetic agent was injected in 87% of sutured wounds (p < 0.001) and 73% of stapled wounds (p < 0.001). Conclusions:, Topical skin adhesives are used more often for children, facial lacerations, and short lacerations. Use of adhesives may improve patient comfort as need for injecting a local anesthetic is reduced. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:670,672 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source]

For debate: problems with the DMF index pertinent to dental caries data analysis

COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
J. M. Broadbent
Abstract , The Decayed, Missing, Filled (DMF) index has been used for over 50 years and is well established as the key measure of caries experience in dental epidemiology. Despite its long history of use, there is debate about the most appropriate number of surfaces to include for a missing tooth. Assigning the maximum possible value for the ,M' component of DMFS (Surfaces) leads to overestimation of an individual's caries experience, and in any associated comparisons of in-caries experience, whereas assigning the minimum possible value for the ,M' component has the opposite effect. Alternative methods of assigning the number of caries-affected surfaces for an extracted tooth are considered. The net caries increment and adjusted caries increment (common methods of correction of the crude increment measure for reversals) are discussed, along with incidence density, a measure of caries extent. Problems exist with the adjusted caries increment, particularly among cohorts with low mean baseline caries experience. Development of an alternative method of estimating the relationship of ,true' and ,examiner' reversals is advocated, as well as greater utilization of incidence density in dental epidemiology. [source]