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Conducting Research (conducting + research)
Selected AbstractsETHICAL PROBLEMS IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN ACUTE EPIDEMICS: THE PFIZER MENINGITIS STUDY IN NIGERIA AS AN ILLUSTRATIONDEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 1 2010EMMANUEL R. EZEOME ABSTRACT The ethics of conducting research in epidemic situations have yet to account fully for differences in the proportion and acuteness of epidemics, among other factors. While epidemics most often arise from infectious diseases, not all infectious diseases are of epidemic proportions, and not all epidemics occur acutely. These and other variations constrain the generalization of ethical decision-making and impose ethical demands on the individual researcher in a way not previously highlighted. This paper discusses a number of such constraints and impositions. It applies the ethical principles enunciated by Emmanuel et al.1 to the controversial Pfizer study in Nigeria in order to highlight the particular ethical concerns of acute epidemic research, and suggest ways of meeting such challenges. The paper recommends that research during epidemics should be partly evaluated on its own merits in order to determine its ethical appropriateness to the specific situation. Snap decisions to conduct research during acute epidemics should be resisted. Community engagement, public notification and good information management are needed to promote the ethics of conducting research during acute epidemics. Individual consent is most at risk of being compromised, and every effort should be made to ensure that it is maintained and valid. Use of data safety management boards should be routine. Acute epidemics also present opportunities to enhance the social value of research and maximize its benefits to communities. Ethical research is possible in acute epidemics, if the potential challenges are thought of ahead of time and appropriate precautions taken. [source] CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES: MEETING RECRUITMENT AND COLLABORATION CHALLENGESJOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 1 2002Volker Thomas Family therapy outcome research with community agencies has been challenging for various reasons. In two recent research projects, it was found that providing active feedback to agencies about their clinical services via a clinical report and a research-asgency liaison were sucessful strategies to develop a collaborative atmosphere with agencies. Specifically, the two starategies improved agency and therapist recruitment, client and therapist motivation, and reduced therapist and client attrition. [source] Handbook for Conducting Research on Human SexualityJOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY: SERIES A (STATISTICS IN SOCIETY), Issue 1 2004James Tighe First page of article [source] Conducting Research on Counties: Commentary from County Government PractitionersPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 6 2007Article first published online: 20 NOV 200 First page of article [source] Discussing Data, Part I: Conducting Research on Civil Wars in Asian CountriesASIAN POLITICS AND POLICY, Issue 2 2010Vagisha I. Gunasekara No abstract is available for this article. [source] Negotiating Children's Social Contexts in Jamaica: Ethics, Practicalities and Research MethodologiesIDS BULLETIN, Issue 3 2009Joy Moncrieffe Conducting research in contexts of violence requires sensitivity and prudence, particularly when the study involves children. This article outlines some of the ethical and practical issues that influenced ,how' researchers worked with children in selected inner-city Jamaican communities. It demonstrates the importance of self-reflection, recognising that researcher's social backgrounds may have much more weight than they acknowledge on the research process and product. [source] Preparing a large data set for analysis: using the Minimum Data Set to study perineal dermatitisJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2005Kay Savik MS Aim., The aim of this paper is to present a practical example of preparing a large set of Minimum Data Set records for analysis, operationalizing Minimum Data Set items that defined risk factors for perineal dermatitis, our outcome variable. Background., Research with nursing home elders remains a vital need as ,baby boomers' age. Conducting research in nursing homes is a daunting task. The Minimum Data Set is a standardized instrument used to assess many aspects of a nursing home resident's functional capability. United States Federal Regulations require a Minimum Data Set assessment of all nursing home residents. These large data would be a useful resource for research studies, but need to be extensively refined for use in most statistical analyses. Although fairly comprehensive, the Minimum Data Set does not provide direct measures of all clinical outcomes and variables of interest. Method., Perineal dermatitis is not directly measured in the Minimum Data Set. Additional information from prescribers' (physician and nurse) orders was used to identify cases of perineal dermatitis. The following steps were followed to produce Minimum Data Set records appropriate for analysis: (1) identification of a subset of Minimum Data Set records specific to the research, (2) identification of perineal dermatitis cases from the prescribers' orders, (3) merging of the perineal dermatitis cases with the Minimum Data Set data set, (4) identification of Minimum Data Set items used to operationalize the variables in our model of perineal dermatitis, (5) determination of the appropriate way to aggregate individual Minimum Data Set items into composite measures of the variables, (6) refinement of these composites using item analysis and (7) assessment of the distribution of the composite variables and need for transformations to use in statistical analysis. Results., Cases of perineal dermatitis were successfully identified and composites were created that operationalized a model of perineal dermatitis. Conclusion., Following these steps resulted in a data set where data analysis could be pursued with confidence. Incorporating other sources of data, such as prescribers' orders, extends the usefulness of the Minimum Data Set for research use. [source] Three metaphors and a (mis)quote: thinking about staffing-outcomes research, health policy and the future of nursingJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2009FAAN, SEAN P. CLARKE RN Conducting research on nurse staffing and outcomes is very challenging, and the application of staffing-outcomes research in practice is both fraught with controversy and vitally important for the safety of our patients and the future of the profession. As I stand back and think about being involved in staffing-outcomes research for nearly a decade and sharing many of my thoughts about this rapidly growing literature in reviews and commentaries in print, certain metaphors for trends in this field come to mind. I won't claim originality for the insights that follow or attempt to thoroughly trace the genealogy of the stories and metaphors here, but offer them to provide what I hope is a fresh perspective to material that I and many of my colleagues have visited and revisited on numerous occasions. [source] Ethical Issues in HIV Research in Poor CountriesJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 2 2001Gladys Mabunda Purpose: To increase awareness of the potential for conducting unethical research in poor nations in the name of scientific inquiry, and to enumerate ethical questions in HIV/AIDS research. Organizing construct: Principles of ethics and ethical analysis in clinical research. Sources and methods: Review of literature on ethical principles of research in developing nations. Findings: People who participate in clinical trials in poor countries often do so because that may be the only way to gain access to health care. However, access to tested drugs beyond clinical trials is not guaranteed. Participants often do not understand the consequences of being research subjects. Conclusions: Conducting research in poor nations requires recognition of ethical issues and maintenance of ethical standards, regardless of material wealth of the countries. Ethical standards also indicate including people from the target population in decisions relating to designing and conducting clinical trials. [source] BIOETHNIC CONSCRIPTION: Genes, Race, and Mexicana/o Ethnicity in Diabetes ResearchCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 1 2007MICHAEL J. MONTOYA This article is an examination of academic, corporate, and state-funded alliance of molecular, biological, computer, and clinical scientists who are conducting research into the genetic epidemiology of type 2 diabetes. Because type 2 diabetes affects human groups differently, researchers use ethnic and racial taxonomies to parse populations and social history to rationalize their categorical choices. In a process termed "bioethnic conscription," the social identities and life conditions of DNA donors are grafted into the biological explanations of human difference and disease causality in both objectionable and constructive ways. Bioethnic conscription is presented as an ethnographically sound alternative to the either,or proposition of the (R)ace,no race debate within biomedicine and anthropology. [source] ETHICAL PROBLEMS IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN ACUTE EPIDEMICS: THE PFIZER MENINGITIS STUDY IN NIGERIA AS AN ILLUSTRATIONDEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 1 2010EMMANUEL R. EZEOME ABSTRACT The ethics of conducting research in epidemic situations have yet to account fully for differences in the proportion and acuteness of epidemics, among other factors. While epidemics most often arise from infectious diseases, not all infectious diseases are of epidemic proportions, and not all epidemics occur acutely. These and other variations constrain the generalization of ethical decision-making and impose ethical demands on the individual researcher in a way not previously highlighted. This paper discusses a number of such constraints and impositions. It applies the ethical principles enunciated by Emmanuel et al.1 to the controversial Pfizer study in Nigeria in order to highlight the particular ethical concerns of acute epidemic research, and suggest ways of meeting such challenges. The paper recommends that research during epidemics should be partly evaluated on its own merits in order to determine its ethical appropriateness to the specific situation. Snap decisions to conduct research during acute epidemics should be resisted. Community engagement, public notification and good information management are needed to promote the ethics of conducting research during acute epidemics. Individual consent is most at risk of being compromised, and every effort should be made to ensure that it is maintained and valid. Use of data safety management boards should be routine. Acute epidemics also present opportunities to enhance the social value of research and maximize its benefits to communities. Ethical research is possible in acute epidemics, if the potential challenges are thought of ahead of time and appropriate precautions taken. [source] Pharmacokinetic predictions in children by using the physiologically based pharmacokinetic modellingFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 6 2008F. Bouzom Abstract Nowadays, 50,90% of drugs used in children have never been actually studied in this population. Consequently, either our children are often exposed to the risk of adverse drug events or to lack of efficacy, or they are unable to benefit from a number of therapeutic advances offered to adults, as no clinical study has been properly performed in children. Actually the main methods used to calculate the dose for a child are based on allometric methods taking into account different categories of age, the body weight and/or the body surface area. Unfortunately, these calculation methods consider the children as small adults, which is not the case. Physiologically based pharmacokinetics is one way to integrate the physiological changes occurring in the childhood and to anticipate their impact on the pharmacokinetic processes: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion/elimination. From different examples, the application of this modelling approach is discussed as a possible and valuable method to minimize the ethical and technical difficulties of conducting research in children. [source] Role of Knowledge in Assessing Nonuse Values for Natural Resource DamagesGROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 1 2001F. Reed Johnson Measuring nonuse values is one of the most controversial topics facing environmental economists today. One important issue that has received little attention is determining who has economic standing with respect to nonuse losses from natural resource injuries. In this paper, a conceptual model for determining compensable nonuse losses is developed that is consistent with the Kaldor-Hicks principle of potential Pareto improvement, and then that model is applied to the results of a telephone survey on industrial water pollution in the lower Passaic River in northern New Jersey. One proposition from this model indicates that only people who have knowledge of the injured resource (i.e., 10 to 44 percent of respondents) can incur a compensable nonuse loss. A second proposition from the model indicates that demand for information about an injury to a familiar resource is a necessary condition for compensable nonuse losses. It was found that 81 percent of the respondents who were familiar with the lower Passaic River were likely to read, listen to, or watch a news story about the river. However, far fewer respondents familiar with the lower Passaic River were willing to engage in more active, and costly, information-acquisition activities (such as conducting research at the library and attending public meetings). Finally, the model suggests that geographic proximity to nondescript resources may affect nonuse values, information costs, or both, helping define the potentially affected population. The empirical results for the lower Passaic River support this third proposition. The overall conclusion is that only a small fraction of the population in New Jersey and New York might reasonably experience a nonuse loss as a result of industrial water pollution in the lower Passaic River. [source] Research and development at the health and social care interface in primary care: a scoping exercise in one National Health Service regionHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 6 2002Jo Cooke MA Abstract The present project aimed to identify research activity at the health and social care interface in primary care within one National Health Service region, and to determine levels of research capacity and support within social services. The study was commissioned by a primary care research network (PCRN) in order to assess opportunities to increase research capacity within social services. Data were collected in two phases from 61 managers, team leaders and senior practitioners in social care, and six public health representatives in health authorities, using telephone interviews and focus groups. The findings highlighted a lack of infrastructure and support for research and development in social care. However, many social care respondents wanted opportunities to develop research skills with healthcare colleagues. Despite poor support, many small-scale projects were described, and many respondents showed an enthusiasm for engaging with research. Methods in use included surveys, action research, needs analysis and evaluation of service developments. Many examples of user involvement were given. Interface projects were usually instigated by interagency forums and funded from multiple sources. Most project work was motivated by service improvement or development, rather than aiming to produce generalisable knowledge. Barriers to conducting research included lack of confidence, research skills and time, as well as workload demands, lack of cover to release staff for research and lack of supervision. Research was not seen as legitimate work in some social care environments or as part of a career path. Existing joint working initiatives (such as the National Service Frameworks) were highlighted as flashpoints for potential research and evaluation activity. The findings suggest clear opportunities for PCRNs to develop research capacity at the interface with social care; for example, by signposting available resources, providing training grants and secondments for social care staff, and supporting interagency networks with a focus on evaluation. In turn, experience in promoting user involvement in social services could add value to research expertise at the primary care,social care interface. [source] A case for case studies: exploring the use of case study design in community nursing researchJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 4 2000Ann Bergen BA MSc RGN DipN DNCert Cert Ed DNT A case for case studies: exploring the use of case study design in community nursing research The case study has become an accepted vehicle for conducting research in a variety of disciplines. However, the meaning behind the term is not always made explicit by researchers and this has given rise to a number of assumptions which are open to challenge, and to questions about the robustness of the method. This paper explores some of the issues arising from one particular definition of case study research, used in a study by Yin which examined the practice of case management in community nursing. Four main areas are discussed. First, defining ,case' is seen to pose questions about the relationship of the phenomenon to its context, the degree of researcher control over case definition, the limits to what may constitute a ,case' and what is meant by the term ,unit of analysis'. Second, the relevance of external validity to case study research is supported through the use of a number of tactics, in particular Yin's concept of replication logic, which involves generalizing to theory, rather than to empirical data. Third, the use of method triangulation (multiple methods of data collection) is advanced as a means of enhancing construct validity in research where data converge around a particular theory. Finally, the relationship of the case study to theory construction, through the prior development of ,propositions' is discussed. Each of these issues is applied to the design and conduct of a research study based closely on Yin's multiple case study framework. Thirteen ,cases' were selected of case management practice and data were collected through interviews and examination of literature and documentation, to explore the suitability of community nurses for the role. It is concluded that, given the appropriate subject matter, context and research aims, the case study method may be seen as a credible option in nursing research. [source] Promoting development and use of systematic reviews in a developing countryJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 6 2009Reza Yousefi-Nooraie MD Abstract Introduction, One major barrier to develop health systems is the limited capacity for conducting research and implementation of research findings. We assessed the views of researchers, decision makers and research policy makers on how the development and usage of evidence from systematic reviews can be promoted in a country with limited resources. Methods, We surveyed 131 participants in six systematic review workshops for their views on important items influencing the production and usage of systematic reviews in a developing country. They were also asked to propose interventions to deal with potential barriers. We analysed the quantitative data using multidimensional scaling methods, and the qualitative data using content analysis approach. Results, We identified seven clusters of items that contribute to the promotion of conducting and using systematic reviews. For each cluster a set of interventions are proposed that health care decision makers and research policy makers may use for promoting conduct and use of systematic reviews. The clusters are ,importance for policy makers', ,access to international research', ,priority and support for systematic reviews', ,competency and willingness of researchers to conduct reviews', ,importance for end-users', ,quality of local primary research' and ,visibility and access to local research'. Discussion, The proposed interventions focus on national level initiatives for making the systematic reviews ,wanted' and improving the capacity to conduct research. Our findings emphasize the essential role of policy makers for promoting systematic reviews. They demonstrate that many barriers stem from the lower quality of and lack of access to primary research originating from developing countries. [source] Radiation therapists' perspective on barriers to clinical trials researchJOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2008C Agustin Summary This study investigates the barriers to the conduct of research as perceived by radiation therapists (RT) particularly with regards to their activity as part of collaborative clinical trials groups such as the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group. These were examined to identify solutions that might promote research by RT working within busy clinical services. In September to October 2005, surveys were sent to an RT Educator and RT Chiefs in four public hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, with a request to distribute and collect the surveys from RT employed at their centres. The overall response rate across these centres was 59% (78/133). Most of the respondents felt that their managers regarded research to be of high priority (79%) and that others in their workplace considered initiating and conducting research as important (79%). The RT considered lack of time during working hours to be the greatest barrier to research (87%). However, the RT felt that the availability of a research mentor would facilitate research in their workplace (90%). Based on our findings, the availability of structural support from radiation oncology centres may promote the clinical trials research participation of RT. [source] Darwinism, behavioral genetics, and organizational behavior: a review and agenda for future researchJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2006Remus Ilies In this article, a case is made for the importance of evolutionary processes and behavioral genetics for organizational behavior. First, we present scientific arguments connecting evolutionary biology and psychology, Darwinian theories, behavioral genetics, and individual differences. Second, we provide a review of behavioral genetics research on constructs relevant to organizational behavior, such as cognitive ability, personality, work attitudes, and leadership. Third, we discuss mechanisms explaining genetic influences on organizational outcomes such as attitudes and leadership. Finally, current issues in behavioral genetics research in general and their implications for organizational behavior are discussed. We also discuss issues specific to conducting research on genetic effects influencing constructs from the organizational realm, and offer suggestions for future research. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Seasonality of psychopathology and circannual melatonin rhythmJOURNAL OF PINEAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2006A.L. Morera Abstract:, The association of seasonal changes in health and disease has been known for centuries. The prevalence of psychopathological symptoms with seasonal fluctuations and the use of melatonin as a biological marker of circadian and circannual rhythms is well documented. The aim of this work was to study the variability of melatonin secretion between summer and winter in our geographical area (28°N, 16°W) and relate the changes to the level of psychopathology. Ten drug-free, nonsmoker, healthy subjects were studied in summer (August) and winter (December). Blood samples for melatonin assays were collected every hour at night for 5 hr, from 22:00 to 02:00 hr, and next day at noon. Melatonin was assayed by an ELISA technique. Psychopathology was evaluated by means of the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). All subjects had a circadian rhythm of melatonin secretion in summer and winter. There was a seasonal rhythm with melatonin levels being significantly higher at night in winter than in summer. Melatonin levels at 22:00, 23:00, 24:00 and 01:00 hr and mean melatonin area under the curve (AUC) were significantly higher in winter than in summer. Melatonin AUC increased 80% in winter compared with summer. The GHQ-28 somatic and anxiety subscales and the total GHQ-28 score were significantly higher in winter than summer. Psychopathology scores were significantly and negatively correlated with melatonin production in summer and winter. Our data strongly suggest that melatonin production and psychopathology levels present seasonal fluctuations and these variations should be taken into account when conducting research in this field. [source] Investing in the renewal of urban science teachingJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 10 2001Michael S. Knapp This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding what is involved in improving urban science teaching and what might be implied by conducting research on its improvement. It is argued in this article that three sets of forces and conditions have a direct impact on urban science classrooms: first, the array of interdependent policies at school, district, and state levels about science teaching in particular and about education improvement more broadly construed; next, the investment and use of instructionally relevant resources at each of the three levels and their differing impacts on the renewal of urban science teaching; and finally, the broader context in which urban science teaching occurs mediating how these resources are,or can be,used. Mediating factors include the professional peer community, subject-specific instructional leadership, the professional development infrastructure, the supply of available science teachers, and the broader community context. The article concludes with suggestions for how this framework informs directions for future research on the promise and limits of efforts to renew science teaching in urban settings. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 38: 1089,1100, 2001 [source] SUCROSE DETECTION AND THE STABILITY OF THE 2-AFC PROCEDURE IN THE PRESENCE OF A CONFOUNDING VARIABLEJOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 5 2008DANIEL SHEPHERD ABSTRACT This study attempted to measure absolute thresholds for sucrose in aqueous solution for 51 experienced judges. Two experiments utilizing the two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) procedure generated 6-point psychometric functions plotting percentage correct as a function of sucrose concentration. In both experiments, the judges were divided into two groups and tested in either purpose-built sensory booths or on open tables situated in a laboratory. In the first experiment, the influence of a confounding variable was apparent, with nonmonotonic psychometric functions being obtained. In experiment II, the confounding variable was eliminated, permitting the estimation of absolute thresholds. In both experiments, there was no main effect of gender or session, though there was an effect of testing locality (P < 0.05). Data are reported to emphasize the importance of controlling extraneous variables and to demonstrate the robustness of the 2-AFC procedure. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This research contributes to an otherwise impoverished database on the detection of sucrose in a solution. The uses of the research include estimates of sucrose detection thresholds for comparative purposes; confirmation of the stability of the two-alternative forced-choice procedure; the utility of using formal testing areas as opposed to ad hoc testing stations; and the dangers of utilizing substandard experimental equipment while conducting research of this nature. [source] NOx Emissions Reduction Through Water InjectionNAVAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL, Issue 3 2006Ernst Radloff Transport Canada is committed to protect the environment and to achieve a more sustainable transportation system. The Transportation Development Centre of Transport Canada, in collaboration with the Environment Research and Measurement Division of Environment Canada, is conducting research on marine emissions control technologies to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. » The ongoing work on emissions control technologies comprises both laboratory and field trials. An initial round of laboratory tests demonstrated the viability of a Water Injection System (WIS) to reduce NOx emissions. The results indicate that the WIS has achieved a 20 to 28% NOx reduction over a 25 to 75% load range with a maximum of 33% water injection. The WIS was optimized during laboratory bench tests and will be installed on a RORO vessel operating between Montreal, Quebec, and St. John's, Newfoundland. The WIS provides a cost-effective solution for NOx reduction on Canadian vessels fitted with older medium-speed engines. [source] Transformations and Critical Moments in NegotiationsNEGOTIATION JOURNAL, Issue 2 2004Linda L. Putnam Transformation is not a new concept in the conflict literature. It forms the foundation for a particular school of thought in mediation and plays a major role in the analysis of international conflicts. More-over, it shapes the goals and processes for managing public conflicts through dialogue and democracy. Although transformation surfaces in a variety of conflict management arenas, this concept has received only a modicum of attention in the negotiation literature. This article centers on the definition and features of critical moments in negotiation that might foster conflict transformation. It draws from the literature on conflict transformation and applies this work to negotiations. First, the author explores the definitions, characteristics, and types of shifts that set up transformations. Then she examines internal and external factors that contribute to transformative moments. Finally, the essay concludes with a discussion of distinctions between transformation and related constructs, suggestions for conducting research, and implications of this work for negotiation research. [source] Accountability, accreditation, and continuous improvement: Building a culture of evidenceNEW DIRECTIONS FOR INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 143 2009Vanessa Smith Morest Using mixed methods, building evaluation into new programs, and conducting research that is authentic and meaningful to the internal campus community can generate interest and help fuel a data-intensive cultural transformation. [source] Negotiating Multiple Roles in the Field: Dilemmas of Being an Employee/ResearcherNORTH AMERICAN DIALOGUE (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2007Ashley Spalding More North Americanists must consider the implications of combining paid work with research since funding for our projects is not keeping up with the rising number of anthropologists conducting research in North America. In this article, I reflect on my own paid work and dissertation research in a divided "mixed income" neighborhood in Tampa, Florida. I negotiated multiple roles conducting research with both middle-class homeowners and low-income renters while working as an employee in one of the neighborhood's low-income apartment complexes. Paid work has advantages beyond making research financially possible. For instance, it enables greater access and insight into particular issues. It can also complicate a researcher's role/s in numerous ways, including how she is perceived by different members of the communities in which she works, and the practical and ethical issues that result. [source] Challenges in conducting research with acutely ill hospitalized older patientsNURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES, Issue 4 2003Karen Hancock phd, bsc(hons) Abstract, The older population is the largest consumer of health care, yet little is known about their nursing needs during acute hospitalization. In undertaking a study to address this issue, the researchers faced many challenges that were related to the complexities of researching acutely ill hospitalized older patients. The purpose of the present discussion paper is to present some of the methodological and pragmatic factors that were encountered so that health professionals and researchers can be aware of the potential obstacles when researching this important area, and plan research accordingly. Potential barriers included the complexity of illness in the older person as a result of comorbidity and iatrogenesis; fatigue; normal age-related processes such as visual/hearing impairment; frequent ward transfer or early discharge; delirium or dementia; and high staff turnover resulting in difficulties in coordinating the study. This paper raises the importance of balancing the need to maximize the rigor of research and the needs of participants. Recommendations for future research are made. [source] MULTIPLE RATERS IN SURVEY-BASED OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH: A REVIEW AND TUTORIALPRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2000Kenneth 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] Woody Encroachment Removal from Midwestern Oak Savannas Alters Understory Diversity across Space and TimeRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Lars A. Brudvig Recovering biodiversity is a common goal during restoration; however, for many ecosystems, it is not well understood how restoration influences species diversity across space and time. I examined understory species diversity and composition after woody encroachment removal in a large-scale savanna restoration experiment in central Iowa, United States. Over a 4-year time series, restoration had profound effects across space and time, increasing richness at local and site-level scales. Restoration sites had increased , (within sample) Simpson's diversity and , and , (site level) species richness relative to control sites, although , and , (among sample) Simpson's diversity, , richness, and , species evenness were not affected. Changes in richness were driven by graminoids at the , and , scales and woody species (and some evidence for forbs) at the , scale. Interestingly, indicator species analysis revealed that at least some species from all functional groups were promoted by restoration, although no species were significant indicators of pre-treatment or control sites. Both savanna and nonsavanna species were indicators of restored sites. Restoration promoted exotic species at both scales, although species with spring phenologies were unaffected. Woody encroachment removal may be a means to promote species establishment in savannas; however, in this study, it resulted in establishment and proliferation of native and exotic and savanna and nonsavanna species. Future work might consider reintroduction of key savanna species to supplement those that have established. Work like this demonstrates the utility of restoration experiments for conducting research on large- and multiscale processes, such as species diversity. [source] Emergency Medicine Public Health Research Funded by Federal Agencies: Progress and PrioritiesACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2009Gail D'Onofrio MD Abstract The emergency department (ED) visit provides an opportunity to impact the health of the public throughout the entire spectrum of care, from prevention to treatment. As the federal government has a vested interest in funding research and providing programmatic opportunities that promote the health of the public, emergency medicine (EM) is prime to develop a research agenda to advance the field. EM researchers need to be aware of federal funding opportunities, which entails an understanding of the organizational structure of the federal agencies that fund medical research, and the rules and regulations governing applications for grants. Additionally, there are numerous funding streams outside of the National Institutes of Health (NIH; the primary federal health research agency). EM researchers should seek funding from agencies according to each agency's mission and aims. Finally, while funds from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are an important source of support for EM research, we need to look beyond traditional sources and appeal to other agencies with a vested interest in promoting public health in EDs. EM requires a broad skill set from a multitude of medical disciplines, and conducting research in the field will require looking for funding opportunities in a variety of traditional and not so traditional places within and without the federal government. The following is the discussion of a moderated session at the 2009 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference that included panel discussants from the National Institutes of Mental Health, Drug Abuse, and Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Further information is also provided to discuss those agencies and centers not represented. [source] GENERATING THEORY, TOURISM, AND "WORLD HERITAGE" IN INDONESIA: ETHICAL QUANDARIES FOR ANTHROPOLOGISTS IN AN ERA OF TOURIST MANIADANNALS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL PRACTICE, Issue 1 2005KATHLEEN M. ADAMS This article is broadly concerned with the unique ethical quandaries anthropologists face when conducting research in touristic milieus, as well as the ethical dilemmas that ensue once we have left the field and are engaged in constructing theoretically informed portraits of the communities we researched. Specifically, drawing on experiences in two contrasting Indonesian field settings (Tana Toraja and Alor), I explore the ways in which contemporary anthropological theories about culture, identity, and identity politics can collide with local perceptions and local tourism-generating aspirations, placing researchers in potentially problematic ethical terrain. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||