			Home About us Contact

Expert Review (expert + review)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	61%
Education	15%

Selected Abstracts

THE INFLUENCE OF EXPERT REVIEWS ON CONSUMER DEMAND FOR EXPERIENCE GOODS: A CASE STUDY OF MOVIE CRITICS*

THE JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2005
David A. Reinstein
An inherent problem in measuring the influence of expert reviews on the demand for experience goods is that a correlation between good reviews and high demand may be spurious, induced by an underlying correlation with unobservable quality signals. Using the timing of the reviews by two popular movie critics, Siskel and Ebert, relative to opening weekend box office revenue, we apply a difference-in-differences approach to circumvent the problem of spurious correlation. After purging the spurious correlation, the measured influence effect is smaller though still detectable. Positive reviews have a particularly large influence on the demand for dramas and narrowly-released movies. [source]

Expert Review of the Evidence Base for Prevention of Travelers' Diarrhea

JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009
Herbert L. DuPont MD
The most frequent illness among persons traveling from developed to developing countries is travelers' diarrhea. Travelers to high-risk regions traditionally have been educated to exercise care in food and beverage selection. Innovative research is needed to identify ways to motivate people to exercise this care and to determine its value. Chemoprophylaxis can be recommended for certain groups while monitoring for safety, drug resistance, and efficacy against all forms of bacterial diarrhea. Research to evaluate the value of immunoprophylaxis is recommended. In the following document, the authors used an evidence base when available to determine strength and quality of evidence and when data were lacking, the panel experts provided consensus opinion. [source]

Expert Review of the Evidence Base for Self-Therapy of Travelers' Diarrhea

JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009
Herbert L. DuPont MD
First page of article [source]

BNP Consensus Panel 2004: A Clinical Approach for the Diagnostic, Prognostic, Screening, Treatment Monitoring, and Therapeutic Roles of Natriuretic Peptides in Cardiovascular Diseases

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, Issue 2004
Marc A. Silver MD
Among the most exciting developments in the field of heart failure in recent times has been the rediscovery of the natriuretic peptide system and its pleuripotent effects on cardiac structure and function. This is particularly true of its natriuretic and hemodynamic effects. There has been an explosion of the knowledge base seeking to understand the wide range of homeostatic, regulatory, and counter-regulatory functions in which the natriuretic peptide system participates. Additional interest has been stimulated by advances in technology such as point-of-care and core laboratory BNP assays and the use of the recombinant B-type natriuretic peptide nesiritide as a treatment option. Despite this recent interest, the available literature lacks a comprehensive expert review of the current science and roles of natriuretic peptides for diagnostic, prognostic, screening, treatment monitoring, and therapeutic purposes. More importantly, a summary updating and guiding the clinician on most of these advances was lacking. An expert Consensus Panel with basic, methodological, and clinical expertise was convened to summarize current knowledge in these areas and the findings and consensus statements are contained herein. [source]

Distinguishing between task and contextual performance for nurses: development of a job performance scale

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2007
Jaimi H. Greenslade
Abstract Title.,Distinguishing between task and contextual performance for nurses: development of a job performance scale Aim., This paper is a report of a development and validation of a new job performance scale based on an established job performance model. Background., Previous measures of nursing quality are atheoretical and fail to incorporate the complete range of behaviours performed. Thus, an up-to-date measure of job performance is required for assessing nursing quality. Methods., Test construction involved systematic generation of test items using focus groups, a literature review, and an expert review of test items. A pilot study was conducted to determine the multidimensional nature of the taxonomy and its psychometric properties. All data were collected in 2005. Findings., The final version of the nursing performance taxonomy included 41 behaviours across eight dimensions of job performance. Results from preliminary psychometric investigations suggest that the nursing performance scale has good internal consistency, good convergent validity and good criterion validity. Conclusion., The findings give preliminary support for a new job performance scale as a reliable and valid tool for assessing nursing quality. However, further research using a larger sample and nurses from a broader geographical region is required to cross-validate the measure. This scale may be used to guide hospital managers regarding the quality of nursing care within units and to guide future research in the area. [source]

The Generalizability of Scores for a Performance Assessment Scored with a Computer-Automated Scoring System

JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT, Issue 3 2000
Brian E. Clauser
When performance assessments are delivered and scored by computer, the costs of scoring may be substantially lower than those of scoring the same assessment based on expert review of the individual performances. Computerized scoring algorithms also ensure that the scoring rules are implemented precisely and uniformly. Such computerized algorithms represent an effort to encode the scoring policies of experts. This raises the question, would a different group of experts have produced a meaningfully different algorithm? The research reported in this paper uses generalizability theory to assess the impact of using independent, randomly equivalent groups of experts to develop the scoring algorithms for a set of computer-simulation tasks designed to measure physicians' patient management skills. The results suggest that the impact of this "expert group" effect may be significant but that it can be controlled with appropriate test development strategies. The appendix presents multivariate generalizability analysis to examine the stability of the assessed proficiency across scores representing the scoring policies of different groups of experts. [source]

Metabolic risk factors associated with erosive esophagitis

JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 8 2009
Chian-Sem Chua
Abstract Background and Aim:, Our aim was to determine associations between metabolic risk factors and erosive esophagitis. Methods:, In this retrospective case-control study, diagnosis of erosive esophagitis was based on the Los Angeles classification. Endoscopic findings in subjects with erosive esophagitis were reviewed by two experienced endoscopists and those with agreement of diagnosis were enrolled for study. Body mass index (BMI), abdominal girdle, blood pressure, and serum triglyceride, glucose, and ,-lipoprotein levels were compared between individuals with and without erosive esophagitis. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent metabolic risk factors associated with erosive esophagitis. Results:, Between October 2004 and April 2006, 518 of 4206 subjects who underwent endoscopic examination were diagnosed as having erosive esophagitis. After expert review, 427 (male : female = 365:62) individuals met the study criteria of having erosive esophagitis (10.5%). Compared with age- and gender-matched controls, patients with erosive esophagitis had significantly higher BMI, abdominal girdle, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels, and lower levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (P < 0.05). More subjects with metabolic syndrome had erosive esophagitis than without metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.27,2.44, P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that central obesity (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 05-1.89, P = 0.023) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.19,2.13, P = 0.004) were significantly associated with erosive esophagitis. Conclusions:, Obesity and hypertriglyceridemia, which are key components of metabolic syndrome, are moderate independent risk factors for erosive esophagitis. [source]

Use of prescription medications with a potential for fetal harm among pregnant women,

PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 8 2006
Susan E. Andrade ScD
Abstract Purpose To estimate the prevalence of use of prescription drugs with a potential for fetal harm among pregnant women in the United States. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using the automated databases of eight health maintenance organizations involved in the HMO Research Network Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERT). Women who delivered an infant from January 1996 to December 2000 were identified. The frequency of use of prescription drugs with a potential for fetal harm was based upon the expert review of a clinical teratologist and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) risk classification system, assuming a gestational duration of 270 days. Results Among the 114,165 women with no documentation of a diagnosis suggesting potential pre-term birth or dispensing of ovulation stimulants in the 270 days before delivery, 1305 (1.1%) received a teratogenic drug during the 270 days before delivery, based upon the expert review of a clinical teratologist. A larger proportion of women received U.S. FDA category D or X drugs (5.8%; N,=,6600). However, the general patterns of use were similar, with higher use in early pregnancy compared to later trimesters. The proportion of women dispensed a teratogen during pregnancy was substantially higher among women who received a teratogen in the 90 days before pregnancy compared to women who did not (adjusted RR,=,38.9, 95%CI, 33.5, 45.3). Conclusions Our results suggest that further efforts directed at physicians to counsel women or at the women themselves about the potential risks of particular medications appear warranted. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Questionnaire development: face validity and item impact testing of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile

COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 2007
Hillary L. Broder
Abstract Objective:, The Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) was designed to assess oral-facial well-being in school-age children as reported by the child and via proxy report from a caregiver. This article describes the development of the COHIP using a multi-staged impact approach recommended by Guyatt et al. (Quality of life and pharmacoeconomics in clinical trials. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven; 1996. p. 41). Methods:, There were multiple phases to the development of the questionnaire: (i) initial pool of items developed from the literature and expert review; (ii) face validity of items; (iii) impact evaluation of the initial item pool; (iv) development of positive items and face validity of new items; (v) impact evaluation of the revised questionnaire and (vi) factor analysis and final revision of the questionnaire. Factor analysis was completed on the final questionnaire using data from the impact evaluation in order to evaluate whether the COHIP measured independent conceptual domains. Results:, Factor analysis identified five domains: oral health, functional well-being, social/emotional well-being, school environment and self-image. Readability was calculated using the Flesch-Kinkaid readability score that was finalized at a 3.5 grade reading level. Finally, two response sets, and a revised format (e.g., including pictures, increasing font size, and shading every other item) were implemented to decrease respondent fatigue and increase accuracy of participant responses. Conclusions:, The final questionnaire consisted of 34 items and five conceptually distinct subscales: oral health, functional well-being, social/emotional well-being, school environment and self-image. Subsequent papers present the validity and reliability of the COHIP. [source]

Achieving the Lisbon Goal: the contribution of Vocational Education and Training

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 3 2005
TOM LENEY
This article summarises the main conclusions of the ,Maastricht study': Achieving the Lisbon Goal: The Contribution of VET (Leney et al., 2004), which the UK Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), in collaboration with the Institute of Education and other international partners, prepared for the European Commission's DG Education and Culture in 2004. Based on the self-assessment reports prepared by the Directors-General for VET (DGVTs) of 31 European countries, and on independent expert reviews of the national and international literature on VET, the report analysed the contribution of VET to achieving the Lisbon goal and influenced the framing of the Maastricht Communiqué which the European education ministers agreed in December 2004. This summary of the findings of the report is organised under the following sections: 1) The potential of VET as an aspect of European cooperation; 2) The current state of play and progress of VET towards achieving the Lisbon goal; 3) Innovation in VET teaching and learning; and 4) Conclusions. [source]

Guidelines for assessing the suitability of spatial climate data sets

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
Christopher Daly
Abstract Spatial climate data are often key drivers of computer models and statistical analyses, which form the basis for scientific conclusions, management decisions, and other important outcomes. The recent availability of very high-resolution climate data sets raises important questions about the tendency to equate resolution with realism. This paper discusses the relationship between scale and spatial climate-forcing factors, and provides background and advice on assessing the suitability of data sets. Spatial climate patterns are most affected by terrain and water bodies, primarily through the direct effects of elevation, terrain-induced climate transitions, cold air drainage and inversions, and coastal effects. The importance of these factors is generally lowest at scales of 100 km and greater, and becomes greatest at less than 10 km. Except in densely populated regions of developed countries, typical station spacing is on the order of 100 km. Regions without major terrain features and which are at least 100 km from climatically important coastlines can be handled adequately by most interpolation techniques. Situations characterized by significant terrain features, but with no climatically important coastlines, no rain shadows, and a well-mixed atmosphere can be reasonably handled by methods that explicitly account for elevation effects. Regions having significant terrain features, and also significant coastal effects, rain shadows, or cold air drainage and inversions are best handled by sophisticated systems that are configured and evaluated by experienced climatologists. There is no one satisfactory method for quantitatively estimating errors in spatial climate data sets, because the field that is being estimated is unknown between data points. Perhaps the best overall way to assess errors is to use a combination of approaches, involve data that are as independent from those used in the analysis as possible, and use common sense in the interpretation of results. Data set developers are encouraged to conduct expert reviews of their draft data sets, which is probably the single most effective way to improve data set quality. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society. [source]

THE INFLUENCE OF EXPERT REVIEWS ON CONSUMER DEMAND FOR EXPERIENCE GOODS: A CASE STUDY OF MOVIE CRITICS*

Tolerance Signaling Molecules and Pregnancy: IDO, Galectins, and the Renaissance of Regulatory T Cells

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
Peter Terness
Problem, Is the concept of maternal tolerance preventing rejection of the semi-allogeneic ,fetal allograft' still valid? Method of study, Compilation of expert reviews of literature and recent advances in research on indoleamine-2,3 dioxygenase (IDO), regulatory T cells and galectin-1. Results and Conclusion, A role for IDO in pregnancy success remains speculative, but solid data exist to support a role for Treg cells, and for galectin-1 in induction and action of Treg cells. Just as several signals may need to be simultaneously present to induce Th1 cytokine-triggered abortions, more than 1 signal may need to be simultaneously present to prevent rejection and ensure success. Both complement and coagulation pathways appear necessary for embryo execution. [source]