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Literature Shows (literature + shows)
Selected AbstractsAutomated Creativity: Digital Morphology and the Design ProcessJOURNAL OF INTERIOR DESIGN, Issue 3 2007Kathleen Gibson M.A. ABSTRACT Literature shows that traditional creative methods may reinforce repetitive and habitual behavior resulting in ineffective environmental design solutions (Lawson, 1980; Lang, 1987; Laseau, 1989). Two case studies explored the use of an automated system called cyber-ideation (Gibson, 2000b) as a method to stimulate idea generation. This procedure employed individual and team involvement, recursive and linear exploration, and manual and digital processes. Analysis compared students' production using traditional ideation processes with that resulting from cyber-ideation. Results from this case study found that: 1) digital creation was more linear when evaluated against traditional ideation output, 2) cyber-ideation had a positive impact on team dynamics, and 3) automated output possessed greater surface delineation when compared with subjects' manual sketching. [source] The History of Sclerosing FoamsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 5 2004Jan-Christoph G. R. Wollmann MD Background. The use of foamed sclerosants in phlebology is undergoing a renaissance. The use of foam sclerotherapy was relaunched only a few years ago. Despite this, the early developments, pioneer findings, and improvements, especially in foaming techniques, are not widely recognized. Objective. The objective of this study was to give an overview from the very beginnings of foam sclerotherapy until the most recent and progressive techniques, as described by Tessari or the double syringe system technique. Results. The publications found after a thorough research for literature about foam sclerotherapy allow us to examine what has been invented between Orbach's work in 1944 and now and,surprisingly,even before 1944. The contributions of greatly reputed and also of unknown colleagues, such as Orbach, Sigg, Mayer, or Flückiger, are presented, giving a historical overview from the very beginnings of foam sclerotherapy until the most recent techniques. Basically, the literature shows that remarkable work was carried out in the field of noncommercial foam sclerotherapy and that sclerosing foams have been used by numerous doctors continuously for the past six decades, especially for the treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs. Conclusion. The use of foamed sclerosing agents in therapy of large or small varicose veins is not new. It started as early as 1939 and has continuously been improved in the past decades. [source] Adenomyoepithelioma of the breast: A cytologic dilemma.DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Report of a case, review of the literature Abstract Adenomyoepithelioma of the breast is a rare benign tumor made up of epithelial and myoepithelial cells. The cytologic features of this lesion are not well defined. This report describes the cytologic features of a case of adenomyoepthelioma characterized by hypercellularity and the presence of many atypical epithelial cells, leading to the erroneous diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. Review of the cytology literature shows that this condition frequently mimics the cytologic features of a number of benign and malignant breast lesions, thus representing not only an important potential pitfall in the diagnosis of carcinoma but also a differential diagnosis to consider in a variety of breast lesions. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2002;26:191,196; DOI 10.1002/dc.10073 © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Initial stiffness of reinforced concrete structural walls with irregular openingsEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 4 2010Bing Li Abstract Reinforced concrete (RC) structural walls with openings are the primary lateral-load-carrying elements utilized in many structures designed to resist earthquakes. A review of the technical literature shows that there is a considerable amount of uncertainty with regards to the elastic stiffness of these structures when subjected to seismic excitations. Current design practices often employ a stiffness reduction factor to deal with this uncertainty. In an attempt to develop additional information regarding the stiffness of these structures, this paper discusses an approach to determine the initial stiffness of RC structural walls with irregular openings and low aspect ratios. This approach would consider the effect of both flexural and shear deformations. As a part of this study, an analytical approach to determine stiffness was also developed and validated by comparing theoretical and experimental results obtained from six RC shear walls with irregular openings. Simple equations for assessing initial stiffness of RC structural walls with irregular openings are then proposed, based on these parametric case studies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Use of Reference Materials: A TutorialGEOSTANDARDS & GEOANALYTICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2001Jean S. Kane reference materials; certified reference materials; method validation; traceability of measurement; geochemical analysis Any review of the analytical literature shows that, while reference materials are routinely used in laboratories world-wide, not all uses follow ISO Guide 33 (1989), which outlines best practices. Analytical data quality can suffer as a result. This paper reviews the various uses that the geoanalytical community has made of reference materials from a historical perspective, and suggests improvements in practice that would more closely follow ISO Guide 33 recommendations. Un examen de la littérature dans le domaine analytique montre que, si les matériaux de référence sont utilisés en routine dans les laboratoires du monde entier, ces derniers ne suivent pas toujours les recommandations du guide ISO 33 (1989a), qui souligne les bonnes pratiques de laboratoire. La qualité des données analytiques peut alors en souffrir. Cet article passe en revue les différentes utilisations des matériaux de référence par la communauté de géoanalyse, ceci d'un point de vue historique, et suggère des améliorations de pratiques pour suivre au mieux les recommandations du guide ISO 33. [source] Green supply-chain management: A state-of-the-art literature reviewINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 1 2007Samir K. Srivastava There is a growing need for integrating environmentally sound choices into supply-chain management research and practice. Perusal of the literature shows that a broad frame of reference for green supply-chain management (GrSCM) is not adequately developed. Regulatory bodies that formulate regulations to meet societal and ecological concerns to facilitate growth of business and economy also suffer from its absence. A succinct classification to help academicians, researchers and practitioners in understanding integrated GrSCM from a wider perspective is needed. Further, sufficient literature is available to warrant such classification. This paper takes an integrated and fresh look into the area of GrSCM. The literature on GrSCM is covered exhaustively from its conceptualization, primarily taking a ,reverse logistics angle'. Using the rich body of available literature, including earlier reviews that had relatively limited perspectives, the literature on GrSCM is classified on the basis of the problem context in supply chain's major influential areas. It is also classified on the basis of methodology and approach adopted. Various mathematical tools/techniques used in literature vis-à-vis the contexts of GrSCM are mapped. A timeline indicating relevant papers is also provided as a ready reference. Finally, the findings and interpretations are summarized, and the main research issues and opportunities are highlighted. [source] Management development in small firmsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 3 2006Nerys Fuller-Love This paper is a review of the literature concerning management development in small firms. It looks at the benefits in terms of growing a small firm and whether the lack of management skills contributes to their failure. In addition, this paper looks at some of the barriers to management development, including the attitudes and characteristics of the entrepreneur, and also looks at learning models that may be appropriate for small firms. The paper also looks at the authors' views on the effectiveness of management development for small firms, the barriers to learning as well as the skills required. Management development programmes are now widely accepted as a means of improving the competitiveness of firms and the economy as a whole. Although management education and training has, in the past, been designed mainly for larger firms, there is a growing awareness of the requirements of small businesses. Government initiatives designed to encourage start-ups and to boost the growth of small firms have emphasized the importance of management development. This review of the literature shows that, on balance, management development programmes are effective for small firms. The main benefits appear to be survival and growth, reduction in failure and improvement in performance. The skills required include leadership and management, developing management systems and techniques and team building. Other skills include planning, delegation and financial management. The paper concludes that there is a need for further research into the effectiveness of management development programmes, the skills required and the barriers to learning in small firms and, also, whether they have an impact on the survival, growth and profitability of small firms. [source] Efficacy beliefs predict collaborative practice among intensive care unit nursesJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 3 2010Pascale M. Le Blanc le blanc p.m., schaufeli w.b., salanova m., llorens s. & nap r.e. (2010) Efficacy beliefs predict collaborative practice among intensive care unit nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing66(3), 583,594. Abstract Aim., This paper is a report of an investigation of whether intensive care nurses' efficacy beliefs predict future collaborative practice, and to test the potential mediating role of team commitment in this relationship. Background., Recent empirical studies in the field of work and organizational psychology have demonstrated that (professional) efficacy beliefs are reciprocally related to workers' resources and well-being over time, resulting in a positive gain spiral. Moreover, there is ample evidence that workers' affective commitment to their organization or work-team is related to desirable work behaviours such as citizenship behaviour. Methods., A longitudinal design was applied to questionnaire data from the EURICUS-project. Structural Equation Modelling was used to analyse the data. The sample consisted of 372 nurses working in 29 different European intensive care units. Data were collected in 1997 and 1998. However, our research model deals with fundamental psychosocial processes that are not time-dependent. Moreover, recent empirical literature shows that there is still room for improvement in ICU collaborative practice. Results., The hypotheses that (i) the relationship between efficacy beliefs and collaborative practice is mediated by team commitment and (ii) efficacy beliefs, team commitment and collaborative practice are reciprocally related were supported, suggesting a potential positive gain spiral of efficacy beliefs. Conclusion., Healthcare organizations should create working environments that provide intensive care unit nurses with sufficient resources to perform their job well. Further research is needed to design and evaluate interventions for the enhancement of collaborative practice in intensive care units. [source] Methodological issues in grounded theoryJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2000John R. Cutcliffe RMN RGN BSc(Hons) Methodological issues in grounded theory Examination of the qualitative methodological literature shows that there appear to be conflicting opinions and unresolved issues regarding the nature and process of grounded theory. Researchers proposing to utilize this method would therefore be wise to consider these conflicting opinions. This paper therefore identifies and attempts to address four key issues, namely, sampling, creativity and reflexivity, the use of literature, and precision within grounded theory. The following recommendations are made. When utilizing a grounded method researchers need to consider their research question, clarify what level of theory is likely to be induced from their study, and then decide when they intend to access and introduce the second body of literature. They should acknowledge that in the early stages of data collection, some purposeful sampling appears to occur. In their search for conceptually dense theory, grounded theory researchers may wish to free themselves from the constraints that limit their use of creativity and tacit knowledge. Furthermore, the interests of researchers might be served by attention to issues of precision including, avoiding method slurring, ensuring theoretical coding occurs, and using predominantly one method of grounded theory while explaining and describing any deviation away from this chosen method. Such mindfulness and the resulting methodological rigour is likely to increase the overall quality of the inquiry and enhance the credibility of the findings. [source] Dialogía y ruptura: la tradición etnogr´fica en la antropología aplicada en Puerto Rico, a partir de The People of Puerto RicoJOURNAL OF LATIN AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Manuel Valdés Pizzini The People of Puerto Rico (1956) had an unquestionable academic and intellectual impact on the island. A review of the literature shows that anthropologists and their texts have established a special dialogic with The People, in which we es tablish a distance, for political reasons, but it is also a work that we keep citing and using as an essential source. The relationship between this text and the Puerto Rican anthropologists is a contra dictory one, characterized by the dialectics between ruptures and linkages. There are strong thematic linkages with Steward's text, but the Puerto Rican anthropology also manifests a aipture with those topics, and an engagement of a different set of topics represented in the recent anthropological works (for example, political ecology, urban society, national culture, gender, and racism and ethnicity). This article also presents potential new directions for Puerto Rican anthropology. [source] The virtue and vice of workplace conflict: food for (pessimistic) thoughtJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 1 2008Carsten K.W. De Dreu Many authors, myself included, have suggested that workplace conflict may be beneficial to the organization. I argue that the support for this conclusion is rather weak. A selective and necessarily limited review of the literature shows that: (1) the positive functions of conflict are found only under an exceedingly narrow set of circumstances, (2) the conclusion that (particular forms of) conflict and conflict management has positive functions can be criticized on methodological grounds, (3) even under favorable circumstances a number of serious negative functions can be identified as well, (4) negative functions easily outweigh positive functions, prohibiting the emergence of ,positive workplace conflict' (where conflict has predominantly positive consequences), and (5) organizations need cooperative conflict management not because it brings positive conflict, but because it prevents workplace conflict to hurt too much. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sex differences in long bone fatigue using a rat modelJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 10 2006Luisa D. Moreno Abstract Stress fractures can occur because of prolonged exercise and are associated with cyclic loading. Fatigue is the accumulated damage that results from cyclic loading and bone fatigue damage is of special concern for athletes and army recruits. Existing literature shows that the rates of stress fracture for female athletes and female army recruits are higher than their male counterparts. In this study, we used an ex vivo rat model to investigate the fatigue response of female and male bones. We determined the strain versus number of cycles to failure (S/N) for each sex and found that for a certain initial strain (5,000,7,000 µ,) female bones have shorter fatigue life. To further characterize the bone response to fatigue, we also determined the creep that occurred during the fatigue test. From the creep data, for a certain strain range, female bones accumulated greater residual strains and reached the critical strain at a faster rate. In summary, this study demonstrates that female rat bones have a lower resistance to fatigue in the absence of a physiological response such as muscle fatigue or osteogenic adaptation. From these results, we hypothesized that creep was the underlying mechanism that accounted for the fast deterioration of female bones during fatigue. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:1926,1932, 2006 [source] Cognitive factors affecting student understanding of geologic timeJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 4 2003Jeff Dodick A critical element of the earth sciences is reconstructing geological structures and systems that have developed over time. A survey of the science education literature shows that there has been little attention given to this concept. In this study, we present a model, based on Montagnero's (1996) model of diachronic thinking, which describes how students reconstruct geological transformations over time. For geology, three schemes of diachronic thinking are relevant: 1. Transformation, which is a principle of change; in geology it is understood through actualistic thinking (the idea that present proceeses can be used to model the past). 2. Temporal organization, which defines the sequential order of a transformation; in geology it is based on the three-dimensional relationship among strata. 3. Interstage linkage, which is the connections between successive stages of a transformation; in geology it is based on both actualism and causal reasoning. Three specialized instruments were designed to determine the factors which influence reconstructive thinking: (a) the GeoTAT which tests diachronic thinking skills, (b) the TST which tests the relationship between spatial thinking and temporal thinking, and (c) the SFT which tests the influence of dimensional factors on temporal awareness. Based on the model constructed in this study we define the critical factors influencing reconstructive thinking: (a) the transformation scheme which influences the other diachronic schemes, (b) knowledge of geological processes, and (c) extracognitive factors. Among the students tested, there was a significant difference between Grade 9,12 students and Grade 7,8 students in their ability to reconstruct geological phenomena using diachronic thinking. This suggests that somewhere between Grades 7 and 8 it is possible to start teaching some of the logical principles used in geology to reconstruct geological structures. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 415,442, 2003 [source] Can Politicians Control Bureaucrats?LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY, Issue 4 2003Applying Theories of Political Control to Argentina's Democracy ABSTRACT In the United States, an important literature shows that legislators use interest groups, courts, and budgets to assert political control over bureaucrats. Similar theories can be applied to study the scores of new democracies that have emerged in recent decades. In Argentina, politicians in the first administration of Carlos Menem (1989-95) rewrote administrative procedures and relied on both "police patrol" and "fire alarm" oversight to realign the behavior of tax bureaucrats in conformance with their own policy preferences. Whereas U.S. legislators generally prefer complex administrative procedures, different electoral incentives led their Argentine counterparts to support reforms that significantly streamlined those procedures. This finding challenges theories that attribute legislators' bureaucratic preferences to the separation or fusion of powers between the executive and legislative branches. [source] A practical guide to methods of parentage analysisMOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 1 2010ADAM G. JONES Abstract The use of molecular techniques for parentage analysis has been a booming science for over a decade. The most important technological breakthrough was the introduction of microsatellite markers to molecular ecology, an advance that was accompanied by a proliferation and refinement of statistical techniques for the analysis of parentage data. Over the last several years, we have seen steady progress in a number of areas related to parentage analysis, and the prospects for successful studies continue to improve. Here, we provide an updated guide for scientists interested in embarking on parentage analysis in natural or artificial populations of organisms, with a particular focus on computer software packages that implement various methods of analysis. Our survey of the literature shows that there are a few established methods that perform extremely well in the analysis of most types of parentage studies. However, particular experimental designs or study systems can benefit from some of the less well-known computer packages available. Overall, we find that parentage analysis is feasible and satisfying in most systems, and we try to provide a simple roadmap to help other scientists navigate the confusing topography of statistical techniques. [source] Accurate fundamental parameters for lower main-sequence starsMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2006Luca Casagrande ABSTRACT We derive an empirical effective temperature and bolometric luminosity calibration for G and K dwarfs, by applying our own implementation of the Infrared Flux Method to multiband photometry. Our study is based on 104 stars for which we have excellent BV(RI)CJHKS photometry, excellent parallaxes and good metallicities. Colours computed from the most recent synthetic libraries (ATLAS9 and MARCS) are found to be in good agreement with the empirical colours in the optical bands, but some discrepancies still remain in the infrared. Synthetic and empirical bolometric corrections also show fair agreement. A careful comparison to temperatures, luminosities and angular diameters obtained with other methods in the literature shows that systematic effects still exist in the calibrations at the level of a few per cent. Our Infrared Flux Method temperature scale is 100-K hotter than recent analogous determinations in the literature, but is in agreement with spectroscopically calibrated temperature scales and fits well the colours of the Sun. Our angular diameters are typically 3 per cent smaller when compared to other (indirect) determinations of angular diameter for such stars, but are consistent with the limb-darkening corrected predictions of the latest 3D model atmospheres and also with the results of asteroseismology. Very tight empirical relations are derived for bolometric luminosity, effective temperature and angular diameter from photometric indices. We find that much of the discrepancy with other temperature scales and the uncertainties in the infrared synthetic colours arise from the uncertainties in the use of Vega as the flux calibrator. Angular diameter measurements for a well-chosen set of G and K dwarfs would go a long way to addressing this problem. [source] The power of cueing to circumvent dopamine deficits: A review of physical therapy treatment of gait disturbances in Parkinson's diseaseMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 6 2002Tamar C. Rubinstein MSc Abstract Gait disturbances are among the primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and contribute significantly to a patient's loss of function and independence. Standard treatment includes antiparkinsonian drugs, primarily levodopa. In addition to the standard drug regime, physical therapy is often prescribed to help manage the disease. In recent years, there have been promising reports of physical therapy programs combined with various types of sensory cueing for PD. In this brief review of the literature, we summarize the evidence regarding the clinical efficacy of different physical therapy programs for PD, specifically with respect to improving gait. We also discuss the potential therapeutic mechanisms of sensory cueing and review the studies that have used cueing in the treatment of gait in PD. This review of the literature shows two key findings: (1) despite its relatively long history, the evidence supporting the efficacy of conventional physical therapy for treatment of gait in PD is not strong; and (2) although further investigation is needed, sensory cueing appears to be a powerful means of improving gait in PD. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society [source] Mycobacterial infection and atopy in childhood: A systematic reviewPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 7 2007Charles C. Obihara The epidemiological relation between mycobacterial infection and the prevalence of atopic disease in humans is still unclear. This is in contrast to studies in murine models in which a clear suppression of atopic symptoms was observed after exposure to mycobacteria or mycobacterial products. We therefore wanted to provide a systematic overview of the published literature on the relationship between mycobacterial infection and atopic disease and to evaluate the causal relationship in a meta-analysis. The EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched systematically for papers published in the English literature (1966,2005) on the relation between mycobacterial infection and atopic disease. Original observational or interventional studies involving the paediatric population were included. Two authors independently reviewed articles for data on mycobacterial exposure and atopic disease outcome. Any differences were resolved by discussion. Of a total of 1201 hits, 23 studies (19 cross-sectionals, three case,controls and one prospective cohort) met the inclusion criteria. Only a minority of studies (40%) observed an association between mycobacterial infection and the prevalence of atopic disease outcome. In the meta-analysis, only studies containing data on mycobacterial exposure and atopic disease outcome variables were included. Only cross-sectional studies, in which the relation between a positive tuberculin skin test and allergic symptoms was studied, observed statistically significant negative correlation (odds ratio 0.63; 95% confidence interval: 0.51,0.79). The results of this review show that the evidence of the relationship of mycobacterial infection and atopic disease is based on observations of cross-sectional studies. In a meta-analysis, calculations showed a high level of heterogeneity (I2) within studies with similar design making it difficult to pool effects. This may partly be explained by differences in the type and definition of mycobacterial infection and lack of uniformity in the definition of atopy. The results show that only a minority of studies in the literature shows any evidence of inverse relationship between mycobacterial exposure and atopic disease outcome. The fact that the present epidemiological evidence on the relationship between mycobacterial infection and the development of atopic disease is based mainly on cross-sectional observational studies indicates the need for population-based prospective studies to address this issue. This issue needs to be addressed in view of recent suggestions to developing mycobacterial-based vaccines against atopic disease in the future. [source] Integrating artificial intelligence into on-line statistical process controlQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2003Ruey-Shiang Guh Abstract Statistical process control (SPC) is one of the most effective tools of total quality management, the main function of which is to monitor and minimize process variations. Typically, SPC applications involve three major tasks in sequence: (1) monitoring the process, (2) diagnosing the deviated process and (3) taking corrective action. With the movement towards a computer integrated manufacturing environment, computer based applications need to be developed to implement the various SPC tasks automatically. However, the pertinent literature shows that nearly all the researches in this field have only focussed on the automation of monitoring the process. The remaining two tasks still need to be carried out by quality practitioners. This project aims to apply a hybrid artificial intelligence technique in building a real time SPC system, in which an artificial neural network based control chart monitoring sub-system and an expert system based control chart alarm interpretation sub-system are integrated for automatically implementing the SPC tasks comprehensively. This system was designed to provide the quality practitioner with three kinds of information related to the current status of the process: (1) status of the process (in-control or out-of-control). If out-of-control, an alarm will be signaled, (2) plausible causes for the out-of-control situation and (3) effective actions against the out-of-control situation. An example is provided to demonstrate that hybrid intelligence can be usefully applied for solving the problems in a real time SPC system. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Misconceptions and political outcomes*THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 484 2003David Romer A large literature shows that strategic interactions among actors with conflicting objectives can cause the political process to produce outcomes that lower welfare. This paper investigates an alternative explanation of such outcomes: if individuals' errors in assessing the likely effects of proposed policies are correlated, democratic decisionmaking can produce welfare-reducing outcomes even in the absence of conflicting objectives. Under plausible assumptions, choosing candidates from among the best informed individuals does not remedy the problems created by such errors, but subsidising information and exposing representatives to information after their election do. Concentration of power has ambiguous effects. [source] ORIGINAL RESEARCH,PSYCHOLOGY: A New Evaluation Concept and Its Measurement: "Male Sexual Anticipating Cognitions"THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2006Mireille Bonierbale MD ABSTRACT Context., The development of sex-active drugs justifies the use of scales for evaluating changes induced by such forms of therapy. Among the tools available for evaluating erectile dysfunction (ED), the International Index of Erectile Function is the most widely used. Analysis of the scientific literature shows that these instruments remain primarily focused on functional aspects of ED. The vulnerability factors involved in ED are mainly based upon organic characteristics, e.g., age, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes, but the psychological factors involved in the occurrence and maintenance of ED are less studied. Objective., This conclusion led us to develop a French self-administered instrument, based on patients' subjective sexual experiences, to evaluate "male sexual anticipating cognitions," using Apter's reversal theory as a framework. Design, Setting, and Patients., We present here the first stages of the development of this new instrument. We carried out semistructured, one-to-one interviews with patients with psychogenic ED and patients with mixed ED. Eighteen one-to-one interviews were held in several urologic/andrologic and psychiatric sexologist services. Interviews were continued until the required information was obtained. Analyses of the content were performed to generate items for the new instrument. Results., Dimensions isolated were those of (a) sexual beliefs; (b) metamotivational modes; and (c) dysfunctional coping. Pools of items are currently being analyzed by 108 experts (psychologists, sexologists, andrologists, urologists) to determine if additional items are required. The acceptability and the comprehensiveness of this preliminary questionnaire will be tested by 320 patients in a multicentric study, to produce a shorter questionnaire featuring the most relevant items. Once validated, this multidimensional instrument could be used to assess treatment efficacy of, the, mixed, and psychogenic components of ED. Bonierbale M, Clement A, Loundou A, Simeoni M-C, Barrau K, Hamidi K, Apter MJ, Lançon C, and Auquier P. A new evaluation concept and its measurement: "Male sexual anticipating cognitions." J Sex Med 2006;3:96,103. [source] A Model for Ultrasound-Assisted Lumbar PunctureACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2009Matthew Herron Clinicians may find traditional lumbar puncture (LP) attempts fail due to indistinct landmarks in morbidly obese patients necessitating ultrasound localization or fluoroscopy. We believe a readily available teaching model is needed because many emergency physicians may be unfamiliar with ultrasound-assisted LP. Review of current literature shows that there are few commercially available LP models suitable for use with ultrasound. Those on the market are expensive and have limited reusability. We have succeeded in creating a low-cost reusable model for training health care professionals to perform ultrasound-assisted LP. We believe there will be many benefits to using this model including: increase in emergency department (ED) LP success rates, decrease in number of radiology consults for fluoroscopy, increase in patient satisfaction, decreased waiting time in the ED, and fewer complications due to fewer needle passes. This model effectively reproduces the sonographic appearance of the lumbar spine and overlying soft tissue and aids in teaching bedside ultrasound-assisted LP. The model has an opaque "skin" overlying a gel wax mold containing a lumbar spine. A catheter containing water is imbedded in the spine to simulate the spinal canal and cerebrospinal fluid. The skin allows for a more realistic procedure and can be removed for visual confirmation of a successful LP. In addition, successful needle placement will result in return of clear fluid. Construction of the model requires a commercially available lumbar spine and items found in craft stores with a total cost of approximately $100. [source] Interpreting Statistical Evidence with Empirical Likelihood FunctionsBIOMETRICAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Zhiwei Zhang Abstract There has been growing interest in the likelihood paradigm of statistics, where statistical evidence is represented by the likelihood function and its strength is measured by likelihood ratios. The available literature in this area has so far focused on parametric likelihood functions, though in some cases a parametric likelihood can be robustified. This focused discussion on parametric models, while insightful and productive, may have left the impression that the likelihood paradigm is best suited to parametric situations. This article discusses the use of empirical likelihood functions, a well-developed methodology in the frequentist paradigm, to interpret statistical evidence in nonparametric and semiparametric situations. A comparative review of literature shows that, while an empirical likelihood is not a true probability density, it has the essential properties, namely consistency and local asymptotic normality that unify and justify the various parametric likelihood methods for evidential analysis. Real examples are presented to illustrate and compare the empirical likelihood method and the parametric likelihood methods. These methods are also compared in terms of asymptotic efficiency by combining relevant results from different areas. It is seen that a parametric likelihood based on a correctly specified model is generally more efficient than an empirical likelihood for the same parameter. However, when the working model fails, a parametric likelihood either breaks down or, if a robust version exists, becomes less efficient than the corresponding empirical likelihood. [source] Nested effects models for learning signaling networks from perturbation dataBIOMETRICAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Holger Fröhlich Abstract Targeted gene perturbations have become a major tool to gain insight into complex cellular processes. In combination with the measurement of downstream effects via DNA microarrays, this approach can be used to gain insight into signaling pathways. Nested Effects Models were first introduced by Markowetz et al. as a probabilistic method to reverse engineer signaling cascades based on the nested structure of downstream perturbation effects. The basic framework was substantially extended later on by Fröhlich et al., Markowetz et al., and Tresch and Markowetz. In this paper, we present a review of the complete methodology with a detailed comparison of so far proposed algorithms on a qualitative and quantitative level. As an application, we present results on estimating the signaling network between 13 genes in the ER-, pathway of human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Comparison with the literature shows a substantial overlap. [source] Toward a Theory of Motivated Information ManagementCOMMUNICATION THEORY, Issue 2 2004Walid A. Afifi The relationship between uncertainty and information has long been at the forefront of the social scientific study of human behavior. The last decade has seen increased attention among communication scholars to the information-management process. The result has been significant widening of ideological lenses and an impressive growth of knowledge. However, a review of the literature shows that there is the need for a framework that integrates and extends these efforts. We advance the theory of motivated information-management to fill that need. The theory proposes a 3-phase process of information-management in interpersonal encounters, emphasizes the role of efficacy, and brings attention to the interactive nature of information-management in this context. We explicate the theory's propositional structure and present a graphical model intended to capture some of the overarching principles detailed in that structure. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||